Clouds part to give many in Missouri thrilling eclipse views
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Thousands convened on the grassy grounds of the Missouri Capitol and Kansas City’s towering World War I memorial on Monday, joining crowds throughout the state who witnessed the first total eclipse to traverse the country in roughly a century.
A 300-mile-long swath of the state from St. Joseph to Cape Girardeau fell in the path of totality, a roughly 70-mile-wide corridor stretching from Oregon to South Carolina that experienced two to three minutes of a total eclipse. The rest of the North America, Central America and the top of South America were treated to a partial eclipse.
Missouri tourism officials expected up to 1.3 million visitors to show up, with hotel rooms in prime viewing spots mostly sold out in advance. It was unclear exactly how many came, but some travelled for long distances.
David Colon and his wife, Mariana Perez, of Alajuala, Costa Rica, planned their trip to visit his mom in Oklahoma to coincide with the eclipse. They arrived to Jefferson City on Monday and spent the eclipse reclining on the Capitol’s south steps in their safety glasses and listening to the chirping of cicadas and crickets normally reserved for nighttime.