Happy Birthday — Missouri!

(AP) — Missouri turned 200 years old Tuesday, commemorating its birthday with art, music, speeches, free ice cream and — fittingly — the recognition of new citizens in a state that once served as the gateway for westward expansion in the United States.

A bicentennial ceremony at the state Capitol marked the pinnacle of a year’s worth of events in every county intended to draw attention to Missouri’s history while also looking toward its future.