[citation needed] The railway continued its extension westward until, in 1883, it linked with its eastward counterpart, completing the Sunset Route from Los Angeles to New Orleans.

[citation needed] In 1890, two real estate investors from Houston (R. M. Cash and L. E. Luckle) purchased 4 sq mi (10 km2) of land directly on the route of the BBB&C, only a mile and a half from its first stop at Stafford's Point.

They advertised the property as "a land of genial sunshine and eternal summer" in St. Louis, Missouri, and its surrounding areas.

Three years later, W. R. McElroy purchased 80 acres (32 ha) in the same vicinity, and in an effort to promote the area jointly with Cash and Luckle in St. Louis, he named it "Missouri City".

Its growth took an unexpected turn when, on February 14, 1895, shortly after the first group of settlers had arrived, the town was hit with a blizzard.

[citation needed] Among its first businesses were a blacksmith shop, a depot, and a general store, which also housed the first post office.

[citation needed] Oil was discovered at Blue Ridge 4 mi (6 km) southeast of town in 1919; soon after, a salt mine opened there.

After a pipeline had been constructed the following year, Missouri City became the first town in Fort Bend County to make use of natural gas.

[citation needed] With the benefit of a railroad, Missouri City had already been home to commuters who, by train, traveled to adjacent towns such as Stafford's Point and Sugar Land to work.

With the increase of automobiles and the improvement of roads and highways in the early part of the 20th century, the developing community of Missouri City gradually attracted a wealth of newcomers.

[citation needed] Missouri City has since seen tremendous economic growth, moving eastward, southward, and then westward.

[citation needed] In the 1980s, an influx of middle-class African Americans – most of them first-time homeowners – were attracted to developing communities south and west of Houston.

Teal Run and other unincorporated areas east of Highway 6 became ethnically diverse before neighborhoods farther west.

Today, Missouri City is a prime example of wealthy, majority-Black suburbs in the U.S.[citation needed] The Missouri City area's recent upscale, master-planned residential developments include Lake Olympia, south of Quail Valley, and portions of Riverstone, south of State Highway 6.

Missouri City is bordered by the city of Houston to the north and east, Stafford to the northwest, Sugar Land to the west, and Arcola to the southeast, as well as unincorporated communities such as Fifth Street to the north, Fresno to the east, and Sienna Plantation to the south.

The Missouri City Parks and Recreation Department is a nationally accredited, Texas Gold Medal Award-winning department that maintains and operates a wide variety of park and natural areas, trails, athletic complexes and other facilities.

Park amenities include multiple lighted sports fields, lakes, playgrounds, splash pad, and walking trails, as well as boating and fishing sites.

Missouri City received the award in the Large (12 or more courts), Public Tennis Facility division.

[19] The Fort Bend County portion of Missouri City is served by Fort Bend Independent School District, while the Harris County portion is served by Houston Independent School District.

Discussions continue on commuter service along US 90A from METRORail's Fannin South station, initially to terminate at the Fort Bend County line near Beltway 8.

[41] Expansion westward awaits, among other things, formation of a transportation district or other funding means for communities that are not now in the METRO service area.