Missouri Life August/September 2008

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CONTENTS Features

August 2008

52 ✳ Fossil Foraging

Missouri river bluffs, highway cutouts, and abandoned quarries are perfect hunting grounds for fossils. Discover Missouri’s top ten sites and what to look for.

68 ✳ Bridge Over Troubled Water

Photographer Notley Hawkins explores the Katy Bridge, an old railroad bridge at the center of a state debate.

74 ✳ Missouri Orchards: A is for Apple

Meet some of the last remaining commercial fruit growers in Missouri and let them convince you the state of Washington has nothing on us, plus where to go to pick your own fresh apples and peaches.

80 ✳ Block Party: K.C.’s Power & Light

Turn on to new food, fun, art, shows, boutiques, and music, at Kansas City’s revived downtown.

84 ✳ Missouri’s Journalism Fame

Our state claims the first newspaper west of the Mississippi, the world-renowned Journalism School, the first issue of Stars and Stripes, a hall of fame for photojournalism, and the founder of the Pulitzer Prize.

90 ✳ Civil War Series: Indian Regiments

American Indian regiments were rare but fought on both sides of the Civil War in one battle here.

94 ✳ Walking the Line

Olympic hopeful Patrick Stroupe from Armstrong hopes he can walk the distance at the Olympic Trials.

Departments

25 ✳ All Around Missouri

Choose from 188 events around the state, including Jour de Fete at Ste. Genevieve, the Missouri State Fair at Sedalia, and Dancin’ in the Street at St. Louis.

106 ✳ Welcome Home

See the lovingly preserved home purchased in the mid1800s by one of the Pony Express owners at Lexington.

COURTESY OF WHITE RIVER LODGE

E 6om0fort PAfG ree C

134 ✳ Tasteful Traveler: Tomato Tales Our food editor finds tasty tomato recipes.

Care f the Road for t King o found com th bo son dges, Robin John at 6 lo us. n o s ran rio near B tic and luxu rus

146 ✳ Missouri Artists

Makers of naturally dyed pottery, whimsical musical instruments, and a plein-air painter from Chesterfield, Falcon, and Kansas City share their stories.

154 ✳ Missouri Journal: Bethel

Envisioned as a Utopian community, Bethel Colony was a refuge and hope for the people who settled there. Descendants of the colonists still call the area home.

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,AKOTA #OFFEE #O

CONTENTS

August 2008

Departments continued

8 âœł Missouri Memo

98 âœł Healthy Living

We find our way to Branson, in preserving cultural heritage, in the immense digital world, in school, and in politics, we hope. Our managing editor begins a blog.

14 âœł Letters: Another Old Jail

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)N ¹4HE $ISTRICT² $OWNTOWN #OLUMBIA 3 .INTH 3T -AIL ORDER THROUGH WWW LAKOTACOFFEE COM WWW SPECIALTY COFFEE ADVISOR COM

Discover why Missouri is a retirement Mecca, new innovative services for the elderly at Kansas City, where we rank among the nation’s depressed, and a new global grief support group based at Joplin.

You tell us about another old jail in Keytesville, praise Boonville and also Missouri’s first poet laureate, elaborate on mozarkite, and add information about Confederate Gen. J.O. Shelby.

142 âœł Missouri Wine

17 âœł Symbol: The State Insect

Springfield spawned Big Smith and MayApple Records.

Along with 15 other states, Missouri chose the honeybee.

19 âœł Missouri Medley

Celebrate the 40th Gospel Sing at Lebanon, the sixth journey of a stagecoach on the Butterfield Overland Mail Company’s old route, and a new sculpture commemorating Lewis and Clark at Jefferson City, near where they camped.

46 âœł Made in Missouri

Band uniforms get bling at Brookfield.

Our columnist continues with the second of two parts on why Missouri oak is becoming recognized for barrels.

145 âœł Show-Me Sound

152 âœł Books: Romances

Missouri authors from St. Charles and Lebanon steal your heart in Catch a Rising Star and Wanted! The Half-Breed.

160 âœł Trivia: Food for Thought

Test your knowledge of Missouri’s claims to food fame.

162 âœł Musings

The Ozark philosopher won’t jump on the green bandwagon. He thinks it’s a marketing ploy.

Cover photo: Katy Bridge at Boonville by Notley Hawkins

Special Advertising Section 109 âœł California: Small Enough to Know You, Large Enough to Serve You

California is perhaps the only small town in Missouri to have both an uptown and a downtown. It’s progressive in its preservation of the past and creation of beautiful parks, and it’s seeing significant job growth.

. This Issue on MissouriLife com My Missouri Memory The Raft Trip by Dean Walley launches our new online feature. It’s a true tale of three young men braving the Mississippi just like Huck. E-mail your memory to rebecca@missourilife.com.

Rayville Baking Co. Recipes Chef Josh Anthony shares recipes for French Country Chicken Fricassee and Coffee Pots de Crème from the farmhouse culinary classes

Olympic Dreams We’ll be following Missouri’s Olympic hopefuls, including Patrick Stroupe’s dream in racewalking (page 94), as they compete.

Join the Missouri Roots conversation Weigh in on Managing Editor Rebecca French Smith’s new blog about the places, people, heritage, and events that make Missouri unique.

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EMO MISSOUesRBeIhinM d the Stories Telling the Tal

WE’LL FIND OUR WAY By Danita Allen Wood, Editor in Chief

It’s 5:30 AM, and we’re on our way to Branson. I’m writing this column on my laptop as our publisher (my husband) drives. I’m wondering if I remembered to stick the manila folder with directions to our two destinations in my briefcase, or whether they’re still lying on my desk.

Evan Wood, 2008 Graduate, Fayette High School

to a state park, about property rights versus public good, about the cost and who pays, and about the environmental impact. With the value of hindsight, it seems easy to say the right way was found with the Katy Trail, which pulls 350,000 visitors annually, as estimated by the Department of Natural Resources, and I’m confident the right way will ultimately be found with the Katy Bridge, too … that we’ll figure out how to balance the needs of commerce with the preservation of bits of our cultural heritage. We have another story that brings up way-finding. The story (page 82) recounts Missouri’s influence on the field of journalism. Managing editor Rebecca Smith was in my office recently talking about whether bloggers are journalists, and no matter that answer, which are trusted more. I know Rebecca will find her way with her new blog, and I’m confident journalists will find their way in this whole new world of readers participating in the instantaneous gathering and spreading of information. Coincidentally, my son Evan begins college at the University of Missouri at Columbia this August. He will be going to the same university that Greg and I did, and he’s talking about a journalism major, which happens to be what we both studied. (Later, I also taught magazine classes on the Journalism School faculty

for ten years until 2005.) The school deserves its sterling reputation as the top school in the world, and yet I am ambivalent about Evan’s choice. I worry that he is choosing what he has seen, what he knows. (He works on our web site when he can squeeze that in between playing in a band, rehearsing for a community theater play, and mowing our large lawn.) Who knows what path he’ll ultimately pursue? I have absolutely no doubt he will find his way. Finally, I was discussing the nature of divisive politics within the country today with my biking buddy while we were biking on the Katy Trail. She was describing spending time with some friends who were vehement in their attacks on Democrats, and I was describing some of my friends, for whom political correctness dictates no jokes about any groups, except for Republicans. We’re both dismayed. Characterizations of either party as evil just seem silly. There have been good, even great (and bad, even horrible) policies implemented by each party. Nonetheless, as we race toward the finish line of the current election cycle, I plead respect for each other and for differing viewpoints. Most of us on either side are sincerely simply trying to find the right way, and I believe that fact means that we as a people ultimately will. Oh, and we found our Branson destinations just fine, too.

Visit Missourilife.com To Read Rebecca’s Blog, Missouri Roots

TOP: TINA WHEELER; BELOW: TAMARA CAMPBELL, HIGH GATE GALLERY

We haven’t yet passed over the Missouri River, which is near our office at Boonville, and I’m wondering whether I should ask to stop and check my briefcase in the trunk, to see if I indeed have the directions. As we cross the river, where I automatically look upriver to see the old bridge, I decide not to. I’m confident we’ll find our way, even though our destinations are remote. The moment of wondering made me realize how often we make the leap of faith that we will ultimately find our way, and the right way, as individuals, as groups, and even as a nation. A couple of stories in this issue bring that home. The first one is our photo essay on the Katy Bridge (page 66) that crosses the river at Boonville. I’m sure you’ve heard about the conflict over who owns it and whether it should be torn down. I remember the heated debates years ago when the trail was converted

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Missouriʼs Picturesque Rivertown Turn-of-the-Century Homes Historic Business District Mississippi Riverfront Restaurants & Lodging Route 79 Mural City Antiques & Artists

The Spirit of Discovery 515 East Morgan Street, Boonville, MO 65233 660•882•9898 info@missourilife.com

Publisher Greg Wood

Editorial Editor in Chief Danita Allen Wood Managing Editor & Web Editor Rebecca French Smith Editorial Assistants Rebecca Layne, Sara Shahriari Contributing Writers and Editors BJ Alderman, Traci Angel, John Fisher, Doug Frost, Nina Furstenau, Tricia Grissom, Dawn Klingensmith, Stefani Kronk, Ann Leach, Ron Marr, Arthur Mehrhoff, John Robinson, Luke Roussin, Susan Smith, Larry Wood Contributing Photographers Notley Hawkins, Chris Parr, L.G. Patterson, Brad Reno

Art & Production Creative Director Andrew Barton Art Director Tina Wheeler

www.louisiana-mo.com • 888.642.3800

Marketing Art Director Eric Larson Design Assistant Lauren Keirsey

Advertising Senior Account Managers Linda Alexander, 816-582-7720, Kansas City area Sherry Broyles, 800-492-2593, ext. 107 Agnieszka A. Mahan, 417-872-8120, Springfield area Publishing Assistant Phillette Harvey, 800-492-2593, ext. 104 Advertising Coordinator & Calendar Editor Amy Stapleton, 800-492-2593, ext. 101

Circulation & Administration Circulation Director Karen Ebbesmeyer 800-492-2593, ext. 102 Proofreader & Administrative Assistant Lisa Guese Chief Financial Officer Mark Gandy, B2B CFO®, www.b2bcfo.com Accounting Lammers & Associates CPAs, P.C., 660-882-6000 Webmaster Insite Advice, www.insiteadvice.com MISSOURI LIFE, Vol. 35, No. 4, August 2008 (USPS#020181; ISSN#1525-0814) Published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October, and December by Missouri Life, Inc., for $19.99. Periodicals Postage paid at Boonville, MO, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Missouri Life, 515 E. Morgan St., Boonville, MO 65233-1252. © 2008 Missouri Life. All rights reserved. Printed by The Ovid Bell Press, Inc., at Fulton, Missouri.

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Marshall

Area Heritage Festivals

M I S S O U R I

In the heartland of the nation, Marshall is home to folks who believe hospitality is our calling. Enjoy a concert on the square, a round of golf, a stroll in our historic neighborhoods, or play at the Aquatic Center at Indian Foothills Park. Visit the newly opened Nicholas Beazley Aviation Museum with interactive exhibits. Visit these local shops and sites: Adventure Quest Travel 2007 Uniglobe Franchisee of the Year

MARSHALL MO ......................... 660-886-3675

Comfort Inn - Marshall Station

Winner of the Platinum Hospitality Award

Aquatic Center

1356 WEST COLLEGE................ 660-886-8080 Court Street Classics Antiques & Collectibles

Hours: Mon. - Fri. 10-5:30; Sat. 10-5; Sun. 1-5

69 SOUTH LAFAYETTE ............. 660-886-2260

Nicholas Beazley Aviation Museum

Rich History

Open 2008 featuring antique airplanes & displays from Marshall historic aviation school and factory

1985 SOUTH ODELL .................. 660-886-2630 PahloArt Center & Kazoos

Featuring 20 artists in 15 gallery rooms as well as Kazoos children’s hands-on art center

868 SOUTH BRUNSWICK ........... 660-831-1000

Rod’s Hallmark Store A store for you to enjoy!

941 SOUTH CHEROKEE ............ 660-886-4412 Santa Fe Trail Days September 12-13, 2008

Annual Festival featuring Lunch on the Trail, Crafts Show, Parade, Gospel Sing

Aviation Museum

COURTHOUSE SQUARE ........... 660-886-3324

Square Corner Gift Shop

Custom framing, bridal registry, kitchen gadgets

72 NORTH JEFFERSON ............. 660-886-3716

3 Friends

Mastectomy Products & Nursing Uniforms

161 SOUTH BENTON .......... 660-831-5304

Wood & Huston Bank

Four locations in Marshall to serve you

27 EAST NORTH ST .... 660-886-6825

Antiques

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The Spirit of Discovery 515 East Morgan Street, Boonville, MO 65233 660•882•9898 info@missourilife.com

To Subscribe or Give a Gift

MARK W. MOORE President

MUCH “MOORE” THAN A FAMILY TRADITION! “G.L. Moore Tire and Automotive Inc. has the largest selection of Michelin, BFGoodrich, and Uniroyal tires in the Springfield area,” says owner Mark Moore. “Our technicians are all certified, utilizing the latest computerized equipment for alignments, tire mounting, balancing and mechanical repairs.” “We provide all preventive maintenance and repairs as needed for cars, light trucks, vans, motor homes, trailers and SUVs,” says Mark. “Even our waiting room was made with you in mind. Cable television, comfortable chairs, a monitor to experience real-time wheel alignment, wide selection of magazines, view of the shop

and Wi-Fi for your laptops. There is always fresh coffee, and every morning you’ll find fresh Krispy Kreme donuts!” G.L. Moore Tire and Automotive specializes in a long list of automotive maintenance needs for today’s hitech cars including Computerized Alignment and Computerized Engine Analysis but also realizes that regularly scheduled maintenance is the key to a vehicle’s long life. That includes Lube and Filter Changes, Fuel Injector Service, Wheel Balance, Shocks and Struts, Tire Rotation, Transmission Maintenance, State Vehicle Inspections and, of course, Tires. “Please stop by anytime and let us know what we can do for you!”

Our family serving yours...

• Visit MissouriLife.com • Call 800-492-2593 • Or mail a check for $19.99 (for 6 issues) to: Missouri Life 515 East Morgan Street Boonville, MO 65233-1252

Advertising Call 800-492-2593. Information for display and web advertising and for other marketing opportunities are posted at MissouriLife.com.

Custom Publishing Get Missouri Life quality writing, design, and photography for your special publications or magazines. Call 800-492-2593, ext. 106, or e-mail Publisher Greg Wood at greg@missourilife.com.

Marketplace & E-newsletter Find Missouri-made gifts, services, and other Missouri products at our web site, and sign up for Missouri Life Lines, our free e-newsletter, at MissouriLife.com.

Reprints Missouri Life provides reprints on high-quality paper. E-mail info@missourilife.com or call 800-492-2593 for rates.

Back Issues Cost is $7.50, which includes tax and shipping. Order from web site, call, or send a check.

Expiration Date Find it at the top left corner of your mailing label.

Change of Address Send both old and new addresses to karen@missourilife.com or Missouri Life, 515 East Morgan Street, Boonville, MO 65233-1252 or call 800-492-2593.

2253 S. Olive Court • Springfield, MO 65802 mark@glmooretire.com • 417-869-2561

Audit pending

International Regional Magazine Association

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3727 South Campbell Ave. Springfield, MO 65807 Phone (417) 889-5750 Fax (417) 887-6348 www.elitemercedes.com

2009 SLK-Class

Springfield’s only authorized Mercedes-Benz center! [13] August 2008

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R onLsE&TYoTurEStoRrieSs YOU g Opini

Sharin

SECRETS OF AN OLD JAIL

Janet Weaver, Keytesville

Best Of Missouri Life Festival In the last twenty years, Barney and I have traveled as far east as Virginia, as far north as Michigan, as far south as Georgia, as far west as Texas. We have been received by kind folk in Franklin, Tennessee, but we have never been treated so well as in Boonville. The people were genuinely friendly, from the waiter to the person in the street. We were welcomed, appreciated, attended to. Boonville could very well be the Best of Missouri Life in regard to real estate. Boonville has many older homes that could be

purchased at a bargain and fixed up to be a “Darlin’.” Many are being rehabbed as I write, and that suggests that Boonville is in the “upswing” stage, concerning the cycle communities go through. Its downtown businesses seem to employ The Chariton County jail at Keytesville is undergoing renovations. more people per square foot Although tours are unavailable at this time, Chariton County Heritage than the businesses Barney Tours, Inc., hopes to offer them in the coming years. and I are used to back in the city. I kept telling Barney, Boonville is not but of the universal “human condition.” afraid to give somebody a job. Donal F. Mahoney, St. Louis Boonville has not forgot its past; it celebrates and honors it. Great idea! We’ll consider it at the next planBarney has a son who now lives in Columbia. ning session. —Editor We had him meet us in front of the Hotel Frederick on Saturday during this past festival. Missouri Mozarkite We went over much of what I’ve just wrote you I read the article on mozarkite in the August and encouraged him to move to Boonville. 2007 issue. I thought you might like to know The possibility is great. We miss Boonville. how mozarkite received its name. Robert Pecoraro, Cottleville

Robert Pecoraro and Barney Combs plan to return to next year’s Best of Missouri Life Festival as John Filson, Daniel Boone’s biographer, and Daniel Boone, respectively. —Editor

Our First Poet Laureate I enjoyed reading about Missouri’s poet laureate, Walter Bargen, in the June (2008) issue of Missouri Life. I wonder if Missouri Life would consider asking Mr. Bargen to serve as its poetry editor. I realize that it is not now your policy to run poems, but if Mr. Bargen were to select for publication poems submitted to your magazine, you could be assured of publishing only good work, reflective not only of the Midwest

My father, Thomas McCord, was the first person to find mozarkite in large quantities. My father sold rocks to Ralph Butler in Independence in the 1950s. Mr. Butler was a good friend of my father’s, and when Dad started regularly bringing the stone in to sell, Mr. Butler said, “We need to name this, Tom.” Mr. Butler suggested McCordite, but Dad said that there might not always be a McCord in the Ozarks, but the stone will always be in the Ozarks. So it should be mozarkite. I feel that my father is the one that discovered mozarkite even though I know others have laid claim to its discovery. I have enclosed a copy of an old Kansas City Star article about the stone’s discovery my father kept. Unfortunately he passed away three years ago,

COURTESY OF JANET WEAVER

The 1906 Chariton County jail and sheriff’s residence located in Keytesville is undergoing renovations and restoration by Chariton County Heritage Tours, Inc., in hopes that one day it, too, can be among those early twentieth century jails worthy of touring (“Secret Life of the Lawman’s Wife,” April 2008). Presently, the only tours going through our old jail occur on County Government Day when all the eighth graders from the schools in Chariton County tour all the county offices, the old jail, the new jail, and the 911 offices and then in the afternoon enjoy a mock trial at the circuit courtroom in the Chariton County Courthouse. On that day, the junior high school students are taken through the old jail, and they briefly see the former sheriff’s offices, living quarters, and the maximum-security cells. Hopefully within the next decade, Chariton County’s old jail can be among the others in the state of Missouri that offer regular tours. Although when we are working over there, if anyone happens to stop in, we will gladly show them around.

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but he was always pleased to see any mention of mozarkite and was very pleased when he found out that it had been made a state symbol. He was a very quiet man, so not many knew about his role in mozarkite. Rebecca Edson, Hollister

The popularity of mozarkite spurred several early rock hounds to hunt for it. Others also claim to have named the rock, and our attempts to verify any claims came up short. Nonetheless, what a wonderful memory; thank you for sharing. You should be proud of the exposure he brought to the stone. —Editor

Regarding General Shelby An article from our newspaper (Tipton Times, August 19, 1927) shows that Shelby didn’t just farm when he returned to Missouri following the Civil War (“Flamboyant & Fabled,” June 2008). He operated a coal mine near Clarksburg for several years in the 1870s. Clarksburg is about six miles east of Tipton. Gloria Knipp, Tipton

Concerning Chuck Lyons's article on General Joe Shelby’s famed 1863 raid, they really didn’t raise the Confederate flag over the capitol in Jefferson City. Though Shelby’s avowed purpose was to do just that, he did not accomplish that feat. At Tipton, his plans changed on the advice of a network of Rebel spies. He headed instead to Boonville and Marshall. My source: The Civil War in Missouri as seen from the Capital City by Bruno Brugioni. Bill Stine, Jefferson City

Correction We stand corrected. Gen. J.O. Shelby did not got to or raise the Confederate flag over Jefferson City during his 1863 raid.

Send Us a Letter E-mail: info@missourilife.com Fax: 660-882-9899 Address: Missouri Life 515 East Morgan Street Boonville, MO 65233-1252

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Back to the Farm Reunion

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Gates Open

8 a.m. Each Day

September 4, 5, 6, 7, 2008

At Hope Photo Studio in Boonville, smiles come naturally. They start with Julius Udinyiwe, proprietor and photographer, who greets you with a smile and knows good smiles make good photos. He does it all...weddings, portraits, passport photos, families, children, and pets. His staff even repairs PC computers, PS2, Xbox and DVD players, and he offers one-hour photo processing. Now that’s something to smile about!

Brady Showgrounds ■ Boonville, Missouri $5.00 per day ■ $7.00 for 4-day show pass Children under 12 Admitted Free

Activities Schedule ■ ■

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Threshing with Steam, Gas and Horse Power Flea Markets Horse Pull Fri. 6:30 p.m. Parade of Power Fri. 3 p.m. Working Dog Demonstration Sat. a.m. MATPA Tractor Pull Sat. 4 p.m. Fiddler Contest Sat. 6 p.m. Live Entertainment Classic Car and Truck Display Draft Horse and Mule Activities Sun. 10 a.m. Garden Tractor Pull Sun. 1 p.m. Pedal Pull Sun. 1:30 p.m.

Plus Many Many More Activities, Tours, Demonstrations, and Farm Reunion Fun

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INTERIOR DECORATING BY PEGGY CRABTREE-BERRY, CRABTREE INTERIORS

Open Wed.-Sat. or call for appointment, 660-882-3008, 311 Main St. Boonville, MO 65233

Camping Available!

2008 Tractor Raffle

Celebrate the 100th Anniversary Ford Model T!

[16] MissouriLife

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MISSOU RI SYMBOL

Icons of the Show-Me State

STATE INSECT:

HONEYBEE WHILE WE USUALLY think of insects as pests, that is not the case with Missouri’s state insect, the honeybee, which is beneficial to humankind. It produces honey and, more importantly, pollinates crops. Pollination is critical to the production of a number of horticultural crops, such as watermelon and cantaloupe. Plants like these have male and female flowers that depend on the transfer of pollen by insects. Honeybees are efficient at carrying out this task, since they constantly forage for nectar. Some growers lease hives from beekeepers during the growing season to increase their crop production. Honeybees are not native to the United States. As early as the 1600s, European settlers brought them over for honey and beeswax to make candles. American Indians were not fond of honeybees and referred to them as “white man’s flies.� In addition to honey’s use as a sweetener, historically it was used as an antiseptic for wounds. A typical beehive contains thirty to sixty thousand bees in the summer. They have a complex social structure with three distinct classes: the queen, drones, and workers. A hive usually contains one queen whose task is to lay eggs and secrete chemicals called pheromones to control the behavior of workers. The drone, which develops from unfertilized eggs, mates with a new queen once and dies. A new queen may mate with several drones over two or three days before returning to the original hive or starting a new one. She stores the sperm, which is used to fertilize eggs as they are laid over her life span of three to four years. New queens develop from fertilized eggs, as do workers. When larvae are fed only royal jelly produced by special glands in workers, they develop into queens. Workers are females, but they have not been fed exclusively royal jelly. They are the only member with the ability to sting. The workers carry out numerous tasks, including feeding the larvae and queen, cleaning and defending the hive, building comb, and foraging for nectar. Beekeepers have been plagued with serious problems in recent years, including both tracheal and Varroa mites and Colony Collapse Disorder. The latter can result in the destruction of entire hives and is seriously affecting honeybee populations. Recent research points toward a virus newly identified in the United States as the possible cause. Because of its importance in food production, the honeybee was named our state insect July 3, 1985. Sixteen states have honored this marvelous insect by making it a state emblem. –John Fisher is the author of “Catfish, Fiddles, Mules, and More: Missouri’s State Symbols.�

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[17] August 2008

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A Silver Dollar CityÂŽ Attraction

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MISSOURI MEDLEY Noteworth y People and Places

Fox Trotters’ 50th OVER THE LAST

hundred years, the

Missouri Fox Trotter has gained in popularity due to its graceful ride, gentle disposition, and unique gait. The breed received its name for its unusual stride in which it walks with its forelegs and trots with its hind legs. The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association will anoint this year’s world grand champions at the fiftieth anniversary fall show held August 31 through September 6 at Ava. Fox Trotters will be judged in performance, versatility, and model classes.

40 YEARS OF GOSPEL By Rebecca Layne

The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association was created in 1948 and formally acknowledged in 1958 to preserve the breed and the history of these unique creatures by keeping an official record of

COURTESY OF DUANE GARREN; COURTESY OF MFTHBA/FLEMING PHOTO

registered Fox Trotters.

GAS AND GOSPEL go hand in hand this August as more than twenty-five thousand people

Gene Donley, president of the associa-

will travel at least four hundred miles to Lebanon, Missouri, to hear their favorite gospel music at the 40th Annual Brumley Gospel Sing, according to Duane Garren, director of marketing and promotion for Albert E. Brumley & Sons music company at Powell. People from more than forty states will arrive in Lebanon for the musical event from August 6-9. The Gospel Sing consists of six concerts featuring some of the best professional gospel singers throughout the country, many of whom have performed at the Grand Ole Opry. Gospel music composer Albert E. Brumley founded the Albert E. Brumley Memorial Gospel Sing in 1969. Brumley, who was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1972, is best known for writing the hits “I’ll Fly Away” and “Turn Your Radio On.” His death in 1977 left the Gospel Sing in the hands of his son, Bob Brumley, who continues to run it today. Hotels at Lebanon have been booked since mid-January, Duane says. People are willing to travel four hundred to five hundred miles because “there are so many good performers at one location at one time.” Visitors to the Brumley Gospel Sing will see fan favorites, such as the Booth Brothers, The Isaacs, Jeff and Sheri Easter, and the Chuck Wagon Gang. Although gospel music is the main event, there will be many other attractions for visitors. “We will have a lot of comedy, a lot of acoustic, and a lot of pickin’,” Duane says. The event brings together fifth and sixth generations of families who often plan their reunion to coincide with the Brumley Sing. Duane’s reason for this is simple: “It’s good, wholesome family entertainment.” Ticket sales have increased almost 30 percent since the Gospel Sing moved from northwest Arkansas to Lebanon three years ago, Duane says. Call 800-435-3725 or visit www.brumleymusic.com for more information.

tion’s Board of Directors, credits the suc-

Above: Thousands fill the Cowan Civic Center at Lebanon, Missouri, during the Brumley Gospel Sing.

cess of the association’s shows solely to this special breed. “It’s a fun horse to ride,” he says. “It doesn’t bounce you, and it’s nice to watch it show.” Owners of the winners will gain the notoriety of having a potential future breeder.

Call 417-683-2468 or visit www.mfthba. com for more information. —Rebecca Layne

Clyde Connelly rides Southern Playboy, the 2006 World Grand Champion from Ava.

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Knitcraft

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MISSOURI MEDLEY

Yarn Shop A Complete Knitting & Crocheting Experience

215 N. Main, Independence, MO

816-461-1248 www.knitcraft.com

We Service What We Sell

Leila Cohoon’s Hair Museum

Admission: $5.00, Seniors/children under 12-$2.50 1333 S. Noland Road • Independence, MO 64055 Mon./Sat. 9 am-4 pm • 816-833-2955 • www.hairwork.com/leila1

HISTORY ON WHEELS By Sara Shahriari

Village Hollow Gifts

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For all your soy candle needs.

Jars, pillars, loaves, votives, tealights, melters, custom candles, diffusers, gift baskets, parties, special occasions, and accessories. www.candleberrybriar.com

carrying mail from Springfield to Tombstone, Arizona, in 1858 on a leg in the Butterfield Overland Mail Company’s route from St. Louis to San Francisco. Pulled by a team of horses or mules, the stagecoach is a living history lesson to the students who gather at its scheduled stops, today. It carries mail between students across the Midwest and Southwest. In September, the stagecoach will make its sixth major journey to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its route. The trip will begin in Rutledge-Wilson Park at Springfield, where the park board is hosting an event September 7 so the community can see the stagecoach and meet the horses. The trip begins September 8 and will follow the old Butterfield Road. Rick and Beverly Hamby bought the coach in 1999 from a blacksmith who worked at Silver Dollar City, where the coach was used in the 1960s and 1970s. The Hambys refurbished the twenty-five-hundred pound coach with hopes of returning it to working order and using it to educate kids across the country. “I’ve been mesmerized by stagecoaches my whole life,” Rick says, and the kids still are. Rick, a former rodeo cowboy, made the newly outfitted coach’s maiden voyage in 2001. He and five others traveled from Springfield to Tombstone, just as the coach had in the 1800s. They made the fourteen-hundred-mile trip in sixty-three days. Rick was struck by the beauty and history of the land the coach traveled over. His favorite place is Autograph Rock, which is located on Sharp Ranch in the Oklahoma panhandle. Alongside the petroglyphs made by earlier people is a rock that bears names of travelers dating back to the early 1800s. Some of them were probably traveling west in stagecoaches like Rick's when they stopped to rest and scratched their names on the rock to leave something behind in the vast land they passed through. The Hambys are also the hosts of a radio show, Just For Kids Radio Roundup on KKDY. Call 417-256-1025 or visit www.kkdy.com for more information. Traveling around thirty miles a day, the coach has proven itself a reliable form of transportation. It is comfortable because the traveling compartment is cradled in leather braces.

COURTESY OF RICK HAMBY

ONE HARDY STAGECOACH has rumbled into its third century of work. Its life began

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Where the lake meets the trail

Catch “the big one” on Truman Lake, take in the state’s largest downtown square or cycle the Katy Trail. Visit soon ... an adventure awaits! MISSOURI

Contact us for a visitor’s guide 660-885-2123 www.clintonmo.com

PERRY CHEVROLET Proudly Supporting Columbia/Boone County and the Surrounding Communities

Whether you’re an experienced quilter or have the urge to learn ... visit Appletree Quilting Center for a wide selection, helpful staff, and a fun sewing environment!

Appletree Quilting Center www.appletreequilting.com 2541 Bernadette Drive (Exit 124 off Interstate 70 - North of Columbia Mall)

Columbia, MO 65203

573-446-2655 • 1-800-269-2655

1 BUSINESS LOOP 70 | COLUMBIA, MO | 573-355-9964 888-254-8681 | www.perrychevrolet.com

HOURS:

10–7 10–5 12–4

MON. – THURS. FRI. & SAT. SUNDAY

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Missouri Medley

The Captain’s Mess In the shadow of the Missouri State Capitol at Jefferson City on June 4, dignitaries, reenactors, and visitors saw the unveiling

Where you’ll find...

of a new sculpture commemorating the Lewis and Clark expedition’s stop in the area on June 4, 1804.

Culture

At the corner of West Capitol Avenue and Jefferson Street, the sculpture, Corps of Discovery, by Sabra Tull Meyer of Columbia,

7 Museums 10 Historic Register buildings 2 Universities Civil War battlefield Kirksville Arts Center

portrays Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, Clark’s manservant York, George Drouillard, and Lewis’s Newfoundland dog, Seaman. A group of men who camped together and ate together, as these four did, was known as a “mess.” All appear to be perched on

Summer on the Square concerts

a bluff, looking out over the Missouri River valley. The sculpture also includes Clark’s journal, with his entry for that day. The four-thousand-pound bronze statue sits atop the newly

Country

constructed Lewis and Clark Trailhead Plaza, which features native Missouri limestone, trees, shrubs, and prairie grass. The plaza also

Huge white tail deer Musky, bass, and trout fishing Kayaking, mountain biking, and hiking 1000 Hills State Park Antiques Amish Weekly Farmer’s Market Red Barn Arts Fair

features twenty-one keystones representing both Missouri’s admission into the union in 1821 and the twenty-one rivers crossed by the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery.

Visit www.jeffcitymo.org/parks/ or www.visitjeffersoncity.com for more information. —Chris Parr

Comfort 294 hotel rooms 2 B&Bs 38 restaurants 6 hunting lodges

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The Corps of Discovery on Lewis and Clark Monument Trailhead Plaza at Jefferson City is within walking distance of the Missouri State Capitol, the Governor’s Garden, and Jefferson Landing Historic Site. The plaza also serves as a trailhead for the Jefferson City Greenway.

Chris Parr

le a C

[22] MissouriLife

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Admission is free to the Ozarks Celebration Festival, which features three stages of music, artists, craftspeople, exhibits, films, storytelling and dancing. Free parking is available in lots near the corner of National and Monroe and all lots south of Grand for the weekend festivities in front of Carrington Hall and inside Plaster Student Union. Shuttles pick up at Bear Park North, Bear Park South, lots 14 and 24 and the visitors’ parking lot during the Music and Crafts Festival.

September 5-11, 2008

For a complete schedule of events go online at

ocf.missouristate.edu

Springfield EO/AA

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CG_Attract_7.25x4.380

6/12/08

6:48 PM

Page 1

Amelia Earhart, Harry Truman and Bette Davis all visited Cuba...

You should too!

VISIT CUBA

Crawford County Historical Society “Three Floors of History” www.crawfordcounty mohistory.org

ESTABLISHED 1857 12 OUTDOOR MURALS ● HISTORY MUSEUM “THREE FLOORS OF HISTORY” HISTORIC UPTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT ALONG ROUTE 66 VISITOR CENTER AT I-44 OVERPASS (EXIT 208) ● LODGING / DINING / ATTRACTIONS www.cubamochamber.com ● www.crawfordco.com/murals

UPCOMING EVENTS CUBA FEST

OCT. 18 & 19

NARRATED MURAL TROLLEY TOURS ON OCT. 18 [24] MissouriLife

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ALL AROUND

MISSOURI

Events in Your Area

August & September

COURTESY OF MISSOURI DIVISION OF TOURISM

Featured Event

JOUR DE FETE Aug. 9-10, Ste. Genevieve. Artisans in traditional colonial attire demonstrate blacksmithing, woodworking, and soap making. Visit a French Marine encampment, view a 1919 restored Nichols-Shepard steam traction engine, and learn about birds of prey from the World Bird Sanctuary. There will be more than six hundred arts and crafts booths, a classic car show, live music, and many exhibits and displays. Historic District. 10 AM-6 PM Sat.; 10 AM5 PM Sun. Free (except some special events). For more information call 800-373-7007.

Southeast Hummingbird Banding Day Aug. 2, Leasburg. Join a researcher as he captures, bands, and studies the ruby-throated hummingbird. Onondaga Cave State Park. 11 AM-3 PM. Free. 573-245-6576 Rodeo Aug. 6-9, Sikeston. Sanctioned rodeo featuring bull and bronc riders, clowns and a parade, country and western concerts, and children’s games. Jaycee Bootheel rodeo grounds. 7 PM. $16-$23. 800-455-2855 Cowboy Up! Aug. 8-9, Sikeston. Arts, crafts, cowboy poets, pony rides, reenactment of Depot robbery and cowboy shootout, lunch with rodeo clowns, and Cowboy BBQ cookoff. Downtown, American Legion Park, and Sikeston Complex. Free. 573-380-3801

Fisher Cave: Hugh Dill Trip Aug. 9, Sullivan. Explore the cave beyond the normal tour. Call for reservation and requirements. Meramec State Park. 9 AM. $5-$6. 573-468-8155 Tunes at Twilight Aug. 15, 22, 29 and Sept. 5, 12, 19, Cape Girardeau. Event features a different concert each week of original acoustic singer/songwriters. Lawn of the Courthouse gazebo. 6:30-7:30 PM. Free. 573-334-7692 Cape BBQ Contest Aug. 22-23, Cape Girardeau. K.C. Barbeque Society sanction contest. Arena Park. 4-10 PM Fri.; 10 AM-1 PM Sat. Free (except participants). 573-275-7162 61-Mile Yard Sale Aug. 28-30, Jackson to Bloomsdale. Custom choppers to antiques. Route 61. 9 AM-6 PM. Free. 866-904-6161

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All Around Missouri

Fort D Living History Sept. 1, Cape Girardeau. Local members of the Turner Brigade perform rifle and artillery drills, demonstrations of women’s Civil War-era clothing and cooking, and information about Civil War equipment and weaponry. Fort D. 9 am-4 pm. Free. 800-777-0068 Grape and Fall Festival Sept. 4-6, St. James. Grape stomp, wine garden, parade, street market, exhibits, livestock show, demolition derby, carnival, ATV pull, and horseshoe tournament. Downtown. 3-10 pm Thurs.; 9 am-8 pm Fri.; 9 am-11 pm Sat. Free (except some special events). 573-265-3899 Anniversary of Montauk Grist Mill Sept. 6, Salem. Celebrate the 112th anniversary of the mill with corn-grinding demonstration, antique equipment displays, mill tours, and old-fashioned games. Montauk State Park. 9 am-4 pm. Free. 573-548-2225

Through a Fauvist’s Eye Sept. 6-Oct. 26, Poplar Bluff. Artist Sara Larson’s works show vivid color combinations that are inspired by nature. Margaret Harwell Art Museum. Noon-4 pm Tues.Fri.; 1-4 pm Sat.-Sun. Free. 573-686-8002 SEMO District Fair Sept. 6-13, Cape Girardeau. Antique tractor pull, horse show, demolition derby, Heartland Idol karaoke finals, headliner concerts, displays, and exhibits. A.C. Brase Arena at Arena Park. 11 am-10 pm Sat.-Sun (9 am Sat. the 13th); 1-10 pm Mon.-Fri. $4-$25. 573-334-9250

When the Reaper Calls Sept. 12-13, 18-20, Cape Girardeau. Comedy thriller dinner theater. River City Players Community Theater. 7 pm dinner; 8 pm dinner. $25. 573-334-0954

Horsepower Festival Car Show Sept. 6, Sikeston. Top show cars in multiple categories on display. Rotary Park. Free. 573-472-3950

Living History Day Sept. 13, East Prairie. Demonstrations of old-time skills, music by Bluegrass Revival and No Borders. Catfish and BBQ available for purchase. Big Oak Tree State Park. Free. 573-748-5340

St. Joe Rendezvous Sept. 6-7, Park Hills. Visit pre-1840s encampment and primitive skills competition including black powder shooting. St. Joe State Park. Free. 573-431-1069

Missouri Trout Fishermen’s Derby Sept. 13-14, Salem. Register to participate at Dorman L. Steelman Lodge. Montauk State Park. 6:30-9:15 pm Fri.; 6:30-9 am Sat. Entry fee. 573-548-2201

Clean Stream June 11-15, Sullivan and Leasburg. Join the Open Space Council at 8 am. Workers boat or float in canoes or work in shore parties on assigned sections of the Meramec, Courtois, and Huzzah rivers. To float, you must provide your own canoe. Volunteers are provided trash bags, gloves, and a bumper sticker. Following the clean up, meet at Meramec State Park and Ozark Outdoors for refreshments. Most sites end at 6 pm. Free. Visit www.openspacecouncilstl.org or call 636-334-3035 for more information. —Amy Stapleton

Courtesy of Open Space Council

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Your Natural Destination for Outdoor Adventure When looking for outdoor adventure and more, Harrison has it all. Situated in the Ozark Mountains along the Buffalo National River, Harrison offers prime swimming, fishing, canoeing, hiking and hunting opportunities. It’s also the starting point for eight motorcycling routes for scenic mountainside rides. Don’t forget to hit Harrison’s historic downtown for shopping, dining and affordable lodging. For more information, call 1-888-283-2163 or visit www.HarrisonArkansas.org

arrison A R K A N S A S

Adventure Awaits You!

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ALL AROUND MISSOURI

Lincoln’s Journey of Remembrance Sept. 18-19, New Madrid. Visit with reenactors when they stop on their travels on a replica flatboat from Rockport, Indiana, to New Orleans, Louisiana. Hear the story of Lincoln’s life in Spencer County. Riverfront Park. 5 PM Thurs. until 8 AM Fri. Free. 573-748-5300

COURTESY OF SCOTT SEAL/PORTAGEVILLE MISSOURIAN-NEWS

Fall Folk Music Concert Sept. 19, Jackson. Old-fashioned folk music. Trail of Tears State Park amphitheatre. Free. 573-290-5268 Pedal the Parkland Sept. 20, Park Hills. Start at Mineral Area College, and pick from three different rides, with varying challenges. Proceeds benefit Alzheimer’s Association. St. Joe State Park. 573-431-1051

Missouri Gun and Knife Show Sept. 26-28, Cape Girardeau. More than 350 tables. Show Me Center. 4-8 PM Fri.; 8 AM-5 PM Sat.; 8 AM-4 PM Sun. $4. 573-243-0499 Trail Ride Fundraiser Sept. 27, Bourbon. Ride your horse and raise money for the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Blue Springs Ranch Resort. Noon-11 PM. $25. 800-333-8007 River Heritage Quilt Show Sept. 27, Cape Girardeau. Quilters from across the Midwest display their works, appraisals by appointment, vendor mall, and exhibits. A.C. Brase Arena. $5. 573-243-4392

Folk Music Concert Sept. 20, Patterson. Combination of bluegrass, folk, and country concert by Wil Maring, songwriter and guitarist, and Robert Bowlin, guitarist and fiddler. Sam A. Baker State Park. 7 PM. Free. 573-856-4514

Old Mine Open House Sept. 27, Park Hills. Tour the site and mineral and mining museum featuring rock and mining exhibits and demonstrations and retired miners present programs on historic lead mining. Missouri Mines State Historic Site. Free. 573-431-6226

American Legion Cotton Carnival Sept. 23-27, Sikeston. Carnival rides, cotton candy, King Cotton parade, exhibits, demonstrations, and contests. Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo grounds. Free (except carnival). 573-471-9959

Cotton Heritage Festival Sept. 27, Sikeston. Fall plants and flowers on display and for sale, arts, crafts, live music, pony rides, petting zoo, cake walk, and contests. Downtown and American Legion Park. Free. 573-380-3801

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Soybean Festival SEPT. 24-27, 30, AND OCT. 2, PORTAGEVILLE. Main Street teems with activities for the whole family on Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM. There are arts, crafts, queen contest, antique tractor show, motorcycle show, carnival, kiddie parade, and grand float parade. The carnival opens on Wednesday and runs through Friday. The themed kiddie parade marches on Tuesday, and the float parade finishes the event on October 2. Prizes are awarded for the best theme at the parade. Call 573-379-5789 for more information. —Amy Stapleton

Wildwood Springs Lodge

The Midwest’s Premier Acoustic Venue

2008 Wildwood Lineup Aug. 9 Aug. 28 Aug. 29 Aug. 30 Aug. 31 Sept. 12-13 Sept. 19-20 Sept. 26-27 Oct. 2-4 Oct. 10-11 Oct. 17-18 Oct. 24-25

Big Smith The Dillards Joe Ely Batdorf and Rodney Phoebe Snow The Amazing Rhythm Aces Brewer and Shipley Pure Prairie League Poco Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Firefall Leon Russell

Dinner: 6:00 p.m., Concert: 8:00 p.m. till ??

For lodging reservations, more information, and updates, visit

MissouriLife.com

www.wildwoodspringslodge.com 573-775-2400 • P.O. Box 919 Grand Drive • Steelville, MO 65565 An APPLAUSE! Entertainment production. CANCELLATION POLICY: All sales final...NO REFUNDS, NO EXCHANGES. For all concert series events, payment in full at time of reservation.

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ALL AROUND MISSOURI

Southwest

Quilt Show |

By Amy Stapleton

Hume Fair July 29-Aug. 2, Hume. Ice cream social, kiddie pedal pull, Hume Olympics, country and gospel music, parade, baby contest, arts, crafts, car show, rodeo, dance, and draft horse pull. Main Street. 6-10 PM Tues.; 6:309 PM Wed.; 5:30-10 PM Thurs.; 9 AM-10:30 PM Fri.; 9 AM-1 AM Sat. Free (except some special events). 660-643-7637 Osage Nation Explorer’s Day Camp Aug. 1, Mindenmines. Take part in American Indian games, activities and join a park staffer to explore the Osage Indian Nation. Registration. Prairie State Park. Free. 417-843-6711 First Friday Art Walk Aug. 1 and Sept. 5, Springfield. Self-guided tour of galleries and art studios featuring photography, paintings, drawings, pottery, blown glass, and sculptures. Downtown. 6-10 PM. Free. 417-862-2787

Wildflower Hike Aug. 2 and Sept. 6, Mindenmines. Trek through wildflowers and prairie grasses, and learn about plant uses and the benefits to wildlife. Prairie State Park. 10 AM. Free. 417-843-6711 Treat the Arts Aug. 2, Springfield. Ice cream social to benefit the Claymobile, a mobile ceramic art program. Creamery Arts Center. 2-5 PM. $10-$25. 417-862-2787

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Aug. 7-17, Joplin. Dramatization of the C.S. Lewis classic set in the land of Narnia. Stained Glass Theatre. 7:30 PM Thurs.-Sat.; 2:30 PM Sun. $5-$8. 417-624-1982 Fall Festival Aug. 14-16, Republic. Carnival and midway with games and concessions. Kiwanis Fairgrounds. Free (except tickets for rides and games). 6 PM. 417-838-3090 Car Show and Burnout Contest Aug. 16, Stockton. Variety of cars on display. City Park. Registration 9 AM-noon. Free ($5-$12 entry fees). 417-276-5213 Swap Meet and Car Corral Aug. 22-24, Springfield. More than 1,600 vendors with car related items. Ozark Empire Fair E-Plex. 7 AM-8 PM. Free ($5 parking). 417-883-3497 Moonlight Bike Ride Aug. 23, Springfield. Ride through the streets in the dark and enjoy music and refreshments. Discovery Center. 9:30 PM. $5-$15. 417-862-9910

SEPT. 18-20, SPRINGFIELD. The Ozark Piecemakers Quilt Guild was established in 1981 by a group of ladies who felt it was important to share the art of quilting. Today at three hundred members strong, they have formed several specialty groups. As the Needle Turns, an appliqué group, will have a special project at the show this year. The Ozark Piecemakers Quilt Show at the Expo Center features lectures, auctions, trunk show, vendors’ mall, and Guild Boutique Bits ’n Pieces, Opportunity Raffle Quilt, and antique quilt bed turning. Turning is an event where antique quilts are layered one on top of the other on a bed. The quilts are

Ice Cream Safari Aug. 23, Springfield. Purchase a passport, stop at each station, and sample ice cream. 10 AM-2 PM. Dickerson Park Zoo. $5 (plus cost of passport). 417-833-1570 Wedding Extravaganza Aug. 23, Springfield. More than 150 booths, silent auction to benefit Family Violence Center, and grand prize drawing. Exposition Center. 10 AM-5 PM. $5. 417-831-3114 Ozark Mountain Mule and Donkey Days Aug. 25-31, Springfield. More than five hundred mules and one hundred miniature donkeys with their trainers and handlers, tack and equipment auction, wagon train, and Wild West Show. Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. 9 AM-9 PM. $5-$8. 417-833-2660

then held up for the audience to see and the story behind the quilt is told including the name of the maker/owner. The Wearable Art Fashion Show will feature jackets, vests, and ensembles. A silent auction is new this year. The bidding starts on Thursday and continues through Saturday. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Family Violence Center. The show will be open 9 AM to 5 PM Thursday through Saturday, until 6 PM on Friday. Admission is $6 daily or $10 for a three-day pass (children 12 and younger are free). For more information, call 417-888-2058 or visit www.ozarkpiecemakers.com

Southern Gospel Picnic Aug. 28-Sept. 7, Branson. Southern gospel entertainers and contemporary artists and a Chicken & Fixin’s feast. Silver Dollar City. 10 AM-6 PM. (9 AM-8 PM Aug.30-31). $38-$48. 800-831-4386 F.A.D. Free Art Day Aug. 30, Springfield. Family activity creating your own art masterpiece using a variety of art mediums from painting to sculpting. Creamery Arts Center. 10 AM. Free. 417-862-2787 Take It To The Limit Aug. 31, Branson. A tribute band performs with the fivepart harmonies made famous by The Eagles and plays many of their well-known songs. Branson Landing. 8 PM. Free. 417-239-3002

COURTESY OF NANCY WHITTAKER

Laura’s Memories Aug. 1-2, 8-9, Sept. 12-13, and 19-20, Mansfield. The Ozark Mountain Players present a chronicle of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life. City Park outdoor amphitheatre. 8 PM Fri.-Sat. ; 3 PM matinees on Sept. 13 and 20. $3-$7. 417-924-3383

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4PNFPOF ZPV MPWF JT BMXBZT QMBZJOH JO #SBOTPO 800-421-1331 • ExploreBranson.com tre

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All Around Missouri

Fox Trotters Show and Celebration Aug. 31-Sept. 6, Ava. Annual championship show celebrates Missouri’s state horse. MFTHBA show grounds. 417-683-2468 Ozark Celebration Festival Sept. 5-11, Springfield. Big Smith and Dan Tyminski concerts, square dance, old-time music performances, crafts, exhibits, films, and storytelling. Juanita K. Hammons Hall, Plaster Student Union, and in front of Carrington Hall. 7:30-10:30 pm Fri.; 10 am-10 pm Sat.; 11 am-10 pm Sun. Free (except concerts). 417-836-6605 Southern and Bluegrass Gospel Music Sept. 6, Lawrenceburg. Featuring a variety of music, workshops, and camping available. Snyder Music Park. 12:30-10:40 pm Sat. $10. 417-882-6621 Ozark Steam Engine Show Sept. 11-14, Republic. Old-time steam engines, demonstrations, and vendors. Steam-O-Rama show grounds. $5. 417-732-7136 National Harvest Festival Sept. 11-Oct. 25, Branson. Hundreds of craftsmen demonstrate and sell their wares and a variety of musicians perform bluegrass, gospel, and country music. Silver Dollar City. 417-338-8018

Japanese Fall Festival Sept. 12-14, Springfield. Traditional music, dance, and food, tea ceremonies, and candlelight walks. Nathanael Greene Park. 5-10 pm Fri.; 1-10 pm Sat.-Sun. $2-$4. 417-864-1191 Art Auction and Awards Sept. 12-14, Carthage. Art auction, show, and sale. Memorial Hall. 6-10 pm Fri.; 10 am-6 pm Sat.; 10 am-4 pm Sun. Free ($20 Fri.). 417-358-7163 Hootin’ an’ Hollarin’ Sept. 18-20, Gainesville. Square dancing; live country, bluegrass, and gospel music; arts; crafts; quilt show; parades; bed and outhouse races; and hog, cow, and husband calling. Town Square. Noon-midnight Thurs.; 9 am-midnight Fri.-Sat. Free. 417-679-4493 Autumn Daze Craft Festival Sept. 18-21, Branson. More than 150 juried crafters and artists exhibit their works ranging from quilts to ironworks. Downtown. 9 am-6 pm Thurs. Sat.; 9 am-4 pm Sun. Free. 888-322-2786 Festival of Friends Sept. 20, Carthage. Celebration of the culture and diversity of the area featuring food, music, and games. Central Park. 3-7 pm. Free. 417-358-3270

Summer Social Aug. 23, Neosho. Family fun featuring a sand-sculpting build-off competition, children’s games and hands-on activities, and entertainment. The event concludes with Cinema in the Park. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and watch the comedy High School Musical 2. Held at the historic downtown square and Big Spring Park, this event is free and open from 4 to 8 pm. For more information, call 417-451-1925 visit www.neoshocc.com. —Amy Stapleton

Courtesy of Rick Rogers, Neosho Daily News

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ALL AROUND MISSOURI

Live Concert Sept. 20, Springfield. Autumn Moon is a blend of rock, folk, and pop. Jordan Valley Park. 7 PM. Free. 417-864-1010 Cider Days Sept. 20, Springfield. Outdoor street festival features more than eighty juried artists and craftsmen, handson children’s activity area, three performance stages, historic home tour, scarecrow village, and vintage car show. Historic Walnut Street. 10 AM-5 PM. $3-$10. 417-831-6200

COURTESY OF TERRY D. SMITH

Fall Folk Music Sept. 21, Burfordville. Acoustic music that is a blend of bluegrass, folk, and country. Bollinger Mill State Historic Site. Free. 573-243-4591 Loftwalk Sept. 21, Springfield. Self-guided tour of six uptown lofts eclectically restored for urban living. Commercial Street at the Historic District. Noon-6 PM. $10-$12. 417-864-7015 Shakin’ in the Shell Sept. 26-27, Shell Knob. Family friendly festival features live music, carnival, and boat show. Behind Bridgeway Plaza. Free. 417-858-3300

Fall Festival Sept. 27, Bronaugh. Parade, vendors, concerts, children’s games, arts, crafts, baby show, BBQ and chicken dinners, and street dance. 10 AM-midnight. Free. 417-884-5373 Roaring River Recovery Day Sept. 27, Cassville. Participate in beautification projects, and help clean up the park with lunch provided. Free. 417-847-3742

Heritage Reunion

Grape and Fall Festival Sept. 27, Hollister. Celebrate the annual grape harvest with a variety of vendors, live entertainment, and team grape-stomping competition. Historic Downing Street. 10 AM-6 PM. Free. 417-334-3050

SEPT. 27-28, FAIR GROVE. More than three hundred arts and crafts booths featuring demonstrations from the turn-of-the century period, parade, country music, dancing, horse and mule obstacle course, threshing, antique tractor show, and food vendors. This event is held at the Wommack Mill and is free. Hours are 8 AM to 6 PM Saturday and 8 AM to 5 PM Sunday. For more information, call 417-833-3496 or visit www.fghps.org. —Amy Stapleton

Prairie Jubilee Sept. 27, Mindenmines. Celebrate the tall grass prairie with pioneers, medicine show, music, children’s games, and activities, and take a guided wagon ride to see bison. Prairie State Park. Free. 417-843-6711 Memory Walk Sept. 27, Springfield. Walk to help raise money for programs and services for the Alzheimer’s Association. Phelps Grove Park. 9 AM registration; 10 AM walk. Donations accepted. 417-886-2199

DID THE PRESLEYS BUILD BRANSON’S FIRST DI MUSIC THEATRE OR BOAT STORAGE?

W

hen Banson’s first family of entertainment built the original show on the strip, they built it with a flat floor and big double doors in the backside. Lloyd Presley and his son Gary, now famous as Herkimer, had the thought that if the theatre business didn’t work, they could use the building for boat storage. But this 74 YEARS – – THE FIRST humble building remained a theatre and sparked the Branson boom.

Special Offer: $15

(+ shipping & handling )

{

{

This is just one of the fascinating stories in The Presley Family Story, which tells how the music on the strip got started. The story begins long, long ago … with a preacher man, his harmonica-playing wife, and a young son named Lloyd. Today, patriarch Lloyd looks at his sons and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and says, “Tell you what … we never had to store any boats in the theatre, did we?” (104 pages, 156 pictures)

To order the book or reserve tickets for Presleys’ Country Jubilee where you can see four generations of Presleys onstage and meet them, too, visit www.presleys.com or call 800-335-4874. [31] August 2008

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ALL AROUND MISSOURI

Central

Missouri State Fair |

By Amy Stapleton

Super Bats to the Rescue Aug. 1, Columbia. Family event featuring a program, games, Connor Cave tours, and a half-mile hike to Devil’s Icebox to watch endangered bats. Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. Reservations. 573-449-7400 Hillbilly BBQ Cookoff Aug. 1-2, Laurie. KC Barbeque Society sanctioned contest and dance. Laurie Fairgrounds. 6-11 PM Fri.; 10 AM4 PM Sat. Free. 573-374-8776 Volunteer Firemen Dinner Aug. 2, Blackwater. Whole hog and BBQ beef dinners available for purchase to raise money for the fire department. Blackwater Fire Station. 4 PM. 660-846-4411

Farm and Garden Open House Aug. 2 and 30, Columbia. Tour the farm and gardens, learn about crops grown in Missouri, and children can catch bugs in the wildflower meadow. Jefferson Farm and Gardens. 9 AM-1 PM. Free. 573-441-2743 Summer Concert Aug. 5, Versailles. Big band sounds performed by Community Orchestra. Royal Theatre. 7 PM. Free. 573-378-6226

The Wizard of Oz in the Wild West Aug. 7-8, Linn Creek. Dinner theatre performance by the children’s group puts a humorous twist on the story of Dorothy and the Wizard. Camden County Museum. 5 PM doors; 5:30 PM dinner; 7 PM curtain. $15. 573-346-7191 Spitfire Grill Aug. 7-10 and 14-17, Jefferson City. Dinner theatre featuring a humorous and heartfelt musical. Shikles Auditorium. 6:30 PM dinner; 7:30 PM show Thurs.-Sat.; 12:30 PM lunch; 1:30 PM show Sun. $30. Reservations. 573-681-9012 Link Family Concert Aug. 8, Laurie. Young family of nine performs bluegrass and gospel music. West Lake Christian Church. 7 PM. $2-$10. 573-964-6366 Spider! Spider! Aug. 8-9, Pittsburg. Learn how spiders are a boon to agriculture and to everyone. Hands on activities and see spiders in the wild. Pomme de Terre State Park. Free. 417-852-4291 Art and Ambiance Fair Aug. 9-10, Osage Beach. Featuring artists, artisans, museums, wineries, entertainment, authors, and culinary experiences. Stone Crest Mall. 10 AM-5 PM Sat.; 11 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 573-348-3106

AUGUST 7-17, SEDALIA. Celebrate the traditions of the family farm, with headliner concerts; livestock exhibits of pigs, sheep, chickens, rabbits, and cattle; First Lady’s Pie Contest; rodeo action; bull riding; free entertainment; carnival midway; corn dogs, cotton candy, and funnel cakes; ham breakfast; horse shows; fine arts; demonstrations; and exhibits. New this year is the first Red Hatter Day, celebrating the Red Hat Society. Air Supply, Charlie Daniels Jam with .38 Special and Shooter Jennings, Josh Turner with Pat Green, Sara Evans with Trent Tomlinson, Jason Aldean and Terri Clark, Foreigner with Fiction Plane, Blake Shelton with Tracy Lawrence, and The Country Gold Tour featuring Leroy Van Dyke, Moe

Church Picnic Aug. 12, Rich Fountain. Fried chicken and roast beef dinners, games, country store, and quilt auction. Sacred Heart Church. 11:30 AM-7 PM. Free (except food). 573-744-5987 Celebrating Creativity Aug. 14-Sept. 14, Fulton. Juried exhibition featuring Best of Missouri Hands artists. Mildred M. Cox Gallery of the Gladys Woods Kemper Center for the Arts at William Woods. 9 AM-5 PM. Free. 800-995-3159

Silver harnesses and dressed up drivers capture the judges’ eye during the ladies cart competition.

Bandy, T.G. Sheppard, Helen Cornelius, Charlie Rich Jr., Bobby Bare, Rex Allen Jr., and Jim Ed Brown will all perform live. Concert tickets range from $10-$35. Admission to the fair is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and children under 12 and parking are free. There are special admissions throughout the fair. Gates open daily 7:30 AM to 10 PM; walk in Gate 6 after 10 PM. Exhibit Buildings open to the public August 7-16: 9 AM-9 PM; August 17: 9 AM-6 PM. Headline concerts 7:30 PM each evening. Call 1-800-422-FAIR (3247) or 660-827-8150 for more information or visit www.mostatefair.com.

Antique Tractor Drive Aug. 23, Williamsburg. Tractors travel along Route Z from Callaway Stockyards to Williamsburg. View the tractors on display and buy a chance to win an antique tractor. Crane’s Museum. 9:30 AM. Free. 877-254-3356 Railroad Days Aug. 29-30, Crocker. Crafts, parade, auction, carnival, karaoke contest, and fireworks. Community Park. 6 PM Fri.; 11 AM Sat. Free. 573-736-5516

Missouri River Festival of the Arts Aug. 21-23, Boonville. Classical music performances, visual artists, and 42-mile bike ride. Thespian Hall. 8 PM (call for bike ride information). $10-$55. 888-588-1477

Fall Festival Aug. 29-Sept. 1, Mokane. Softball tournaments, truck and tractor pulls, fiddler’s contest, cloggers, and live music. Lion’s Club Park. Free. 573-642-2008

Art Inside the Park Aug. 21-24, Jefferson City. Local and international visual artists displays. Old Town. 5 PM. Free. 800-769-4183

Bluegrass Pickin’ Time Aug. 29-31, Dixon. Bluegrass bands and workshops. Carol’s Memorial Park. $8-$35. 573-759-3544

COURTESY OF MISSOURI DIVISION OF TOURISM

Summer Music Series Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, Rocheport. Different live performance each week. Les Bourgeois Winery A-Frame. 6 PM-sunset. $3-$5. 573-698-3401

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All Around Missouri

Bluegrass and Ice Cream Aug. 30, Arrow Rock. Two concerts of traditional country and gospel bluegrass and an ice cream freeze-off contest. Old Schoolhouse Building. 1 pm (7 pm concert). $3-$15. 660-837-3307 Camp Barnabas Benefit Aug. 31, Richland. Silent and live auction, children’s games, music, quilt raffle, cake walk, drawings, and fireworks competition. Proceeds benefit handicapped kids’ camp. Gasconade Hills Resort. 4-11 pm. Donations accepted. 573-774-7646 Celtic Festival and Highland Games Sept. 5-6, Buffalo. Traditional art, music, dancing, horse and carriage rides, archery competition, children’s event, and Celtic vendors. City Park. Free. 417-345-2852 Lake Area Fall Festival Sept. 6, Osage Beach. Crafts, children’s activities, educational and informational booths and activities, petting zoo, and a variety of entertainment. City Hall grounds. 9 am5 pm. Free. 573-302-2000 Harvest Festival Sept. 6-7, Wheatland. Parade, children’s games, old-time craft demonstrations, and handmade crafts. City Park. 8 am-6 pm Sat.; 8 am-4 pm Sun. Free. 417-282-6538

Cruise Night Sept. 13, Clinton. Classic cars, hot rods, modern vehicles, and motorcycles on display. Historic Downtown Square. 5-8 pm. Free. 660-885-2121 Campfire Cooking Sept. 13, Knob Noster. Learn to create tasty dishes using Dutch ovens, tinfoil, and other cooking gadgets. Knob Noster State Park. 10 am registration. Free. 660-563-2463 Osage Mountain Man Rendezvous Sept. 19-21, Lake Ozark. Living history event featuring 1840s reenactments, black powder shoot, fire starting competition, artisans, storytellers, and Trader’s Row. Campground below Bagnell Dam. $5. 800-451-4117 Ozark Ham and Turkey Festival Sept. 20, California. Kiwanis ham breakfast, 5K run/walk, parade, crafts, Kids’ Korner, diaper derby, carriage rides, four stages of entertainment, and a more than sixty-six foot-long turkey sub. 9 am-5 pm. Free. 573-796-3040 Wine Stroll Sept. 20, Rocheport. Purchase a wineglass and stroll through the historic village, tasting wines from eight Missouri wineries. Throughout town. 4-8 pm. $15. 573-698-2022

25th Annual Cowdays Sept. 19-20, Dixon. Celebrate the area’s heritage with a parade, karaoke contest, live music featuring country and gospel, variety of handmade crafts, food vendors from homemade cobbler to kettle corn, political booths, educational areas, children’s games, carriage rides, mini carnival, Little Miss and Little Mr. Cowdays, and a chance to win a cow. This event is free and held in downtown from 10 am to midnight. For more information call 573-759-3980. —Amy Stapleton

©istockphoto

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All Around Missouri

Bijou at Bothwell Sept. 20, Sedalia. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to watch the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock classic “The Man Who Knew Too Much” under the stars. Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site. Free. 660-827-0510 Heritage Festival Sept. 20-21, Columbia. Artisans and tradesmen dressed in 19th-century attire demonstrate and sell their wares; children’s activities, 1859 town with reenactors, museum tours, music, dancing, storytelling, and Lewis and Clark outpost. Nifong Park. 10 am-5 pm (8-9:30 pm Sat. ghost stories). Free. 573-874-7460

Courtesy of Mike page

Bluegrass and Barbecue Celebration Sept. 21, Fulton. The Martin Family, Ironweed, and a variety of other bands and BBQ dinners available. Lawn of State Hospital. 1-7 pm. $5. 573-642-2039 Tea Dance Sept. 21, Linn Creek. Dance to the big band sounds of Lake Jazz band and refreshments served. Camden County Museum. 2-5 pm. $6. 573-346-7191 Children’s Craft Festival Sept. 25, Arrow Rock. Events allow children to see how old-time crafts are made. Arrow Rock State Historic Site. $4. Reservations. 660-837-3330

Mitchell Car Show Sept. 26, Boonville. 1903-1923-era antique cars cruise in and are on display. Downtown. Noon-10:30 pm. Free. 660-882-3130 Capitol Jazzfest Sept. 26-27, Jefferson City. Live jazz and blues performances featuring headliner Pat Coil. Memorial Park. Noon-dusk. Free. 573-681-5301 Town and Country Market Sept. 27, Linn Creek. Variety of vendors display and sell their wares. Camden County Museum. 9 am-4 pm. Free. 573-346-7191 Oktoberfest Sept. 27, Jefferson City. Celebration of the area’s German heritage featuring traditional food, music, dancing, parade, car show, crafts, dachshund derby, and artisans. Historic Old Munichburg. Free. 573-636-6603 Festival of the Arts Sept. 27-28, Columbia. Fine arts fair, performances on three stages, interactive art experiences, youth art exhibit, area art organization displays, vendors, and local, regional, and national artists perform and exhibit. Boone County Courthouse Square. 10 am-5 pm. Free. 573-874-6386

Oma and Noma days Sept. 27-28, Lak e Ozark. Sisters Oma and Noma Degraffenreid were the first to drive across Bagnell Dam on May 30, 1931. Held on the Bagnell Dam Strip, this event features historical displays, Oma and Noma contest, vintage cars, plus peanutspitting and frog-jumping contests, outhouse race, and a performance of “The Ballad of Oma and Noma” by Monty Davidson. Free. 9 am-5 pm Sat.; 9 am4 pm Sun (craft show, historical exhibit, and music only). Visit www.omanomadays.org or call 573-365-7132. —Amy Stapleton

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3111 W. Broadway Thompson Hills Shopping Center Sedalia, MO • 866-827-2452 [35] August 2008

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ALL AROUND MISSOURI

Northwest & Kansas City Area

77th Plaza Art Fair |

By Amy Stapleton

Ten-Mile Antique and Garden Show Aug. 1-2, Weston. Featuring more than ten miles of highquality antique, collectible, and garden vendors at four locations. Throughout town. 10 AM-5 PM (early bird on Fri. 8-10 AM for $10-$12). Free. 816-640-2909 Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War Aug. 1-Sept. 14, Independence. Video, multimedia presentations, and original artifacts and documents including signed copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery. Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. 9 AM-5 PM Mon.-Sat.; noon-5 PM Sun. $3-$8. 800-833-1225 Freeze-Off Aug. 2, Fayette. Homemade ice cream and cake competiton, juried art and heritage craft show, old-time fiddler’s contest, and music. Courthouse square. 9 AM-7 PM. Free. 660-248-3928

Stargazing Aug. 9, Lexington. Kansas City Astronomical Society hosts a slide show, program, and view the night skies through telescopes. Battle of Lexington State Historic Site. 7:30-10 PM. Free. 660-259-4654 Corvette Show Aug. 9, Independence. Hundreds of Corvettes from classic restored to modern. Independence Square. 8 AM-3 PM. Free. 816-252-6653 Ethnic Enrichment Festival Aug. 15-17, Kansas City. More than twenty countries represented feature traditional folk dances, Scottish Highland games, international parade of flags, fashion show, and ethnic food booths. Swope Park. 6-10 PM Fri.; noon-10 PM Sat.; noon-6 PM Sun. $3. 816-513-7553 Parkville Days Riverfest Aug. 22-24, Parkville. More than one hundred arts and crafts booths, live jazz and blues, children’s adventure land, and parade. English Landing Park and Riverfront. 6-10 PM Fri.; 10 AM-10 PM Sat.; 10 AM-6 PM Sun. Free. 816-505-2227 Music in the Park Aug. 23, Waverly. Family-friendly event featuring children’s games and activities and live music. Memorial Park. 10 AM9 PM. Free. 660-493-2314 Irish Fest Aug. 29-31, Kansas City. Largest festival in the area features more than twenty world-class acts from traditional Irish music to Celtic rock, Irish dance competitions, heritage displays, and dancers. Crown Center. 5-11 PM Fri.; 11 AM-11 PM Sat.-Sun. $10. 816-997-0837

SEPT. 19-20, KANSAS CITY. The juried outdoor art fair is an annual tradition featuring 230 artists from 36 states. The celebration of the arts extends nine blocks into the streets of the Country Club Plaza. This outdoor art gallery showcases works in ceramics, digital art, fiber, glass, graphics and printmaking, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, pastels, photography, sculpture, and wood. There are culinary, musical, and interactive arts, too. With classic Spanish architecture, fountains, and sculptures, the Country Club

Santa-Cali-Gon Festival Aug. 29-Sept. 1, Independence. Festival honors the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon trails with nationally known country and western concerts, crafts, carnival, historic reenactors, and contests. Independence Square. Noon-11 PM Fri.; 10 AM-11 PM Sat.-Sun.; 10 AM-5 PM Mon. Free. 816-252-4745 Folk Festival Sept. 1, Boonesboro. Old-time crafts, displays, and demonstrations. Boone’s Lick State Historic Site. Free. 660-837-3330 Fair Daze Sept. 5-6, Grain Valley. Carnival, craft booths, and Main Stage entertainment. Behind the Community Center. 4 PM-midnight Fri.; noon-midnight Sat. Free (except carnival). 816-847-2627

The Plaza is filled with arts and crafts of all genres and the people who enjoy them.

Plaza is a work of art in its own right. The Plaza Art Fair tradition began in 1932. For seven decades, the exhibits have grown in quality and creativity to become a nationally recognized fine art and fine craft festival. Free. Friday 5 PM to 10 PM; Saturday 10 AM to 10 PM; Sunday 11 AM to 5 PM. For more information call 816-960-6232 or visit www.countryclubplaza.com.

Community-Wide Garage Sale Sept. 6, Platte City. Antiques, toys, furniture, clothing, and electronics. Throughout town. 8 AM. Free (maps available for purchase). 816-858-5270 Chautauqua in the Park Sept. 6-7, Chillicothe. Juried arts and crafts show featuring more than one hundred booths. Simpson Park. 9 AM-6 PM Sat.; 10 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 660-646-4050 Coleman Hawkins Blues Festival Sept. 6-7, St. Joseph. Honors native musician Coleman Hawkins. Felix Street Square. Free. 816-271-8570 Ladies Night Out Sept. 11, Lexington. Shopping party featuring a variety of discounts, prize drawings, and refreshments. Downtown. 3-9 PM. Free. 660-259-3082

COURTESY OF KANSAS CITY CVA

Art Crawl Aug. 8 and Sept. 12, Excelsior Springs. Tour various galleries and shops and enjoy refreshments. Downtown. 5-9 PM. Free. 816-630-6161

[36] MissouriLife

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Enjoy the Crisp Colorful Days of Fall In Historic Weston’s Bed & Breakfasts.

McCormick is the oldest distillery in the United States operating at its original site. McCormick Country Store, the showcase store for the distillery, carries a full line of McCormick products plus logo items.

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Pamper yourself with the peaceful comforts of our state-of-the-art lodging facilities. Whether you stay in a historic Victorian, an Irish Inn, or a refurbished Barn in the country you will enjoy old-fashioned hospitality and warm friendly charm.

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816-456-4991 or 816-254-2466 We circle the wagons at Main St. and Truman Rd. in Independence, MO.

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www.pioneertrailsadventures.com [37] August 2008

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All Around Missouri

Jesse James Festival Sept. 12-14, 16, 18, and 19-21, Kearney. Arts, crafts, rodeo, live music, Kid’s Corral, parade, homemade apple pie contest, carnival, demolition derby, dance, antique fire apparatus show, mule show, BBQ contest, Missouri Department of Conservation fishing station, and Mutton Bustin’. Jesse James Festival grounds. Free (except special events and $5 for parking). 816-452-8855 Music Fest and Back Porch Jam Sept. 13, Lawson. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, harmonica, or mandolin, and join in on a jam session and listen to featured songwriters and musicians perform original folk music. Watkins Woolen Mill State Park. Free. 816-580-3387 Fall Fun Festival Sept. 13-14, Blue Springs. Main stage entertainment featuring Confederate Railroad, children’s area, dance exhibition, parade with more than one hundred entries, and beer garden. Downtown. Noon-10 pm Fri.-Sat.; 11 am-6 pm Sun. Free. 816-228-6322 J.C. Penney Day Sept. 13, Hamilton. Celebrate the life of James Cash Penney, founder of the famous store, with a firemen’s pancake breakfast, festival of tables, games, and live music. Museum. Free. 816-863-9325

Epitaphs and Voices From the Past Sept. 13, Kansas City. Guided cemetery tour with narratives from some of the area’s famous people. Union Cemetery. 7:30-10 pm. $5. 816-472-4990 Missouri Town 1855 Music Festival Sept. 13, Lee’s Summit. Musicians perform sounds of the 1850s. Missouri Town 1855. 9 am-4:30 pm. $3-$5. 816-503-4860 Pioneer Spirit Country Antique Show Sept. 13, Lee’s Summit. Quality antiques. John Knox Village Pavilion. 9 am-4 pm. $5. 816-347-2999 Santa Fe Trail Days Sept. 13, Marshall. Chuck wagon dinner, carriage rides, crafts, parade, gospel singing, and exhibits. Courthouse square. 9 am-8 pm. Free. 660-886-3324 Acoustic Festival Series Sept. 13, Parkville. Regional and national acoustic acts, one-of-a-kind craft beer, and BBQ. English Landing Park. 1-6 pm. $10. 816-505-2227 Grand Festival of Chez les Canses Sept. 13-14, Sibley. Featuring eighteenth-century traders, craftsmen, soldiers, civilian, hunters, and native interpreters. Fort Osage. 9 am-4:30 pm. $4-$7. 816-503-4860

St. Joseph Celebration August 15-17, St. Joseph. Celebrating the heritage of St. Joseph, the sixteenth Trails West® festival features fine arts, crafts, and performances. There will be more than forty visual and folk artists, historical reenactors, and thirty musical and theatrical performances. Souvenir buttons are $5-$7 and children get in free. Festival runs Friday 5 pm to midnight, Saturday 10 am to midnight, and Sunday noon to 8 pm. Visit www.trailswest.org or call 816-233-0231 for more information. —Amy Stapleton

Courtesy of George Dennison

ML

Don’t wish for Celebrity... Discover it at the Hotel Phillips Historic Elegance in the Heart of Downtown Kansas City 106 West 12th Street Kansas City, Missouri 64110 816-221-7000 800-433-1426

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All Around Missouri

La Boheme Sept. 13, 15, 17, and 19-21, Kansas City. Romantic opera illuminating the eternal story of starving Bohemians and star-crossed lovers. Lyric Theatre. 7:30 pm Mon. and Wed.; 8 pm Fri.-Sat.; 2 pm Sun. $20-$60. 877-673-7252 Country Fair Sept. 19-20, Higginsville. Art show, chalk drawing, photo show, youth parade, main stage music, crafts, pedal tractor pull, wine tasting, and parade. Downtown. Free. 660-584-3030 Southside Fall Festival Sept. 19-21, St. Joseph. More than one hundred booths of arts and crafts, kid’s rides, parade, fireworks, and rodeo. Hyde Park and Stockyard Arena. Free (except special events). 816-273-3770

Waldo Fall Festival Sept. 20, Kansas City. Children’s activities, variety of booths, demonstrations, exhibits, and entertainment. 75th and Wornall Road. 10 am-5 pm. Free. 816-523-5553 Toonfest Sept. 20, Marceline. Nationally known cartoonists display their works, host seminars, and demonstrate their skills; pie-eating contest, Barnyard Olympics, and a variety of entertainment. Main Street USA and Ripley Park. 9 am. Free (except some special events). 660-376-9258 Missouri State Corn Husking Sept. 26-27, Marshall. Parade, corn-husking competition, crafts, petting zoo, and homemade pie contest. Downtown and Saline County Fairgrounds. 4 pm Fri.; 8 am Sat. Free. 660-886-2233

Pig Pickin’ Chicken Lickin’ Feast Sept. 20, Independence. Pork and chicken dinner, live music, silent auction, and tours. Bingham-Waggoner Estate. 4-7 pm. $12. Reservations. 816-461-3491

Oktoberfest Sept. 26-28, Kansas City. German entertainment and food, beer, variety of vendors, crafts, and racing pigs. Crown Center and Union Station. 5-11 pm Fri.; 11 am11 pm Sat.; 11 am-7 pm Sun. $5. 816-421-1539

Heritage Days Festival Sept. 20, Jamesport. Old-time crafters and dancers, band performance, BBQ dinner, and raffles. Downtown. 9:30 am-5 pm. Free. 660-684-6789

American Royal Parade Sept. 27, Kansas City. Bands, saddle clubs, carriages, animals, clowns, and floats kick off the American Royal. Downtown. Free. 816-221-9800

The King Is Here Aug. 1-31, Independence. Bingham-Waggoner Estate hosts an Elvis Memories exhibit. This exhibit features memorabilia including books, albums, posters, decorative cups and plates, tins, toy cars, teddy bears, and lunchboxes, among others. The exhibit is open from 10 am to 4 pm Mondays through Fridays and 1 to 4 pm Sundays. Adm ission is $2-$5. For more information visit www.bwestate.org or call 816-461-3491. —Amy Stapleton

Courtesy of Laura Hile

ML

[40] MissouriLife

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[41] August 2008

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ML

ALL AROUND MISSOURI

Northeast & St. Louis Area

Dancing in the Street |

By Amy Stapleton

High School Musical Aug. 1-3, Macon. Fast-paced musical that is one part West Side Story, two parts Grease, and a dash of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Maples Repertory Theatre. 7:30 PM Fri.; 2 and 7:30 PM Sat.; 2 PM Sun. $12-$22. 660-385-2924 Tata, Tags, and a Bull in the China Shop Aug. 1-8, Hannibal. Exhibit of tattoo-related art, photos of train-car graffiti, and traditional china painting displays. Arts Council. 9 AM-5 PM. Free. 573-221-6545 Civil War Reenactment and Living History Aug. 2-3, Revere. Civil War reenactors present a living history weekend featuring a reenactment of 1861 Battle of Athens. Period craftsmen demonstrate and sell their wares; musicians, kettle corn, and homemade ice cream. Battle of Athens State Historic Site. 9 AM-9 PM Sat.; 9 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 660-877-3871

Music Under the Stars Aug. 7, 14, 21, 28, and Sept. 4, Hannibal. Bring a blanket or lawn chair for a family-friendly musical concert that is different each week. Museum Brick Mall area. 7-9 PM. Free. 573-221-9010 Great Stone Hill Grape Stomp Aug. 9, Hermann. Stomp grapes for fun and charity and music by the Boney Goat Band. Stone Hill Winery. 11 AM registration; 1 PM stomp. $1.50-$5. 800-909-9463 Bug Day Aug. 9, Wildwood. Family event featuring activities, crafts, games, a hike, and Buggy Olympics. Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park. 10 AM-2 PM. Free. 636-458-3813 Folk Life Festival Aug. 9-10, Florida. Period entertainers and crafts and food vendors. Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site. 10 AM-4 PM. Free. 573-565-3449

SEPT. 27, ST. LOUIS. “Callin’ out around the world ...” Dancing in the Street will fill Grand Center with juried performances of more than fortyfive dance companies on four outdoor stages throughout the District. Each performance is unique with a variety of styles, colors, and musical variations. The headliner will be Neighbourhood Watch Stilts International from Newcastle upon Tyne, England—a first for St. Louis. These stilt walkers defy gravity as their all-enveloping costumes evolve into new shapes as they create a nonverbal sculptural ballet. This group is also bringing Les Oiseaux de Lux, a

Old Threshers Festival Aug. 15-17, Montgomery City. Featuring antique farm machinery; horse-drawn equipment; tractor pull; steam engines; bluegrass, country, and gospel; and Parade of Power. Montgomery County Fairgrounds. 7 AM-midnight. $5 button good for all three days. 573-220-4891

Les Oiseaux de Lux, part of Neighbourhood Watch Stilts International, will perform at Dancing in the Street at St. Louis.

group of five performers in monochromatic bird costumes and stilts. The entire Grand Center District participates in this celebration by offering open houses, tours, special exhibits and performances, gallery walks, the EarthWays Energy festival, and special offers at area restaurants. The Grand Center District expects more than twenty-five thousand attendees. This event is free and open from noon to 9 PM. For more information, call 314-289-1591 or visit www.grandcenter.org.

Big Muddy Blues Festival Aug. 30-31, St. Louis. National, regional, and local talent perform on three stages and street vendors display and sell their wares. Laclede’s Landing at the Mississippi riverfront. Noon-11:15 PM. Free. 314-241-5875

Missouri Statehood Day Celebration Aug. 10, St. Charles. Celebrate the 187th anniversary of Missouri becoming the 24th state on August 10, 1821, featuring open house tours of the rooms that housed the Capitol from 1821-1826. Peck’s home, a dry goods and hardware store, and historical demonstrations. First Missouri State Capitol Historic Site. 10 AM-5 PM. Free. 636-940-3322

Moonlight Ramble Aug. 16-17, St. Louis. World’s largest nighttime bicycle ride with pre-ride activities and a post-ride party. Soldiers’ Memorial at Downtown. 10 PM Sat. $10 ($100 VIP packages available). 314-644-4660

Japanese Festival Aug. 30-Sept. 1, St. Louis. Celebration honors Japanese culture featuring garden tours, tea ceremonies, kimono demonstrations, traditional arts and crafts, and sumo wrestling. Missouri Botanical Garden. 10 AM-10 PM Sat.Sun.; 10 AM-5 PM Mon. $3-$10. 314-577-5400

Cool Art and Hot Jazz Aug. 15-17, Ballwin. Art show featuring 130 artists displaying their works, local jazz band performance, and refreshments. Greensfelder Recreation Complex at Queeny Park. 6-9 PM Fri.; 10 AM-5 PM Sat.; 10 AM-4 PM Sun. 314-889-0433

Festival of Nations Aug. 23-24, St. Louis. Celebration of urban culture diversity featuring traditional food from around the world, music and dancing performances, and crafts demonstrations. Tower Grove Park. 10 AM-7 PM Sat.; 10 AM-6 PM Sun. Free. 314-773-9090

Art Fair Sept. 5-7, Clayton. Featuring 165 juried artists exhibiting and selling their works, children’s art activities, live music, and food vendors. Central Business District. 5-10 PM Fri.; 10 AM-10 PM Sat.; 11 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 314-863-0278

COURTESY OF NWSI

Fiddler on the Roof Aug. 4-10, St. Louis. Classic musical full of happiness, tears, and dancing. The Muny at Forest Park. 8:15 PM. $9-$64. 314-361-1900

[42] MissouriLife

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[43] August 2008

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All Around Missouri

Fall RV Show Sept. 5-7, Hazelwood. More than 300 RVs on display featuring travel trailers, sport trailers, folding camping trailers, mini-motor homes, and conversion vans. Parking lot of St. Louis Mills shopping center. 10 am-8 pm Fri.Sat.; 11 am-5 pm Sun. Free. 314-355-1236 Battle of Wentzville Sept. 6-7, Wentzville. Reenactors commemorate the skirmishes that took place July 16-17, 1861. Rotary Park. 9 am-7:30 pm Sat.; 9 am-3 pm Sun. Free. 636-332-5782 Historic Cemetery Tours Sept. 6, 13, 20, and 27, Hannibal. Tour the mansion and several historic cemeteries. Rockcliffe Mansion. 8 pm. $10-$15. 573-221-4140 Fire Engine Rally Sept. 7, St. Louis. Firefighters’ run, parade, display of new and vintage fire apparatus, water games, fire safety demonstrations, and live music. Downtown. 7:30 am run; 10:30 am parade. Free. 314-487-9154 Greentree Festival Sept. 12-14, Kirkwood. More than two hundred arts and crafts vendors display and sell their wares; parade and car show. Kirkwood Park. 5-10 pm Fri.; 8:30 am-7 pm Sat.; 10 am-5 pm Sun. Free. 314-984-5984

Airport Day Sept. 13, Kirksville. Air show, car show, and airplane rides. Kirksville Airport. All day. $15 per car. 660-665-5020 Big Truck Day Sept. 13-14, St. Louis. Get up close to a fire engine, backhoe, earth mover and man lift; hot dog meal; and decorate a construction hat. The Magic House. 9:30 am-1:30 pm Sat.; 11 am-3 pm Sun. $12-$15. 314-822-8900, ext. 20 Balloon Glow and Race Sept. 19-20, St. Louis. Balloon glow, parachute team exhibition, children’s area, British car show, photo contest, and launch of the balloons. Forest Park. 7-8:30 pm Fri. (glow); noon-6:30 pm Sat. Free. 314-993-2901 Archaeology Day Sept. 20, Danville. Participate in spear-throwing and early American Indian games, learn about fur-bearing mammals, see pelts and skulls. Graham family descendants and an archaeologist will be on-hand to answer questions about cave history. Graham Cave State Park. Free. 573-564-3476 Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival Sept. 20, Kirksville. Artists display and sell paintings, sculpture, ceramic, wood carvings, jewelry, and stained glass. Courthouse Square. 9 am-4 pm. Free. 660-665-0500

Town and Country Fair Aug. 6-10, Washington. Headliner performances including Huey Lewis and the News hit the stage at the Town and Country Fair, along with bull riders, a parade, truck and tractor pulls, a variety of concerts, and mini garden tractor pulls. Saturday features Micro Sprint Car races, and Sunday features Stadium Motorcross and an After Party Parade. Events also include a bubble gum-blowing contest, a pig chase, and a jalapeño eating contest. Admission ranges from $8-$10 daily to $25-$40 for five-day passes. For more information, visit www.washmofair.com or call 636-239-2715, ext. 104. —Amy Stapleton

Courtesy of washington missourian

ML

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1-888-242-4262 [44] MissouriLife

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COURTESY OF DYLAN GELBACH

ML

ALL AROUND MISSOURI

Affton Days Parade and Festival Sept. 20, St. Louis. Family festival featuring live music, dancers, and parade. St. George Church grounds and High School. 10 AM-9 PM. Free. 314-843-1171

Iliniwek Day Sept. 27, Wayland. Archaeological activities and demonstrations, excavation techniques and Indian artifacts. Iliniwek Village State Historic Site. Free. 660-887-3871

Pioneer Days Sept. 20-21, Defiance. Historic reenactors will be encamped depicting daily life on the Missouri frontier, period music, demonstrations, hands-on experiences, and tour the nineteenth century buildings. Boonesfield Village. 9 AM-6 PM Sat.; 9 AM-5 PM Sun. $4-$7. 636-798-2005

Archaeology Day Sept. 27-28, Imperial. Artisans demonstrate skills of prehistoric Native Americans, artifact collections displayed, and tour the museum. Mastodon State Historic Site. Free. 636-464-2976

Kids’ Flea Market Sept. 21, St. Louis. Children 16 years and younger buy, sell, and trade their recycled treasures, plus face painting, clowns, and prizes. The Magic House. 11 AM3 PM. Free ($15 for a booth). 314-822-8900, ext. 20

FREE LISTING AND MORE EVENTS Visit MissouriLife.com for even more great events all around the state.

ParkPalooza Sept. 27-28, St. Louis. Interactive family event to explore the world of national parks featuring rock wall climbing, geocaching, and boating. Gateway Arch grounds. 10 AM-4 PM. Free. 314-982-1410 Wine Festival Sept. 27-28, St. Louis. Featuring more than 150 wines from Missouri, domestic, and international wineries and live music. Forest Park. Noon-7 PM Sat.; noon-6 PM Sun. $20-$25. 888-210-0074

PLEASE NOTE: Event plans sometimes change. Call before traveling. TO SUBMIT AN EVENT: Editors choose events for publication in the magazine, space permitting, but all submissions go onto the web site. Submit events well in advance. Please make sure there is a contact phone number with your event. Visit MissouriLife.com and fill out the form, e-mail amy@missourilife.com, fax 660-882-9899, or send announcement to Missouri Life, 515 E. Morgan St., Boonville, MO 65233

Miss Major And Her Minor Mood Swings perform at the historic Round Barn.

Round Barn Blues SEPT. 27, KIRKSVILLE. Blues musicians from across the country converge to perform at the Round Barn. Built in 1913 for hay storage and livestock shelter, the barn is now the home of the Round Barn Blues featuring both national and local talent. Barbecue, burgers, locally famous “MO� Taters, and refreshments are available. Performances take place from 4-11 PM and tickets are $15. For more information call 660-6652760 or visit www.roundbarnblues.com —Amy Stapleton

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[45] August 2008

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ISSOd PrUodRucIts DE -mINe BuM MA sinesses an sing Show

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THE BEAT GOES ON

THERE IS A CERTAIN TYPE of attire that very few teenagers would describe as “cool,” yet in any given year, countless high school students wear it with pride. We’re talking about marching band uniforms, and a staggering number of them are manufactured by a Missouri company at Brookfield in north-central Missouri. Stanbury Uniforms, Inc., was founded in 1917 at Kansas City by a

The Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps at Rockford, Illinois, one of the world’s leading corps, wears a uniform created by Stanbury.

By Dawn Klingensmith

merchant tailor who specialized in police, fire, and military uniforms and then branched out into the flashier regalia worn by circus performers and members of fraternal organizations. In the 1930s, musicians’ showmanship started to incorporate motion, and founder Will Stanbury identified a new market niche. “Bands got out from under the gazebos in town squares and took to the streets and started marching,” says Steve Roberts, general manager. “Parades became popular, creating a need for costuming.” Stanbury Uniforms has been meeting that need ever since. In 1958, the company moved to Brookfield. Today, the company has two hundred employees and annually pulls in close to twelve million dollars, providing uniforms for more than twenty thousand bands worldwide, including more than two hundred school bands in Missouri. Stanbury’s embroidered and braided uniforms and feathered helmets and hats are amply represented each year in the famed Rose Bowl and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades. All Stanbury uniforms are custom-designed based on school colors, each band’s individual style, and other factors. Community values come into play, as well. “We’re not by any means influenced by what’s being shown on runways in New York City,” says Steve, whose father, Gary, is the company’s president and CEO. “However, to some degree, our uniforms reflect what’s going on in popular culture. Right now, you hear the word ‘bling.’ Believe it or not, band uniforms have bling.” Flashy elements include rhinestones, sequins, crystal buttons, and mirrored embellishments. “All those things are very popular right now, but not across the board,” Steve says. “You wouldn’t see something like that in East Texas, where a more militaristic style would be the norm.” Stanbury’s manufacturing facility annually uses one hundred and fifty thousand yards of fabric to produce forty thousand uniforms. The average cost per outfit is about four hundred dollars. Steve says Stanbury Uniforms is rooted in a tradition that’s here to stay: “We’re a slice of Americana—apple pie, hot dogs, parades, and marching bands. We’re proud to be part of that.” However, he wistfully acknowledges that in other respects, the company is among the last of a dying breed. “Missouri once had a very proud sewing heritage,” he says. “But we’re one of the few sewing and textile businesses remaining in the state.” Call 800-826-2246 or visit www.stanbury.com for more information.

COURTESY OF STANBURY UNIFORMS, INC.

BAND UNIFORM MAKER STRIKES A CHORD FOR NINE DECADES |

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PROMOTION

G C IR C U S G E T R E A D Y FO R A TH R E E R IN IA . C O M P LI M E N TS O F C O LU M B

y I G OT THEM b a B Oh

STRUTTIN’ & SINGIN’ & PARADING, & PAINTIN’, & ROCKIN’ & ROLLIN’, CRAVIN’ FOR WORLD-CLASS ART & BARBECUE BLUES AGAIN [47] August 2008

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B

ut for this circus, think outside the ring. Three separate festivals converge in downtown Columbia on the first two weekends of Autumn (September 27-28, and October 3-4) rolling out a ton of blues and barbecue, dancing, art and culture ... even a parade where you’re the star! Events include the quirky Moo-Dah Parade on September 27, during the Columbia Festival of the Arts, which runs September 27-28. The following weekend is the second annual Roots 'N Blues 'N BBQ Festival, October 3-4. And the price is right. Admission is free. There’s nothing traditional about

motion on a stick and you’ve got yourself a parade entry. Past entrants describe the event as a life-changing experience. These entrants include “People who definitely saw Elvis,” the Mannequin Brigade, and Forest Gump, who marched backward during the entire parade. If you think it’s easy, bring your most outrageous costume and beat these paraders at their own game. To strut your stuff, fill out an entry form at moodahparade. com or pick one up at the Columbia Convention and Visitours Bureau at 300 South Providence Road. Forms are due at least five days before the parade. There’s a $3.99 entry fee, except for

People’s Choice) gets 52 MOOvie passes to Forum Theater. The People’s Choice award is determined solely by the amount of bribes given to judges on behalf of your favorite entry. So bring your friends to stuff the ballot boxes at the judges’ stand. After the parade, all judges will be arrested, money confiscated and all bribes turned over to the United Way. Every parade entry participant will have his or her name entered to win “a computer shipped in one of those boxes with the cow spots (also known as a Gateway Computer).” For more outrageous info, consult www.moodahparade.com.

FESTIVAL OF THE

arts

And that’s just the beginning of the circus atmosphere. All weekend long, the Columbia Festival of the Arts—the annual celebration of visual, performing and literary arts—will showcase fancy artwork, and fancy footwork in Courthouse Square and surrounding streets. Folks already will be kicking up their heels as they participate in the festival’s special presentation called All Dance: All Day. The Festival’s Courthouse Square Stage will highlight two diverse professional dance groups. I Am Kenny J, from Burlington, New Jersey, will trot out ten talented performers who blend a unique and exciting combination of hip-hop and funk dancing called “sophisticated funk.” The troupe will invite you to learn and join in the dancing. Talk about dancing with the stars! Between performances, Kenny J’s dancers will stroll through the festival grounds and visit the Children’s Stage to delight crowds at every turn.

501-2808 9.75x

this circus atmosphere. So don’t look for any lions or tigers. (Even Mizzou’s football team is on the road.) But the lineup is breathtaking. Best of all, you can take center stage ... or just get a bird’s eye view.

GET IN THE

moo-DAH ACT!

Design your own entry and join the fun in the Moo-Dah Parade September 27th. Unlike the floral tameness of the Tournament of Roses, or the regal themes of Mardi Gras, Moo-Dah participants simply try to be the most outlandish, alone or in a gaggle. Got a dozen old hula hoops? Put them into

businesses, which must pay more. But you can watch for free when the parade starts to roll at 2:01 p.m.

prizes? YOU BET! The Only the Lonely Award (best one or two person entry) gets a Shakespeare’s pedi-cab ride to Rocheport and lunch for two. The Knocked My Spots Off award serves up a monster ice cream party or a half gallon of Central Dairy Ice Cream every week for a year. The What the Heck Was THAT? award receives one McDonald’s value menu item each week for one year. The Shameful Pandering award (a.k.a.

WE’RE

12.375 ad.ind

d 1

not DONE YET!

Mary Verdi-Fletcher’s ground breaking Dancing Wheels,

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PROMOTION

from Cleveland, Ohio, is an integrated professional dance company featuring professional dancers with and without disabilities (including several wheelchair dancers). You may have seen them on Good Morning America, CBS Sunday Morning, and CNN. For two decades, they’ve performed, taught and inspired children and adults

of all abilities around the world. On Sunday evening, you can see them again in concert at the beautifully restored Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts. Between the headline acts, other popular area dance groups take the stage Saturday. There’s a Children’s Stage, too, with puppetry, storytellers, music and interactive theater. For lovers of language, The Literary Stage features Missouri’s first poet laureate, Boone County’s own Walter Bargen, as well as original works by regional and area writers. Then try your own creative hand at the poetry wall. A crowd favorite since 2002, the brightly colored metallic wall has more than 1700 magnetic words for you to

build the next great tome. Sunday stages will offer a diverse presentation of music and theater. Walking from one stage to the next, you’ll see local and regional visual artists exhibiting and selling their ceramics, drawings, pastels, fiber, glass, jewelry, metalworks, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and wood. For more information about art performances and exhibits all over downtown Columbia, visit www.gocolumbiamo.com/Arts/Festival/

HOW CAN YOU

top THAT?

Come back to Columbia the following weekend (October 3-4) for the second annual Roots 'N Blues 'N BBQ Festival,

5/28/08 10:59 :17 AM

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two days of wall-to-wall, toe-tappin’, finger-lickin’ fun! Last year’s event was hailed as one of the greatest blues events of the summer, and world-class performers jumped at the chance to strutt their stuff on three outdoor stages in downtown Columbia. Don’t just take our word for it, listen to the great Taj Mahal: “We have played all over the world this year. There are two shows that stand out: Columbia, Missouri and Helsinki, Finland. The people here really love music.” So it’s no surprise that this year’s lineup picks up where last year’s powerhouse performances left off. Headlining the event is the legendary Buddy Guy. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has been the inspiration for musical heavyweights like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughan. He and fellow headliners Jerry Douglas, Del McCoury and Dale Watson have

an impressive 18 Grammy Awards between them. But it doesn’t stop there. Drummer Doyle Bramhall is a songwriting dynamo, having collaborated with Stevie Ray and Jimmy Vaughan and Eric Clapton. The Austin native’s first gig was an opening act for Jimi Hendrix. Not bad. Bettye LaVette may not be a household word to you. But music icons like Tina Turner and Bobbie Gentry have covered her songs. Stevie Wonder wrote a song expressly for her. And her unique blues expressions will hold you spellbound. Speaking of paying your dues, this year’s Music Maker Revue, which helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition, includes Adolphus Bell, Albert White, Ardie Dean, Eddie Tigner, Lil Joe Burton, Mudcat, Sol and Tim Duffy. The Revue was started by younger blues musi-

cians when they realized some of the older musicians, the ones who taught them how to play, weren’t making a living. Now, these senior blues cats come out and share their stuff and make some money, too. Last year, the revue brought the house down. This year promises to be every bit as good.

case IN POINT Real honest-to-goodness country and western fans know that James “Slim” Hand is the best in the business. As Country Music Hall of Famer Bob Cole said, “In over 30 years of playing country music, I have never, absolutely never, seen anyone as unique as James Hand. There is no one like this artist: complex, yet simple. He has no equivalent.” If that’s not enough, you’ll see “Hollywood Hillbilly” Dale Watson, the Del McCoury Band and dobro legend Jerry Douglas, who said of

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PROMOTION

last year’s festival, “The Roots 'N Blues Festival is what I would call ‘an artists show.’ The level of talent in the line-up is amazing.”

And like last year, there’s music for every taste, like the unique digeridoo sounds of Australian bluesman Harper, children’s favorite Farmer Jason, the electifying Juke Joint Duo and Columbia’s hometown band The Record Collector, performing a popular Rhythm and Soul Revue inspired by the ’60s and ’70s Stax recordings. To date, the festival has booked 30 folk, blues, bluegrass, soul and gospel musicians who will take to three stages. To keep up with the ever-growing line

up, visit www.rootsnbluesnbbq.com. All that music may make you hungry. We’ve gotcha covered. You’ll find food and beverage vendors at every turn. And, oh, by the way, downtown Columbia’s Flat Branch Park will once again convert to Barbecue Central as the big BBQ rigs converge for the second annual Roots ‘N Blues ‘N BBQ Contest, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS)

and featuring the best barbecue teams in the nation. In the words of KCBS rep Mike McMillen, “This is the largest, best-organized, firstyear event we’ve ever seen.” You can bet that entrants are girding their loins and their ribs for an even bigger competition this year. Saucy background music comes courtesy of blues bands on the Flatbranch Park Stage, just yards from the BBQ smokers. As Burl Lutz of California’s Lutz’s Famous BBQ said, “It was super … I mean for a first-time event, everything was run so well … and the musical lineup, wow! I will be back next year and every year. The Roots 'N Blues 'N BBQ Festival is the place to be.” Flat Branch Park will offer familyfriendly entertainment on stage. Between performances, some of the professional musicians will invite children to touch and play musical instruments. And a playground and sprayground (if the weather is warm enough) will help you keep the kids entertained! Check out the VIP package on the website. You can purchase the Whole Hog Package which includes food, a gift bag, a special Whole Hog lounge and tents, and preferred parking. The event runs Friday October 3 from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, October 4 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

So remember, march in the MooDah, then dance ’til you drop at the Columbia Festival of the Arts on September 27-28. Take four days off to catch your breath, and drop back by for the blues and barbecue of a lifetime, on October 3 & 4.

SEE

you

!

E THER

65,000 folks a t t e n d e d last year’s event. This year the city expects a crowd of

100,000 or more...

I T ’ S T HAT G OOD

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U RI ISSO OF mM BEST Quality fro Every Corner

FOSSIL FORAGING MISSOURI’S TOP TEN HUNTING GROUNDS |

By Tricia Grissom

Above: Geologists Tom Mesko, Peter Price, and David Gaunt identify brachiopods in Vernon County. This nautiloid, measuring 2 3/4” long in diameter, was found in Pennsylvanian Westerville limestone at Lee’s Summit. Right: Division of Geology and Land Survey staff members Hairl Dayton and Mark Middendorf stand atop a rock formation about four miles northwest of Branson, called Bachelor Formation, in which the spine of a primitive shark named Ctenacanthus (bottom) was found.

bluffs, highway cutouts, and abandoned quarries around Missouri. They have exotic names like cephalopod, trilobite, and brachiopod. And they’ve been waiting for thousands of years for Missourians to find them. You may never dive a shipwreck or dig for pirate treasure, but fossil hunting inspires the same kind of excitement and passion in adventurers of all ages. Abby Lee, co-secretary of the Eastern Missouri Society for Paleontology (EMSP), has been collecting fossils since she was seven years old. “My grandparents and parents have always been into natural history,” she says. “As a little girl I learned to love museums, thus I had an early exposure to fossils. My parents moved to a house in Missouri with a nearby creek containing brachiopods and crinoids when I was seven. I was fascinated with the ancient life right in my own backyard.” Shannon Lukens, a ten-year-old EMSP member, is learning to love fossil hunting alongside her father David Lukens. “I enjoy it because I get to spend time with my dad and sometimes mom,” Shannon says. “I also take the fossils to school and show them off. I like trilobites; they look kind of like beetles but lived in the ocean.” David agrees, “It does not matter how old you are or how much experience you have, you can still enjoy it. Our club has people from ten to people in their late seventies, people who have just started collecting to people doing it for over sixty years.”

FROM TOP: COURTESY OF MARK GORDON, DNR; COURTESY OF PAT MULVANY, DNR; RIGHT: COURTESY OF DNR

STRANGE CREATURES lurk in river

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FOSSIL FORAGING

TOP TEN SITES Keep your eyes open and your tools sharp, and you might just have the geological treasure hunt of a lifetime in your own backyard—the state of Missouri.

PARK HILLS Brachiopods and trilobites are embedded in limestone and shale. Check road cuts on Route 8 near Leadwood and Frankclay, about five miles west of Park Hills.

NEW LONDON About one mile north of New London along Highway 61, exposed rock can yield trilobite fragments, bryozoans, and brachiopods in limestone formations. Look south of the Salt River bridge.

EUREKA Brachiopods, bryozoans, and trilobites can be found in rock outcrops and road cuts on Interstate 44’s north outer road to the west of Allenton. Also look along Route 109, around three miles north of Eureka.

ARNOLD/FESTUS AREA Highway 61- 67 and Interstate 55 boast road cuts, rock outcrops, and abandoned quarries with cephalopods, brachiopods, bryozoans, trilobites, and corals in limestone.

SPRINGFIELD Seek crinoids, horn coral, and brachiopods in abandoned quarries, road cuts, and outcrops, next to Interstate 44 and Highway 65. Eroded areas provide the best opportunity for finding fossils.

COLUMBIA In this area you should find brachiopods and crinoids. The brachiopods will be in areas of exposed limestone.

Scott Kaden and Joe Gillman, geologists with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’s Division of Geology and Land Survey, scope out an outcrop near Potosi in Washington County. The area is known to be a high-occurence brachiopod zone where trilobites can be found.

SOUTHERN MISSOURI’S CENTRAL OZARK REGION This area has some of the oldest rocks in the state. Steadily eroding for thousands of years, the landscape contains gastropods, cephalopods, and trilobite fragments. The natural weathering reveals new fossils with each expedition.

HANNIBAL AND LOUISIANA, MISSOURI Check quarries and road cuts in the Hannibal area. The best spots are along Route 79 between Hannibal and Louisiana. Possible fossils here include brachiopods, gastropods, crinoids, blastoids, and corals.

KANSAS CITY The metro Kansas City area has marine fossils in quarries, road cuts, and outcrops. Fossils lie in exposed limestone and shale.

VERNON, BATES, HENRY, AND ST. CLAIR COUNTIES These counties have abandoned coal strip mines with marine fossils in limestone and shale.

Sources: Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Rick Poropat. Map at www. dnr.mo.gov/pubs/pub665.pdf

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The best place to begin ... hook up with a fossil group and educate yourself about what to look for and where to find it.

Left: courtesy of larry pierce, DNR; Right: Courtesy of Pat Mulvany, DNR

Getting Started “In general, Missouri is a great place to find fossils because of the great diversity of geologic formations and ages represented in the state’s rocks,” says Rick Poropat, former president of the EMSP. “Fossils can be found almost anywhere sedimentary rock—limestone, sandstone, shale, etc.— is exposed, including road cuts, stream cuts, gravel bars, quarries, and strip pits.” Fossil collecting has changed in recent years because collectors don’t have access to some pits and quarries now because of liability concerns, Rick says. That’s where the Eastern Missouri Society for Paleontology comes in. These St. Louisarea fossil enthusiasts regularly sponsor field trips to guide collectors to safe, fossil-rich places to hunt. The best way to begin, Rick says, is by hooking up with a fossil group to educate yourself about what to look for and the best places to find specimens. “Read! Read! Read! Become familiar with fossils, localities, and collecting methods through the multitude of field guides and other publications available at the local library, bookstore, or from the Missouri State Geological Survey.”

From top: Brachiopods, the largest of the four measuring 1 1/8” long, were found in Pennsylvanian Westerville limestone at Lee’s Summit. This slab containing brachiopods measures 8 1/2” across and comes from Pennsylvanian Westerville limestone at Lee’s Summit.

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Fossil Foraging

Fossil Foraging Facts n It’s illegal to remove fossils from

public lands like parks, forests, or other protected areas. n Always seek written permission

from landowners before entering a site. Many abandoned quarries and other natural areas are private property. n Road cuts can be dangerous

places on busy highways. Avoid highly trafficked roads when fossil hunting. n Sometimes a rock is just a rock.

Pseudo-fossils are rocks that look like fossils but aren’t. Your local fossil group or a rock show can help you separate the look-alikes from the true finds.

From left: This trilobite, measuring 11/32” head to tail, was found in the Mississippian Chouteau Group at Gilliam. Burlington limestone is a good place to find crinoids in the Branson area. Geologists and other DNR staff members explore along Highway 54 in St. Clair County.

Missouri Fossils “Generally, fossils found in Missouri are marine animals; that is, they are the remains of animals and some plants that lived in the oceans that covered the state millions of years ago,” Rick says. “Fossils of extinct land animals can also be collected; however, these are rare.” “One of the neat things about collecting in Missouri is the state’s diversity of fossils,” Abby says. “We have some of the earliest organisms down in the Ozarks that were basically snails with Hershey Kiss-shaped shells. We have most of the geologic periods and fossils present from sea life,” such as clams, brachiopods (clams with non-mirror image shells), corals, bryozoans (sea fans), algae mats, crinoids (the Missouri state fossils), trilobites (the roly-poly’s early cousin), and cephalopods (nautilus type animals).

Fossil Hunting Tool K it You won’t find any trilobites or crinoids just lying on the ground. “Usually, only a portion of the fossil will be exposed.” Rick says. “Many specimens will be found in rocks too large to safely handle, and the rock must be broken into manageable pieces. For soft, lay-

ered rock such as shale, the only tool needed may be a putty knife or mason’s trowel to split the layers. For hard rock such as limestone, dolomite, or some types of shale, a large chisel and a three- to four-pound crack hammer are a must.” Regular hammers may shatter and are not recommended. Work gloves and eye protection are also advisable. Use extra care when you transport your find home. Wrapping the fossil in newspaper will protect it. Rick recommends a heavy duty backpack or five-gallon plastic bucket for carrying equipment and any newly uncovered treasures. Though fossil hunting has grown more challenging in the past few years, there are still some places accessible to public collectors. The Eastern Missouri Society for Paleontology meets on the second Friday of each month at Washington University’s Earth and Planetary Sciences Building at St. Louis. The building is on the southwest corner of Hoyt and Millbrook Boulevard on the Washington University campus. For more information visit www.mofossils.com, www.ksmopaleo.org, www.bcmnh. org/index2.html, www.epsc.wustl.edu, www. mostateparks.com/mastodon.htm, www.riverbluffcave.com, or www.dnr.mo.gov/geology.

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left: courtesy of Pat Mulvany, DNR; top: courtesy of Pat Mulvany, dnr; Bottom: Courtesy of Mark Gordon, DNR


FALL IN LOVE

WITH FULTON

Enjoy Rebecca’s irresistible homemade desserts along with the outstanding food and wine at Bek’s restaurant and wine bar.

In the heart of Missouri is Fulton, voted one of the top 10 places to visit in the Midwest and Callaway County’s gem. Named after steamboat inventor Robert Fulton, Fulton has a rich history with exciting sites and sounds all wrapped up in the warmth of small-town charm. Fulton’s downtown, made famous in the Ronald Reagan movie King’s Row, has kept its historic charm with brick streets, elegant architecture, 67 buildings on the historic register, great restaurants, romantic B&Bs, antiques, and one-of-a-kind boutiques. Whether you are looking for a handcrafted gift, local art, great food, or outstanding museums, you will find that and more in Fulton. The newly renovated Churchill Museum at Westminster College features interactive displays that engage and educate visitors of all ages. In addition, you can walk through actual pieces of the Berlin Wall as you explore Edwina Sandys’ magnificent Breakthrough sculpture for another look back at living history. For those interested in the local art and music scene, Kemper Center for the Arts at William Woods University is a must-see, and The Lighthouse Theater in nearby Millersburg offers live gospel and bluegrass concerts. Museums offering everything from whimsical to wheels are a draw for visitors to Fulton. The new Backer Auto World Museum displays an impressive collection of 84 historic automobiles in Hollywood-style sets for their era. Capture a sense of local history at the Historical Society Museum or pay your respects at the Missouri Firefighters Memorial. A museum of sorts, the whimsical collections at Nostalgiaville will also entertain all family members as will the Treasure Hill Doll House Miniatures museum and shop. Crane’s Museum in Williamsburg has been voted 3rd best in off-beat attractions with over 4,000 square

The Churchill Museum features interactive displays that engage and educate visitors of all ages.

Wine comes with a great view at Summit Lake Winery

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PROMOTION

feet of regional history. Before you head out, stop by Marlene’s restaurant. A pulled-pork sandwich and warm slice of pie will put a smile on your face. Whether you prefer down-home country or uptown gourmet, authentic Greek, or Mexican cuisine, you’ll savor scrumptious dining. Try Bek’s restaurant for a unique blend of old and new where Internet and espresso meet 1902 architecture. In addition to fabulous food, including amazing Parmesan Artichoke Dip and decadent homemade desserts, Bek’s has a welcoming atmosphere, and on Saturday nights, there is live jazz. You can even revisit the 1930s by sharing a shake at Sault’s authentic soda fountain, which uses locally made premium ice cream. Or sample some distinctive Missouri wines and a creative bistro menu at Summit Lake Winery while enjoying the fall foliage on the bluffs. For overnight stays, getaway packages, unique weddings and fabulous pampering breakfasts, Fulton has two of Missouri’s top ten inns, the historic Loganberry Inn, where Margaret Thatcher stayed, or create a romantic memory at Romancing the Past Bed and Breakfast in the historic Jameson home. For your next getaway or family vacation, visit Fulton and Callaway County, Missouri. Crane’s 4,000 square foot museum is a oneFor more information and calendar of events of-a-kind viewing experience featuring rural see www.visitfulton.com. Missouri history dating back to the 1800s.

Calendar of Events Callaway County Fair

Callaway County Fair Grounds, Route C, Fulton, MO Tractor Pull, Demolition Derby, Livestock Events, etc. July 29 - August 2, 2008 Rob Bristow at 573-220-2613 www.callawaycountyfair.com

Girlfriend Getaway Spa Packages and “Chocolate for Chicks” Loganberry Inn Bed and Breakfast All August Weekends 573-642-9229 www.loganberryinn.com

Hazel Kinder’s Lighthouse Theater Millersburg, MO Aug 9 Beacon Band/Paul Larimore, Dinner Show Aug 16 The Bressler Brother’s Bluegrass Band 1-573-474-4040 Email: hazelkinder@yahoo.com

Mokane Lion’s Club 58th Fall Festival

Mokane Lion’s Club Park Softball tournaments, truck and tractor pulls, fiddlers contest, mule cloggers, puppet shows, live music, and the always popular mutton. August 29 - September 1, 2008 Billy Spencer at 573-642-2008

Bluegrass and Barbecue Celebration

600 East 5th Street, Fulton Martin Family performs along with food September 21, 2008 1 to 7 p.m. 573-642-2039

Traveling Art Exhibits

Winston Churchill Museum Art Gallery For summer schedule visit www.churchillmemorial.org 573-592-5234

Shopping and dining in Historic Downtown Fulton is a great way to spend a Fall day.

For more information, www.visitfulton.com 1-800-257-3554 Kansas City

128 miles

I-70

St. Louis

100 miles

FULTON

Loganberry Inn has hosted many famous guests such as former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher along with her Scotland Yard detectives. AD-AUGUST 2008.indd 59

a “brown [59]Savor August 2008 cow” at Sault’s authentic soda fountain.

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KING OF THE ROAD Dr iving Every Mile of State Highway

CAREFREE COMFORT

TUCKED IN AND AROUND BRANSON WITH THE KING |By John Robinson

LEFT: COURTESY OF THOUSAND HILLS; RIGHT: COURTESY OF ROCK LANE RESORT

“HISTORIC?” The chamber of commerce lady didn’t buy my logic. I persisted. “If I were a vehicle, I’d have a historic tag. And Rock Lane Lodge was already historic when our family stayed there thirty years ago.” She motioned down the narrow peninsula called Indian Point. “It’s near the end of the road, and now they call it Rock Lane Resort.” Rock Lane Lodge holds special memories for my family. Our daughters grew up drinking out of big plastic cups with Rock Lane Lodge logos emblazoned on the sides, functional mementos of a fun family vacation. But alas, things change. The logos wore off the cups, victims of abusive dishwashers. The rock cabins are gone. The lodge still stands, though with all the changes, it bears scant resemblance to my memory. The resort features modern condos, swimming pools, and plenty of activities. I could see that the old “historic” lodge of my memories was gone. Not to worry. I soon discovered that the path winding around Table Rock Lake reveals some real romantic hideaways. I backtracked up the peninsula and crept past the parking lots for Silver Dollar City, the Ozarks theme park that sits atop Marvel Cave. Intersecting with Route 13 at Branson West, I turned south on that twisty two-lane road. Detouring down DD, I passed Sho-Me Baseball Camp, where our oldest grandson Dylan—my retirement package—first learned the pitch-

From left: The golf course at Thousand Hills Resort is a Golf Digest award winner. Rock Lane Resort is situated on Indian Point, a private peninsula down the road from Silver Dollar City theme park.

ing form that will make him the next Walter Johnson. Along the way, I saw the physical embodiment of the phrase, “a man’s home is his castle.” In this case, the man’s castle is his private home, complete with turrets. Not far from there, Skyview Lodge sits high upon a bluff looking down on the lake on either side. Skyview is a wonderful log structure that didn’t make it as a hotel and switched to condo life. At the end of the road, I discovered a quaint fishing village. Maybe it’s not quaint like a European postcard, but it’s quaint by Ozark standards. The cottages were tidy and clean.

Rejoining Route 13, I headed south and stumbled upon one of the truly great sculptures in Missouri. Forget that it’s an icon for a real estate company; this twenty-foot bronze balloon is a grabber. I turned down Route RB. Most state road names have no real significance. They’re just numbers or letters. Not so with roads named RA or RB. RA denotes a public recreation area somewhere along the road, usually at the end. RB means much the same, (in my mind RB stands for recreation/boating access ... and I can’t find a road that defies this). Sure

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King of the Road

enough, the end of this road delivered a Corps of Engineers waterfront park. Once again I retreated from the water’s edge and headed back to Route 13, where I spied a handsome little log cabin doing business as Jill’s Ozark Bar-B-Que. My stomach said, “Yes,” so I took it in with me and sat down in one of the world’s coziest little two-top booths, a chess-match-sized wooden table framed by two wooden one-seat benches. Jill’s specialty is baby back ribs, but I had a pork sandwich. I couldn’t decide which of a dozen different sauces to try. They had Jill’s Pig Out Hot Sauce. And Liquid Stupid. I shunned Liquid Stupid ... I don’t need help. As I left, I noticed Jill’s stand-alone outdoor, screened-in pig-out station to keep people from harming the bugs. Rolling south, I entered the realm of the Lampe Litter Lifters. I know this because that’s what the Adopt-A-Highway sign said. Ha-Bob’s One Stop hails at the corner of Routes 13 and H, which leads to Bread Tray Mountain and the lake. In my online research to find Table Rock’s most romantic spot, White River Lodge

From top: Colorado Engelmann spruce logs and Arkansas fieldstone create rustic ambience at White River Lodge. Big Cedar Lodge, located on Table Rock Lake, boasts lake views, hot tubs, and fireplaces. Right: Thousand Hills cabins are tucked into the foothills at Branson.

jumped out and kissed me. Lovingly built by Bill and Becky Babler, the lodge is a picture postcard of alpine purity, situated on the lake just north of Blue Eye. The lodge is hewn from huge pine logs. Such log structures became a theme in my travels that day. The great room has a large stone fireplace. Handcrafted log beds fit the homey ambience in rooms named Couple’s Cove and Foggy River Room. From the lodge’s ample back balconies, the lake view inspires the windows to your soul. My car roller-coastered back to 13, and we rounded the horn at the southern end of Table Rock, on the approach to Big Cedar Lodge. In all of Missouri, there may be a handful of spots that can lure super-wealthy

world travelers. This is one of them. Big Cedar is legendary. And I can understand why. The property is charmingly woodsy, but it’s the staff that makes the difference. They attend to your every whim. Cookies delivered to your cabin. Firewood at your door every morning. Stuff like that. Cheryl and I stayed there years ago, and I remember the cabins bordered on rustic opulence, if there is such a thing. Big fireplaces. Showers with multiple nozzles resembling a balneal firing squad. Truthfully, Big Cedar is grand, but I’d be content with Medium Cedar or Moderate Cedar. Cheryl loved it. I left the luxury of Big Cedar and reentered reality, driving along the southwest fringe of Greater Branson. It’s still amazing to me that you can be so close to glitter city and yet be enveloped in the woods. I passed Table Rock State Park and crossed the dam, with Chateau on the Lake framed in my windshield.

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left: courtesy of White river lodge; courtesy of Big Cedar Lodge; right: Courtesy of Thousand hills

King of the Road Nobody knows Missouri like John Robinson.

John, who is a former Director of Tourism for Missouri, is dedicated to driving every mile of state-maintained highways. This makes him King of the Road. To date, he has covered 3,409 state roads, with 505 to go. As he drives each road, he marks it off on his map, which truly has become his treasure.

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King of the Road

I must confess—I’ve stayed in some fine hotels over the years: The Waldorf-Astoria. The Conrad Hilton. The Fairmont. The Adolphus. The Grand. Four Seasons. The Fontainebleau. But the Chateau offered the finest suite I’ve ever occupied. Too bad I was there for only about five and a half hours—by myself. I’d driven late one night from an Ozark trout stream to reach the Chateau. I checked in well after midnight. My first meeting in Branson was at 7 am. But I had enough time to examine the exquisite furnishings, the leather chairs with iron and wood, the rich tile floors with thick throw rugs. A wet bar. A Jacuzzi I never used. A bed I barely warmed. Someday Cheryl and I plan to return and stay for more than a cup of coffee. Next day, Thousand Hills waited. As Branson diversifies with a new convention center and a new airport in the works, folks are warming to the fact that Greater Branson is fast becoming a preferred golf destination in Missouri. And Thousand Hills plays a vital part. Tucked down in the crack of Branson, the course winds along a creek, manicured to rugged perfection.

I knew about Thousand Hills golf. I didn’t know about Thousand Hills cabins. How would I? The Cabins at Grand Mountain are hiding in the woods, right in the middle of Branson! Seriously. You could hit the outlet mall with a nine iron shot, and shoppers wouldn’t know where it came from. The cabins’ exteriors are pleasing enough, standing on steep hillsides amid the forest. Inside, they’re downright stunning. Last time I saw pine logs that big, I was in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains at the fabled Huntsman home. Because the cabins are individually owned, they’re decorated to the nines with beautiful appointments, tastefully done. It’s romantic and insulated from the neon noise. This time around, I saw a different side of Branson. Driving downtown to view The Landing, I noticed the vibrancy that eight million visitors afford a small town. A thousand shoppers caromed between Dick’s 5 and 10 and Chick’s Barber Shop. Rocky’s Italian Restaurant, an original stand-alone, non-chain restaurant, seems to be doing a solid business. Time for lunch. I’d sampled much of the

Mexican cuisine around town, and it was good. But I’d never stopped at Casa Fuentes near the intersection of Routes 65 and 76. Strange for me, since I gravitate to Mexican restaurants that look like houses. It’s a sure sign that the food will be phenomenal. I wasn’t disappointed. From the beginning of the experience, I loved it—the thin, crisp, homemade white corn chips and a salsa with character. They even put romaine lettuce in their tacos. Nice touch. I’m beginning to learn how to traverse Branson. They say if you live there, you’ll soon learn the network of back roads. A few months later, you’ll learn the third layer: the real network with the best shortcuts, many of them legal. Old bank robbers in the thirties called such shortcuts “the cat roads.” And if I ever need to hide, I’ve picked out wonderful spots: secluded along the southern edge of Table Rock and tucked in the middle of Branson. Jill’s Ozark Bar-B-Que sits on Route 13. The house specialty is baby back ribs, but the King also recommends the pork sandwich.

john robinson

ML

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Q [Y

QXO

C@[

“Firebrick and Saddle Horse Capital of the World” and Then Some

F

ounded in 1836, Mexico is the seat of Audrain County. The city became a home for individuals and families that would shape its history and its future. In 1856, Colby Quisenberry came to Mexico from Kentucky, bringing the first saddle horses to the community providing the basis for “The Saddle and Horse Capital of the World.” Mexico was also home to one of the most famous horse trainers of his time, Tom Bass. One of the first African-American horse trainers, he worked and trained the remarkable animal Rex McDonald. The Audrain County Historical Museum is home to one of only two Saddle Horse Museums in the United States and has extensive genealogy information for individuals researching saddle horse bloodlines. Quisenberry also built an antebellum home, which he named Graceland, and today it serves as the location of Audrain County Historical Museum.

Clay soil provides another claim to fame for Mexico. Fire clay has become Mexico’s legacy as the “Fire Brick Capital of the World.” Fire brick from Mexico lined the furnaces of America’s steel mills and built the launch pads for the space program. The A.P. Green Fire Brick Company was world famous for its products and continued as an industry leader until the 1980s. The Mexico Village Square is the heart of Mexico’s downtown district. Local quilt shops, antiques, specialty furniture, gifts, jewelry, and scrapbook supplies afford shoppers a wide array of specialty items. Hardin College, with financial assistance from the Presser Music Company, built Presser Hall Conservatory in 1925. After a massive restoration effort lasting more than 20 years, the Presser Hall Performing Arts Center’s 900-seat auditorium serves the community and surrounding area as a home for cultural and fine arts events.

In 1997, ground was broken for one of Mexico’s most innovative endeavors. The City of Mexico, along with Linn State Technical College, Moberly Area Community College and the University of Missouri Outreach and Extension, formed a consortium to create the Advanced Technology Center (ATC). Today, the ATC offers a Practical Nursing program, an Associate of Applied Science degree, Computer Information Systems, Integrated Manufacturing and Robotics, Nuclear Technology, Medical Technology and Laser/Photonics Technology. The future promises the construction of a new Plant Science Research Center focused on soybeans and biotechnology to enhance future product potential. Mexico has been named one of Missouri’s DREAM communities. The Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri Initiative began in 2006 with the selection of ten communities.

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MEXICO JAYCEES AGRI FEST August 21-24 Formerly known as the Mexico Soybean Festival, this event celebrates the agricultural history of Mexico and Audrain County. This year the festival will be held at the newly renovated Audrain County 4-H Fairgrounds on Highway D. Events include family carnival day, Little Miss and Mister Contest, Wine Tasting 101, live music and a MRCA Rodeo on Friday and Saturday nights. Sunday the Missouri Karting Association will be holding a go kart race.

Event Calendar 4TH ANNUAL COUNTRY MUSIC AND BLUE GRASS FESTIVAL September 5-6 7:00 p.m.

The Little Dixie Shrine Club will hold their 4th Annual Country Music and Bluegrass Festival. The festival will be held at the Little Dixie Shrine Club Park located one mile north of Mexico on Route J. Admission charged.

SUNSET FESTIVAL Thursday Evenings September 11, 18, & 25 Enjoy a variety of activities in the downtown Village Square in Mexico. Each week has a different theme and a Mexico Idol contest. Food vendors, activities for the kids and entertainment make this the perfect family event. Sponsored by the Village Square Association.

“PAINTING MISSOURI” Billyo O’Donnell Lecture with Karen Glines September 20 7:00 p.m. Presser Performing Arts Center

WALK BACK IN TIME! September 27-28 The Audrain County Historical Society’s unique Walk Back in Time! living-history event is an elaborate three-day occasion. Re-enactors, with period attire, dwellings, and accoutrements and demonstrate life in their corresponding period of history. New this year are today’s proud, modern, and hard-working military and current active Iraq/Afghanistan combat veterans whose stories will convey the difficult realities of current military activities.

With more counties than most other states, Missouri posed a unique challenge for Billyo O’Donnell. Setting out to create an outdoor painting on location—en plein air—for each of Missouri’s 114 counties plus the city of St. Louis, this award-winning artist devoted years of travel and logged more than 150,000 miles to capture the many textures of a multifaceted state. Accompanying the paintings are essays by Karen Glines, who provides essential historical information about the counties. Free and open to the public. For directions call 573-581-2100.

1.800.581.2765 [67] August 2008 www.mexico-chamber.org • www.mexicomissouri.net • info@mexico-chamber.org

Photos by Sandy Benn & Mexico Ledger

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BRIDGE

OVER

TROUBLED

WATER BY TRACI ANGEL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY NOTLEY HAWKINS

THE KATY BRIDGE at Boonvil le, part of the MKT

(Missou ri-Kansas-Texas) rail line, straddles the Missou ri River nea r the Isle of Capri casi no. Old and unused, the velvety-brow n rusted bridge has beco me an iconic symbol of one of Missou ri’s most recent divi sive politica l struggles. Bridge ownership triggered a cou rtro om battle between two state departments (Departmen t of Natural Resources and the Attorney General’s office) and has ignited grassroots efforts from Boonvil le resi dents and Katy Trai l enthusiasts dem anding the bridge rem ain and be reborn. Three years since the saga began, the structure cou ld meet its fate as early as this fall. That fate is dismemberment or resu rrection, depending on whom you ask. Union Pacific officials are confident its deco nstruction will send recycled por tions to Osage River rail lines nea r Jefferson City. But Boonvil le residents and heritage groups aren’t givi ng up, and the bridge’s tale con tinues. Perhaps it’s time for Missou rians interested in the stat e’s rail road history to take a closer look.

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like Braeburns, along with twenty-five acres of peaches, three acres of grapes, and three acres of strawberries, have put the three children of David and Paula Murphy through college. A generation ago, David’s father-in-law, Bud Head, grew old apple cultivars like Black Ben and Grimes Golden, neither of which would ring a bell with younger customers. Still, the owner of Murphy Orchard says they can’t meet the demand for one of the orchard’s remaining old-fashioned apples, the Lodi. It makes “a real fine applesauce.” And one very important use justifies keeping a few aging York apple trees on the property. “It’s the best apple pie, I think,” David says.

GROWING

SUSAN ATTEBERRY SMITH; COURTESY OF CORY SCHWEIZER

From left: Schweizer Orchards at St. Joseph produces almost twenty apple varieties. David Murphy expects a better peach harvest this year, unlike last year’s total of two.

Jonathans become fewer and farther between as supermarket bins overflow with newer kinds of apples, weakening demand for an old favorite. “When you look at the local apple market, you can almost divide what people are going to buy by their age,” Patrick says. The fifty-and-older group may prefer Jonathans, he says, but younger consumers are on the lookout for Braeburn, Candy Crisp, Fuji, Gala, and Pink Lady—all more popular. These newer varieties may or may not be as easy to grow, thanks to Missouri’s ever-changing weather, “but that’s where the money is made,” Patrick says. Even as Jan describes the light red Gala as “sweettasting and wonderful,” she also bemoans the bestselling cultivar’s lack of disease resistance, which means trees have to be “sprayed and sprayed and sprayed.” But to make a living in a market supplied by apple cider from as far away as China and raspberries from Serbia, fruit growers here do what they must to compete. “The old varieties like Winesap and Rome—there isn’t even anybody who could recognize that kind of an apple around here anymore,” says fourth-generation grower Cory Schweizer, vice president of Schweizer Orchards near Savannah and St. Joseph. And down at Marionville, mostly modern cultivars

challenges

Fruit growers can’t afford to polish the past for long. With the forces of nature to contend with, orchard operation has never been the easiest occupation a Missourian could have: For apples, Missouri isn’t Washington, and for peaches, it isn’t Georgia. New cultivars may have to be babied here until harvest, yet David points out that even old apples like York have always faced the natural nemesis of fire blight, a bacteria that blackens trees so they appear burnt. “In twenty-seven years of growing, I’ve never seen an average year,” he says. “There’s always something different, always something new that comes up: too cold, too hot, too dry, too wet, a different disease that pops up that you never had before. It’s just a challenge in itself.” Last year, as Missourians well remember, “something different” was a late spring frost that ravaged all kinds of fruit crops throughout the state. David picked two peaches. Bill Bader did a little better. The owner of Bader Farms, near the top of the Bootheel, says he picked “enough to make two or three peach pies.” And with eleven hundred acres, Bill owns the largest peach orchard in the state, usually harvesting as many as 180,000 bushels a year for Hen House stores at Kansas City, Dierbergs stores at St. Louis, and many retailers in between. Some years, orchard owners’ losses can be greater than gains, forcing them to get creative. In 2007, so they would have fruit to sell to roadside customers and other markets, some banded together to bring fruit in from as close as Arkansas or as far away as California. And when the birds feasted on the “handful of blueberries” at Sunshine Valley Farm, Jan Wooten and her husband, Mike,

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BETTER taste

It’s tough for Missouri fruit growers to compete against truckloads of perfect-looking apples from Washington, cheaply produced Chinese cider, and Serbian raspberries. “A Missouri apple is not going to be as pretty as a Washington apple because of the climate,” David Murphy says. “They have cool nights.” Yet he and other growers here will put the taste of a Show-Me State

apple or peach up against anyone else’s. “A Missouri apple will be picked fresher, and it’ll have more taste.” As far as orchard owners are concerned, pretty is as pretty tastes. This is the philosophy Jan follows as she markets “a great eating apple” called Mutsu, a Japanese cultivar that reminds her of a Golden Delicious. “It sometimes gets spots on the skin that don’t hurt the interior of the fruit, that don’t affect the taste, but they make them look ugly,” she says. “Rather than trying to control those spots, we just started calling it, ‘the ugly apple.’ So when people couldn’t remember Mutsu, they could remember ‘the ugly apple.’ ” And at Bader Farms, Bill Bader, who would still pit older peach cultivars like Loring, Monroe, and Topaz against some of the hundreds of newer varieties, says, “We go more on taste than we do on appearance. Because I don’t give a durn what the peach looks like. If it’s a beautiful peach but don’t have no taste, I will buy it once. But I won’t buy it again.” Besides, the fruit Bill sends to stores a few hundred miles away is going to be fresher than the fruit shipped thousands of miles to Missouri stores. “Ninety percent of the peaches we pick today will be in the grocery store tomorrow morning,” Bill says.

CUSTOMER

appreciation

David Murphy feels that connection with his customers, and for him, that’s one of the joys of staying in the fruit-growing business. The week after this year’s late April frost, he had phone calls from customers who asked how the orchard’s trees had fared. Cory Schweizer says he, too, enjoys seeing customers have fun at the family’s older orchard near St. Joseph. “I get more of a kick when kids come out and play in the orchard and run through the mazes than I get trying to figure out why the tree’s growing this way. “There’s not a morning I don’t wake up and say, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s go out there and have some fun,’ ” he says. Besides knowing customers appreciate the flavors of the fruits themselves, Jan says she likes “the growing part, being out there in the trees and the beauty of the situation.” Yet perhaps Bill best describes one of the simple pleasures of Missouri fruit growers, a pleasure nice enough to make any orchard owner forget, at least for a moment, the hard work, the market, and Mother Nature’s whims. “When you take a thousand acres of orchard in full bloom and it’s a sea of pink, you feel pretty good.” Right: Jan Wooten, along with her husband, founded Sunshine Valley Farm near Rogersville in 1989. In addition to peaches, they grow blueberries and twenty apple varieties.

SUSAN ATTEBERRY SMITH

a retired physician who now works at the orchard, were glad they could rely on business income at their on-site restaurant instead of blueberry sales. Year after year, who’s going to pick, pack, and prune is another challenging question because even the owners of a small orchard like Sunshine Valley Farm can’t do it all themselves. Having a you-pick orchard helps, Jan says, yet “most years I have to advertise and beg” for workers. David remembers when local high school students and young adults were willing to work in the orchard, but he says that’s no longer the case. Some of the orchard’s best workers are local women over fifty. But migrant workers form the backbone of labor at medium to large orchards. “I know a lot of people holler about them taking our jobs and everything, but a lot of the jobs they’re taking, you can’t get anybody here to do it,” David says. Over the years, whole families from south of the border have become like family to the Baders and Murphys, returning yearly to work in the orchards and often becoming U.S. citizens as time goes by. Add the costs of complying with government health and safety regulations to these challenges, and fruit-growing is a risky business, Michele Warmund says. “It’s tough to be a fruit-grower. So you really have to have your heart and soul into wanting to do this.” Then there’s the work itself, of planting and pruning, of sometimes staying up all night to keep a hard frost from killing tender buds on the trees. Jan says she’s working much harder than she thought she would when she started Sunshine Valley Farm eighteen years ago: “It’s pretty nonstop.” Even growers themselves aren’t surprised that their numbers are fewer than they were almost a century ago or that a new generation might be still less likely to take a chance on the business. At thirty-one, Cory Schweizer chuckles as he explains why he and his brother, Nick—both with agriculture degrees—joined their parents, Steve and Becky, in the orchard business. “Honestly, it wasn’t monetary, I’ll tell you that right now,” Cory says. “There isn’t a lot of money in this business. The funny thing is, my grandmother told my father, ‘Do not come back to this business.’ My father said the same thing to me when I went to college.” The orchard is in their blood.

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missouri’s U-PICK orchards Binder’s Hilltop Apple and Berry

Hale Gibson Orchard

Thierbach Orchards & Berry Farm

Mexico, 573-581-1415

Kingston, 816-586-4605

Marthasville, 636-433-2299

www.applesandalpacas.com

www.thierbachorchards.com Huffstutter Orchards

Bowen Creek Farm and Orchard

New Franklin, 660-848-2320

West Winery & Orchards

Niangua, 417-473-1136

www.huffstutterorchards.com

Macon, 660-385-5067

www.bowencreekfarm.com

www.westwinery.com John & Linda’s Fruit and Berry Farm

Blue Heron Orchard

Bates City, 816-690-6293

Canton, 573-655-4291 www.blueheronorchard.com

Weston Red Barn Farm Weston, 816-386-5437

Murphy Orchard

www.westonredbarnfarm.com

Marionville, 417-258-2353 Centennial Farms

www.murphyorchard.com

Augusta, 636-228-4338 www.centennialfarms.biz

Wind Ridge Farm New Melle, 636-398-8181

Schweizer Orchards

www.windridgefarm.net

Savannah, 816-324-4641 St. Joseph, 816-232-3999

Source: PickYourOwn.org and AllAboutApples.com

www.schweizerorchards.com

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Couples engaged in soft conversations and individuals lost in reverie lounge on black couches and ottomans at Kansas City’s outdoor Living Room. Sunlight comes through the translucent, eighty-foot canopy and creates long shadows of the bustling passersby. This “room” also includes a bar and a forty-foot stage where live concerts are held. On a busy day, it can hold six thousand people. This is not your typical living room: It cannot be found sandwiched between the pages of Better Homes and Gardens. This Living Room is the outdoor, brick courtyard of KC Live!, a block-long entertainment section at Kansas City’s new Power & Light District. A swanky bowling alley illuminated with a large, blue neon sign and family restaurants line the courtyard of this sprawling building, while nightclubs that stay open till 3 am sit on the second level above. At lunch, business partners with crisp suits talk animatedly as they pass through the courtyard. Laughter emanates from the outdoor tables at Gordon Biersch Brewery and Restaurant. Families meander through the square, little ones ogling at the huge black-and-white cowboys that peer over the courtyard from the billboard outside PBR Big Sky, a country and western bar on the second level. Like an oasis in the desert, the eight-block, 575,000-square-foot Power & Light District in downtown Kansas City attracts people from all over the city and beyond. Lush

landscaping lines the wide, brick sidewalks of the District. A rooftop garden offers a lofty retreat from the hustle and bustle below. Like a central beacon of the District, the green glass of the H&R Block world headquarters shimmers like a vestige from the Emerald City of Oz. Things were not always this good for Missouri’s western metropolis. For more than fifty years, Kansas City’s downtown had been declining. “In the forties, it was the shopping destination of the Midwest, but starting in the fifties, things started getting bleak,” says Jon Stephens, director of marketing for The Cordish Company, a real estate development company that was chosen by the city because of its previous success in city renovation. Kids now gather at the clock tower at Walnut and Fourteenth streets on Saturdays where Radio Disney and Wonderscope provide free entertainment. For bigger kids, the Hot Country Nights concert series brings musical guests to KC Live! for free on Thursdays. Throughout the District, restaurants and bars offer worldwide variety. Some of the larger venues include Raglan Road, an Irish restaurant with Irish cuisine, band, and dancers; Maker’s Mark Bourbon House and Lounge, an upscale restaurant and lounge; and The Peach Tree Restaurant, a southernstyle restaurant with nightly jazz. The unique themes of each restaurant make it fun, says Laren Mahoney, communications manager at the Kansas City

Convention and Visitors Association. Entertainment theaters have also been given a fresh start. In addition to flourishing Kansas City Repertory Theatre, two historic landmarks were renovated instead of razed: AMC Mainstreet Theatre and Midland Theatre. The Mainstreet Theatre, also known as the Empire Theater, opened in 1921 but had been abandoned for twenty years before the renovations began. Trees had even sprouted from its roof. Today, six state-of-the-art screens show movie premieres. The cracked, pastel green paint still shows the age of the Midland Theatre but also its charm. Built in 1927, it has been renovated for live performances. Although not a part of the District but next door, the Sprint Center holds concerts and events. On August 29-30, American Idol winner David Cook will return to his home state with the American Idols Live tour for a two-day engagement. Back in the District, Lakonda Taylor, a twenty-nine-year-old Kansas City resident, hurriedly walks to work on a Friday afternoon. As she passes through the District, she says the visitors, clean streets, restaurants, entertainment, and shopping have renewed her pride in the city’s downtown. Like Lakonda, residents of Kansas City seem pleased with the new District. The bounce in the steps of passersby and the laughter in the air on the street are a sure sign that they approve.

courtesy of the cordish company; Right: courtesy of the cordish company; courtesy of missouri division of tourism

>

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2008F ALLCO NCERT SERIES July: Rock the Block Music Series and Hot Country Nights Series August: Rock the Block Music Series, Homegrown Buzz Local Music Series, Hot Country Nights Series, and Kansas City Blues Society Series September: District Rhythm Series, Hot Country Nights Series, and Homegrown Buzz Local Music Series October: District Rhythm Series and Homegrown Buzz Local Music Series

OTHER EVENTS Sprint Family Fun Series:

Every Saturday until August 23 Friday DJs (Beats & Bubbles) and Jazz in the District: Select Saturdays Call 816-842-1045 or visit www.powerandlightdistrict.com.

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NOTLEY HAWKINS; COURTESY OF THE KANSAS CITY CONVENTION AND VISITORS ASSOCIATION

tory, including The Missouri Intelligencer and Boon’s Lick Advertiser on April 23, 1819, by Nathaniel Patten Jr. at Franklin. Patten learned the printing trade at a Boston newspaper. Known as the frontier newspaper, this was the first newspaper published west of St. Louis. The four-page paper, printed on a Ramage press, cost subscribers three dollars a year if paid in advance or four dollars if payment was deferred until the end of the year. About one hundred people subscribed to the paper. Like its predecessor, The Missouri Intelligencer and Boon’s Lick Advertiser focused on advertisements, jokes, and some bawdy poetry. But gradually Patten, who doubled as the Intelligencer’s editor as well as publisher, began including local news. Patten also “borrowed” news bits from St. Louis papers, which in turn had “borrowed” from eastern newspapers. Anything noteworthy, sensational, or odd was included. With the advent of the steamboat to navigate Missouri, more settlers moved into the territory—some of those trained as printers. By 1820, there were five weekly newspapers in Missouri, including two in St. Louis, and one each at Franklin, Jackson, and St. Charles. In 1919, the Missouri Press Association dedicated a monument to The Missouri Intelligencer and Boon’s Lick Advertiser on the outskirts of Old Franklin. The monument was designed by the same architect who designed the Missouri State Capitol at Jefferson City. The original stone marker, featuring an etched tablet with historical information about the newspaper, was washed away in the 1993 flood. In 1997, the organization funded a replacement monument near the original site next to the Katy Trail.

A S CH OOL IS

born

A century after the inception of Missouri’s first newspaper and just down the road from the marker next to the Katy Trail, journalism in the state was to take an impressive turn, one that would solidify Missouri’s reputation as a worldwide center of journalistic excellence. Walter Williams was born at the end of the Civil War in Boonville on the Missouri River. His boyhood home at 711 E. Morgan Street can still

A K.C. PRESS

pavilion

The two-block-long, glass-enclosed Kansas City

Star printing and distribution plant is located northeast of the main Star building. The eight-story, 420,000-square-foot structure has four levels and houses four sixty-eight-foot-tall Commander presses.

Hour-long tours are available by registering on the web site. Visit www.kcstartours.com for more information.

be seen today, as can his bust in Morgan Street Park. But Williams’s living legacy can truly be visited by traveling twenty-three miles east on Interstate 70 to Columbia, where he championed the formation of the now world-renowned Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. As a fifteen-year-old boy, Williams worked as a printer’s devil for seventy-five cents a week at the Boonville Topic. His career was marked by a quick rise in ranks. After a stint as the editor of the Boonville Advertiser, Williams moved to Columbia in 1889 to work for E.W. Stephens’s Columbia Herald, earning a national reputation for turning the paper into what the trade press called, “America’s model weekly.” Williams was the youngest person elected as president in both the Missouri Press Association and the National Editorial Association. For a man making such a mark on the journalism world, Williams had no formalized education. Unlike many of his contemporaries that thought reporting and editing could only be taught in the newspaper office, Williams believed strongly in an organized curriculum. Although the University of Missouri’s first journalism class was offered in 1879, the School of Journalism would not be opened until almost thirty years later. David R. McAnally taught The History of Journalism, but he left a few years later—foregoing academia to work in the trenches at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. The course was abandoned, but the momentum for a formalized school had been growing since the first meeting of the Missouri Press Association in 1867. “The Missouri Press Association started meeting right after the Civil War,” Winfield says. “They met and had educational lectures

and heard stories about the notables in the field. The educational function of some of those meetings pushed over to them wanting to have those standards legitimized by a university.” In 1898, the Missouri Press Association members unanimously passed a resolution supporting a journalism school at the University of Missouri. The University’s Board of Curators assigned a committee to outline a journalism curriculum. Attempts to fund it, though, were repeatedly denied due to an economic recession. It wasn’t until 1906 when Williams, then a curator himself, led a committee that proposed that a school of journalism be established “as a Department of the University, co-ordinate in rank with the Departments of Law, Medicine, and other Professional Schools.” Williams and the proponents of the school finally convinced the state legislature to come up with the money, but finding someone to lead this new endeavor turned out to be almost as challenging as funding it. “The curators tried to get a well-known, college-educated journalist to be the dean, but they couldn’t get anyone to do it. They finally turned to Walter Williams,” Winfield says. After much convincing by the outgoing and incoming presidents of the university, Williams accepted the position. Williams had a big to-do list to get the school up and running in a short time. He spent the spring and summer preparing for the fall semester. He resigned from the Columbia Herald and the board of curators, finalized the curriculum, and found staff to teach the classes. The first school of journalism in the world

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CLAIMS TO FAME

began lectures in Academic Hall at 8 AM on September 14, 1908. Still a firm believer in hands-on training, Williams combined the classroom curriculum with real-world experience. He infused the reality of deadlines and harried editors by establishing the University Missourian (now the Columbia Missourian), a community newspaper that served as the training ground for young reporters. After lectures, practical work began at the University Missourian. The first edition of the paper was published that afternoon, proving that Williams’s idea of marrying classroom studies with hands-on experience was a valid teaching tool. The Missouri Method of journalism is still taught to this day. Williams’s contributions to the profession include penning The Journalist’s Creed, the cornerstone of ethics and conduct for reporters. Considered to be guiding principles for those dedicated to this profession, the creed is engraved on a plaque on the second floor of Neff Hall, and another plaque honors Williams and the creed at the Missouri Press Association headquarters at Eighth and Locust in Columbia. It seems remarkable that the Midwestern city of Columbia rather than the more established cities on the east coast would be on the forefront of this educational boom. Although one can only speculate regarding the right combination of ideals and efforts that brought the J-School to fruition, Winfield has some theories. “Maybe it was the active press associations or the hard-hitting extreme competition on the east coast big cities that might have stymied the real push for what was

F AC E S I N T H E

THE MISSOURI METHOD HAS MADE THE SCHOOL WORLD FAMOUS. happening here in the Midwest. The timing was just right. When something big like that happens, it happens with a bang.” Big bang accurately describes the influence of the school worldwide, too. The school has formal study-abroad programs in fourteen countries, but the school affects many other countries through the students who attend the school. “There has been a strong international connection from the very beginning,” says Stuart Loory, the Lee Hills Chair in Free Press Studies. The first foreign student, from China, graduated in 1912. Loory says, “The school’s philosophy is twofold, to expose journalists from other countries to our American press freedom techniques because we think freedom of the press is so important to democracy, but also to expose our American students to world events and media, regardless of whether they have any

interest in becoming an international correspondent,” he says. The School of Journalism will celebrate its centennial September 9-13 and has a full schedule of events, including a concert, golf, barbecue, tours, and special exhibits. Among those exhibits are election cartoons through the years, Missouri Photo Workshop photography documenting different towns, and an international Picture of the Year showcase. Visit journalism.missouri.edu/2008/ for details.

regimental

NEWS

Stars and Stripes has been a staple for the U.S. military, Department of Defense civilians, and their families for more than 140 years. A military publication, Stars and Stripes conveys information within the protection of the first amendment, free from censorship. The Stars and Stripes newspaper was first published during the Civil War in Missouri by ten soldiers of the Illinois 8th, 11th, 18th, and 29th regiments. Col. Richard Oglesby of the Union army decided the most direct route to capture the Confederate forces meant crossing a huge swamp seven miles wide. After the forces were pushed south, the troops set up camp in deserted Bloomfield. During the evening hours, the soldiers entered the abandoned office of the Bloomfield Herald. Capt. Daniel H. Brush of Company K, 18th Illinois Infantry Regiment, wrote in his diary, “Some printers belonging to our regtt. and the others have taken possession of the printing

capitol

Several famous journalists were residents of the Show-Me State. Jack Buck was the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals. Buck also worked for CBS,

the way it is,” was born in Joplin. He was considered the “most trusted man in

ABC, and NBC doing national broadcasts of both professional baseball and

America,” according to a 1972 Oliver Quayle poll.

football games. He received a lifetime achievement Emmy in 2000. Samuel Clemens cut his teeth at his brother’s newspaper, the Hannibal

Journal, and went on to a distinguished career as a literary great. Walter Cronkite, CBS news correspondent with his trademark line “And that’s

Author of one of the best-selling books of all time, How to Win Friends and

Influence People, Dale Carnegie was a syndicated newspaper columnist and radio personality born at Maryville.

These busts can be viewed on the third floor rotunda of the state capitol at Jefferson City. Visit www.house.mo.gov/famous/ for more information.

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M IS S O U R I P R E S S AS S O C I AT I O N COLU M B I A STOP THE

presses

The Missouri Press Association Newspaper Print Shop Museum at Arrow Rock highlights Missouri’s journalism heritage. “The museum is a mock-up of an old print shop,” says Kent Ford, editor of the Missouri Press Association. The museum houses letterpress printing equipment, including a Linotype, a flatbed press, job presses, hand-set type, Washington hand presses, and other tools of the trade. The desk belonging to famous country editor H.J. Blanton of the Monroe

County Appeal at Paris, Missouri, is in the museum. Blanton took over the newspaper at age twentyone from his father, who founded it in 1873. Blanton was the subject of a picture essay, “The Country Editor,” by Norman Rockwell in The

Saturday Evening Post in 1946. A time capsule containing newspaper memorabilia was buried next to the museum in 1991, Ford says. It contains copies of newspapers from that year, Missouri Press items, and other items contributed by association members. No date has been set for opening of the capsule.

NOTLEY HAWKINS

office and design publishing a paper tonight.” And that was the start of the “soldiers’ newspaper.” Carriers distributed the newspaper, christened Stars and Stripes, on the morning of Saturday, November 9, 1861. The Stars and Stripes was published during the Civil War only two more times—once in Arkansas and once in Louisiana—and during World War I in 1918-19; it started continuous publication in 1942 during World War II. Visit www.starsandstripesmuseumlibrary.org or call 573-568-2055 for museum hours.

A N EY E ON T H E

prize

A larger-than-life legend in his own time, Joseph Pulitzer was one of America’s leading

newspaper publishers. A Hungarian immigrant, Pulitzer joined the Union cavalry at age seventeen. After the Civil War, he landed in St. Louis, becoming a reporter for the German paper, Westliche Post, edited by Carl Schurz. While still a reporter, Pulitzer made some shrewd investments. He bought the St. Louis Post for about three thousand dollars in 1872. A few years later, he purchased the St. Louis Dispatch for the bargain price of twenty-seven hundred dollars. Merging the two papers, Pulitzer created the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Pulitzer believed that a newspaper must not only report events but act as a moral force in the community. The St. Louis PostDispatch was a forum for protesting lotteries,

gambling, and tax-dodging and for encouraging St. Louisans to be more civic-minded. James Wyman Barrett, in his biography Joseph Pulitzer and His World, wrote of Pulitzer’s work ethic and vigor in managing the PostDispatch: He “worked at his desk from early morning until midnight or later, interesting himself in every detail of the paper.” In his will, Pulitzer established the prize “for the encouragement of public service, public morals, American literature, and the advancement of education.” Missouri has a rich journalistic heritage that has influenced the news industry worldwide. And that’s the way it is.

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Civil War Series

Choosing Sides

AMERICAN INDIANS SQUARE OFF IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI

Although American Indian participation in the war was mainly confined to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) and other tribal lands such as the Osage territory of southeastern Kansas, the Indians occasionally marched into the adjoining states of Arkansas and Missouri. In fact, Missouri holds the distinction of having been the stage for the only conflict of the war, the First Battle of Newtonia, in which American Indian units of regimental strength faced each other in combat. During the period leading up to the Civil War, most American Indians in Indian

Territory had little interest in taking sides in the mounting conflict between the Northern and Southern states, and Chief John Ross of the Cherokee, the territory’s most advanced tribe, advocated neutrality. White agents among the Indians, though, mostly favored the South, and they were joined by a few slaveholding Indian leaders like Stand Watie, Ross’s main rival among the Cherokee. Watie, who later became the only American Indian of the Civil War to attain the rank of general, was the leader of the mixed-race Cherokees, while most of Ross’s followers were pure-bloods, and the feud between the two factions dated back

By Larry Wood

to the tribe’s removal from the Southeast to the frontier during the late 1830s. When the war broke out, the Confederacy sent Arkansas lawyer Albert Pike into Indian Territory as an envoy to recruit the tribes to the Southern cause, and he quickly signed treaties with the Creek, Choctaw, and Chickasaw. Douglas Cooper, agent for the latter two tribes, raised a regiment called the First Choctaw and Chickasaw Mounted Rifles, and Watie raised a regiment that became known as the First Cherokee Mounted Rifles. Altogether, Pike organized three regiments under his Confederate command.

© ISTOCKPHOTO/GEORGE CAIRNS; RIGHT: STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AT COLUMBIA

“One of the most unknown aspects of the Civil War,” according to historian Arnold Schofield, “is the participation of American Indians as soldiers in the Union and Confederate armies.”

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Ross and his faction of the Cherokees, however, balked at joining the Southern cause, and Creek Chief Opothleyahola also rejected Confederate alliance. Several months into the war, Ross finally signed a treaty with the Confederacy, but many of his followers remained loyal to the Union. Ross eventually repudiated the treaty and left the territory. While his command was still being organized, Watie and some of his men joined with Confederate Gen. Ben McCulloch and fought at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek on August 10, 1861, the first large-scale action of the war in which American Indians were involved. Afterward, Watie returned to Indian Territory and, during late 1861, helped Cooper drive Opothleyahola and the loyal Indians out of the territory. The loyal Indians sought refuge in southern Kansas, where they were reorganized into three regiments comprising the Federal Indian Brigade or the Indian Home Guard. Several books have been written in recent years about the Confederate Indian soldiers, but these loyal refugee Indians have received less notice. According to Schofield, former historian at Fort Scott National Historic Site and current administrator of the Mine Creek (Kansas) State Historic Site, despite the fact that the number of men who served in the Federal Indian Brigade from 1862 to 1865 numbered about three thousand, these loyal Indians are the “forgotten warriors” of the Civil War. Pike’s Confederate Indian brigade fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, in early March of 1862. His men were criticized for their disorderly fighting during the Southern

defeat, and some were accused of scalping the enemy dead. Stinging from such criticism, Pike returned to Indian Territory and shortly afterward resigned his commission. Meanwhile, Colonel Watie, whose mission was to protect the northern border of Indian Territory, ventured into Missouri in the spring of 1862. On April 25, he and about 140 men of his regiment teamed up with sixty men under Missouri State Guard Col. John Coffee and attacked two hundred to three hundred Federal troops near Neosho. According to Watie’s report, the daylong skirmishing left more than thirty Union soldiers dead and several wounded while the Confederates had seven casualties: two dead and five wounded. Afterwards, Coffee From top: Cherokee Chief John Ross, who led the pure-blood proposed another attack, Cherokees, advocated neutrality when the Civil War broke out. Stand Watie, the leader of the mixed-race Cherokee but he and Watie sup- and the only American Indian to attain the rank of general posedly drank in the Civil War, was Ross’s main rival. themselves into temporary control of Indian Territory during stupors as they ponthe early summer of 1862. Discontented and dered the mission. low on supplies, the Federals soon returned A month later, a to Kansas, leaving the territory once again in portion of Watie’s the hands of Cooper and Watie. com mand agai n In the late summer, many of the Federal l i nked up with Indian troops crossed the border to forage in Coffee in southsouthwest Missouri. They were still there in west Missouri. early September when Confederate officials, The combi ned determined to reestablish a presence in the Southern force state, sent Col. Joseph Shelby’s Missouri surprised a Union Brigade into the Newtonia area. camp at Neosho on After driving the Federal forces out of the morning of May Newtonia on September 13, Shelby moved 31, and the Federal north the next day and routed some troops soldiers fled in disarray. from Col. William A. Phillips’s Third Indian Colonel Watie reported that Home Guard near Carthage. Later in the ten to fifteen Union troops month, Shelby skirmished with Phillips’s were killed in the affray while the Indians twice more near Mt. Vernon. Confederates had only one man killed. On September 20, the Federal Second The Union victory at Pea Ridge had Indian Home Guard under Col. John Ritchie secured the state of Missouri for the North, was camped on Spring River in northern and Federal control of the region also allowed Jasper County when they were attacked by a loyal force under Col. William Weer, partisan leader Tom Livingston, a portion including two Indian regiments, to regain

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Arkansas lawyer Albert Pike was sent by the Confederacy into Indian Territory to recruit American Indian tribes for the Southern cause.

of Watie’s Indians, and a company of Confederate troops from Texas. Ritchie retreated in the face of the assault but then mounted a counterattack, and both sides ended up losing about twenty men in the melee. Livingston’s unit, comprised mostly of white Jasper County men, was loosely affiliated with Watie’s Indian regiment and was sometimes called the Cherokee Rangers, but it operated as an independent guerrilla command most of the time and roamed southwest Missouri and neighboring states. During the late summer and early fall of 1862, Union forces began concentrating near Sarcoxie to counter the increased Rebel activity in southwest Missouri, and on September 30, they launched an attack on Newtonia, where the Confederates had established their temporary headquarters. During the

battle, both Phillips’s Federal Indian regiment and the Confederate Indians under Colonel Cooper (who had succeeded Pike in command of the brigade) played conspicuous roles. At one point during the battle, according to Union Gen. Frederick Salomon, the Indians under Phillips “nobly repulsed” a Confederate charge, and Confederate Gen. Thomas C. Hindman claimed the First Battle of Newtonia was a “brilliant victory” in which Cooper’s Indian troops “displayed great bravery.” After the fall of 1862, an occasional raid or skirmish in southwest Missouri involved American Indians, but most of the significant events during the latter part of the war in which American Indians were involved took place in Indian Territory. The Indian troops, though, had already left their mark on Missouri. The history of the First Battle of Newtonia stands as the most important, but not the only, testament to that legacy.

STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AT COLUMBIA

Civil War Series

Lexington... Own a Piece of History

HARPER’S WEEKLY

Come for the History...

s for Join u

the

11th Annual Apples, Arts & Antiques Festival Oct. 3rd - 5th

Battle of Lexington Dated Saturday, October 12, 1861

on the Historic Lexington Courthouse Square!

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The Fight Over the Dead Sept. 20, 2008

Call Margot at the shop to reserve yours now ...

Battle of Lexington State Historical Site For more information call 660-259-4654 or visit www.mostateparks.com/lexington/index.html

Stay for the Experience

Visit www.historiclexington.com for a comprehensive calendar of events. [92] MissouriLife

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Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site

Take a drive to Historic Downtown Liberty where you’ll discover a wealth of American heritage. Just north of Kansas City, this quaint, early America town is brimming with historic attractions for a fun-filled weekend, including:

Sallie Bluejacket

0 Jesse James Bank Museum, site of the first daylight robbery in 1866 0 Historic Liberty Jail, where Prophet Joseph Smith spent months awaiting trial in 1839 0 William Jewell College, established in 1849 0 Corbin Mill, a former grain mill 0 Clay County Historical Museum

Westward expansion in the 19th century meant the end of a way of life for countless American Indians. Some, like Sallie Bluejacket, attended manual training schools like the one at the Shawnee Mission. Learn more about these people and their stories when you visit this crossroads of cultures.

Stay in one of the charming bed and breakfasts, dine at locally owned and inspired restaurants, and shop in stores as unique as their surroundings. Liberty, Missouri has something for all.

3403 West 53rd, Fairway 913-262-0867 kshs.org/places/shawnee

www.historicdowntownliberty.org

R E A L P E O P L E . R E A L S TO R I E S . [93] August 2008

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WALKING THE LINE

M I D - M I S S O U R I A N P A T R I C K S T R O U P E P R E P A R E S F O R O LY M P I C T R I A L S |

THIS IS NOT a story featured on Sports Center. It probably won’t be made into a Disney movie or an after-school special. It’s not about a young boy with a dream who overcame adversity to emerge victorious. Rather, it’s a story infused with just enough reality to make it, well, real, not the fanciful stuff of the big screen. It’s the story of Olympic hopeful Patrick Stroupe from Armstrong. Unlike many dedicated athletes striving for Olympic gold, Patrick did not possess this aspiration as a child. He was athletic, that’s true. A runner in high school, he graduated in 2003 and received a scholarship to run at college, but Patrick admits, “I wasn’t that good.” Patrick was a freshman member of the track and field team at Central Methodist University at Fayette where one of his teammates, Beth Lewis, was a racewalker. At first, Patrick and the other members of the team were not awed by her skill or endurance. “We all made fun of her and we would kind of mock her, and I was really good at mocking her,” he says only half-jokingly. Then, in a karmic twist, Patrick was moved from the jeering section to the track as a racewalker in training. His coach, Gary Stoner, who Patrick considers one of “the best people I’ve ever known,” called on him to take up the event. “I had the least potential running-wise and the most potential racewalking-wise … so I got to do it. The coach thought I could score some points for the team.” This is the point in the Disney movie when the hero picks it up immediately and emerges triumphant on his first try. But Patrick’s reallife experience was very different. “The first race, Beth actually lapped me. It was an indoor race, and she lapped me,” he confesses. “I didn’t do too well to start off with. But I picked it up pretty quick and things worked out really well that season.” The former recipient of Patrick’s good-natured ribbing became his mentor. “She’s a really good sport and helped me out. After the race when she lapped me, I figured out a way to make it smoother, and every race I learned a little bit,” he says. At the next race, Patrick literally found his stride: “I lapped her, and in that same race, I qualified for the NAIA nationals.” By the end of Patrick’s freshman season, he was an NAIA Indoor All American, and he won the NAIA Outdoor National competition. However, the following year Patrick faced a tougher competitor

By Stefani Kronk

who walked away with the titles, leaving Patrick in second place in both the indoor and outdoor competition. Not undone, Patrick refocused, and in 2006 and 2007 won both NAIA titles. NAIA competitions are three kilometers for the indoor event and five kilometers for the outdoor event. After mastering these shorter distances, Patrick started undertaking longer ones, testing his endurance for twentykilometer (12.4 mile) events. This is the feel-good part of the story, the one with the triumphant music; with just three short years of training under his belt, Patrick Stroupe qualified for the Olympic Trials. By finishing the 20th Annual Jack Mortland Racewalk at Dayton, Ohio, three minutes under the qualifying time, Patrick earned a chance to be an Olympic hopeful. This win also secured him a spot at the USA Outdoor Championships. To make sure his place at the Olympic trials was secure, Patrick double qualified by winning the World Race Walking Cup qualifying race at the end of March at Eugene, Oregon. Patrick had his mettle and his endurance tested at the 23rd International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Race Walking Cup at Cheboksary, Russia, on May 10. Patrick’s approach and outlook to the international race were simple yet practical. “I’m just looking to get some experience and hopefully go faster than I have before. It will just be really good to see everybody else. I’m going to be nowhere near the front. But it will be fun.” Patrick completed the twenty-kilometer course in a little over an hour and forty-six minutes, approximately twenty-eight minutes longer than the first place finisher. After his return, Patrick entered an intense period of training to prepare for the Olympic Trials taking place June 27 to July 6 at Hayward Field at Eugene, Oregon, at the University of Oregon. He left a full-time job in Florida and returned to Missouri in May to concentrate on training. He worked with his father on the family farm and trained two and a half to three hours a day. While training in Missouri, Patrick had access to his coach, Evelina Slatinska. Patrick met her when they were running on the crosscountry team in college. She and her husband are from Bulgaria and ran

COURTESY OF PATRICK STROUPE

In A Karmic Twist, Patrick Moved From Jeering Section to Racewalker In Training.

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Patrick Stroupe competes at the Reggie Lewis Center at Boston, Massachusetts, at the AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships 2008.

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Missouri Profile

From top: Patrick finished second with a time of 20:59.83 at the AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships this year, less than thirty-one seconds behind the first-place finisher. Patrick returned to the family farm at Armstrong this spring to concentrate on training. In a moment of fun, he sits atop Star, who Patrick says “loves to be scratched behind the ears.”

semi-professionally in Europe for several years. “I always respected her and thought she was a great person,” Patrick says. “She is someone else who understands what I’m going through and can guide me in the right direction.” While Patrick was living in Florida, he trained virtually—sending workouts by e-mail and talking on the phone. In Missouri, she was only five miles away. As Patrick entered this intense phase, he reminded himself why he loves the sport, “When I find something I can do, I like to see how far I can take it. Racewalking is the same thing. So, I enjoy the training,

and I enjoy the people I meet through it, but I also enjoy seeing what I can do. It’s a lot of work, so it’s not just something you do for kicks. I just enjoy competing, working out, and having something to do other than just sitting down and watching TV.” But there is a flip side to devoting the time and energy to see where your skill will take you. Patrick says the long hours of training “makes other things tougher, figuring out what else are you going to sacrifice to be able to do this. You give up time and energy in one area to train and then ask yourself, ‘Do I work out or do I go out with my wife for the evening and have fun?’ It’s little situations like that that bother me.” When Patrick looks back at how he got started on this journey and how far he has come from the days of making fun of his teammate, he admits it’s strange. “I had never heard of racewalking,” he says. “I think there’s very few people out there that intentionally take up the sport. Internationally, it’s more well-known, but not in America.” Commenting on his conversion to the sport, he says, “There’s people that can pick it up and switch over, you just have to be a little athletic to be able to do it.” And importantly, he adds, “You have to be willing to look goofy and be made fun of.” Although Patrick is quick to make a joke about the sport or his athletic ability, there is something remarkable in what this mid-Missouri athlete has accomplished during the past few years. Patrick’s former coach at Central Methodist University, Jeff L. Hoskisson, weighs in on Patrick’s self-deprecating attitude and the amazing strides he has made. Jeff believes Patrick’s parents have contributed a great deal to Patrick’s success. “I think a lot of it goes back to his work ethic. His parents instilled a great work ethic in Patrick. He is not afraid to work,” he says. “In the beginning it was something that was strange to him, and he has worked very hard to get to the point where he is.” Talent, mixed with Patrick’s determination, has proven the winning combination. “Sometimes athletes get lucky and are able to find the sport or event that is made for them,” Jeff says. “I think that that is part of it with Patrick. He is one of the best technicians in the racewalk community. That is something that the good Lord puts into an athlete. Gary Stoner, the former coach at CMU, was able to find that ability in Patrick and bring it out.” Even though Patrick was blessed with inherent skills, he doesn’t rely solely on his DNA to get him across the finish line. Rather, it is the drive to succeed and to improve with each step that has made the difference for Patrick. “Patrick lost the first time that he walked and became determined to not let that happen again,” Jeff says. “People need to remember that he has been doing this for five years now. He was a multiple NAIA national champion. He didn’t just come out of nowhere.” As Patrick prepares for the Olympic Trials, he keeps his mind focused on the day-to-day training and the race in Oregon rather than the one in Beijing. One step at a time. His plans are simple, “I’m going to keep doing it and see if I eventually have to get a real life. It will be fun.” Track & Field Olympic Trials can be found by visiting www.eugeneolympictrials.com/index.php?op=usatf. Visit MissouriLife.com for more information on Missouri athletes who qualify for the Olympic Games.

courtesy of patrick stroupe

ML

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ING HEAToLNTouHrishYBoLdy IV And Soul Tips

LEAVING THE RAT RACE

F I N D I N G PA R A D I S E I N M I S S O U R I ’ S B A C K YA R D |

Things To Consider HEALTH CARE COSTS Do some research on how much you’ll pay for nursing home care and other health needs.

TAXES Take time to explore property, sales, gas, and state tax information.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK Visit the internet to find cost-of-living calculators that can help give you a broad picture of the place you want to retire.

DON’T FORGET THE KIDS Consider proximity to your children and grandchildren. You’ll want to make sure transportation is close by, so that they can visit often.

DO A PERSONAL LIFE REVIEW Could you take care of yourself if you moved away from family? What services are available should you become ill and need help?

HOW HIGH IS THE RISK FOR A NATURAL DISASTER? Other than our spring tornado season, Missouri is pretty safe from other disasters that might deter people from moving to other states.

MOVING BACK You may be like thousands of retirees who are moving to low-cost and pleasant towns for the majority of your retirement years, but plan to move back to your hometown and family when your health begins to decline. If that’s you, be sure to build in the finances you’ll need to make the switch.

LIKEABLE FACTOR Have you spent a lot of time in the Missouri community you’ve targeted for retirement living? Having a good sense of where you’ll be living goes a long way to making a new home manageable. Source: SeniorArk.com, a web site for seniors and by seniors

©ISTOCKPHOTO/LUCA DI FILIPPO

FROM AURORA TO AFFTON, Carthage to Columbia, Kennett to Kirksville, and all points in between, Missouri is luring visitors-turnedresidents to its towns and cities. With almost seventy thousand square miles (and an average 81.2 people per square mile) of rolling hills, lakes, history, city life, and tourist destinations, it is easy to see what the Show-Me State is, well, showing visitors as benefits of settling down in Missouri. But is it really a good place to retire? “I think so,” says Carolyn McLaren, a Joplin resident and director of Region X, Area Agency on Aging. “It is beautiful country, and it has all four seasons, but none of them are to the terrible extremes. The people here in southwest Missouri are very friendly; the very first day we moved in, we had the neighbors there to welcome us.” In addition, the location of the state’s cities and larger towns as well as rural health care initiatives mean quality medical care is easily available to most parts of the state. A 2006 report presented by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the University of Missouri Office of Social and Economic Data Analysis states that nearly one in five Missourians will be sixty-five or older by 2020. By 2025, according to city-data.com, Missouri’s population is expected to exceed six million. City-data.com states that more than half of all Missourians live in urban areas, but it is the small-town life that Carolyn values most. “We love being able to go to Hermann and the wine country and to Carthage for the Civil War history,” she says. “We enjoy riding my husband’s motorcycle, and it is great to do that around here without a lot of heavy traffic.” But the transportation options are there, if Missourians need them. “We’re centrally located and close to major airports,” Carolyn says. “And we don’t have as high a cost of living as many do. It is still one of the cheapest places to buy gas in the country.” If you are considering retirement in Missouri, visit these resources for information and suggestions to assure your journey is a smooth one: www. city-data.com, www.retirementliving.com (does have a $24.95 one-time user fee), or www.IRA.com, web site of the Internet Retirement Alliance.

By Ann Leach

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HEALTHY LIVING

Missouri’s Mental Health Report Card

WHICH STATE BOASTS

the least depression? Who has

the highest suicide rates? A recent study reported by Mental Health America evaluates Americans and their mental health, and the results might be surprising to Missourians. The study used four different measures of depression and mental health status to develop one composite measure of the level of depression in a state or the District of Columbia. Data for these measures came from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Based on this report, Missourians are less mentally healthy than people in other states. Missouri is ranked at the bottom of the list, coming in forty-fourth place in depression status. Only six other states were more down-in-the-dumps than the Show-Me State, with Utah being recognized as the state with the most depression, ranked last. South Dakota was the healthiest state with respect to depression status. Hawaii ranked second; New Jersey ranked third. Two of Missouri’s neighbors—Iowa and Illinois—were also ranked in the mentally healthy top ten. While Missourians claimed 3.74 poor mental days a month in 2006, the rest of the country logged only a little less than that at 3.31 days. For Missourians, less than 9 percent of adults and ado-

RETIREMENT LIVING AT ITS BEST

lescents claimed a major depressive episode between 2004 and 2005. This was slightly lower than the average for adolescents and slightly higher than the average for adults. However, 14.06 percent of adults reported having serious psychological distress, making Missouri the fifth highest state to make this claim. The study also reviewed age-adjusted suicide rates. The lowest suicide rate was in the District of Columbia, followed by New York and Massachusetts. Alaska had the highest suicide rate, followed by Nevada and New Mexico. With Missouri’s composite measure for suicide rates, the state ranked thirtieth. Access to care, barriers to treatment, and socioeconomic conditions were analyzed. Although the study provides a benchmark for measuring mental health in the United States, there were limitations to the study design, making the data subjective and open to interpretation.

Choice of apartments to meet your individual lifestyle Freedom from daily household responsibilities and worries

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©ISTOCKPHOTO/MICHAL HERMAN

Free local phone and transportation

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We are an “age-restricted” community on Chapel Hill Road right across the street from Twin Lakes in Columbia, Mo. Our units are all built by Universal Design Standards and are made to be very comfortable and “livable” for active adults 50 and better. We have central vacuum systems, reverse osmosis drinking water, potassium water softeners, security systems, no-step entry and exit and many other features to facilitate comfortable living as well as in-home rehabilitation if needed. Bella Casa has partnered with top manufacturers and businesses to provide you with state-of-the-art products that are designed to make a home environment that is built by Universal Design Standards, comfortable, safe, energy efficient and carefree all year long. Air and Water Solutions; Vacuflo central vacuum systems; Kinetico potassium water softeners, Kinetico reverse osmosis drinking water; and Rinnai tankless water heaters are just a few of the brand names featured at Bella Casa.

Only Three Un its Left For Fall!

Model home available and is shown daily. Call 573-446-4020 for times or more information.

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PROMOTION

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A number of years ago, I was in a state of “anything but peak performanceâ€? physical condition, and a bout with pneumonia brought me to a fork in my life road. The results were some significant changes in my life and a “reinvention.â€? That experience helped me get myself back in balance and was the catalyst for a number of changes, including the beginnings of our company, which today is known as Pfoodman. As the business grew, it became important for us to make our work more than just making a living ‌ we have strived to be “mission-orientedâ€? and make a difference in the lives of our employees and our customers. This past year we have made some giant strides, and it has been exhilarating. The benefits of an active lifestyle can truly be available to all. There is no doubt about it – exercising, eating right, and maintaining balance in life significantly improves the quality of your life. With a mindset of wellness, folks just feel better and get more done. Your outlook is brighter and things tend to remain in the proper perspective. Our foodservice management company services a number of markets including students in kindergarten through high school, university students, and residents in senior living. We are feeding people from a very young age all the way through their peak years, and we discovered something very important – FOOD MATTERS! Even more importantly, good food matters. It is to be enjoyed and delicious and nutritious food can significantly impact your health for the better.

HEALTH-AUGUST 2008.indd 102

This spring we rolled out a new program at Lindenwood University called Wild Thyme’s Wellness, featuring cuisine with a fusion of international flavors that are highly nutritious, and it was a smash hit with the students and faculty. We have plans to implement this program at all of our locations this upcoming year. This is truly making a difference in the lives of our customers and we have some very exciting plans for the future. Many of our executives and employees “practice what we preach� and participate in a variety of outdoor activities. We try very hard to encourage each other to maintain balance in our lives. We also support the benefit of outdoor activity through our newest company, Wapiti Adventures (www.wapiti.com). We coordinate and lead retreats that combine activity and learning for executives and other groups and facilitate programs on leadership, team building, strategic planning, wellness, and other customized content. You can find out more on the website. If you would like to learn more about Pfoodman, you can visit our newly redesigned website at www.pfoodman. com, and you can contact us via e-mail or phone us at our headquarters at 636-230-3310. I want to encourage all of you to pursue balance in your lives and a complete approach to wellness – exercise, make time for yourself, and lastly, eat well. To receive our free quarterly newsletter, Health Kicks 101, call or email me: ralph@pfoodman.com and we’ll put you on our mailing list.

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ML

Wonderful Life

HEALTHY LIVING

HELPING HANDS By Sara Shahriari

©ISTOCKPHOTO

FROM GETTING A NEW ROOF to replacing a banister, home repairs can be physical and financial challenges for seniors. “It seems like there’s a disconnect in terms of information sharing about services available to seniors,” says Earl Isaac, Metro Lutheran Ministry’s coordinator of older adult services at Kansas City. Eight Kansas City organizations working to help seniors in the metro area have received grants funded by the MetLife Foundation. The grantees will use the money in a variety of projects that focus on helping seniors, and those who work with them, access assistance with issues such as home repair, finance, healthcare, and transportation. Earl says the one-thousand-dollar grant awarded to Metro Lutheran Ministry will be used in partnership with Ivanhoe Neighborhood Association and the City of Kansas City to hold meetings about minor home repair for older adults in Kansas City. During workshops, agencies will learn how to assist seniors in getting help with home repair. Seniors will learn how to contact home repair providers, and providers will discuss services and sharing resources. Call 816-931-0027 for more information. HomeSharing and Metropolitan Community College Foundation will develop a seniors’ resource guide. HomeSharing’s mission is to match renters with homeowners. The program is currently on hiatus, but a waiting list is available. Call 816-759-4170 for more information. Innerlight Ministries has already used its grant money to hold an information fair for seniors. The ministry plans to hold another fair in August. Call 816-763-0802 for dates of upcoming information fairs. Jewish Family Services runs a support service for seniors, called Help@home. For a monthly fee, seniors get assistance with day-today household chores. Call 913-327-8250 for more information. Metropolitan Community College-Longview, Metropolitan Community College Foundation, and KC MASS Services were scheduled to hold seminars in mid-July that covered technology, remodeling and construction that can make homes safer and more comfortable for seniors. Call 816-672-2205 for more information. The grants, awarded by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Partners for Livable Communities as part of the National Aging in Place Initiative, provide seed money to community organizations, says Ted Mitchell, senior public relations specialist at MetLife.

Dr. H. Mikel Thomas Contact: Amy or Staci CTT Research 8340 Mission Road, Suite 205 Prairie Village, KS 66206 Phone 913-381-7180

Will you have enough when you retire?

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Wonderful Life Breakthrough hearing technology helps you enjoy the beautiful sounds of music and life!

ML

HEALTHY LIVING

Life Preserver of Support AN ORGANIZATION designed and dedicated to supporting caregivers coping with grief and loss, Life Preservers: A Global Grief Support Community, is

With today’s advanced digital hearing technology, enjoying the important, wonderful sounds of life has never been easier.

headquartered at Joplin.

Rhapsody delivers clearer, crisper, more natural sound, even in noisy settings like a restaurant.

beliefs about death and to support them

The science of nanotechnology created a hearing device that automatically activates features you need to enhance every listening situation: at the symphony, in a restaurant, in the car, even at home.

“The real purpose of the organization is to assist caregivers in shifting their through their grief recovery period,” says Director Ann Leach. That’s accomplished through an online reference library, monthly teleseminars on grief recovery topics, coaching, retreats, and the sale of tips booklets created by Ann. “Grief is a normal and natural reaction to a significant emotional loss,” says Ann, a certified grief recovery specialist. But most of the messages and information we receive

It’s simple Rhapsody delivers clarity!

about grief do not ackn owledge that. “Think

Professional Hearing Aid Center 1306 E. Sunshine St. Springfield, MO 65841

address your heart and the emotions of

about it; people tell you to ‘be strong’ or ‘keep busy and keep your mind off of it’ or ‘don’t feel bad because he or she is in

grief. Life Preservers does.” Steve Flanagan NBC-HIS

Call us today for a free demonstration of this giant leap forward in hearing technology!

417-889-4327 1-800-658-1319

Visit www.life-preservers.org or call 417-624-3377 for more information.

©ISTOCKPHOTO; COURTESY OF ANN LEACH

a better place.’ None of those statements

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Wonderful Life Breakthrough hearing technology helps you enjoy the beautiful sounds of music and life!

ML

HEALTHY LIVING

Life Preserver of Support AN ORGANIZATION designed and dedicated to supporting caregivers coping with grief and loss, Life Preservers: A Global Grief Support Community, is

With today’s advanced digital hearing technology, enjoying the important, wonderful sounds of life has never been easier.

headquartered at Joplin.

Rhapsody delivers clearer, crisper, more natural sound, even in noisy settings like a restaurant.

beliefs about death and to support them

The science of nanotechnology created a hearing device that automatically activates features you need to enhance every listening situation: at the symphony, in a restaurant, in the car, even at home.

“The real purpose of the organization is to assist caregivers in shifting their through their grief recovery period,” says Director Ann Leach. That’s accomplished through an online reference library, monthly teleseminars on grief recovery topics, coaching, retreats, and the sale of tips booklets created by Ann. “Grief is a normal and natural reaction to a significant emotional loss,” says Ann, a certified grief recovery specialist. But most of the messages and information we receive

It’s simple Rhapsody delivers clarity!

about grief do not acknowledge that. “Think

Professional Hearing Aid Center 1306 E. Sunshine St. Springfield, MO 65841

address your heart and the emotions of

about it; people tell you to ‘be strong’ or ‘keep busy and keep your mind off of it’ or ‘don’t feel bad because he or she is in

grief. Life Preservers does.” Steve Flanagan NBC-HIS

Call us today for a free demonstration of this giant leap forward in hearing technology!

417-889-4327 1-800-658-1319

Visit www.life-preservers.org or call 417-624-3377 for more information.

©ISTOCKPHOTO; COURTESY OF ANN LEACH

a better place.’ None of those statements

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E HteOPlaMcesE W EInvLitaCtioOnM Into Priva An

THE PARSONAGE PARLOR AS THE STEAMBOAT Morning Star came up the Missouri through breaking ice on a frigid March day in 1856, Prof. Charles Himes of Pennsylvania noted in his diary that the population of Lexington was about three thousand and property values were on the rise. Himes observed, “There is not much to be seen on the levee except for several large warehouses and a ropewalk.” One of those warehouses belonged to William Bradford (W.B.) Waddell. Professor Himes also recorded that he had spotted the steamboat William H. Russell on its way upriver, named for and owned by the flamboyant partner of conservative businessman Waddell. The two men gained fame when they partnered with Alexander Majors to create the Pony Express. W.B.’s success at Lexington began with a dry goods store in 1835. His fortunes grew along with freighting to the new West and the hemp trade that provided Southern plantations with twine for cotton bales. After the Civil War, W.B. acquired the First Baptist Church’s parsonage for his son, Robert, and Robert’s bride, Emma Clement Waddell, because that was where the couple met and fell in love. Built beside the Santa Fe Trail in the 1840s, the parsonage—now known as the Waddell House— was solidly constructed with fourteen-inch brick walls in an eclectic style. The gabled roof of the house contrasts with a mansard porch roof topped with Victorian gingerbread trim. White scalloped verge boards with pendants dropping from each corner and peak tie the two roof styles together. The asymmetrical front façade is dominated by the porch on the west third of the building. The parlor where Robert and Emma met completes the remainder. Guests enter the foyer through the original front doors. Inside, furniture from the estate of the Pony Express founder has been passed down to succeeding generations. The parlor is accessed from the foyer, as is the dining room behind it. Bedrooms are reached via the gracefully curving staircase. Until 1907, the second floor consisted of two bedrooms. An extensive two-year remodel added a third bedroom and a bath to the back, above a living room, bath, and utility room. In 1911, each fireplace was bricked when radiator heat replaced them. Sadly, that was also the year

By BJ Alderman

that Robert died, leaving Emma a widow until her death in 1917. To make ends meet, Emma divided her home into four apartments, renting three of them and living in the fourth. Upon her death, W.B. Waddell—grandson of the original—moved into the house with his wife, Kate. The apartments remained and were known as honeymoon apartments because so many newlyweds started married life in them. In the 1840s, it was standard practice to build the kitchen as a separate structure in case of fire. Eventually one was added to the back of the Waddell House, but it wasn’t until 1939 that the current kitchen was built off the dining room. In the 1960s, the apartments were dismantled, and the home was restored to its original structural components, marking the last major change to the structure. In 1979, the Waddell House was included on the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination form noted that the original portion of the house remained “as it was with its original wooden doors and window frames, trim and interior double oak floors intact, and in very good condition.” Inspectors found that the framing and foundation remained in excellent condition after 150 years. Today, the Waddell House is home to Katherine Bradford Van Amburg, namesake of her mother and grandmother, both named Kate Waddell. She moved to the family home in 1962 with her parents, R.W. and Katie Waddell Van Amburg. When speaking about what it is like to reside in the ancestral home, Katherine says, “It is like having all of them at the dinner table. I’m like my neighbor who once wondered what kind of taste in furniture she’d have if she’d had the chance to buy any. In the parlor is a full-length mirror that came from W.B.’s home, accidentally scratched by the brass ring of a slave as she polished it. In the basement is a petrified bag of sugar set aside by Grandmother during World War Two. It’s wonderful.” The Waddell House is available for tours during Lexington’s Vintage Homes Tour, occasionally. Visit www.visitlexingtonmo.com for more information.

COURTESY OF KATHERINE BRADFORD VAN AMBURG; RIGHT: COURTESY OF KATHERINE BRADFORD VAN AMBURG; BJ ALDERMAN

LEXINGTON’S WADDELL HOUSE WAS BOUGHT BY A PONY EXPRESS FOUNDER |

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From left: Katherine Bradford Van Amberg, the great-great-granddaughter of William Bradford Waddell, lives in the home that he bought for his son and daughter-in-law. The home is on the National Register of Historic Places. W.B. Waddell was one of three men who started the Pony Express.

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TINA WHEELER

The Heart of Moniteau County

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TINA WHEELER

Small Enough to Know You, Large Enough to Serve You.

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PROMOTION

T

FESTIVAL IMAGES COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT

here’s a sense of community spirit in the town of California. It’s easy to find in the friendly faces, helpful store clerks, and happy, energetic kids. Visitors who stop in will find a charming town, with active people who enjoy being a part of their community. One quirk about California is that it is perhaps the only small Missouri community with an uptown and a downtown. Because of this, it is sometimes called the Twin City. Early on, the downtown centered around the courthouse square. Later, when the railroad came to town, businesses transporting goods moved near the depot, creating a second center of commerce, called “uptown.” Today the new City Hall sits in the uptown center, while the courthouse remains the hub of the downtown.

Above: The Ozark Ham and Turkey Festival sponsored by the California Chamber of Commerce is held annually, the third Saturday in September. The event is a daylong celebration that draws a large crowd and features events for all ages.

CELEBRATIONS Families head to the county fairgrounds in September each year for a fun-filled day at California’s biggest festival, the annual Ozark Ham & Turkey Festival, named in honor of the town’s two biggest businesses. More than twenty-five thousand people show up for events, ranging from a diaper derby, washerboard tournament, barbeque contest, car show, and carriage and pony rides to craft booths, a children’s barnyard, and more. Two stages provide non-stop music, while the Finke Theater features dancers, gymnastics performances, and ensembles. People also come for the food, starting with a ham breakfast and continuing with smoked turkey legs, steak sandwiches, and country ham sandwiches, in addition to the regular festival fare of corn dogs, cotton candy, and kettle corn. Perhaps the most amazing food at the festival is the world’s largest submarine sandwich, which lines the street for almost a block. After Cargill builds the sixty-sixfoot-long sub, they slice it up for festival goers to eat. Burger’s Smokehouse provides shuttles from the festival to their farm for tours and for people to find great deals on their tender cured meats and other products. The festival, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, kicks off with an “anything goes” parade and a 5K race. Not to be outdone, the Moniteau County Fair, held this year August 2-9, also offers family fun mixed in with a lot of animals. Farmers, 4-H members, and others showcase their best livestock for prizes, while canned and baked goods, plants and

woodwork are on display, too. The fair offers a smorgasbord of activities including a rodeo, tractor pull, demolition derby, karaoke contest, hay hauling, team penning, and country music show. A tradition in California for 142 years, the fair is the oldest continuous county fair west of the Mississippi River. CULTURAL HERITAGE CENTER Where did people get their food? What were bathrooms like a hundred years ago? What is a bustle? These are some of the questions that children ask when visiting the museum at the Cultural Heritage Center. The museum includes dozens of exhibits, both hands-on and dioramas, showcasing area history. The center, run by the Moniteau County Historical Society, opened in 1993 and is one of California’s outstanding cultural resources. Housed in the center is the society’s Genealogy Library, which holds cemetery records, military records, family histories, and other material about people who have lived in Moniteau County. ARTFUL ARCHITECTURE California has an abundance of historic homes, churches, and commercial buildings. The spectacular Eitzen Mansion, which fills a city block, the Victorian Rice residence, the Gray-Wood commercial buildings, and others line neighborhood streets. Built in 1868, the Moniteau County Courthouse, with its classical revival architectural style, is one of the oldest

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TINA WHEELER

courthouses in Missouri. An unusual feature is the semicircular front portico. A brick memory walk rings the courthouse, the bricks engraved with the names of people, past and present, associated with Moniteau County. Period lighting, benches, and trees enhance the area called Heritage Square.

SHERRY BROYLES

PAINTING THE TOWN Those with an artistic flair will enjoy visiting the art studio of Loran Creech, a nationally renowned watercolorist and a Best of Missouri Hands juried artist. Creech’s historic, twostory home also serves as his gallery. Guests are welcome to call ahead at 573-796-8400 to arrange a visit. Other types of art in town include California Glass Arts, a shop which specializes in stained-glass supplies and offers classes in mosaics and glass etching, as well as stained glass. Several wall murals by local artist Philip Shroeder, depicting area history, can be found in the Cultural Heritage Center. Stepp’s Dance & Pilates Studio offers a variety of dance classes.

Completed in 1898, the Eitzen Mansion was home to the Eitzen family until 1952. In 2002, Pam and Rich Green purchased the property and hoped to save the building, which they have done while creating a warm home for themselves. Though the mansion is not open for tours, just a stroll past the home will take you back to 1898.

RECREATION California parks provide tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, a soccer field, a Frisbee golf course, walking trails, a fishing lake, and open space for kite-flying, croquet, or other recreational activities. Private facilities include a nine-hole golf course at the California Country Club just northwest of town. Five miles east of California, sharpshooters can practice at the California Shooters Club, which offers space for archery, trap, skeet, and black powder sports. Every Sunday night, daredevils get their thrills at the Double X Speedway, with street stock, sportmans, wing sprints, and hobby stocks races May through September. California also has an Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool, along with an outdoor diving pool and a wading pool. These are open to the public all summer, as well as on weekends

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PROMOTION

throughout the year. California’s swim teams train at the pool, and the city offers summer swimming lessons. Additional recreation facilities in town include a ten-lane bowling alley, roller rink, and a couple of gyms.

Restoration and renovation of historic uptown and downtown businesses show that California is a progressive community looking to the future while remembering the past.

TINA WHEELER

HOME-TOWN APPEAL Although California is growing, with new jobs and businesses moving in, the town is still small enough that most people know each other. Visitors also get a friendly welcome. That’s why the town’s motto, “Small enough to know you, large enough to serve you,” is so appropriate.

TINA WHEELER

GREAT EATS When visitors get hungry, they have lots of choices for lunch. Burger’s Smokehouse has a café serving up sandwiches filled with Burger’s flavorful cured meats. While there, check out their exhibits on the history of meat curing and their dioramas of the Ozark seasons. The Nic Nac Café is another popular spot, with tasty fried chicken on the menu. Burger Haus offers a wide assortment of choices in their daily home-style lunch and dinner buffets, but they also serve everything from burgers and steaks to German sausage and pork fritters. Two new offerings are La Caretta, authentic Mexican food, and the California Hometown Grill, which opened in February and includes daily lunch specials, music in the evenings, and a widescreen TV.

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The Appeal of

Sunny California

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ommunity leaders are always finding ways to make California a better place to live. For the past few years they have been working on improvements throughout the town, and their work is paying off. California is growing due to available jobs, available housing, and a friendly and vibrant community giving a positive impression on visitors. Job Growth Although California’s population is only about four thousand, several big companies, including Cargill (poultry processing), Burger’s Smokehouse (cured hams and meats), Rackers Manufacturing (steel fabrication), Aerosonics (heating and air conditioning equipment), Arkansas Valley Feather (feather products), Tana Wire Makers (warning balls for electrical wires), Mo-Wood (cabinets and wood products), and California Manufacturing (coats and jackets), among others, provide a variety of jobs in the area. Earlier this year, Cargill released that it will add 120 jobs this fall. The Missouri Baptist Convention has recently announced its decision to move to California. Building the new headquarters will provide construction jobs, and once the headquarters is finished, the organization will create one hundred new jobs for the area. New Highway Adding to this good news, the Missouri Department of Transportation is working on expanding Highway 50 to a four-lane highway, which will extend from Jefferson City to California. The wider

highway will make it faster for people to travel to California, as well as shorten trip times to the capital. In preparation, the city is moving power and sewer lines and preparing access ways. The highway is scheduled for completion in late 2008. new buildings Growth is trickling into other aspects of the town, as well. A new subdivision is currently under construction, and the town is seeking a health clinic to locate here. The high school is getting a makeover, too, even though it’s not very old. A four-million-dollar bond issue, just passed in April, will allow the school to add computer science classes, a track, auditorium, new library, and additional classrooms. In 2002, the old City Hall was drastically damaged by a windstorm, which lifted the roof, causing substantial water damage. When the city found that it would cost as much to repair the old damaged building as to build new, they decided to build a new building designed specifically for city use. The new City Hall building, with its simple, yet stylish two-story red brick and beige wood-siding design, white trim, and spacious parking lot, is now a showcase for the city. The building houses city offices as well as the police department. Its location on Highway 87, the main street running through town, makes it easy to find. In 1989, more than 150 citizens got together to form California Progress, Inc., to help spur economic development. This group continues to improve the town by taking on major projects,

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PROMOTION

such as renovating buildings including those that house the Cultural Heritage Center and the city library, adding period lighting downtown, and creating Smith-Burke Park. Their current project underway is the renovation of the historic Finke Opera House/Ritz Theater. BEAUTIFUL PARKS Some of the most beautiful places in town are the city parks. California boasts five well-maintained parks within the city limits. All are busy places, with active residents enjoying sports and being outdoors. Railroad Park is an attractive, long, and narrow green space in the middle of town, tucked in between City Hall on the south and railroad tracks just to the north. An open-air pavilion was built where the old depot used to stand, and beds of perennial flowers add beauty to the spot. City employees and visitors alike can now relax and sit in the shade of the pavilion to eat lunch or to watch the more than fifty trains that pass through California daily. Proctor Park, at the south edge of town, is the city’s largest park and includes sweeping views of a large fishing lake, as well as lots of mature trees and open grassy areas. A paved walking trail around the lake gets plenty of use by joggers and families with strollers. The four shelter houses, each with playground equipment nearby, host family reunions and birthday parties. The park includes two tennis courts with lights for night games. A sand volleyball court and Frisbee golf course are also located in the park. A boy scout house on the property is regularly used for scout meetings and activities. The girl scouts also use the facility. For active team athletics, Cargill Fields has three baseball fields and one softball field, all with lights for night games. There’s also a soccer field. City Park, which is the oldest park in California, is located along Highway 50 and includes basketball courts, which are popular with teenagers. More tennis courts and a playground are also available. Smith-Burke Park, a newer park located west of City Hall, is a pleasant place with a gazebo, water fountain, flower beds, and paved walkways. It was created in the spot where the old Union Pacific Railroad Hotel once stood and is a lovely setting to lounge on park benches and unwind.

of running the pool, the school district eventually couldn’t keep up with repairs. In a cooperative agreement, the city took over summertime pool operations. Last year, the school district offered the pool to the city, for them to run on a permanent basis. A half-cent parks sales tax initiative to fund operation of the pool passed easily, and the city took ownership of the pool last fall. During the school year, the city opens the pool to the public on the weekends, while classes use the pool during the day and water aerobics is offered at night. In summer, the pool is open daily to the public in the afternoons, with the city’s summer recreation program of swimming lessons offered in the mornings. The California Stingrays, a private swim club, practices during early mornings. A CAN-DO ATTITUDE Even with all the improvements, community leaders aren’t sitting back, resting on their laurels. A strong Chamber of Commerce, California Progress, Inc., and other community groups all work together and have plans of an even more vibrant future for the town. “The great thing about this town,” says Mayor Norris Gerhart, “is that if there’s a project to be done, the people pull together and get it done.”

Left: Enjoy fishing, walking trails, picnicking, lighted tennis courts, and playgrounds at Proctor Park. Below: Railroad Park next to City Hall.

COMMUNITY POOL One of the citizens’ favorite recreation facilities is the swimming pool, built by the school district in the late 1970s. The facility, which includes a heated indoor pool, an outdoor diving pool, and a wading pool, gets lots of use by the community and the town’s competitive swim team. Due to the expense

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Moniteau County Historical Society

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everal children create a new quilt design by placing puzzle pieces in a new sequence, while a couple of boys try drilling a hole in a log using an augur. Others watch a demonstration of weaving on a one-hundred-year-old loom. The Cultural Heritage Center in California is often an active place, where people of all ages learn about the history of the area through exhibits, dioramas, and hands-on displays. Richard Schroeder is an active member of the Moniteau County Historical Society, which created the cultural center. Schroeder helped design the layout of the historical museum within the Cultural Heritage Center. He often serves as a docent, telling school groups true stories about the town’s history, from agriculture and transportation to children’s toys and the area’s part in the Civil War. Schroeder built most of the twentyfour exhibits, which cover churches, schools, recreation, businesses and professions, and even women’s clothing accessories. Some of the most delightful parts of the museum are the dioramas, which include miniature scenes, such as a steamboat being unloaded on a levee and an early model truck loaded with farm supplies stuck in the mud. One favorite diorama is a miniature house with a glass front, so people can look inside and

see how homes were furnished in earlier days. A wood-burning cookstove in the kitchen, braided rugs and a quilt in the upstairs bedroom, an old wooden wardrobe, and pitcher and washbasin, all in miniature, help teach children about how people, such as their great-grandparents, lived one hundred years ago. On special occasions, Schroeder may set out a variety of historical tools or show some of the quilts from the quilt archives. Schroeder tries to present history in a fun and exciting way, rather than reciting names and dates. Sometimes he shows plants, animals, and minerals without their identifying labels, just so kids can experience the wonder of discovery themselves. The museum is an amazing treasure for the town. The professional quality of the exhibits is what one might find in a much larger city. The museum is located in the former post office, a historic two-story brick building built in 1902, with a distinctive round turret at the corner of the upper floor. The building was obtained through the generosity of California Progress, Inc., a not-for-profit community development organization. CPI bought the building, renovated it, then donated the building to the historical society. In 1993, the society moved in and began creating the museum.

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Visitors can tour the museum free of charge April through October on the second and fourth Sunday afternoons. Group tours can be arranged at other times. In addition to the museum, the Cultural Heritage Center holds the society’s Genealogy Library, which has an extensive collection of historical records. Members have compiled more than twenty-eight thousand obituary records, along with censuses, military records, atlases, and family histories. A photo archive contains more than two-thousand photos, and two microfilm readers are available for viewing the complete microfilm collection of all county newspapers printed since 1858. The Genealogy Library is open April through October on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday afternoons. The society finds innovative ways to tell the story of the history of California from its beginnings in 1834. California started out named Boonsborough. However, the Post Office found that Missouri already had a town named Boonsborough, so a new name needed to be selected. One legend is that California is named after a man, California Wilson, who offered two gallons of whiskey in trade for having the town named after him. California is the county seat of Moniteau County, which was organized in 1845. The name Moniteau is derived from the Eastern Algonquin word “Manitou” or “Manito,” which means “spirit.” The name connects the area to the Lewis and Clark expedition, when the explorers discovered pictographs of figures, which they named Manitou, on the nearby bluffs of the Missouri River. Most of these paintings unfortunately were destroyed during the building of the railroad along the river, but drawings of Manitou figures can be found in the notes of the expedition. In addition to operating the museum and library, the society has published numerous historical booklets, as well as two major books about the history of the area. In 2000, they completed and published the History of Moniteau County and Families. The society meets monthly, with agendas alternating between business sessions and special programs. It

takes an annual historical field trip to visit neighboring counties to learn about nearby historical sites. To help operate the museum, the society holds an ice cream social, a chef salad dinner, and a chili supper each year as fundraisers. The group also participates in the town’s Ozark Ham & Turkey Festival each year. The Cultural Heritage Center itself has meeting rooms and a kitchen, and is available for groups to rent. During the society’s annual dinner meeting, it presents the Spirit of the Manitou award to the member who has done the most volunteer service in the group. The dinner promotes renewed enthusiasm for projects and reinforces the idea that great things can be accomplished when the society’s twohundred-plus members work toward the common goal of celebrating history.

The museum features collections of tools and artifacts used by early settlers. Future, an exhibit that depicts the museum of the future, will soon be added to the collection.

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Cargill

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s the second largest privately held company in the United States, Cargill provides food for millions of people, as well as thousands of jobs in the sixty countries where the company is located. Cargill’s beginnings go back to 1865, when William Wallace Cargill became a grain trader in Iowa. As the railroad expanded and people moved West, Cargill followed and built grain mills. By 1885, his brothers had joined his company, which had become one of the prominent graintrading companies in the country. They started buying other companies and soon owned a diverse mix, including lumber, coal, real estate, insurance, flour milling, more than one hundred grain elevators, and even a railroad. Over the years, with good leadership, Cargill has continued to expand, entering poultry operations in 1966, and added salt, citrus, cocoa, beef, and a variety other food products. Cargill is now a global food and agriculture company, making everything from fructose and Vitamin E to plastic packaging. Cargill is the third largest turkey processor in the United States. Honeysuckle White is its premium brand, but it also custom packs for many grocery store chains. Within Cargill, there are eight poultry facilities, which are all a part of the meat solutions division, called Cargill Value-Added Meats (CVAM) Retail, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. The division includes beef and pork processing, as well as poultry. CALIFORNIA FACILITY Cargill operates in thirteen communities in Missouri, providing about 1,100 jobs. Approximately 420 people are employed at

the California facility, which does poultry processing. Cargill is proud to announce that they will be increasing their workforce by 120 people when they add a new shift in September. Cargill started operating in California in 1975, after buying a plant originally built by Ralston Purina in 1963. The plant, located on forty acres, includes a 110,000-square-foot processing area, as well as frozen storage for three million pounds. Approximately seventy-five semi loads of poultry are processed and loaded out of the plant each week. Central Missouri is one of the top locations in the United States to raise turkeys. About ten million turkeys are raised each year within a fifty-mile radius of the California processing plant. Cargill has seven laying farms and one dark-out facility, as well as a hatchery and feed mill. SAFETY Safety has always been a priority at Cargill. The processing facility at California has recently achieved status as a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Worksite, a designation given by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), which is the federal agency charged with the enforcement of safety and health legislation in the workplace. The Star status is given to

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PROMOTION

ENVIRONMENT In recent years, Cargill has become more environmentally conscious, implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS). Goals include buying energy from renewable resources and increasing energy efficiency by 20 percent, compared to 2001. Additional goals recently approved include aiming for an 8 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and achieving a 2 percent reduction in the use of fresh water (both based on their 2006 output). Cargill has started an active recycling program throughout the plant. In 2007 alone, they recycled forty-three tons of plastic and almost four tons of paper. Within the processing area, bones are recycled and turned into bone meal. Feathers become feather meal, which is high in phosphate and is often used for fertilizing golf courses. They currently recycle two hundred tons per year, which has resulted in a 52 percent reduction (since 2001) of solid waste leaving the plant. WETLANDS PROJECT As part of their environmental focus, Cargill constructed a wetland system to help manage stormwater. The company wanted to reduce the amount of fecal coliform (FC), total suspended solids (TSS), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of the stormwater. They also wanted to improve the water without adding chemicals or installing mechanical equipment, as well to as eliminate the need to chlorinate the stormwater. To develop a long-term, low-maintenance solution, Cargill worked with ENSR, a global company that provides consulting services on environmental projects. The final result was the building of a wetlands, with four outlet control structures. Runoff is directed to pre-treatment basins, where FC and TSS are naturally filtered. Then water is directed to the multi-celled basins for further natural breakdown processes to occur. The wetlands system requires minimal maintenance and provides a much improved final water quality status, resulting in stormwater effluent parameters well under the maximum levels designated by the state of Missouri. Their new wetland system is now a model for other poultry businesses to emulate.

COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT

those facilities that develop and implement a comprehensive safety and health management plan. Less than one in four thousand sites in the United States has attained VPP status. As a result, the facility was recognized by OSHA for excellent contractor safety and health programs, and ergonomic improvements have been made throughout the processing facility. It has achieved an amazing 3.75 million work hours without a lost-time accident.

Each year Cargill serves the world’s largest turkey sub sandwich, free to festival participants at the Ozark Ham and Turkey Festival.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND SUPPORT Because all of the employees working at the California facility live in the area, Cargill has a strong commitment to the community. Cargill donates twenty thousand dollars each year to schools, organizations, and projects throughout central Missouri. Donations are decided by a committee composed of Cargill employees. Some recent projects have included contributing to the building of four ballfields, a soccer field, volleyball courts, a youth center, library renovations, senior nutrition center, and computer equipment for schools, as well as donating to projects of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, rural fire departments, 4-H, school activities, scholarships, and many others. Within the company, Cargill teams with ABLE to help provide classes in English as a second language and GED classes to the community. Cargill’s diverse workplace includes employees from twelve different countries, from the Ukraine and Thailand to Nigeria. Cargill employees’ generous support of the United Way has contributed vital resources back to the community. THE FUTURE Although there are always challenges, such as the current rising cost of fuel and grain, the future for Cargill looks bright. Cargill supplies about 22 percent of the processed meat in the United States and is responsible for about 25 percent of all U.S. grain exports. Our purpose is to be a global leader in nourishing people.

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Burgers’ Smokehouse, a Tradition of Quality

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urgers’ humble beginnings started in 1927, when Edwin Morris Burger cured and sold six hams. Most country folks didn’t have refrigeration back then, so meats were cured with a mixture of salt, sugar, and spices to preserve them. Burger was so successful at selling his hams that by 1952 he was curing one thousand hams a year. So he started a partnership with members of his family, and a small building, called the Ham House, was constructed on the farm to house their ham operation. In 1956, Burgers’ became the first country cured meat company in the United States to receive federal inspection, which allowed them to ship their products out of Missouri. They optimistically built an aging shed that to capacity would hold twentyfive thousand hams. The company was incorporated in 1957. Their commitment to quality and safety is their biggest priority. “We go to a great effort to create a safe product,” says Morris Burger, the second generation family member to head the company. “Our processing rooms are as surgical as any operating room in the state. We have rooms with positive airflow, where the air pressure flows outward, so bacteria and dust can’t come in through the air. Our employees wear hairnets and smocks, and their hands and shoes are sanitized before they enter the processing rooms. We do weekly environmental swabs on all the contact surfaces and take air samples to make sure our rooms are as clean as possible.” The company has also kept up with technology to aid in producing top-quality products. They are the only meat company to use water jets, which spurt a stream of water pressurized to 40,000 psi, to trim their steaks. They were one of the first companies to implement automated, high-speed vacuum packing. They have also installed climate-controlled curing rooms, which simulate the seasons, making it possible to cure meats faster than pre-

viously, though they still cure them the old-fashioned way, too. While customers can still get Burgers’ original country hams, they have added more than four hundred products to their line for a mouth-watering selection of aged, smoked, and seasoned meats. Several new offerings this year include Maple Country Bacon, Hot Spicy Ribs, Smoked Beef Short Ribs, Pepper-Coated Jowl, and Smoked Brisket. Burgers’ meats are available in most grocery stores. “Ask for us if you don’t see our products on the shelf,” says Steven Burger, current company president, and third generation family member. “For a more complete line, use our catalog to have your choices shipped direct. We also take orders over our website, www.smokehouse.com.” Better yet, Steven invites everyone to come visit their farm. “Our visitors’ center has a museum, with old farm tools and photos, which tell the history of curing meat. We also show a thirteen-minute video on how meats are cured in our Good Old Days Theater. Stop in at our cafe, where we serve Burgers’ meats on all our sandwiches. Our Country Store has special deals on surplus inventory and other bargains throughout the year.” Burgers’ Smokehouse is located three miles south of California on Highway 87. To request a product catalog, call 1-800624-5426 or visit www.smokehouse.com. Burgers’ Visitors’ Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. They are also open Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in fall. Burgers’ is still located on the original family farm but has grown to produce more than 750,000 hams annually in a facility that now encompasses more than 300,000 square feet. The family is commited to producing the same standard of quality that Burgers’ has been known for over the years.

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Promotion

Missouri Abstract and Title Company

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ounded in 1883 by J.W. Hunter and Eugene Kramer, Missouri Abstract and Title Company is one of the oldest locally owned and operated businesses in Moniteau County. Purchasing a home or land is a big investment, and researching the chain of title for a property ensures that a purchase goes smoothly. Missouri Abstract and Title Company issues Policies of Title Insurance and Abstracts of Title, so when the buyer and seller come to the closing table, they know they have a clear chain of title. The company is owned by local attorney John T. Kay and managed by Pam Connell and Sha Fortner. Missouri Abstract and Title Company maintains copies of all deeds and other documents that affect land titles recorded in Moniteau County since its organization in 1845, so that buyers can purchase with confidence. For more information call 573-796-2412 or visit 407 North High Street.

From left: Pam Connell, Sha Fortner, John Kay

Deputy, Mizell, Green & Carter, LLC

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he law firm of Deputy, Mizell, Green & Carter, L.L.C. provides legal services including personal injury, worker’s compensation, criminal defense, dissolution/modification of child custody, estate planning and probate matters, general corporate and business consulting, real estate development and related matters, and general civil litigation. The attorneys have experience in the metro areas of Chicago and St. Louis, as well as rural areas of the 26th Circuit. The firm was established in March 2008 as a merger between the firms of Coultas & Green, L.L.C. and Deputy & Mizell, L.L.C. Maintaining offices in Camden, Moniteau, and Laclede counties allows the firm to provide economical legal services throughout the 26th judicial circuit of Missouri, which includes Moniteau, Morgan, Miller, Camden, and Laclede counties.

Lebanon Office 120 East Second Street Mailing Address: P.O. Box 689 Lebanon, MO 65536 417-532-2191

Osage Beach Office 4558 Hwy. 54, Suite 106 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1157 Osage Beach, MO 65065 573-348-0122

From left: Jeff Green, William Green, Michael Carter, Faye Coultas, Darrell Deputy, Dan Mizell

Camdenton Office 16 Camden Court Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3319 Camdenton, MO 65020 573-346-9990

California Office 405 N. High Street Mailing Address: Same California, MO 65018 573-796-2186

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CPI Projects Go To Town Sponsored by: Green Petroleum Consultants

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ince 1989, California Progress, Inc., (CPI) has played an important role in the community of California, Missouri. CPI is committed to saving historic landmarks and bringing new life to this vibrant and friendly Missouri town of 4,005, which is located in the heart of Moniteau County, just twentytwo miles west of Jefferson City. The non-profit, community betterment group—established by community leaders as a way to enhance and beautify the town’s many unique features—has earned a reputation as a model award recipient and participant in the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Neighborhood Assistance Program. Through tax credit incentives offered by the NAP program, CPI and its local contributors have accomplished a number of community betterment projects. Among the successful projects is the renovation of two historic buildings: the Wood Place Public Library, a former mercantile business built in the mid-1800s, located at 501 S. Oak St. (Highway 87), and the Moniteau County Cultural Heritage Center, the former post office and 1902-era building, located at 201 N. High St., which now houses the Moniteau County Historical Society, county museum, and historical archives and library. CPI has also coordinated a number of other successful NAP projects, including the creation of Smith-Burke Park—a half-acre park situated along the Union Pacific Railroad in the heart of California that was the inspiration for replacing a former dilapidated railroad hotel and one-time doctor’s residence. The city park features an eye-catching gazebo, benches for relaxing, and a variety of well-tended floral gardens. CPI was also instrumental in building a shelter in the spot of the former city depot located nearby. Another major CPI-sponsored project includes turn-of-thecentury lights located along the Highway 87 business district and sprinkled along a path of city streets leading to the Moniteau County Courthouse and Square. The construction of city tennis courts at Proctor Park was one of CPI’s first NAPsupported projects.

The Moniteau County Courthouse was the focus of one of CPI’s few non-NAP supported projects. The project created a brick paver sidewalk that encircles the historic Moniteau County courthouse (the oldest existing courthouse located west of the Mississippi River) and highlights the area’s historical record through births, dates, marriages, military service, and other important civic, business, and community events. More evidence of CPI’s involvement around town can be found in the number of businesses that take advantage of CPI’s Revolving Loan Program, which includes nointerest loans for façade improvements. CPI’s most ambitious project to date—renovation of The Finke Theatre in California’s downtown area—is currently underway and expected to be completed by 2010. The former opera house and movie theater, built in 1885, is slated to become a community theater and multi-purpose facility. In 2004, the theater was named to the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance and is one of less than 2 percent of opera houses left in the United States. CPI believes renovating and re-establishing this local landmark will positively impact this unique historic district by bringing more business to the downtown area, drawing more tourists to the area, and making California a better place to live and work.

For more information about CPI or the NAP program, please contact the CPI executive director at 573-796-4071.

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PROMOTION

Van Adams Attorney at Law

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an Adams Attorney at Law has provided professional legal services to its clients for more than twenty years. Two years after graduating from UMKC School of Law in 1983, Adams opened his California business. The practice prides itself in its community support and caring for its clients. “We are proud to provide service and support to our local and surrounding communities,” Lola Booth says. Call 573-796-4003 for more information.

Linda Imhoff, owner/broker

Ace Realty

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From left: Lola Booth, Van Adams, and his daughter, Cortney Hindman

Endless Expressions, LLC

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achele Birdsong is the new owner of Endless Expressions, LLC. Rachele specializes in portraits of families, children, and seniors, plus sports photography. A lifelong photographer, Rachele loves to work with people and keeps her photo sessions upbeat and fun. “I take pride in the pictures I take,” Rachele said, “If you’re not happy, I’m not happy.” Call 573-694-9930 or visit endlessexpressions.smugmug.com for more information.

ce Realty has been serving the community with pride since 1978. Kenny and Linda Imhoff have been the owners and brokers at the same location on Hwy. 50 West for the past thirty years. Over the years many things have changed. Obviously, technology has made many advancements. “It is hard to believe that we started out with no fax, computer, e-mail, or cell phone. People’s needs are constantly changing, but the one thing that has not changed is our dedication to service, honesty, and integrity. Our goal is customer satisfaction,” Linda says. Call 573-796-3636 or visit www.acerealtycaliforniamo.com for more information.

Bobby Medlin, CPA

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obby Medlin has practiced public accounting since 1985. His business provides complete financial and tax consulting services to individuals, small businesses, partnerships, and corporations. These services include formation of the business entity, tax strategies, implementing accounting procedures, establishing budgets, obtaining financing, developing compensation plans, business valuations, and discovering ways to increase profits. Bobby Medlin, CPA, has offices in Tipton, California, and Lake Ozark. The business is dedicated to helping its clients keep more of what they make. Call 573-796-8182 or visit www.bdm-cpa.com for more information.

Rachele’s children, Brylee and Braden, playfully strike a pose.

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Rackers Manufacturing, Inc.

At Rackers Manufacturing, Inc. we are commited to excellence, ensuring overall quality and exceeding your highest expectations.

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ncorporated in 1972, Rackers Manufacturing has been the industry’s one-stop shop for structural steel and stair towers. We are a family-owned business with an established position throughout the Midwest. Our nearly forty years of longevity and experience has resulted in exemplary service and superb work, including a special sandblasting technique that gets the job done correctly and thoroughly. Steel is an essential element in new-home construction. Its durability is built to last. No other material comes close in structural integrity. Additionally, structural steel can be easily modified and reinforced to accommodate new requirements in building codes. It readily lends itself to fast-track construction. At Rackers Manufacturing, we specialize in designing and building stairwells and elevator hoistway towers. We also provide hometown service in the areas of steel buildings, trusses and beams for new home construction, ADA-compliant handrails, farm equipment (such as feed troughs), decorative fences, and sandblasted and painted steel. We excel at both large and small jobs.

Call 573-796-3211 or e-mail rmfgmail@aol.com for more information.

From left: Charlie Rackers, Landon Porter, Robert Flatt, Jake Lingle, Alyssa Wittenberger, Jim Scheidt, Doug Miller, Matt McKinzie

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PROMOTION

Baer Brothers Woodworking

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rad and Greg Baer draw customers from around the country with their outstanding craftsmanship and talent. During twenty-one years in the custom furniture and restoration business, the brothers have had some unusual requests, such as repairing the frame on a camel saddle. The brothers say, “When we say custom, we mean custom.” They pride themselves on spending time with each client, listening to ideas, and finally creating the perfect, one-of-a-kind piece. That means each client’s dream comes to life through the work of these skilled craftsmen. Many of our customers become lifelong friends. Call 573-796-2265 or visit 106 Dahler. Brad and Greg Baer

AnJanette Volkart and Robin Ratcliff go to all heights to serve you.

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he Flower Shop for All Occasions, Inc., established in 2001 by friends Robin Ratcliff and AnJanette Volkart, knows no boundaries when it comes to customer service. The owners strive to make each flower arrangement or gift exactly what the customer wants. The shop offers flowers, plants, balloons, plush toys, gifts, tanning, tuxedo rentals, and wedding invitations. Robin and AnJanette enjoy participating in local parades. Their kids have even dressed as blooming flowers in pots. Both say that without the hard work of family and friends, the busy holidays would be impossible. Call 573-796-2700 or visit www.theflowershopcalmo.com for more information.

California Construction Supplies, Inc. C

alifornia Construction Supplies, Inc has been a familyowned-and-operated business for more than forty years. However, lumber has been in the family for much longer: in 1888, George Friedmeyer began working at C.J. Harris Lumber Company. George’s son Arthur, and Arthur’s wife, Irene, bought out the lumber company in 1966 and changed the name to its present-day California Construction Supplies, Inc. In total, four generations of Friedmeyers have served the

building and hardware needs of Central Missouri for more than a hundred years. This friendly business dedicated to customer satisfaction has demonstrated throughout its long history that a small, family-owned operation can stand the test of time. Call 573-796-2491 for more information. On truck: Tucker and Cory Friedmeyer; from left: Debbie, Lindsey, Jay, and Erin VanDieren; Earl and Marj, Walker, Charla, and Brad Friedmeyer.

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Commerce Bank

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ommerce Bank has a strong presence in California, offering a diversified line of financial services, including commercial and personal banking, small business services, trusts, estate planning, and investments. The bank offers two convenient locations in California: a full-service banking center at 209 E. Main and a drive-up ATM, located on Hwy. 50 at 703 W. Buchanan. Add to that a regional branch and ATM network in Central Missouri, and you’ll see how you’re always close to your money and never far from a solution at Commerce. Bonnie George, assistant vice president and branch manager of Commerce Bank-California, says, “Our goal is to build deeper relationships with customers and share with them the best ways to bank, borrow, and manage their money.” For more information, call 573-796-2111.

Front: Emily Wirts, Ellie Wirts, Rudy Wirts. Back: Carol Wirts, Kyle Wirts, A.J. Wirts, Irene “Tootsie” Wirts, Fred Hohman, and Ruth Hohman.

Double-X Speedway

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ouble-X Speedway has been a family tradition for racers and race fans for more than thirty-five years. Kyle and Carol Wirts purchased Double-X Speedway from Carol’s parents, Fred and Ruth Hohman, in 2002. The race track was opened in 1965 by Woody Carpenter who owned and operated the business until the Hohmans purchased it approximately nineteen years ago. Racers come from all over the state to race at Double-X. The Wirts family has worked hard over the years to maintain a family atmosphere and keep racers and race fans coming back. Double-X Speedway is located just west of California on Hwy. 50 and is open Sundays, May through August. Gates open at 5 PM. Hotlaps at 7 PM, and races start at 7:30 PM. For more information, call 573-796-4694.

Lutz’s BBQ

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arbecue began as a weekend hobby for Burl Lutz, but the barbecue bug bit him soon after. Lutz’s BBQ began as a small tent set up in a parking lot at Cal’s Convenience Store in California, Missouri. Over the years, the operation moved from the tent to a large trailer and finally to its present-day location in Jefferson City. Lutz’s BBQ’s specialties have earned the business the 2006 award for Best Sauce on the Planet at the American Royal Barbecue Contest and the 2007 Grand Champion award for chicken, also at American Royal. Lutz’s has catered jobs of up to 3,100 people and is thankful for the support of the California community, friends, and family. Call 573-636-4227 for more information.

From left: Lutz’s BBQ caters for groups of ten people and beyond! Burl Lutz smokes seven hundred pounds of pork shoulder for a large event. Pick up Lutz’s BBQ at 3505 Missouri Boulevard in Jefferson City, Missouri. [126] MissouriLife CALIFORNIA

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PROMOTION

KRLL

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RLL is a family-owned radio station that takes pride in covering community and school events and being Central Missouri’s connection for half-price Branson tickets. Program manager and DJ Jeff Shackleford gets help from his wife and office manager Rae Ann and sons Carson and Dawson, who on occasion do commercials. Sherry Cox is the weekend show host. KRLL has won the Missouri State Teachers Association Station of the Year award for public service broadcasting four times in the last ten years. Call 573-796-3139 or visit www.realcountryonline.com for more information.

From left: Debbie Ash, Mark Ash, Ismael Gonzalez, Jr., Chad Mortenson

Quality Used Cars

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Tune in to 1420 AM with Jeff Shackleford to catch the local flavor.

ark and Debbie Ash built and opened Quality Used Cars in California in 1995. The business sells used cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs and performs auto-glass repair and replacement. Mark takes pride in selling cars at a fair price and standing behind his product. Occasionally hotrods and vintage cars, some of Mark’s favorites, join the usual selections on the Quality Used Cars lot. Overall, this small-town business knows that it’s accountable for every car it sells and works hard to keep quality up and prices down. Call 573-796-3204 for more information or visit 505 E. Buchanan.

Mr. G’s

A California Tradition

“W

hen I bought the store in 1979, I never thought I’d be here twenty-nine years later,” says Norris Gerhart, owner of Mr. G’s, California’s well-known and wellstocked liquor store. At twenty-one, Gerhart, a California native, purchased the store from Albert Debroecks and has been in business ever since. Gerhart moved the store to its present location in 1981. By 1991, his business had expanded enough that he added fifteen hundred square feet to the store. Three years later, he added another two thousand. Over the years, Mr. G’s has become a California tradition. California locals and residents in a thirty-five-mile radius know Mr. G’s as a reliable place to buy alcohol. The store is open every day of the year. Mr. G’s specializes in beer, tobacco, and wine, though they have a full line of liquor. Gerhart focuses on dependability and service and works to build repeat customers. “We don’t have sales,” Gerhart says.

“Our pricing is our every-day low pricing. “I’m thankful for the community support,” he says. “If it weren’t for my good customers, I wouldn’t be here. We open early, and the guys come in and stand around visiting until time for work. We’re a place to hang out, even though we don’t have any chairs.” Gerhart doesn’t mind the long hours. “This isn’t a job to me. This is my life,” he says. “Some people would rather go to a golf course on their off hours. I’d just as soon come to work.” Call 573-796-3808 for more information or visit 306 W. Buchanan. From left: Mr. G with employee Kevin Hill. The Gerhart family: Lesley, Courtland, Norris, and Missy. (not pictured, Christopher and Jason Young)

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Bond Pharmacy

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ond Pharmacy, established in 1876 as Houser Drug Company and eventually renamed, in California, Missouri, has been a source of unique gifts and friendly business for more than one hundred years. Some specialty gifts include Miche handbags, unique jewelry, and Willow Tree Angels. Their friendly, knowledgeable staff and reliable customer service keeps patrons coming back time and time again. The pharmacy is open six days a week for your pharmaceutical needs and will deliver medication within the city limits. Call 573-796-3145 for more information.

From left: Susan Zbinden, Dr. Melissa Page, Jo Pettigrew, Dr. Roger Borgmeyer, Dr. Mark Oerly, Heather Schnack, Elizabeth Limbach, Erin Senter

California Veterinary Clinic

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From left: Andrea Volkart, Colene Volkart, Courtney Knipp, Amanda Trimble, Angie Weber, Ward Bond RPH, owner.

alifornia Veterinary Clinic has a knowledgeable doctor for animals from the tiniest kitten to the most massive steer. The clinic’s friendly staff treats pets, horses, and food animals during scheduled and emergency after-hours visits. Dr. Roger Borgmeyer founded the practice in 1979 and was joined by Dr. Mark Oerly in 1988 and Dr. Melissa Page in 2008. The clinic stocks a variety of medications for pets and farm animals and provides a haul-in facility for cattle work. Visit 1200 Park Avenue or call 573-769-3168 for more information.

Burgher Haus

J

ane and Mike Robertson started Burgher Haus thirty one years ago. During that time, they’ve seen many interesting people pass through their doors, from Russian farmers to Kenyan students to a British film crew. Although visitors from afar can be interesting, it’s Californians who return there for good food and friendly service. Burgher Haus has evolved from a hamburger place to a restaurant offering a varied menu featuring a homestyle buffet. The buffet has fresh greens for lighter eating as well as a special triple-dipped fried chicken and a variety of meats. But for hamburger enthusiasts, there is the “Big Mike” as well as 20 other sandwich varieties. Please visit 1001 W. Buchanan or call 573-796-2916 for more information.

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The Robertsons take pride in their “Big Mike” signature burger.

issouri Life magazine is proud to produce this custom publication for California, Missouri. Get Missouri Life quality writing, design, and photography for your special publications or magazines. Call 800-492-2593, ext. 106, or e-mail Publisher Greg Wood at greg@missourilife.com.

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PROMOTION

Vision Health Eyecare

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ision Health Eyecare Center provides full eye health and vision service to its patients. This practice was established in March 1978 at Tipton, Missouri, and purchased a facility in California, Missouri in July 1979. This business is in a restored 100-year-old building, which once housed T. B. McKnight Merchantile Co. Dr. Don Vanderfeltz, Dr. Brady Wilborn, and the staff want people to know they are welcome at the practice whose motto is “eyecare by people who care.” Call 573-7962222 or visit www. vheyecare.com for more information.

Vision Health Eyecare operates out of the historic building on the courthouse square.

From left: Greg Gaffke, public affairs; Gary Arnold and Jim McGill, service technicians; and Charlie Roll, construction supervisor

EMBARQ

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MBARQ has proudly served the California area for more than a century, offering an innovative portfolio of services including reliable local and long distance home phone service, High Speed Internet, and satellite TV from DISH Network® – all on one monthly bill. For business customers, EMBARQ has a comprehensive range of integrated services designed to help businesses of all sizes. This service portfolio includes local voice and data services, long distance, Business Class High Speed Internet, satellite TV from DIRECTV®, enhanced data network services, voice and data communications equipment, and managed network services. Visit www.embarq.com for more information.

Landchoice-Guaranty Land Title Insurance

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andra Holden started Guaranty Land Title, Inc., in 1988, naming it after the original family business started by Morris Holden in 1937. Today president and owner Mike Holden stays true to his mother’s philosophy of “growth not greed” and continues to protect land buyers against fraud, forgery, and liens. Call 573-796-8291 or visit landchoice.net for more information.

Garden Center

M From left: employees Carolyn Kiesling, senior closing agent, and Brenda Hickman, administrative assistant

aking pretty … pretty easy. Let Longfellow’s Garden Center be a part of your outdoor world. We specialize in annuals and perennials (we grow our own) as well as container gardens. Designers are on staff to help with your landscaping needs. Our professional staff and fabulous plant selection will help you make your world … pretty. Call 573-584-9611 for more information or visit 12007 Hwy. 50 Centertown, Missouri, or www.longfellowsgarden.com.

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First Baptist Church

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irst Baptist Church in California celebrates its 175th year in 2008. At First Baptist Church, we proclaim the gospel about Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sent to the world to save all people that confess Christ as Savior. We preach the Bible as God’s word, truth without error. We practice Christian living through fellowship, and we participate in missions, both local and global. We encourage all who seek a church home to be a part of our church and invite all to experience worship and Bible teaching. For more information call 573-796-4452 or visit 208 S. Oak Street. Early worship is at 8:15 a.m. Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m., and late worship begins at 10:30 a.m.

United Church of Christ

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he United Church of Christ celebrates more than 140 years of continuous worship in its recently expanded facility at 101 N. Oak Street. Sunday morning worship is at 10:30 and reflects the rich liturgy of our Evangelical and Reformed heritage. An active Sunday School meets at 9:30 with classes for children of all ages and five adult Sunday School classes as well. The church is served by two pastors, Rev. Jeffery F. Hammonds, senior pastor, and Rev. Collette R. Jones, associate pastor. Call (573) 796-4885 or visit www.calmo-ucc.org for more information.

The California Ministerial Alliance

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he California Ministerial Alliance is a cooperative fellowship of churches sharing the love of God by ministering to the spiritual and social needs of the community through special worship services, radio and newspaper inspirational messages, a food pantry, and emergency assistance.

Churches actively participating in the California Ministerial Alliance include: Annunciation Catholic Church First Baptist Church First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) First Assembly of God Church Friendship Baptist Church High Point Baptist Church New Life Christian Center Pentecostal Tabernacle Salem Baptist Church Salem United Church of Christ St. Paul’s Lutheran Church United Church of Christ of California United Methodist Church For more information you may contact a participating pastor, or you may call (573) 796-2792. This ad partially sponsored by Representative Kenny Jones

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PROMOTION

In the summertime, our barbeque ribs can make anyone look like a grill-master. And summer isn’t summer without our premium dry-cured bacon, summer sausage and award-winning country cured ham. At Burgers’ Smokehouse, our time-tested methods create robust, distinctive flavors you won’t soon forget. To make us a part of your summer tradition, see your grocer, call 800-624-5426 or visit smokehouse.com.

Š2008 Burgers’ Smokehouse. 494-2812

494-2812 Burgers Ribs 8.5x10.8751 1

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6/12/08 9:13:50 AM

6/25/08 5:31:05 PM


Third Saturday in September FESTIVAL IMAGES COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT

AD-AUGUST 2008.indd 1

September 20, 2008

6/30/08 12:50:05 PM


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Preserve the Legacy 4th Annual Save the Katy Bridge Festival Sunday, September 28 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. LIVE MUSIC ALL DAY ~ FREE ADMISSION

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Group Photo at 2:30 p.m. Honoring Former MKT Railroad Employees and Family Members At the Katy Depot in Boonville, MO

Exhibitors can obtain details at www.savethekatybridge.org ~ or call Ms. Russell at 660-882-4003 [133] August 2008

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TASTEFU L TRAVELER Ou r Unique Culinary Culture

TOMATO TALES

ANDREW BARTON

V E G E TA B L E T O F R U I T A N D E V E R Y T H I N G I N B E T W E E N |

THE 1978 MOVIE Attack of the Killer Tomatoes begins with a tomato rising out of a woman’s garbage can in a parody of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 The Birds. They find the woman later, and it isn’t pretty. The movie ends ominously for the tomatoes. They are cornered in a stadium and then stomped and squashed by humans. All except one, who survives when the hero sings to the gigantic tomato girl the love song “Puberty Love.” You have to understand that there were three, yes three, sequels to Attack. The movie is a pop culture icon. Since love of tomatoes wins the day in Attack, I will begin there. George Washington Carver, who grew up at Diamond, courted public favor for the tomato back in 1918 when we were still reluctant to eat them, publishing How to Grow a Tomato—115 Ways to Prepare It for the Table. Carver considered tomatoes the oranges of the Missouri garden and thought tomatoes were a good addition to the table and to the nutrient-poor diets of his neighbors. He was right. Just one medium-sized tomato provides about half of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. Plus, there’s the taste. No coaxing is needed today. In an informal survey (taken while walking around during my day), the tomato was the unan-

imous pick for favorite garden vegetable. Americans eat an average of about one hundred pounds of medium-sized tomatoes per year, almost half of them fresh and the rest canned, according to Robert Hendrickson in American Tomato. The best of those come right out of our Missouri gardens, and most are never vengeful. Nor do we typically stomp them. In fact, my vote for best tomato moment is when I’m waist-high in sticky leaves, out amongst them in their element, if you will. Try it: Gently clasp the fruit of this vine, notice how the pluck of harvest resounds along both the stem of the tomato plant and your arm; sink your teeth through ripe pulp, thrust out your chin and—wait for it—catch the dribbles. The tasty burst upon the tongue has an additional advantage: With focus, it can stay with you throughout every bite of a summertime meal. Despite amazing flavor, the tomato began humbly. It first grew in the Andes and is still found there, throughout Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, growing wild like shriveled grape clusters on a vine.

By Nina Furstenau

It became a cultivated crop in Central America and then Mexico after Mayan seafaring traders brought the seed to the Yucatan, Hendrickson says. The traders called the fruit tomatl, or xtomatl, and so prized it that tomato images are traced on heritage pottery from the region. The tomato began its circuitous journey back to the New World by first joining up with Cortez. In 1521, after battling Aztec uprisings, Cortez and his group took tomatl seeds from the Chichen Itza market back to Europe, Hendrickson says. The seeds, jostled by an ocean voyage, took root first in Spain, where the new fruit was hailed as a rare new food. Its lush color and plumpness gave it an allure it never acquired in the Americas. It began to be called the “love apple” and gained a reputation of being an aphrodisiac. And truly, the inside of a tomato looks a bit like a human heart—the very seat of love— with its four chambers. A Spanish chef is said to have combined the fruit with olive oil, spices, and onions to create the first tomato sauce. People living on the perimeter of the Mediterranean

Called The “Love Apple,” The Tomato Gained A Reputation As An Aphrodisiac.

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TASTEFUL TRAVELER

adored the new food, perhaps in part because of its aura of mystery, and a developing cuisine flourished around the tomate. The Spaniards took the seeds into Asia, and the tomato continued to become a major player in the diets of many nationalities. Semantics, however, played a role in the tomato’s slightly sinful new image. “All Spaniards at the time were called Moors, and one story has it that an Italian gentleman told a visiting Frenchman that the tomatoes he had been served were ‘Pomi del Moro’ (Moor’s apples), which to his guest sounded like ‘pommes d’amour,’ or ‘apples of love,’” Hendrickson wrote. Hendrickson also cites another version, which claims that the phrase “apples of love” derives from the Italian pomo d’oro (golden apple), identical to today’s Italian name for the tomato, pomodoro. In fact, yellow tomatoes were among the first varieties to be introduced to Europe. That tomatoes were titillating, perhaps as oysters are today, made way for a darker image. Membership in the nightshade family didn’t help. The tomato’s first botanical name, Lycopersicon, which means “wolf peach” in Greek, is close to Lycopersicon esculentum, a reputedly deadly aphrodisiac. German tales give tomatoes a sinister aura, linking them with werewolves and the witches needed to evoke them, a practice known as lycanthropy (hence, wolf peach). By 1544, the plant was aligned with mandrake, henbane, and belladonna, all extremely poisonous plants, by Italian herbalist Pietro Andrea Mattioli, in his Commentaries on the Six Books of Dioscorides. The unbecoming image was actually true—for the leafy parts of the plant. In fact, all parts of the tomato plant except the fruits are toxic and cause severe digestive upset. Though fully ripe tomatoes have virtually no alkaloid toxin, a Cornell University

Tomato seedlings can be started indoors in March and transplanted outdoors after the threat of frost, generally mid-April to early May.

study says less than two ounces of tomato leaves are likely lethal for an adult. So, let’s not graze on tomato leaves in the garden. One folk story has it that an English host served the talked-about tomato to a grand gathering after which all in attendance became ill. The cook apparently diced up the leaves of the plant as well as the fruit. After this, the English opted for safety and relegated the tomato to the greenhouse for floral ornamentation, not consu m ption. An English traveler wrote in 1596, “these love apples are eaten abroad,” but went on to describe them “of rank and stinking savour.” Northern European countries regarded the tomato as a mere curiosity for over a century. Stateside, the lush, scarlet image of the tomato was too much for our Puritan forefathers. A little resistance was in order, and we took our cue from the British and Germans. At first, Missourians used tomatoes primarily as a remedy for not-soappetizing pustules.

Botanically, Tomatoes Are , Giant Berries y, But Legall The Tomato Is A Vegetable.

Tomato suspicion lingered until 1820, or possibly 1830, when Col. Robert Gibbon Johnson of Salem, New Jersey, declared he would eat a bushel on the courthouse steps. In this possibly tall tale, his doctor predicted frothing at the mouth and tortured death. Two thousand people came to watch. Though Thomas Jefferson grew the plant at Monticello in 1781, not until Johnson ate the tomatoes publicly without dying did people believe. Talk about Show-Me philosophy in play. By 1835, the editor of the Maine Farmer wrote that tomatoes were safe to eat, and seed catalog listings for tomatoes grew exponentially throughout the next century. In 1863, a popular seed catalog listed twenty-three cultivars, and among them was Trophy, the first modern-looking large, red, smooth-skinned variety, which fetched five dollars for a packet of twenty seeds. Today, Heirloom Tomatoes of Hilliard, Ohio, currently offers more than four hundred varieties of heirloom tomatoes, typically for $2.95 per seed packet. Popular varieties of tomatoes that grow well in Missouri are Beefmaster, Better Boy, Big Beef, Celebrity, Jet Star, Lemon Boy, Pik Rite, Pink Girl, and the Missouri Pink Love Apple, according to the University of Missouri Extension web site. Botanically, tomatoes are giant berries, yes, berries, or fruits belonging to the potato family, but legally the tomato is generally a vegetable. To counter a case brought by John Nix, a tomato importer, the U.S. Supreme Court held in 1893 that the tomato and all plants “grown in kitchen gardens, including potatoes, carrots, turnips, beets, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, and lettuce” had to be considered a vegetable when it was served in soup or with the main course of a meal, although it could be considered a fruit when eaten as dessert. Thus, Nix and others had to continue to pay a 10 percent tariff on imported tomato vegetables. Regardless, we’re a tomato-loving lot. In addition to the fresh tomatoes we each eat each year, nearly six million tons of

LEFT: ©ISTOCKPHOTO/DIANE LUNDIN; RIGHT: ©ISTOCKPHOTO/LIZA MCCORKLE

ML

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Nutritional Value A single medium-sized tomato: ■ Provides about half of the recom-

mended daily allowance of vitamin C. If the tomato is homegrown and ripened-on-the-vine, it may contain up to a third more vitamin C than a commercial, gas-ripened fruit. ■ Contains vitamin A, some of which is

in the form of beta carotene, thought to reduce the risk of certain cancers. ■ Is a good source of potassium and

contains B1 and B2 vitamins, iron, and phosphorus. ■ Is fiber-rich, low in sodium and calo-

ries (only about four calories per ounce), and is cholesterol-free.

LEFT: ©ISTOCKPHOTO/DIANE LUNDIN; RIGHT: ©ISTOCKPHOTO/LIZA MCCORKLE

■ Provides lycopene, the major caro-

tenoid contained in tomatoes that is responsible for the deep red color. Similar to beta carotene, lycopene has been touted as a potent antioxidant, a molecule that snuffs out cancer-causing free radicals. Sources: Dr. Sanjun Gu, Lincoln University vegetable specialist at Jefferson City; Michigan State University Department of Food Science study and Elaine Landau, author of Tomatoes

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TASTEFUL TRAVELER

Heirloom or Not?

tomatoes grown in the United States are processed annually into canned goods. No matter how you slice it, the cautious Puritans were overruled. With so many Missourians with backyard gardens, it’s hard to tolerate less-thanfresh tomatoes at restaurants in the summertime. Some chefs are nimble enough to create dishes based on regional food freshness (See Missouri Life June 2008 “The New Organic” for more on Community Supported Agriculture farms). Sycamore restaurant at Columbia takes this step with delicious results. Ordering Sycamore’s fresh tomato salad is to look onto a plate of orange, yellow, or tangerine tomatoes; red, pink, or blue tomatoes; white, green, striped, or oddly shaped, sweetly-husked tomatoes— in a word: heirloom. Chef and co-owner Mike Odette makes the effort to acquire unusual tomato varieties through his contacts with local farmers. The riot of color and flavor in Odette’s tomato dishes will put you in the fresh-tomato camp for life. Gazpacho at Sycamore is chunky and savory with pieces of colorful tomatoes in the mix. Sycamore’s intriguing tomato sorbet is sweet and cooling with just the right zing. Mike believes in developing dishes based on what is freshly available. “There’s

Chef Mike Odette at Sycamore at Columbia supports local producers and independent farmers whenever possible when buying ingredients to create his dishes.

always certain ingredients that you understand will work well together,” he says of his rotating menu. “Having a mental library of those kinds of ideas gets me about halfway there.” The restaurant itself has a slightly urban ambience, with high ceilings sporting rotating fans, mosaic tile along with hardwood floors, white tablecloths, and a long dark bar. Odette and his wife, Amy, and partners Sanford and Jill Speake wanted an open kitchen design, and in the refurbishment of Sycamore, they created it overlooking the diners from the rear of the building. Of course, you don’t have to go out for a fine tomato. Missouri is not one of the top commercial producing states in the United States, which are Florida, California, and Georgia, perhaps because tomatoes never make it past our backyards and kitchens. I choose to think that we tend to choose flavor, too, over the hybrid qualities of tough skin for shipping and uniform ripening times. Like Gershwin’s 1937 song, tomato, tomäto, it’s all the same to me. The tale of the tomato comes down to this: eating.

LG PATTERSON

What makes an heirloom tomato? Some are shaped like peppers or cherries or weigh in at two pounds. They are purple, black, striped, green, orange, yellow, and pink. Indeed, some are red. Seeds of a tomato do not easily crossbreed and will produce plants resembling the parents. Early cultivars did not change much because of this property and were kept in a family or community for long periods of time, thus earning the name heirlooms. Some varieties available today have been passed on for more than one hundred years. Names of heirloom cultivars often read like hints to a deeper tale: Black Krim (Russia), Bloody Butcher (unknown), Tommy Toe (Ozarks), Mortgage Lifter (U.S.), plus the Missouri Pink Love Apple. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds at Mansfield lists this cultivar as big, pink, and very rich-tasting: “It was grown since the Civil War by the Barnes family, who grew it as an ornamental, believing (as many people did at the time) that tomatoes or ‘love apples’ were poisonous.” Heirlooms carry unique genetics and often a history. For instance, Polish is a cultivar said to have been smuggled into the United States on the back of a postage stamp in the late 1800s. Mortgage Lifter is said to have been developed during the Depression by a farmer who claimed one plant would feed a family of six. He sold the plants for one dollar each until he paid off his mortgage. The tomato: heroic and tasty.

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tasty food and fun destinations Visit the AgriMissouri Buyer’s Guide to ďŹ nd local foods and destinations www.agrimissouri.com • 1-866-466-8283

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MISSOU RI RECIPES

– Missouri MissouriLife –

Courtesy of Sycamore Restaurant at Columbia

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho Ingredients: 3 pounds heirloom tomatoes, diced (about 2 quarts) 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced small (about 2 cups) ½ medium onion, diced small (about 1 cup) 2 ribs celery, diced small (about 1 cup) 1 quart bottled tomato juice ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon celery salt 1 teaspoon Tabasco 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped Directions: Combine all ingredients in a one-gallon, nonreactive (plastic, glass, or stainless) container, such as a pitcher. Using an immersion blender, zap the gazpacho a few times until desired consistency is reached. Gazpacho may be served smooth, like a beverage, or chunky. Serves 12.

Heirloom Tomato Sorbet

– MissouriLife –

Courtesy of Sycamore Restaurant at Columbia

uschetta Heirloom Tomato Br

Heirloom Tomato Sorbet

– MissouriLife –

Ingredients: 2 cups water ¾ cup sugar ¼ cup sherry vinegar ¼ cup vodka 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cracked pepper 4 pounds heirloom tomatoes, peeled

Courtesy of Sycamore Restaurant at Columbia

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta Ingredients: 1½ pounds heirloom tomatoes, diced 2 tablespoons basil pesto ¼ teaspoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except for the tomatoes. Stir over medium heat until sugar and salt are dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Serve at room temperature atop bread, preferably homemade, that has been brushed with oil, grilled, and rubbed with a garlic clove. This is also good as a pasta sauce or side dish. Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer.

Heirloom Tomato G azpacho

Note: Flavored or infused vodka, such as lemon or pepper, may be used. The vodka is optional, but since this recipe doesn’t use much sugar, the alcohol helps keep the sorbet from freezing rock-hard.

ANDREW BARTON

Process the tomatoes in a food mill to purée and seed them. Combine the tomato purée with the water-and-sugar mixture and freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Serves 12.

Directions: Combine ingredients and season to taste.

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Wonderful Wine 7INERY AND 'UEST #OTTAGE

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astated the landscape as they have done around Hannibal and the other river towns. In nooks and crannies amongst the oak forest of the Edward Anderson Conservation Area, the forestry experts with the Missouri Department of Conservation draw red Xs on the trees that they deem to be “past their economic viability.� Missouri forester Kristen Goodrich explains that the trees grow straight and tall if there is enough competition. But at some point, they begin to “crown out,� and they look more like broccoli spears at their tops rather than straight and true trees. The straighter and truer, the more likely it is that these trees can produce a good number of barrels for wine and whiskey. Logger Terry Hicks steps in and buzzes through one of those trees. Dr. Bill Lumsden, from the legendary distillery of single malt Scotch benchmark Glenmorangie, steps forward to look at the cut. Bill is looking for ten rings to the inch and wood that is free of knots and flaws. Many Missouri white oak are destined to become wine and whiskey barrels. By Doug Frost Glenmorangie is just one of many customers, but Lumsden is one of the more Doug Frost is one of discerning buyers. He has experimented three people in the world who is both a with woods from many other places and Master Sommelier and insists that Missouri white oak is crucial a Master of Wine. He lives in Kansas City. to the character of his brilliant whiskey. Moreover, there isn’t a distiller who I’ve met who wouldn’t argue that far more than half of the flavors and aromas in their whiskeys derive from the oak barrel; being informed about the wood from which those barrels are built seems necessary. Still, this is a special occasion for these forest rangers. Two things surprised Lumsden in his Missouri visit: “The idea that the wood is logged in such a conservationist manner. Forty or fifty trees are planted for every one that is cut. And the density of white oak in this area—I didn’t expect that concentration. I thought we were going into the forest to pick out the odd tree.� The Missouri oak industry is indeed on firm ground, even if the floods have shifted everything else.

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SHOW-ME SOU N D Music You Should Hear

MAYAPPLE MUSIC

BIG SMITH PROMPTS A HOMEGROWN SPRINGFIELD RECORD LABEL |

AT FIRST GLANCE Mark Bilyeu resembles a homeless person looking

COURTESY OF STEPHANIE BURK/MAYAPPLE RECORDS

for shelter or a hot meal. Unknown to the buzzing crowd, he wanders into the lower level of Soulard’s Lucas Schoolhouse at St. Louis. Carrying a green pillow under one arm with a black backpack drooping on the other, the long-haired, disheveled musician speaks to a staff member, then to a few friends, and ducks out the door as quietly as he came. The crowd, not turning from its conversation, fails to notice. Amid the chaos of the modern music industry, it’s the simple life as usual for Mark, the guitarist for Big Smith and also owner of Springfield’s MayApple Records. A band from the Springfield area, Big Smith is composed of five cousins: Mark and Jody Bilyeu, Bill and Rik Thomas, and Jay Williamson. The newest member is fiddle player Molly Healey, not related except by harmony. The band began playing together professionally in 1996 and quickly earned devoted fans for their raucous, intelligent, and at times, jazz-infused bluegrass music and their down-home style of performing. The band was able to make music their full-time profession in 2007, and this year, they have been scheduled to perform at 110 shows. They have recently opened for Emmylou Harris, Doc Watson, and the Del McCoury Band and were scheduled to perform in France this summer, as well. Mark realized the potential for a record label long ago. “I guess it goes all the way back to high school,” he says, recalling selling cassette tapes of his first band. But after Big Smith’s fourth release, with the basic functions of the record label already in place, in 1995, Mark

From left, Mark Bilyeu, Molly Healey, Bill Thomas, Jay Williamson, Jody Bilyeu, and Rik Thomas, who make up the band Big Smith, produce raucous, intelligent, jazz-infused bluegrass for MayApple Records.

By Luke Roussin

simply needed a name and artists with a similar vision. He chose the name MayApple Records. The acts soon followed: Dallas Jones, Arkamo Rangers, MooreHealey, and Cindy Woolf. And like their label, these artists are creating a new indigenous sound by mixing blues, bluegrass, rock, folk, and Americana. MayApple Records has seventeen artists on its roster. Mark says finding talent is simple. “Talent has been people we already knew.” The largely singer-songwriterbased label has a mature crop of Ozark musicians, pulling talent from the Springfield area. The only exception is Noah Earle. Noah, a Hallsville native, praises Mark’s production techniques saying that MayApple “added tremendously to the quality” of his first label release, which was recorded in a farmhouse. For this album, Mark is quick to remark how talented his team of artists is and has become. He seemed amazed that Noah could record extremely taxing vocal tracks in a single six- or seven-hour session. But the most intriguing aspect of MayApple’s recording style is freedom. For example, the most important recording on Noah’s track “Bobwhite Twilight” was not the guitar, but the insects. “We like an organic sound,” Mark says. Building on the organic beginning, the artists add instruments, reverb, delays, and their expertise to create a genuine music experience. Other Ozark musicians, with a true love for the craft, also contribute to sit-ins and studio production and often do the sessions for free, for a few CDs, or simply to be recognized somewhere in the liner notes. On the business side of things, Mark is unfazed if fans don’t rush out to buy his albums. He is focused on the artistic side of things, and if the money follows—great. It’s about the music. It’s about making it and making it good, he says. Mark and the MayApple family have an unfaltering desire to create music that is worth hearing and worth playing. Mark recently earned a master’s degree in music theory. He has years of experience performing and producing. He may go unnoticed when he walks into a room, but when he starts playing, the crowd won’t forget his name. Visit www.mayapplerecords.com for more information.

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The colors on Sandy Schulz’s pit-fired pots come from onion peel, coffee grounds, copper, and cow pies, among other things. Sandy’s thrown pottery is fired in a three-foot deep hole in the ground and cools slowly to reveal nature’s influence in her process.

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MISSOU RI ARTIST Abundan t Ingenuity & Creativity

TAX SEASON POTTER

ANDREW BARTON

THE TIME WAS RIGHT FOR CHESTERFIELD ARTIST |

IN THE DAYS before tax extensions, Sandy Schulz was a tax season widow. Her husband, Gary, was an accountant and virtually non-existent to his family during those four months prior to April 15, and to pass the time, she began taking night classes, anything and everything, including pottery. “I became a potter because of tax season,” Sandy says, and after taxes were in, the night classes provided a way, by her absence, for her kids to get to know their father again. This Best of Missouri Hands president and Chesterfield artist was never allowed to take art classes as a child. “Crazy” artist relatives didn’t provide an acceptable role model. So she became an English teacher instead and taught in public schools for fifteen years. It’s been about ten years since pit firing took hold of Sandy’s imagination, and for her, the craft has been as much about experimentation as it has been about creation. In her pottery classes, no one taught her how to pit fire. Through exposure to artists from Florida and Germany, American Indian culture and techniques, and books, Sandy has honed her skill. The pottery she creates has the warm, familiar personality of its creator. “I don’t do functional,” she says. To do that, glaze must be used, which gives the piece a cold, hard finish. Sandy’s pots still feel of the earth, which is exactly what she wants them to do. In colors ranging from white to black and every earthy brown and red in between, her pots do not have the glossy finish associated with other types of pottery, probably because Sandy doesn’t use the same Crayolas. Beginning with a three-foot deep hole in the ground, she fills the pit with “stuff.”

By Rebecca French Smith

“Cow pies make a great mark,” Sandy says. She also uses coffee grounds, copper wire, copper carbonate, salt, sawdust, banana peels, and onion. She’s even tried dog food but didn’t get any color. She then arranges her thrown pottery in the pit with the compost, covers it with both large and small pieces of wood, and lights the fire. By burning the pit from the top down, the pots heat gradually, burn all night, and cool slowly, which is the best way to prevent thermal shock and breakage. “It speaks to me because it allows me to put a design on my pieces and allows Mother Nature and fire to do their work,” Sandy says. “I just get out of the way.” Once the pit has cooled, Sandy digs in to discover what she and nature have created. Vivid colors emerge from the ash, but Sandy has the last say. If she doesn’t like a piece, it goes back in the pit, and she tries again. “That’s one reason why I love it so much,” Sandy says, “the unexpected result. Everything plays into it: weather, compost, temperature. It allows nature to come into how the pieces are going to turn out.” Sandy relates this second-chance ability to her life, too. Now that the kids are grown, she says, “It’s my turn. Let’s see what I can do!” She still lets the teacher in her come out occasionally to pass on her hard-learned techniques. In fact, “The biggest joy I have is when I do a demonstration,” she says. “It’s the whole giving-back process of sharing what I do.” Sandy Schulz will be demonstrating pit-firing techniques at Faust Park at Chesterfield on September 20-21. Call 636-532-0242 or visit www.earthandwheel.com for more information.

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Great Missouri Art KIMBALL A RTS Wheel-Thrown, Hand-Built Pottery & Clay Monoprints

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BEST

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F E S T I VA L Save the date!

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Missouri Life, Inc. 515 E. Morgan St. ~ Boonville, MO 65233

Meet the Artist Reception

in gs D

Visit MissouriLife.com for updates & to enter a contest to win a “Best of Missouri Life� gift basket ($30 value). All you have to do is answer a simple question about the 2008 festival. Here’s a hint: “upstairs.� See you next year!

August 14 through September 14, 2008

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We’ll have the same great celebration of the best of Missouri culture through story, song, taste, & our famous Missouri characters.

Cox Gallery in the Gladys Woods Kemper Center for the Arts William Woods University One University Avenue • Fulton, Missouri

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ML

MISSOURI ARTIST

HILLBILLY TAOIST RON MARR’S workshop near Falcon, which is southeast of Lebanon, is a four-hundredsquare-foot shack with a dilapidated porch. Inside are a band saw, a table saw, and enough sawdust on the floor to alert a visitor that he’s been up to something. This is where Ron makes his music—rather, where he makes the instruments that make the music that so many of his customers love. Ron is a forty-eight-year-old woodworker, book and freelance writer, and self-proclaimed hillbilly Taoist. The guitars, dulcimers, wind harps, and door harps that he makes are sold throughout the country. He is also the brainchild behind Operation Iraq and Roll, a one-man show that sends cigar box guitars to soldiers in Iraq. Growing up in Bates County, Ron played the guitar, banjo, and drums. At the age of twelve, he began making his own wooden instruments with whatever he could get his hands on. Over the years, Ron aged (his hair and beard are now mostly gray), but his creativity did not. Ron Marr’s unique instruments are adorned with unlikely items, such as sink drains, tackle boxes, and fishing line, among others.

When most people see a tackle box, they think fish, but Ron thinks music. He has made instruments with such trinkets as cat bowls, mailboxes, cigar boxes, sink drains, tackle boxes, and fishing line, to name a few, along with using exotic and domestic wood. Whereas most woodworkers get their materials from supply companies, Ron likes to rummage for his. “I use a lot of weird hardware that not many people would think of,” Ron says. “I tend to make my own hardware.” Ron adds his own brass corners, carves headstocks, heats and bends the wood into multiple forms, and adds unique electronics and fixtures. “It’s whatever pops into my head at the moment,” Ron says. “You can make a guitar out of very simple things that are just laying around that will actually sound equal to or better than a production guitar.” Lori Hofman, a New Jersey music teacher who owns a wind harp and a door harp, says

By Rebecca Layne

they are novel instruments that sound like soft wind chimes. “He is just one of the most creative people I’ve ever met.” Although high praise like this might go to some people’s heads, Ron makes jokes at his expense with ease. “I hope these guitars aren’t ending up on the wall as folk art so that people can say, ‘look at what the crazy hillbilly has built,’ ” he says. Along with Ron’s humor comes his humility. More than a year ago, after reading an article about Iraq, Ron’s thoughts turned to the soldiers. Thinking they might get lonely and depressed, Ron recruited people from a Yahoo! cigar box guitar forum to aid him in making and sending cigar box guitars to Iraq. “Ron is truly a Renaissance man,” says Shane Speal, creator of the forum. “This is a guy who isn’t just a one-trick pony.” Ron Marr is also a Missouri Life columnist who writes Missouri Musings. Visit www.troutwrapper. com or call 417-453-6340 for more information.

Ron Is A Renaissan Man, Notce Just A One-Trick Pony.

COURTESY OF RON MARR; OPPOSITE: COURTESY OF SUSAN LESLIE LUMSDEN; COURTESY OF LYN PHARISS

FA L C O N A R T I S T F I N D S P O S S I B I L I T Y I N O R D I N A R Y O B J E C T S |

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celebrate

CreativitY By Sara Shahriari

Courtesy of Ron Marr; Opposite: courtesy of susan leslie lumsden; courtesy of lyn Phariss

ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, and other three-dimensional art forms join painting and drawing in the third Celebrating Creativity show at William Woods University at Fulton on August 14 through September 14. The exhibit of approximately one hundred items showcases outstanding works from the artists of Best of Missouri Hands. “I’m blown away by how the shows come together,” says Ellen Klamon, Celebrating Creativity show chairperson, jeweler, printmaker, and photographer. From the simple curves of a clay pitcher to the vibrant color of a handmade glass bead, the variety of work Hands’ artisans create gives the exhibit broad appeal. The show, held in the Mildred M. Cox Gallery at the university’s arts center, is in its third year. This year the William Woods University and Best of Missouri Hands agreed to make the exhibit a yearly event. The Best of Missouri Hands, founded in 1989, is an association of Missouri artisans. A “meet the artists” reception will be held from 2 to 4 pm in the gallery on September 14. Celebrating Creativity is held in The Cox Gallery at William Woods at Fulton. Admission is free. Yikes Stripes by Susan Leslie Lumsden was the 2007 first-place winner in the show.

The Light

K a n s a s C i t y a r t i s t pa i n t s p l e i n - a i r |

“I love the large oak trees and the winding roads that lead to who knows where,” says Lyn Hope Phariss, on why she often paints Missouri landscapes. Lyn began drawing as a child while growing up on a farm outside Green City. Her parents encouraged her creativity, but in later years, work and family left less time to pursue art. When Lyn and her husband retired and moved to the Lake of the Ozarks area, painting got its chance to take center stage— but at first, Lyn didn’t like how her works turned out. It took her years of practice to paint pictures with which she felt happy. Today Lyn is a prize-winning artist who works in watercolor, oil, acrylic, encaustic (painting with beeswax and pigment), and pastel. Working outdoors, also known as plein-air, painting Missouri or the Southwest landscapes in oils is Lyn’s current passion. “You appreciate everything around you so much more when you stop to look at it to paint,” she says. However, outdoor painting presents challenges not found

By Sara Shahriari

in the studio, from learning how to weigh a canvas down so that it doesn’t blow away to painting swiftly before the light changes or a sheep wanders away. Many of Lyn’s works are painted early in the morning or late in the evening, when she finds the light particularly beautiful. Inspired by Monet, Lyn paints with muted colors and creates soft forms familiar to anyone who has looked out over the Missouri River on a summer evening. Lyn frequently paints on six-by-eight- to eleven-by-fourteen-inch canvases, which she says are perfect for the collector or decorator who doesn’t want a painting that dominates a room. Lyn continues to scout new landscapes and organize exhibitions of her work and has no plans to stop. “It’s not just that I like it anymore; I need to paint,” she says. “I get a lot of peace out of it, but there is hard work. I’m still learning.” Visit www.lynphariss.com for more information. From top: Evening on the Niangua represents Lyn Phariss’s ability to capture the light on the river.

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S K O O B I R U O S S I Mional Authors, Locations, or Topics

Reg

A LITTLE ROMANCE By Amy Stapleton

Catch a Rising Star

name. When Walker makes a daring escape from prison, rides out

By Tracey Bateman, Hachette Book Group, 276 pages, $12.99 softcover

a raging flood, and kills (with his bare hands!) and eats a snake, you know you are really in a romance novel. He then arrives home

What do bunny suits and soap operas have in common? Meet

just in time to expose the lying, cheating fiancée, rescue the saloon

Tabby Brockman, an actress with morals who is trying to make a

girl, save the ranch, and marry the girl of his dreams.

difference in the sordid world of soap opera drama.

A prolific writer of romance novels, Missouri author Bobbi Smith

We meet Tabby after a grudge-holding writer kills off her char-

has more than forty to her name. Bobbi brings to life all of the

acter from Legacy of Life, and she is trying to make ends meet

best characteristics of a true romance novel: intrigue, mistaken

by wearing a very itchy bunny suit and reading to children, who

identity, fast horses, daring escapes, honest sheriffs, drunken

she does not interact with very well. Her luck doesn’t seem to get

cowpokes, and of course, passion.

any better as her life fills up with one last straw after another: an emergency appendectomy, an overbearing mom, an unwanted boyfriend, a pushy fitness trainer, a two-timing co-star, and an embarrassing moment or two. Then something miraculous happens. She gets her job back! Low and behold, she learns to like children, her siblings meet the loves of their lives, her parents are proud of everyone, her roommate gets her dream job, and romance ensues. All the while, Tabby is able to laugh at the antics involved. She also finds that her morals and values can stay intact even in the somewhat questionable world of daytime drama. She learns that life goes on. Tabby discovers the meaning behind “salt and light.” Reveling in her newly found love of life and all of its twists and turns, she reminds us that she will take that Emmy if they offer it to her even if it is in a bunny suit. Tracey Bateman, a member of American Christian Fiction Writers since the early days of its inception, uses her main character to show us that we can make a difference just by being kind.

Wanted! The Half-Breed By Bobbi Smith, Dorchester Publishing Co., 287 pages, $7.99 softcover What young girl hasn’t climbed up on her bed with a romance novel and giggled at the romance playing out in her imagination? There is nothing quite like a gaggle of girls and a romance novel or two. Young Wind Walker immediately draws the reader into the story, along with the soon-to-be heroine, Veronica; his spirited half-sister, Stacy; and the rest of the cast of characters. The first stolen kisses begin a perilous journey to find a murderer and clear Walker’s

[152] MissouriLife

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MissouriLife

Books

For

e l a S

The Civil War’s First Blood $29.95 144 pages, 143 illus., softcover

Written for novices and Civil War buffs alike, The Civil Warʼs First Blood: Missouri, 1854-1861 takes a readerʼs hand and walks them down back roads, through swamps and prairies, and over hills to experience the war that pitted Missourian against Missourian.

Seaman’s Journey $24.95 144 pages, softcover

Children in grades 5 to 8 will learn a little math, a little language arts, a little science, and oh yes, a little history along the way with Seaman, the faithful companion of Meriwether Lewis, in Seamanʼs Journey with Lewis and Clark.

Lewis and Clark’s Journey Across Missouri $24.95

T

he churches of Missouri are a lot like the state’s residents: Each one has a unique history and a story to tell. Some began as log cabin structures or in the homes of its first members. Others served as hospitals during the Civil War or in some other way are linked to the history of our state. Before these important parts of the state’s landscape disappear forever, the staff of Rural Missouri set out to preserve the heritage of Missouri’s churches and their members. We asked our readers to send in photos and information about their churches, and they responded. Rural Missouri is pleased to announce the publication of a new book created from these submissions and titled “Faith of our Fathers: The Churches of Missouri.” This beautiful 180-page, 8-1/2 inch by 11 inch, limited edition hardcover book by Linda Kerns is available now. Going beyond mere photos of buildings, this book highlights symbols of our faith, people of faith, church traditions such as baptisms, weddings and socials, along with many historic images. There are hundreds of churches included, representing most of the faiths of Missouri. The book can be ordered by filling out the form below and mailing it along with payment to the Rural Missouri office. Or, you can order through our secure Web site at www.ruralmissouri.coop/ RMstorefront.html.

114 pages, 124 illus, softcover

This beautifully photographed and illustrated book explores in depth Lewis and Clarkʼs time in Missouri, through journal excerpts, one-of-a-kind maps made by nationally known geographer James Harlan that locate the Corps of Discoveryʼs campsites, and an along-theriver guide for travelers who wish to explore the historic towns, state parks, and other points of interest. Plus tax, shipping, and handling

800-492-2593, ext. 102 missourilife.com

Faith of our Fathers: The Churches of Missouri

Send check or money order for $35 per book (plus $6 shipping and handling for 1 to 5 books) to: Faith of our Fathers, c/o Rural Missouri, P.O. box 1645, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Call 573-635-6857 ext. 3423 for more information or to order by phone. Name:________________________________________ Address:_______________________________________ Phone:_____________________ # of books ________

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U RPlaNcesAL U RIOuJO SOing MISMe r Special an of The

REFUGE AND HOPE U T O P I A N I D E A L S FA S H I O N H I S T O R I C B E T H E L C O L O N Y |

BETHEL GERMAN COLONY, located about forty-five miles west of Hannibal, was founded in 1844 by a charismatic religious leader named Wilhelm Keil. It is Missouri’s finest contribution to a fascinating American tradition. During the first half of the nineteenth century, young America witnessed the establishment of many such Utopian communities, like the Shakers or New Harmony, Indiana. A Greek word meaning “no place,” Utopias offer both refuge and hope during periods of deep, dislocating social change. During the Renaissance, for example, Sir Thomas More envisioned an island Utopia where people held

everything in common. The American frontier provided a vast New World laboratory for actually establishing such ideal communities, usually Protestant in origin, isolated from the corrupt world and held together tightly by the harsh demands of survival. Enlightenment philosopher John Locke observed, “In the beginning, all the world was America.” Satisfied people don’t usually found Utopian communities. America was the Great Do-Over, settled by the disrespected and dispossessed. As a youngest son, Wilhelm Keil would inherit no family land. However, in America this ambitious young man could

By W. Arthur Mehrhoff

become whomever he wanted to be. During his lifetime he changed occupations, even identities, many times. In Germany, he was a milliner; in New York, a tailor; in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a druggist and healer, becoming known as Dr. Keil. He then became a Methodist preacher before founding his own sect with people who split from Father George Rapp’s Harmonist Society (founders of New Harmony). Like other From left: Built in the mid-1800s, this private residence was part of the original colony. Elim was the home of Dr. Wilhelm Keil, the colony founder. The Bair House is part of a historic tour and houses many original artifacts.

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highly religious persons caught up in America’s Second Great Awakening, Keil regarded himself a messenger of God.

COURTESY OF BETHEL COLONY MUSEUM

ERRAND INTO THE WILDERNESS Yet even charismatic leaders need willing followers. One American of this period complained: “We Americans love liberty too well to join societies such as these. What are they but pure despotisms, where all are subject to the will of one man, a few leaders, or even a woman? ... We Americans are a go-ahead people, not to be confined anywhere or stopped by anything!” However, progress also ripped longstanding social safety nets, so Keil’s message of mutual responsibility—do unto others as you would have them do unto you—held strong appeal. Bethel made careful provisions for housing, child care, labor, food, and medicine. Many Bethel colonists were skilled German artisans, threatened by the depression of the 1830s and

emerging factories of the 1840s. What some considered progress, Keil’s followers regarded as threats to their livelihoods. Keil and his followers sold their property and journeyed to the sparsely settled Missouri frontier. Near the North River, they acquired land and a gristmill. They also dug five living wells—deep shafts dug deep into the limestone rock strata to access moving water; Bethel used this purified water until about ten years ago, when demand finally exceeded capacity. In autumn 1844, Keil and a few followers settled into an existing house for the winter. Other colonists arrived the following spring, especially the skilled workers who built the community buildings, houses, and other structures from brick fashioned near the settlement. For example, the Forstner family had built many structures in New Harmony, Indiana, and soon did the same in Bethel Colony. These houses (two per block, with the rest of the land avail-

able for raising food) typically had two rooms upstairs and two rooms down, with a central hallway, although each brick mason displayed his distinctive pattern. For these artisans, Bethel Colony served as the “safety valve” described by American historian Frederick Jackson Turner, releasing social and economic pressures building up in rapidly industrializing cities. Like Mormon settlements around that time, Bethel Colony offered members a clear, strong social network. Each family received a house; each person worked according to his skill and ability. However, as first among equals, Keil ruled from a hilltop house named Elim, from which he adjudicated all legal, social, and religious matters. Bethel Colony stores distributed food each Saturday and clothing in the spring and the fall. Primarily an agricultural village, its division of labor gave the colony a competitive advantage against surrounding settlements. Bethel Colony fully employed its skilled workers

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ML

MISSOURI JOURNAL

From left: Original colony pieces are on display at the Bair House. A dry sink and dining room at the Bethel Colony Musuem exhibit the colonists’ daily life. A self-portrait of Julius Miller, the son of Moses Miller for whom the last home in the colony was built, sits on an easel in the museum.

running the gristmill and sawmill, a tannery, a tailor shop you can still visit, blacksmith shop, some textile looms, and its famous distillery. Not surprisingly, Bethel Colony dominated regional trade and was widely known for high quality products such as wagons and musical instruments. Like any good German community, the sound of music filled Bethel; its band is reportedly the oldest west of the Mississippi River. The village celebrated traditional festivals such as May Day and a harvest festival, often parading from the river up to Elim. By 1855, the Society of Bethel grew to 650 people and nearly five thousand acres of land. Perhaps also not surprisingly, Keil turned his attentions to founding another religious colony, this time in the new, golden land of Oregon. In 1855, he led twenty-five wagons overland toward the Oregon Territory. A wagon carrying the coffin of his eldest son Willie led the procession. Keil had promised Willie he could ride in the lead wagon to Oregon, but the young man died just before the journey. So colonists built Willie a lead-lined coffin and filled it with the colony’s Golden Rule whiskey to preserve his body. Thus Keil kept his word to young Willie,

with a combination of iron will and Golden Rule that hints at Keil’s charismatic power. Keil eventually settled his followers in Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley and named the new colony Aurora, after his daughter. For the next two decades, he governed Aurora and Bethel with his iron will. After Keil’s death, the Society of Bethel officially disbanded in 1879, but its story does not end there.

KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE Bethel Colony is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and Historic Bethel Colony, Inc., owns several of the thirty original buildings. In many ways, though, Bethel depends more upon its storytellers than its buildings. Many of its best interpreters are descendants of original colonists, like amazingly resilient and knowledgeable ninety-five-year-old Lucille Bower, whose grandmother told her stories about life in old Bethel. Local historian Liz Bradley proved a remarkably energetic tour guide though confined to her wheelchair. Marilyn Shouse showed us every nook and cranny of several key sites, shining new light into the shadowy past. While not every building

is in top form, Bethel’s storytellers certainly are. Bethel is more a Brigadoon than a Colonial Williamsburg, as much an idea as a place. Historic Bethel Colony, Inc., conducts tours and special events throughout the year in which the entire town participates and tells its stories. Its Fiddle Camp and Festival attract national participation and attention; its Heritage Fest slows time to celebrate traditional crafts like making fresh apple butter. Unlike Colonial Williamsburg, Bethel is not a careful period restoration and tourist center but a real community coping with another shockwave of rapid economic and social change. One hundred and fifty years ago, the Society of Bethel offered an ideal village to cope with the challenges of industrialization. Perhaps the new trend toward heritage tourism, with its emphasis upon caring for unique natural and cultural resources while honoring traditional crafts, may once again tap a living well and offer Bethel a second coming of its own history. The Bethel Heritage Festival will take place Labor Day weekend, and the Fest Hall Restaurant is open daily. Tours are available by reservation. Call 660-284-6493 for more information.

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courtesy of bethel colony musuem

Unlike Colonial Williamsburg, Bethel is not a careful period restoration and tourist center but a real community.

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OLD BRICK HOUSE Daily luncheon buffet Dining Steaks & seafood Corner Third & Market

573-883-2724

The Stained Glass Shop Custom-designed leaded windows, sun catchers, supplies, and repairs. -ERCHANT 3TREET s 3TE 'ENEVIEVE -/

s STAINEDGLASS SHOP SBCGLOBAL NET

Microtel Inn & Suites a place to linger

199 North Main, Ste. Genevieve t XXX JWZBOEUXJHT DPN

Belle Haven, the Spa at Chaumette ~ a special place where indulgence and well-being come together!

24345 State Route WW www.BelleHavenSpa.com 573-747-1900

Hotel Ste. Genevieve

UĂŠ{Ă“ĂŠ`ÂœĂ•LÂ?iĂŠ Ă€ÂœÂœÂ“ĂƒĂŠĂœÂˆĂŒÂ…ĂŠ ¾ÕiiÂ˜Â‡ĂƒÂˆâi`ĂŠ Li`Ăƒ UĂŠĂˆĂŠ-Ă•ÂˆĂŒiĂƒ UĂŠ*…œ˜iĂƒĂŠĂœÂˆĂŒÂ…ĂŠ “œ`i“ÊÂ?>VÂŽ UĂŠ ÂœÂ“ÂŤÂ?ˆ“iÂ˜ĂŒ>ÀÞÊ Â“ÂœĂ€Â˜ÂˆÂ˜}ĂŠVÂœvvii ÂœV>ĂŒi`ĂŠÂ˜i>Àʓ>Â˜ĂžĂŠ>Ă€i>ĂŠ>ĂŒĂŒĂ€>VĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ĂƒĂŠ >˜`ĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ ÂˆĂƒĂŒÂœĂ€ÂˆVĂŠ ˆ˜ˆ˜}ĂŠ ÂˆĂƒĂŒĂ€ÂˆVĂŒ°

Ó£™xnĂŠ ˆ}Â…Ăœ>ÞÊÎÓÊUĂŠxÇ·nn·nnn{ /ÂœÂ?Â?ĂŠ Ă€iiĂŠvÂœĂ€ĂŠĂ€iĂƒiÀÛ>ĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ĂƒĂŠnnn‡ÇÇ£‡Ç£Ç£

Somewhere Inn Time

STEIGER JEWELERS INC Diamonds s Watches Jewelry s Gifts

2EMOUNTING s !PPRAISALS s %NGRAVING 0RECIOUS -OMENTS s *EWELRY 2EPAIR

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-ERCHANT s 3TE 'ENEVIEVE /PEN -ON 3AT AM PM

The Anvil Saloon &ULL 3ERVICE 2ESTAURANT "AR Open Daily 11 AM-8 PM Weekends 11 AM-9 PM Sunday 11 AM-8 PM Third Street On the Square In Historic Ste. Genevieve, MO s -ADELINE *ETT /WNER

Rosemary & Thyme Cooking School Offering a variety of specialized classes. Maximum of 8 seatings by reservation only. Next to the Show Me Shop. 3OUTH -AIN 3TREET s yvonnelemire@sbcglobal.net

ĂŠ-/, /ĂŠ

Bed & Breakfast -iÂ?iVĂŒi`ĂŠ iĂƒĂŒĂŠ E ĂŠĂ“ääÇ LÞÊ,i>`iĂ€ĂƒĂŠÂœvĂŠ INSIDERxÇÎ life&style magazine

Set in the dÊcor of yesterday is one of today’s finest restaurants. Steaks & seafood since 1901

Corner Main & Merchant • 573-883-3562

Award-winning, two-story colonial home possesses the charm and beauty of the 1920s along with the comfort of the present.

*EFFERSON s www.somewhereinntime.info

ÂœV>ĂŒi`ĂŠÂˆÂ˜ĂŠ ÂˆĂƒĂŒÂœĂ€ÂˆV -ĂŒi°ĂŠ i˜iĂ›ÂˆiĂ›i

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Bolduc House Museum Shop ĂŠ1Â˜ÂˆÂľĂ•iĂŠ-Â…ÂœÂŤĂŠĂœÂˆĂŒÂ…ĂŠ >ĂŠ Ă€i˜VÂ…ĂŠ Â?>ÂˆĂ€ vi>ĂŒĂ•Ă€ÂˆÂ˜}ĂŠ iÂ˜Ă€ÂˆÂœĂŒĂŠ +Ă•ÂˆÂ“ÂŤiÀÊv>ˆi˜Vi]ĂŠ Ăƒ>Â˜ĂŒÂœÂ˜Ăƒ]ĂŠĂƒÂœ>ÂŤĂƒ]ĂŠ LÂœÂœÂŽĂƒ]ĂŠÂ…iĂ€LĂƒ]ĂŠ}>Ă€`iÂ˜ĂŠ >VViĂƒĂƒÂœĂ€ÂˆiĂƒ]ĂŠ>˜`ĂŠ ÂœĂŒÂ…iĂ€ĂŠĂŒÂ…ÂˆÂ˜}ĂƒĂŠ Ă€i˜VÂ…

ÂŁĂ“xĂŠ-°ĂŠ >ÂˆÂ˜ĂŠUĂŠ-ĂŒi°ĂŠ i˜iĂ›ÂˆiĂ›i]ĂŠ "ĂŠĂˆĂŽĂˆĂ‡äĂŠUĂŠxÇ·nn·Σäx

Taste our farmstead artisan goat cheeses: Available at Soulard Market and Clayton Farmer’s Market in St. Louis, and many wineries and ďŹ ne stores in the St. Louis and Sainte Genevieve areas.

573-483-9021 baetjefarms@earthlink.net

8932 Jackson School Rd. • Bloomsdale, MO 63627

First Settlement Country Store Quality antiques featuring primitives, glassware, jewelry, toys, and much more. 233 Merchant Street

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Pizza • Pastas • Samiches

Ste Genevieve

MODOC Ferry 800-373-7007

573-883-5749 261 Merchant Street Ste. Genevieve, MO

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March – November Monday – Saturday 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

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Your Ol’ Time Candy and Gift Store! 'JOF $IPDPMBUFT t %JFUFUJD $BOEJFT /PTUBMHJD $BOEZ t (JGU *UFNT www.stegensweethings.com .BSLFU 4U t

MĂŠlange

123 Merchant Street, Suite A 573-883-7919

www.inkleinedtostamp.com e-mail: pam@inkleinedtostamp.com NATIONAL AWARD-WINNING STORE

WoodWick Candles & Reed Diffusers, Jim Shore’s Heartwood Creek, custom stone plaques & crosses, monogram coasters, dip chillers, home dÊcor, and other gift items; Ste. Genevieve souvenir magnets, mugs, and t-shirts; 1000s of art rubber stamps & supplies.

Home of InKleined To Stamp

The

3outhern (otel

“A few of our favorite things�

Lunch Cafe Homemade desserts Truly unique gifts • Antiques

198 North Main

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573-883-3096 10 South Main • Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670

Le Pavillon Old World Elegance

Banquets, receptions, events, weddings (bride’s boudoir and groom’s room) Tea Garden and Cocktail Cove Adjacent to Catholic Church on the Historic Town Square.

Here the past is carefully blended with modern comforts to make your stay a very special experience.

305 Merchant Street

A Historic B & B 3 RD 3T s www.southernhotelbb.com

314-497-5432

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TRIanVdIAAnswers

Questions

FOOD FOR THOUGHT By Sara Shahriari

1. 2. 3.

Which mushroom prompts spring

6.

original formula contained a mood-

Where in Missouri did toasted ravioli

stabilizing drug?

become a sensation?

7.

St. Joseph’s George Washington Chase,

8.

who invented Cherry Mash around 1918, wasn’t a confectioner by trade. What was his day job? 4.

What Missouri native pioneered new uses for the peanut?

5.

Which St. Louis-born soft drink’s

searching in Missouri?

What is Missouri’s official nut? When did the first edible ice cream cone debut?

9.

Made at St. Joseph by the Pearl Milling Company, what was the first ready-mix food to be sold commercially?

10. What is the name of the largest beer-

What high-earning Missouri cash crop

producing plant in the nation, located

delights vegetarians?

at St. Louis?

1. The morel. 2. The Hill at St. Louis. 3. A doctor. 4. George Washington Carver. 5. Soybeans. 6. 7UP. 7. Eastern black walnut. 8. In 1904 at the World’s Fair at St. Louis. 9. Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix. 10. Anheuser-Busch.

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Espresso Regular Coffee Chai Latte Café Latte Hot Chocolate French Vanilla Cappuccino Cappuccino Café Mocha French Vanilla Mocha Chai Tea French Vanilla Latte Chai Mocha

We have a program for you! Call now, let’s talk! Espresso-Etc! of St. Louis 314-732-4343 www.espresso-etc.com [160] MissouriLife

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August 3

September 12

Missouri State Criterium Championship

2nd Tour of Missouri - Stage Finish

Summer Movie Festival “ET� - on the Capitol South Lawn

Missouri River Regional Library Cultural Concert - on the Capitol South Lawn

“Men of the Club� Boys and Girls Club of Jefferson City

Missouri River Regional Library Wild West Days

Missouri River Regional Library Cultural Concert-on the Capitol South Lawn

Easter Seal’s Walk With Me

August 8

September 12

August 14

September 20

August 15

September 20 September 27

August 21-24

Capital City Jazz Fest

August 23

Old Munichberg Octoberfest

Art in the Park - 830 East High

September 27

American Heart Association’s Start! Jefferson City Heart Walk

August 29

September 27

Cruisin’ for MDA – 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Missouri River Regional Library Cultural Concert - on the Capitol South Lawn

August 30

Cruisin’ for MDA 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

573-291-3524 P.O. Box 652, Jefferson City, MO 65102

www.DowntownJeffersonCity.com

Thank you Jefferson City! Our newly extended hours are: Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. An Internet CafÊ Specializing in Fresh Foods, Premium Coffees, Wines and Beers.

306 E. High Street • Jefferson City, MO

Our gift is making you the perfect gift-giver. No. 110 East High Street Jefferson City, Missouri 65101 573.659.GIFT (4438) www.southbankgifts.com email: southbank@socket.net

A rtVenture Studio Original Fine Art & Decorative Objects d’Art by the artist Dublene Original Paintings & Prints Abstract • Equine • Landscape 112 East High Street Jefferson City, MO Handmade Cast Paper 573-301-9932 Wall Plates, Vases, Bowls, Sculptures & Greeting Cards

t & )JHI 4USFFU t +FGGFSTPO $JUZ .0

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Midwest Travel Consultants Ă“äÇÊ >ĂƒĂŒĂŠ ˆ}Â…ĂŠ-ĂŒĂ€iiĂŒĂŠUĂŠ ivviĂ€ĂƒÂœÂ˜ĂŠ ÂˆĂŒĂž]ĂŠ "ĂŠĂˆx£ä£

xĂ‡ĂŽÂ‡ĂˆĂŽx‡Î™™xĂŠUĂŠĂœĂœĂœ° ˆ`ĂœiĂƒĂŒ/Ă€>Ă›iÂ?°ĂŒĂ€>Ă›iÂ? "˜Â?ˆ˜iĂŠLœœŽˆ˜}ĂŠ>Ă›>ˆÂ?>LÂ?i

ART

&

ANTIQUES ON HIGH

We sell books the old fashioned way We read them!

FINE ART • MURALS • TROMPE L’OEIL EUROPEAN & AMERICAN ANTIQUES • ORIENTAL RUGS

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573-291-1186 • 573-999-2596

125 East High Street • Jefferson City, MO 65101

124 EAST HIGH STREET • JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65101

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NGS U RI YoMurUCoSI MISCoSO nsideration gitation for

Ozark

THE SKY IS FALLING By Ron Marr

perversion of its culture and the erosion of its society. At one time or another the collective mind-set of virtually every tribe, city, city-state, or nation has settled upon the conclusion that life was on the verge of physical, emotional, and intellectual extinction. You can look back as far as you like; it matters not whether your way-back machine focuses on the days of the pharaohs, renegade tsars, online tarot, or hybrid cars. Eventually you’ll discover a point— again, in each generation—where our planet’s residents decided they had hit rock bottom. You can research this on your own, for I’ve not the space to detail the infinite “end of the world” scenarios that man has concocted over the millennia. Suffice it to say, there is historical evidence that illustrates, in no uncertain terms, the odd propensity of humans to run in circles, scream and shout, and declare that the day of reckoning is nigh upon us. And usually, the supplicants of impending Ragnarok place the blame for our upcoming obliteration squarely on the shoulders of … us. No, I’m not talking about the ramblings of a few crazy folk who whiled away the hours guzzling homemade pomegranate wine while living in the bulrushes behind King Tut’s tomb. I’m referring to a statistically significant number of individuals regarded as the leading thinkers of their times. The movers and the shakers. The Big Kahunas of industry and invention. It was no different back-when (and pick any “when,” it doesn’t matter) than it is now. I’ve wondered about this example of quasi-insanity quite a bit lately. These thoughts arose partly because I was amusing myself with a study of the doomsday prognostications that have gripped our world’s population since time immemorial. Mostly though, they were spurred on by the incessant yammering of politicians, celebrities, and media spokescritters over how the world will end within ten years unless we all purchase high-dollar light bulbs that look like ice cream cones, trade in our cars for a lop-eared mule, and go make nice with every tree, bush, tick, blade of grass, water moccasin, and patch of algae that we have offended with our callous disregard for environmental awareness. Earth is dying, we are told. Our globe is sick, we are told. It’s all man’s fault, we are told. Yup … and I’m able to fly, read minds, turn lead to gold, and recite (backward) the collected works of Homer, Shakespeare, and Bazooka Joe. I’m not green. Furthermore, I’m offended by the entire green move-

ment. It strikes me that the leaders of the green movement care far more about the type of green that goes in their bank account than they do global warming, global cooling, climate change, or whatever name it is that “scam” happens to be going under these days. But, as Cheetah taught us: “Monkey see, monkey do.” Leaders need followers, and since followers have never been a commodity in short supply, there are plenty of people literally begging to jump on the green bandwagon. What’s more, the followers honestly and nervously believe the malarkey that the earth is about to croak. I think I figured out why. Again, I invite you to study history. Armageddon mania has generally arrived in conjunction with, or shortly after, a time of great change and technological innovation. Often, the craze takes a form in diametric opposition to whatever that innovation happens to be. Not so coincidentally, the great vicissitude that has swept the planet in the past decade has been the internet and internet-related products. The primary draw of these creations is that they allow the average Joe to live not in the real world, but to reside in countless, fanciful, virtual worlds. Why then should it come as any surprise that those who live in a “perfect” virtual world tend to believe there is something wrong with the imperfect real world? Why, the real world must be sick. And since we’ve ignored it, the disease is our fault. Can you say “backlash?” No worries, gentle reader. The dire predictions of the little green minions are nothing but the latest response to technological alterations that occurred too rapidly for our fragile psyches to fully comprehend. It’s just the latest apocalypse in the series … no big deal … especially since this time, it’s virtual. Besides, if the earth were to die, where the Ron Marr heck would we bury it?

ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD RENO

EACH GENERATION in the history of man has pondered the

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OUR COURSES ARE LEGENDARY

Whether you’re in the mood for an 18-hole course or a 4 course meal, the Lodge of Four Seasons proudly offers the best the Lake of the Ozarks has to offer.

Play. Dine. Enjoy. We’ve thought of everything else. Rooms start at $119

Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks 1-800-THE-LAKE (800-843-5253) www.4seasonsresort.com [163] August 2008

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dramatic views

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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