Missouri Life October/November 2007 by Missouri Life Magazine

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September 21-22 September 28-29 October 5-6 October 12-13 October 20 October 26-29 November 1-3

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America Dr. John POCO Arlo Guthrie Dave Mason The Guess Who The Ozark Mountain Daredevils

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CONTENTS Features

October 2007

40  Lodges on the Meramec

Our King of the Road John Robinson visits historic lodges, discovers living room concerts, floats the Meramec River, and revisits Times Beach.

44  Autumn Impressions

Photographer Mike McArthy shares his passion for the Ozarks and nature in his images of Mina Sauk Falls, the Falls at Black Mountain, and more.

48  Branson’s First Family

The Presley family was the first to build a theater on the now-famous Highway 76, back when it was open countryside. They just celebrated forty years there.

60  Thong Trees

Are they American Indian legacies or natural growth? Explore the reasoning on both sides.

64  Star Bull Riders

Missouri has some of the best bull riders in the country. Meet top-rated Dusty Hall and three others.

76  Bookworm Bliss

Visit 7 unique bookstores with specialties ranging from Mark Twain and rare books to murder mysteries.

Departments 21  Missouri Medley

Jane Froman, Douglas County sesquicentennial, a Sac and Fox touring exhibit, and Jazzabillies

36  Missouri Museum

The only World War I museum in the country

38  Made in Missouri Lake of the Ozarks caviar

68  Civil War Series

The Dred Scott trial at St. Louis

108  Missouri Cuisine

ANITA NEAL HARRISON

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9 Awe-Inspiring Vistas e Our guide takes you to som of the best scenic views all around the state, just in time for fall color.

Where to find game for Thanksgiving and recipes

Showcase Section 81  What’s New on Campus

Special programs for freshmen, green campuses, a new visual and performing arts center, most productive research faculty, a film-making minor, and more

94  Homecomings

The first homecoming and traditions from schools all around the state

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CONTENTS

October 2007

Departments

11  Your Letters

100  Missouri Artists

12  Missouri Memo

116  Missouri Wine

Reading the Rocks, but not in Latin, and floating on the Missouri River

Managing Editor Rebecca Smith’s musings about college and the future of her four children.

19  Missouri Symbol

Missouri mules and why they are stubborn—and smart to be that way

27  All Around Missouri

Almost 100 festivals and events in our calendar, including “Princess for a Day” at the Titanic museum at Branson and a special exhibit of several presidents’ treasures at the Truman Library at Independence

73  Dream Homes

Historic luxury at Columbia, Hannibal, and Lexington

75  Show-Me Getaways

A Branson bed-and-breakfast with gourmet food and a great view of Lake Taneycomo and Country Boulevard

79  Trivia

A Branson biography

A Springfield muralist, a Lebanon woodworker, and a glassmaking jeweler at St. Louis

State Fair surprises

121  Missouri Books

Just in time for Halloween: A ghostly guide to the ShowMe State’s most spirited spots

122  Missouri Journal

Main Streets, downtowns, and what makes them unique, plus the Governor’s DREAM initiative

126  Show-Me Health

New treatments for breast cancer at Missouri hospitals

128  Missouri Marketplace

Missouri playing cards, digital photo art, organic body butters, and a tasty salad dressing

130  Missouri Musings

What do you really want, and why our columnist says he’s too poor to pay attention Cover Photo: Glade Top Trail by Mike McArthy

. This Issue at MissouriLife com

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“Oldies but Goodies” Places to Go Find great fall destinations in our online article archive. Just a couple of examples are the WPA Road Tour or the Iron Mountain Railway.

Submit your own special places Look under Online Extras to accept an invitation from our Missouri Journal columnist to tell us about your special places.

Find a New Recipe Find a new recipe for roasted or smoked pork tenderloin with ham and cheese under Online Extras on the home page. See archive recipes, too.

Missouri Life Lines Sign up for our new e-newsletter. We’ll send you short stories and announce new events and Missouri-made products between issues.

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Ring in the holidays at Noon, 4 or 8pm aboard the Showboat Branson Belle, November 1 - December 30! You’ll set sail on a festive two-hour cruise featuring a delicious three-course meal and one Showstopping Christmas Production. Plus, laugh along with Todd Oliver and his talking dogs as they spread a little Christmas cheer on evening cruises!

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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 Jeremy Goldmeier, Aja J. Junior Contributing Writers John Fisher, Doug Frost, Dawn Klingensmith, Ron W. Marr, Arthur Mehrhoff, John Robinson, Karen Mitcham-Stoeckley

Art & Production Creative Director Andrew Barton Art Director Shea Bryant Assistant Art Director Megan Elder

Advertising Senior Account Managers Sherry Broyles, 800-492-2593, ext. 107 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 Accounting Lammers & Associates CPAs, P.C. 660-882-6000 Webmaster Insite Advice, www.insiteadvice.com

MISSOURI LIFE, Vol. 34, No. 5, October 2007 (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. © 2007 Missouri Life. All rights reserved. Printed in Missouri.

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�� HISTORIC

DOWNTOWN

�� MISSOURI

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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 •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.

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

Reprints Missouri Life provides reprints on highquality 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

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YOU R LETTER S

Sharing Opinions & Your Stories

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‘Read Rocking the easier s’ is wh th speaeky don'etn Latin .

RIVER REUNION

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Just wanted to let you know how much fun we had on our float trip on the Mighty Mo. We had a crew that consisted mainly of Dave’s (my husband’s) cousins from Kansas, Lake Ozark, St. Louis, and Salisbury, and our daughter Tara. We read your article in the June issue of Missouri Life and thought it would be a lot of fun. It was a great time, and we hope to do it again in the fall. We had Paul as our guide, and he was very knowledgeable about the river. We just wanted to let you know what a great article you did on the Mighty Mo. Kay Harris, Fayette

I loved the article on Missouri geology (Reading the Rocks, August 2007). I’m going to bring it with me so I can go visit some of those places. It was well written for regular people to understand. Most geologists sound like they are speaking Latin. Pat Stapleton, Sacramento, CA

Send Us a Letter Fax: 660-882-9899

BRIAN GOSEWISCH

E-mail: info@missourilife.com Address:

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EMO MISSOTalUesRBeIhinM d the Stories Telling the

LEAVING THE NEST Sometimes I wish I were more like an eagle when it comes to my kids. I read recently how eagles seem to know, without hesitation or ambivalence, when it’s time to “encourage” the eaglet out of the nest. They don’t push; they make leaving the nest necessary for survival by not bringing dinner as often, and the eaglet must leave the nest for food. As we sat down to plan this year’s higher education guide, I thought of my four boys and the day when my husband and I will encourage them out of the nest. We’re not quite there, but as parents, there are many things that we will want to know before making a final decision

with our son about his college choice. Is it the best place for my son (or daughter, had I been so blessed) for his chosen career path? What sort of opportunities will he have there? What types of scholarships and aid are available? Missouri has some of the best institutions of higher learning in the nation (such as MU’s School of Journalism, my alma mater), and this year we focus on What’s New (page 81) at campuses across the state. We searched for news that told us not only what was new but what made it significant to parents and students alike. We chose topics, such as filmmaking, health care, and renewable energy, to highlight the diversity in opportunities that can be found

in-state. But perhaps my favorite is the piece on the schools that are recognized for programs that assist freshmen in their assimilation into college life—their flight out of the nest. Alas, my oldest will, no doubt, begin looking at colleges this year. I’m thankful that I still have some time. He turns sixteen this month … first things first.

DANITA ALLEN WOOD

By Rebecca French Smith, Managing Editor

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Helping you celebrate life’s most joyous occasions since 1941. [13] October 2007

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Special Advertising Section • www.visitcolumbiamo.com

ONLY

IN COLUMBIA Unique. One of a kind. That item or experience you just can’t get anywhere else. Here’s a sampler of the many well-known favorites and unique newcomers you’ll find only in Columbia, Missouri.

The Butterfly Tattoo, which offers “presents with presence” (and not tattoos) has become a must-stop in Columbia for designer bags, jewelry and the hottest trends in nursery décor. By the time you read this, owner Amanda Vander Tuig will be back from her buying trip to New York with more bags, rugs, necklaces and hip baby clothes to stock her shop at the corner of Walnut and Ninth St. Also shop online at www.thebutterflytattoo.com.

In The District, four local artists have gone together to open the unique and eclectic Spare Parts Gallery at 8 S. Ninth St. Coowners Lisa Bartlett, Stephanie Foley, Doug Freeman and Jessie Lawson mix antique and vintage furniture and household items with an ever-changing exhibit of art from more than 30 local artists and independent craftspeople at quite affordable prices.

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There’s only one place in mid-Missouri to get that perfect costume for Halloween or for going to a Renaissance festival in style – Gotcha! at 27 N. 10th St. in Columbia. The 12-year-old shop, which sells and rents unique costumes and novelties, even extends its hours in October to seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (It’s open the rest of the year from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday.) Owner Aaro Froese predicts pirates will be big again this fall, savvy?

Columbia Hometown Food Favorites Ask any alum (well, mid-50s or younger) who’s moved away from Columbia what he or she misses most – and odds are the answer will be Shakespeare’s Pizza, a fixture in this college town since 1973. It’s also likely to be one of their first stops when they come back through (or move back, lucky ducks). Now they have a choice of two locations – Shakespeare’s mothership at the corner of Ninth and Elm next to the University of Missouri campus, or the new Shakespeare’s West, “623 feet west of Hy-Vee Liquor” off West Broadway. Come for the pizza, the atmosphere, the wry attitude of the copy on the table tent cards (that you can also read on the eccentric and always entertaining web site, www.shakespeares. com). You won’t go away hungry or without the opportunity to take home a frozen pie, a trademark Shakespeare’s shirt, the omnipresent Shake’s cups or even an old chair.

Special Advertising Section • www.visitcolumbiamo.com

Happen to like orchid plants? And art? Then you’ll love Orchids & Art, one of the very few places in Missouri where you can add to your orchid collection. Plus, you can buy original paintings, photographs and mixed-media pieces by local artists and have them custom-framed, all in the same place. Owners Kelly and Carrie Coalier combined their passions in this unique gallery and plant shop at 10 W. Nifong, Suite B, in south Columbia. One customer from New Orleans was especially grateful to happen upon the shop and its wide selection – she had lost her whole orchid collection to Hurricane Katrina.

Another favorite of those of us who spent time in Columbia in the ’70s is the Sub Shop. The locations in town may have changed, but the made-from-scratch bread and oven-baked sandwiches haven’t. The Tolkien-inspired Middle Earth murals from the old Sub Shop “north” on Walnut survived the move and grace the walls at the main shop near the MU campus at 209 S. 8th St. The location next to the Columbia Mall at 2105 W. Worley St. boasts handmade fries (free with a sub on Tuesdays), while the shop in Village South Shopping Center (Green Meadows off Providence) covers the south side of town.

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Special Advertising Section • www.visitcolumbiamo.com

How many places can say they have a fine chocolate shop in the middle of town? For more than 30 years, Columbia has been home to The Candy Factory at 701 E. Cherry St. – its antique cases filled with handmade chocolates and candies and with a viewing room where you can watch favorites like their signature turtle-like “Katys” being made. Get a preview at www.TheCandyFactory.biz, but you have to come to Columbia to smell and taste the goodies.

New favorites are also growing in Columbia – like Kayotea Tea Room and Bistro at 912 E. Broadway. Owners Kellye and Chris King offer cozy sofas and tables, perfect for curling up with a cup of one of more than 30 loose teas while supporting local artists who put on poetry readings, play music or display original art on the walls. Enjoy a meal of panini, tapas, wraps, soups or salads. The unmistakable aroma of smoky barbecue wafts from fiveyear-old Hoss’s Market & Rotisserie at Forum and Nifong (see profile at right), where patrons can count on five to six hot dinner entrees with savory side dishes, four different soups, assorted salads and desserts to be waiting their arrival. Choose from the case, or call ahead and they’ll bring dinner to your car! If you’re planning a special meal or party of your own creation, you can pick up specialty foods, fine cheeses, wine and even the special kitchen tools you need, all in one place.

Perfect for the holidays coming up, Hoss’s original gift baskets come in many sizes and varieties and can be shipped anywhere in the continental U.S. A favorite is the hickory smoked turkey Hoss prepares and puts in an artisan basket garnished with the market’s mustards and preserves. Definitely one of a kind and only in Columbia. For more information on shops, restaurants, places to stay and more, go to www.visitcolumbiamo.com.

FALL FUN IN COLUMBIA Columbia Roctoberfest

Yamato: The Drummers of Japan

Bike and car show; biker games; live music Sept. 27-30 (main events Sept. 29-30) Midway Expo Center (Exit 121 off I-70 at Hwy. 40) 573-489-1296 www.columbiaroctoberfest.com

7 p.m., Oct. 22 University Concert Series Jesse Auditorium, University of Missouri 573-882-3781 or 800-292-9136 www.concertseries.org

Jazz, Wine & Beer Pub Crawl

6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Oct. 26 Various Columbia galleries and venues www.artrageousfridays.com

6:30 p.m., Oct. 4 Downtown Columbia (East and West sides, simultaneous)

“We Always Swing” Jazz Series 573-445-3001 for tickets ($35) www.wealwaysswing.org

Mizzou Tigers Football

Oct. 6 vs. Nebraska (“Gold Rush”) Oct. 20 vs. Texas Tech (Homecoming) www.mizzou.com/homecoming/index.htm Oct. 27 vs. Iowa State Nov. 10 vs. Texas A&M (“Blackout”) Memorial Stadium, University of Missouri (all times TBA) 1-800-CAT-PAWS (228-7279) http://mutigers.cstv.com/tickets/miss-tickets.html

Old Wheels Collector Car Club Show 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Oct. 7 Flat Branch area, downtown Columbia

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Artrageous Friday Gallery Crawl

George Carlin

6 and 9 p.m., Nov. 3 University Concert Series Jesse Auditorium, University of Missouri 573-882-3781 or 800-292-9136 www.concertseries.org

The Producers

7 p.m., Nov. 4 University Concert Series Jesse Auditorium, University of Missouri 573-882-3781 or 800-292-9136 www.concertseries.org

Columbia Weavers & Spinners Guild 18th Annual Exhibition & Sale

6 to 9 p.m., Nov. 9; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 10; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 11 Demonstrations Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 10-11) Boone County Historical Society Museum near Hwy 63 and Nifong Blvd in Columbia http://cwsg.missouri.org/events.html

Jane Froman Centennial Celebration

Nov. 9-11, multiple events and times Columbia College (main venue); MU Ellis Library; Stephens College; Boone County Historical Society Museum Book rooms by Oct. 8 to get special rate at Drury Inn www.druryhotels.com or 573-445-1800 www.JaneFroman.com

King’s Daughters Holiday Festival

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 10; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 11 More than 100 local vendors. Tickets $4 at the door or $2 in advance from Columbia businesses. Holiday Inn Expo Center

Cash: Ring of Fire

7 p.m., Nov. 11 University Concert Series Jesse Auditorium, University of Missouri 573-882-3781 or 800-292-9136 www.concertseries.org

Columbia Jaycees Holiday Parade 3 p.m., Nov. 18 (rain or shine) Downtown Columbia

The St. Petersburg State Ballet on Ice: The Nutcracker 2 and 7 p.m., Dec. 1 University Concert Series Jesse Auditorium, University of Missouri 573-882-3781 or 800-292-9136 www.concertseries.org

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Columbia Cuisine Jim “Hoss” Koetting ladles up one of the popular “Hoss Made” soups he makes daily at Hoss’s Market & Rotisserie. Find the recipe for his Roasted or Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Ham & Cheese online at MissouriLife. com under Missouri Life Online Extras. For more great Columbia dining experiences, go to www. visitcolumbiamo.com.

DARN NEAR BETTER THAN HOMEMADE You can eat in at Hoss’s Market & Rotisserie, pick up a full restaurant meal to take home, have Hoss’s come to you with a catered luncheon, or take home the makings for a gourmet home-cooked meal. Any way you slice it, you’re in for “Hoss Made” quality. Jim “Hoss” Koetting and his wife Trish opened the south Columbia market five years ago with the goal of preparing small batches – letting customers get in and out in five minutes with a hot, restaurant-quality meal. They also cater to family chefs looking for the finest ingredients to use at home. Hoss is a 1984 graduate of MU’s Hotel and Restaurant Management program. He and Trish cooked and waited tables for a few years, then managed restaurants for several years before starting their family and setting out on their own. “I make the food taste good; she makes it look good,” executive chef Hoss says of his partnership with Trish, head of marketing. Customers attest to the taste – calling Hoss’s Seafood Andouille Gumbo the best outside of New Orleans, craving his Smoked Brisket Chili and coming in for his “killer meatloaf ” (no ketchup in sight) every Wednesday night. Other favorites include Chicken Enchiladas (Tuesday nights) and Hoss’s signature hot deli sandwiches and fresh deli and spring salads (all made there). In the meat case, customers can find the only retail USDA Prime beef steaks in town and fresh seafood, with tips on how to cook it at home. Hoss’s Market carries an amazing array of specialty food items: finishing sauces; Hoss’s barbecue rubs; specialty

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oils, spices, mustards, salsas and relishes; and a range of ethnic foods. Hoss partners with as many other small Missouri businesses as possible – offering wood chunks for barbecuing from Syracuse; Fat Bastard BBQ sauces from Montreal; Wind & Willow cheese ball and dip mixes from Mt. Vernon; and Columbia-based Lakota coffees, including the “Hoss Market Blend.” Speaking of cheese, at any one time, Hoss’s carries 70 to 80 artisanal cheeses from around the world in an open-air case, always offering a taste before you buy. Pair it with the many unique wines or handcrafted beers on hand. Wonder what’s for dinner at Hoss’s before you go? Call ahead, check out that week’s menu at www.HosssMarket.com, or sign up for the weekly e-mail newsletter that goes to about 2,000 customers, often with a Hoss recipe thrown in for good measure.

Special Advertising Section • www.visitcolumbiamo.com

‘HOSS MADE’ –

Hoss’s Market & Rotisserie 1010A Club Village Dr. (corner of Nifong & Forum Blvd.) Columbia, MO 65203 573-815-9711; fax 573-815-9704 www.hosssmarket.com Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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MISSOU RI SYMBOL Icons of the Show-Me State

STATE ANIMAL:

COURTESY OF MISSOURI DIVISION OF TOURISM

MULE

“STUBBORN AS A MISSOURI MULE” is a common expression that gives people the impression mules are stubborn. To the contrary, those who have experience working with these animals say they are intelligent and can be taught a work skill more quickly than a horse. This stubbornness is really the mule’s instinct for self-preservation. Mules resist doing anything that places them in danger. Mules also live longer than horses, work better in heat, and require less feed. Missouri’s prominence in mule breeding goes back to the opening of the Santa Fe Trail in 1821. This route brought Spanish jacks to Missouri for breeding. Between 1850 and 1900 the demand for mules grew; however, the jacks from the Santa Fe trade produced small mules suitable primarily as pack animals while the growing need for farming, road building, and hauling loads of freight was for larger, more powerful mules. As demand for larger mules grew, breeders sought larger jacks, such as the American Mammoth Jack being produced in several states, like Kentucky and Tennessee. Missouri breeders mated these jacks to draft mares, particularly the Percheron, to produce the large mules needed for heavy work. The offspring came to be known as the Missouri Mule. By 1900, the mule population swelled to three million in the United States, many being produced in Missouri, the home of several large dealers. One dealer, Guyton and Harrington at Lathrop, sold thirty-sevenmillion-dollars worth of mules to the British government during World War I, giving Lathrop the moniker Mule Capital of the World. Mules provided service in a variety of industries, but despite their valuable service, by the 1940s trucks and tractors had replaced mules. Today, the mule still has many admirers. Saddle mules have become popular for use on trail rides, and mules are popular attractions in parades and at field demonstrations of old-time farming methods. To recognize the contribution the Missouri mule made to the state, the legislature named the mule the state animal in 1995 in a bill sponsored by Rep. Jerry E. McBride from Edgar Springs and Rep. Mary C. Kasten from Cape Girardeau and supported by the Missouri American Legion. –John Fisher is the author of “Catfish, Fiddles, Mules, and More: Missouri’s State Symbols.”

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MISSOU RI MEDLEY Note worthy People and Places

Our American Indian Roots TRADITION

and connections in history

carry through as a theme in the Sac and Fox Heritage Touring Exhibit of the Missouri Humanities Council. Part of the tribes’ heritage can be linked to Missouri as far back as the early 1800s. The exhibit, which runs through November 30 at Miami, Missouri, gives a snapshot of Sac and Fox beliefs and traditions through a story of twelve boys, who sacrifice their human existence in return for eternal life to aid the Sac and Fox people. It shows the sacred relation between the natural world and human beings as part of the Sac and Fox beliefs and encompasses a sense of who the

JANE FROMAN DAY AT COLUMBIA By Barbara Manzo

and are today. Although some tribal stories may only be told among tribal members, the exhibit offers a story that may be shared outside of tribal circles, says Michael Bouman, director of the Missouri Humanities Council. Two more American Indian exhibits are set to open in Missouri in 2008. The

NOVEMBER 10, the one hundredth anniversary of Jane Froman’s birth, has been declared Jane

COURTESY OF BARBARA MANZO; COURTESY OF MISSOURI HUMANITIES COUNCIL

Sac and Fox people were throughout history

Froman Day at Columbia. As a tribute, a program of music, film, celebrity guests, and launch of a new Jane Froman biography by Barbara Seuling will take place the entire weekend. I will be at this big birthday party, along with a group of women who once sat happily on “Aunt Jane’s” living room floor in a brownstone on East 93rd Street in New York. Recalling happiness of the past has the powerful ability to bring us happiness in the present. So it is as I recall meeting my idol, Jane Froman, a Missouri-born singer whose voice was regarded as one of the greatest of the twentieth century. When the movie of Jane’s life, With A Song In My Heart, was released in 1952, I was deeply moved. Jane’s story was powerful. On route to entertain our troops in World War II, Jane’s plane crashed in the Tagus River in Lisbon harbor. Her leg was shattered. On crutches, she finished the job she started, singing for three hundred thousand GIs across Europe. I was one of several teenagers who met Jane at the stage door of her television show in New York City in 1953. We had each come from a different part of the city in hopes of seeing this talented woman with the beautiful voice and the gorgeous gowns for ourselves. Jane arranged for us to attend rehearsals. She seemed to enjoy seeing us as much as we enjoyed seeing her. When we called her Aunt Jane, she loved it. She invited us to her home, where she listened patiently to our chatter about school, jobs, and boyfriends. The hours spent sitting on the floor of Jane’s living room were filled with warmth, laughter, and affection. After Jane’s retirement to Columbia, we all remained steadfast friends. Visit www.janefroman.com for more information.

Osage exhibit opens at Lexington and the Shawnee and Delaware exhibit opens at the Bollinger County Museum of Natural History at Marble Hill.

Visit www.mohumanities.org or call 800357-0909 for more information. —Aja J. Junior

Images of Sac and Fox American Indians along with stories of their traditions are exhibited on an eight-by-ten-foot story panel.

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MISSOURI MEDLEY

DOUGLAS COUNTY CELEBRATES 150TH

Fifty years ago, the centennial parade featured an oxen-drawn wagon, which might have been similar to those used when the area was first settled 150 years ago.

By Jeremy Goldmeier

SESQUICENTENNIAL FESTIVALS don’t just spring up out of the ground, fully formed. It takes months of delicate planning, fundraising, and fretting to bring one of these shindigs to life. Just ask Marilyn Alms, who is on the organizing committee for the Douglas County Sesquicentennial Celebration. For over a year, she and her colleagues have been gearing up for their home county’s big anniversary. They’ve been hosting auctions, barbecues, and softball tournaments to help finance the festivities, which kick off on October 19, 150 years after Douglas County was established. Of course, the committee hasn’t been alone in orchestrating the buildup. More than one hundred people showed up to take ballroom and swing dance lessons in preparation for the sesquicentennial’s

1850s-period ball. Dedicated men in Douglas’s county seat of Ava have been growing out their facial hair since February for the festival’s beard contest. Those wishing to abstain from the competition have been asked to buy a ten-dollar shaving permit to join the fun. Other attractions include two parades, traditional craft demonstrations, and a picnic in Mark Twain National Forest. Many of these events will recreate the county’s centennial event in 1957. Older Ava residents still fondly recall the celebration, and Marilyn says she hopes this year’s festival will still resonate when the county’s bicentennial rolls around. But the real payoff for her is seeing all of the county’s hard work come to fruition—and not having to worry about festival planning anymore. “This sort of thing always makes me nervous,” she says with a laugh.

Jazzabillies Swing Just Like Texans STARLA AND JIMMY QUEEN

weren’t sure if they could do it. The couple

wanted to cut an album of western swing standards with their group, the Jazzabillies. But funding was short, and the Queens also had their Lake of the Ozarks location to consider. The rollicking dance rhythms and eclectic instrumentation of western swing have made the style a hit with audiences for decades. But it’s well known that when it comes to western swing, Texas is king. The Jazzabillies would be underdogs. So when the Queens finally did secure the capital to record an album in 2006, they “Texans think that no one can do it but Texans,” Starla says of western swing. “So we thought, ‘Okay, we’re going to show them we can do it.’ ” That sense of state pride is evident in the album’s title—Show Me—Missouri’s famous motto. The Queens assembled for the Jazzabillies a group of musicians worthy of representing the state, including veterans Scotty Henderson on steel guitar and Dave Owens on upright bass. The Jazzabillies’ Missouri status has made it hard for them to land gigs in the home of western swing, but Show Me has thrived just about everywhere else. The album has spent over a year on Roots Music Report’s western swing charts and even hit the country Starla Queen was awarded the 2007 song of the year award by the Academy of Western Artists for "Show Me," the title track from Jazzabillies’ debut album.

music top ten in Italy, Germany, and Austria. Visit www.jazzabillies.com for more information. —By Jeremy Goldmeier

COURTESY OF JOHN CRAIG; COURTESY OF JAZZABILLIES

set out to make a defiantly Missourian statement.

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Keokuk I•O•W•A

Southeast Iowa’s Most Exciting Destination!

Only in Keokuk.... • Geode Fest & Hunt - October 5-7 • Iowa’s only National Cemetery • Winter home of the largest concentration of Bald Eagles on the Mississippi River • Museums, Architectural splendor & more!

Keokuk Area Convention & Tourism Bureau

800-383-1219

www.keokukiowatourism.org E-mail: keokukia@interl.net

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ALL AROUND

MISSOURI

Events in Your Y Area

October & November

This Issue’s Featured Event SAN JOSE TAIKO DRUMMERS

Oct. 12-14, St. Louis. The Center of Creative Arts presents San Jose Taiko, traditional Japanese drumming blended with contemporary world rhythms. These performers infuse other cultures and rhythms in their music, movement, and costumes. The spectacular drumming features mixes in African, Balinese, Latin, and American rock and jazz. The performance is held at the COCA Theatre. 7 PM Fri.; 1:30 and 3:30 PM Sat.-Sun. $14-$17. For tickets call 314-725-1834, ext. 124. For more information visit www.cocastl.org.

Northeast & St. Louis Area Quilt National Sept. 28-Oct. 26, St. Charles. Exhibit celebrates fiber artists from around the world and features conceptual quilts. The Foundry Art Centre. 10 AM-5 PM Tues.-Sat.; noon-4 PM Sun. $6. 636-255-0270 It’s A Doll World After All Oct. 1-Dec. 30, St. Louis. Exhibit of dolls from around the world and games and puzzles to play with. The Eugene Field House and Toy Museum. 10 AM-4 PM Wed.-Sat.; noon4 PM Sun. $1-$5. 314-421-4689 The Rat Pack—Live at the Sands Oct. 2-14, St. Louis. Vivid recreation of a legendary evening with wisecracer hipcats Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Dean Martin. Fox Theatre. $19-$57. 314-534-1111

Best of Missouri Market Oct. 6-7, St. Louis. More than 130 Missouri food producers, artisans, and entertainers, cooking demonstrations, and Kid’s Corner. Missouri Botanical Garden. 9 AM-5 PM. $3-$10. 800-642-8842 Autumn Acoustics Festival Oct. 12-13, Hillsboro. Jam sessions, workshops, music vendors, and concerts. Jefferson College. 7 PM Fri.; 9 AM5 PM Sat. (7 PM concert). $2-$45. 636-789-2443 Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival Oct. 13, Kirksville. Arts, crafts, and children’s art corner. Downtown. 8 AM-4 PM. Free. 660-665-0500 Applefest Oct. 13-14, Clarksville. Juried craft show, parade, fiddler’s contest, bluegrass, and apple pie-baking contest. Throughout town. 9 AM-5 PM. Free. 573-242-3207

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Arts and Crafts Festival Oct. 13-14, Hermann. Handcrafted items. Middle School. 9 AM-5 PM Sat.; 10 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 573-486-2633 Hand to Hand Oct. 13-Dec. 1, St. Louis. 40 original works of collage art by artists who collaborated via U.S. mail. Artists meet in person for the first time Oct. 13th at 7 PM. phd gallery. Noon-4 PM Thurs.-Sun. Free. 314-664-6644 Autumn Romp Oct. 18 and Nov. 15, Maplewood. Tour of the area featuring art and music. Downtown. 6 PM. Free. 314-646-3607 Monsters and Marshmallows Oct. 19, St. Charles. Storytelling and s’mores over a campfire and prizes for the best costumes. First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site. 7-9 PM. Free. 636-940-3322

Holiday Fare Wine Trail Nov. 17-18, Hermann. Taste holiday dishes paired with perfectly matched wines. Six area wineries. 10 AM-5 PM Sat.; 11 AM-5 PM Sun. $15. 800-909-9463 Pecan Festival, Oct. 5-6, Brunswick. Family fun night, vendors, parade, pecan pie auction, clowns, and pet contest. Downtown. 7 PM Fri.; 9 AM-9 PM Sat. Free. 660-548-3042

Deutsch Country Days Oct. 20-21, Marthasville. Early German immigrant lifestyles with period demonstrations and primitive skills. Luxenhaus Farm. 9 AM-5 PM Sat.-Sun. $6-15. 636-433-5669 Brewer and Shipley Oct. 27, Arnold. Folk music concert. Rickman Auditorium. 8 PM. $10. 636-282-6664

Holiday Parade of Lights Nov. 23, Washington. More than 20 lighted floats. Downtown. 6-7 PM. Free. 636-239-1743 Stuff your Stock’n Party Nov. 23-25, Clarksville. Wine tasting, raku demonstrations, glass cane pulling, and music. Historic Downtown. 10 AM-6 PM. Free. 573-242-3336 Mark Twain's Birthday Nov. 30, Florida. Celebrate this famous author’s birthday with refreshments and the showing of films of his stories. Mark Twain’s Birthplace State Historic Site. 10 AM3 PM. Free. 573-565-3449

Night Sky Over Babler Oct. 20, Wildwood. Astronomy Society sets up telescopes to view star clusters and planets. Babler Memorial State Park. 8-10 PM. Free. 636-458-3813

Weaver's Guild Annual Sale Nov. 2-3, St. Louis. Hand-woven and hand-knit garments plus rugs. Brentwood Community Center. 10 AM-8 PM Fri.; 10 AM-5 PM Sat. Free. 636-343-5643

Chanticleer Christmas Nov. 30, St. Louis. Award-winning vocal ensemble. Cathedral Basilica. 8 PM. $15-$35. 314-533-7662

Country Colorfest Oct. 20-21, Louisiana. Parade, arts, crafts, and car show. Riverfront. 10 AM-5 PM. Free. 888-642-3800

Salvation Army Arts and Crafts Boutique Nov. 9-10, Kirkwood. Arts, crafts, and lunch. Community Center. 10 AM-4 PM Fri.; 9 AM-2 PM Sat. 314-962-0106

Missouri Livestock Symposium Nov. 30-Dec. 1, Kirksville. Trade show, seminars, entertainment, and exhibits. Middle School. 4 PM. Free. 660-665-9866

COURTESY OF MISSOURI DIVISION OF TOURISM

��

TICKETS ONLINE: TITANICBRANSON.COM OR CALL (417) 334-9500 • (800) 381-7670

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Northwest & Kansas City Area Back to the ’50s and ’60s Oct. 5-6, Harrisonville. Living history event featuring the 1850s and ’60s and the 1950s and ’60s. Historic Square, 1835 Log Cabin, and City Park. 4-9 PM Fri.; 9 AM9 PM Sat. Free (except special events). 816-380-4396 Ghost Tours on the Square Oct. 5,12,19,26. Ride in a covered wagon and listen to historical narrative ghost stories. Independence Square. 7, 8, and 9 PM. Reservations. $10-$14. 816-252-6653 3 Men and a Melody Oct. 6, Chillicothe. A cappella quartet performs with a unique form of harmony. Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center. 7 PM. $10. 660-646-1173

COURTESY OF TITANIC MUSEUM

Wine and Jazz Festival Oct. 6, Excelsior Springs. Sample 30 wines and enjoy great Kansas City jazz. The Elms Resort and Spa. Noon9 PM. $20. 816-630-7467 Fall on the Farm Oct. 6, Lawson. Costumed interpreters, life in the 1870s, heritage gardeners, and town ballgame. Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and Historic Site. Free. 816-580-3387

Princess for a Day |

By Aja J. Junior

EVERY LITTLE GIRL who dreams of being a princess can try out the role at The Titanic Princess Tea Party. For two days, October 13 and 14, the Titanic Museum at Branson will bring ladies, ranging from toddlers to grandmothers, together for an English tea. Hour-long teas will teach women the mannerisms, etiquette, table setting, pouring techniques, and polished behavior of an English tea party. One hundred ladies each hour will be escorted to an elegant, white tent where they will enter a world similar to Alice in Wonderland. A silver tea set and silverware along with lemon, cubed sugar, honey, and finger sandwiches will be on the tables. The Catch-22 is that all of the silverware, cups,

and plates will be jumbled completely out of order. Ladies will then learn the appropriate way to set the table. A first class Titanic maid acts as hostess and teaches the hour-long session, everything from curtseying to pouring tea. The tea concludes with a visit from “Rose” from the movie and a tour of the Titanic Museum. Visit www.titanicbranson.com or call 417-334-9500 for more information.

�� 800-421-1331 • www.ExploreBranson.com 3 pristine lakes 18,000+ guest rooms 50 theatres 100+ live shows

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Race for Animal Plight | ALMOST EVERYONE KNOWS the tale of the tortoise and the hare, but the race between the swamp rabbit and the western chicken turtle may be more elusive. An illustration of their race adorns the T-shirts of the Ninth Annual Endangered Species Run/Walk during the Missouri Endangered Species Week, October 7-13. Races

By Aja J. Junior

revolve around a theme or habitat, such as Missouri forests or prairies. This year’s race on October 13 at Jefferson City features bottomland forests and swamps where the swamp rabbit and western chicken turtle live. The Missouri Department of Conservation, one of the event’s many co-hosts, hopes to draw attention to the rare and endangered species of Missouri. Exhibits and information will be on hand from the various sponsors and hosts of the race. Proceeds from the event will go toward educational and research projects as well as restoration of habitats. Visit www.mdc.mo.gov/programs/es_ walkrun/ or call 573-522-4115, ext. 3150 for more information.

Halloween Art Spooktacular Oct. 6, St. Joseph. Exhibit featuring jewelry, textiles, glass, photography, fine arts, and graphics with a Halloween theme. Wyeth-Tootle Mansion. 9 AM-6 PM. $5. 800-530-8866 PumpkinFest Oct. 12-14, St. Joseph. Arts festival celebrating the magic of the fall harvest. Pony Express Museum grounds and Patee Park. 5-9 PM Fri.; 10 AM-9 PM Sat.; noon-5 PM. Free. 800-530-5930 October Fest Oct. 13, Blackwater. Antiques, crafts, and entertainment. Downtown. 9 AM-5 PM. Free. 660-846-4567 Missouri Chestnut Roast Oct. 13, New Franklin. Educational programs on the diversity of Missouri agriculture; sample roasted chestnuts; also displays, guided tours of research farm, live music, and children’s activities. Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center. 10 AM-4 PM. Free. 573-884-2874 WaterFire Oct. 13, Kansas City. Multi-sensory art with floating fires on Brush Creek with street performers, music, and vendors. Brush Creek. 6 PM-midnight. Free. 816-221-5242

COURTESY MISSOURI ENDANGERED SPECIES WEEK

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Heritage Craft Festival Oct. 13-14, Arrow Rock. Lost arts and crafts, demonstrations, and entertainment. Throughout town. 10 AM-5 PM. $1 donation. 660-837-3307 Apples, Arts, and Antiques Oct. 13-14, Lexington. Antique show, fine arts and crafts, children’s games, live entermainment, and apple auction. Downtown. 9 AM-5 PM Sat.; 11 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 660-259-3082

COURTESY MISSOURI ENDANGERED SPECIES WEEK

2nd Saturdays Oct. 13 and Nov. 10, Weston. Sample a “Taste of Weston” and entertainment. Historic Downtown. Free. 10 AM-midnight. 816-640-2909 Fall Antique Show Oct. 20-21, Platte City. Featuring a wide variety of antiques sponsored by the World Language Club. High School Building. 9 AM-5 PM Sat.; 11 AM-4 PM Sun. $3. 816-858-2855 Missouri Day Festival Oct. 20-21, Trenton. Band competition, quilt show, tennis ball race, parade, crafters, and flea market with a variety of items. Downtown, Football Stadium, and North Central Missouri Fairgrounds. 9 AM-5 PM Sat.; 10 AM-4 PM Sat. Free. 660-359-4324

Mystic Pumpkin Festival Oct. 27, Independence. Carnival, games, pumpkin decorating, storytelling, children’s costume contest, adult witch contest, and outdoor Halloween movie. Englewood business district. 3 PM. Free. 816-252-3372

The Haunting of St. Mary’s Oct. 27, Kansas City. Dinner theater presentation of the story of the ghost that haunts the Episcopal Church, one of Kansas City’s landmarks. St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. 7-10 PM. $50. 816-842-0975 Taste of the World Nov. 3, Grain Valley. Taste specialties from 14 food and beverage vendors. Community Center. 6:30-8:30 PM. $20. 816-847-2627

Blackwater News and Occasional Rumor Nov. 3 and 10, Blackwater. Comedy. West End Theatre. 2:30 and 8 PM. $3-$6. 660-846-4411 Holiday Candlelight Tour Nov. 14-17, Kansas City. Tour Kansas City’s oldest home featuring 19th-century decorations. Harris-Kearney House. 5:30-8:30 PM. $3-$5. 816-561-1821 Lighting Ceremony and Window Walk Nov. 16, Cameron. Santa arrives, live window display.

Canned food donations accepted. McCorkle Park and Third Street. 6:30 PM. Free. 816-632-2005 Best Little Arts and Crafts Show Nov. 16-17, Independence. Wide variety of arts and crafts. Sermon Center. 10 AM-7 PM Fri.; 10 AM-6 PM Sat. Free. 816-325-7370 Celebrate Christmas Nov. 17, Excelsior Springs. Progressive Taste of Christmas, Mayor’s Tree Lighting, and Hall of Trees grand opening (open through Jan. 2, 2008). Throughout town. 1-6:30 PM. Free. 816-365-1664 Great Russian Nutcracker Nov. 20, St. Joseph. Moscow Ballet presents holiday classic. Missouri Theatre. 7:30 PM. 816-279-1225 Hanging of the Greens Nov. 24, Arrow Rock. Caroling, Santa on the boardwalk, decorate an old-fashioned tree, and make natural ornaments to take home. Throughout town and State Historic Site. Free. 660-837-3330 Olde Town Holiday Homes Tour Nov. 30-Dec. 1, Blue Springs. Tour five decorated homes. Olde Town. 5-8 PM Fri.; 10 AM-4 PM Sat. $10-$12. 816-228-4777

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Central Meet Me in St. Louis Sept. 27-29 and Oct. 4-6, Versailles. Heartwarming and humorous musical based on the movie. Join the Smith family as they visit the 1904 World’s Fair. Royal Theatre. 7 PM. $5-$10. 573-378-6226 A Wondrous Gift Oct. 2-13, Fayette. Paintings from the Schenk estate. The Ashby-Hodge Gallery. 1:30-4:30 PM Sun, Tues.-Thurs. Free. 660-248-6324 Chautauqua in the ’Burg Oct. 5-7, Warrensburg. Historic characters, musical performances, arts, crafts, and children’s activities. Downtown. 6-9 PM Fri.; 9 AM-10 PM Sat.; 10:30 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 660-747-3168 Hannah Palooza Festival of the Leaves Oct. 6, Boonville. Crafters, artisans, pumpkin decorating, 5K run/walk, and photo contest. Downtown and Hain House. 9 AM. Free. 660-882-2721 Craft Festival Oct. 6, Hatton. More than 135 exhibitors with handmade items and wagon rides. Throughout town. Free. 573-387-4411

Multicultural Fall Festival Oct. 6, Jefferson City. Experience community diversity with entertainment, heritage booths, and children’s activities. Memorial Park. 11 AM-4 PM. Free. 573-636-3736 Olde Tyme Apple Festival Oct. 6, Versailles. Parade, gospel, country, and jazz music, fiddler’s contest, more than 400 vendors, car cruise, and sock hop. Throughout town. Free (except some special events). 573-378-4401 Old Time Country Fair Oct. 13, Williamsburg. Craft demonstrations, pumpkin decorating, homemade costume contest for children, activities with Dog Scouts, and museum tours. Downtown. 9 AM-6 PM. Free. 573-254-3356 Heritage Days Oct. 19-20, Warsaw. Old-time craft demonstrations and more than 200 modern crafters. Visitor’s Center and Drake Harbor. 9 AM-5 PM Sat.; 9 AM-4 PM Sun. Free ($4 bus ride). 800-927-7294 Square and Round Dance Festival Oct. 19-21, Lebanon. Several types of dancing and vendors with apparel for sale. Cowan Civic Center. 5 PMmidnight Fri.; 9 AM-midnight Sat.; 9 AM-noon Sun. $5-$28 (free for spectators). 573-765-5137

Stepping Out Oct. 19-21 and 24-27, Columbia. Play featuring an inspiring tap finale. Macklanburg Playhouse at Stephens College. 7:30 PM Wed.-Sat.; 2 PM Sun. $6-$12. 573-876-7199 Ha Ha Haunt Oct. 26, Camdenton. Trail decorated with nearly 100 jack-o’-lanterns and children’s activities. 5-8 PM. Free. 573-346-2986

A Bad Year for Tomatoes Nov. 2-4, 9-11, and 16-17, Sedalia. Comedy filled with delightful twists and turns. Liberty Center. 8 PM Fri.-Sat.; 2 PM Sun. $6-$10. 660-827-3228 Vienna Boys Choir Nov. 9, Boonville. World-renowned choir. Thespian Hall. 8 PM. $20-$35. 660-882-7977 Holiday Exhibition and Sale Nov. 9-11, Columbia. Weavers and Spinners Guild show and sell their handmade pieces. Boone County Historical Society. 6-9 PM Fri.; 9 AM-4 PM Sat.; 11 AM-4 PM Sun. Free. 573-443-1731 80th Anniversary Celebration Nov. 22, Sedalia. Celebrate the historic Hotel Bothwell's

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anniversary with live entertainment and a spectacular fireworks set to classical holiday music. At the hotel and Downtown. 7 PM. Call for special package rates. 660-826-5588

COURTESY OF TRUMAN PRESIDENTIAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY

Craft Show Nov. 23-25, Lebanon. More than 90 booths featuring juried art items, a variety of entertainment, and breakfast and photos with Santa on Sat. Cowan Civic Center. 4-8 PM Fri.; 9 AM-5 PM Sat.; 10 AM-4 PM Sun. Free (except Santa events). 417-532-4642 Candlelight Tours Nov. 30-Dec. 1, Jefferson City. Tour the beautifully decorated mansion. Governor’s Mansion. 7-9 PM Fri.; 4-6 PM Sat. Free. 573-751-7929

Southeast Madison County Fair Oct. 4-6, Fredericktown. Old-time fair featuring exhibits, contests, carnival rides, and music. JC Park. 8 AM-11 PM. Free. 573-783-3303 Fall Festival Oct. 6, Jackson. Mazes, games, and wagon rides to the pumpkin patch. Pioneer Orchards. 9 AM-dark. Free. 573-243-8008

A Peek into Personal | THE HARRY S. TRUMAN Presidential Museum and Library at Independence hosts Treasures of the Presidents: From the Collections of America’s Presidential Libraries for the library’s fiftieth anniversary celebration. More than two hundred artifacts from our nation’s twelve presidential libraries represent personal and historical moments. “These are very personal objects that bring to life people who lived in the White House,” says Susan Medler, director of communications for the Truman Presidential Library and Museum. “The exhibition allows us to know ourselves, as a nation,

By Aja J. Junior

better. The items on display depict some very dramatic moments in our history.” Iconic images, such as President Ronald Reagan’s cowboy boots or President Richard Nixon’s overcoat worn at the Wall of China, from twelve presidential libraries are used to represent each president. The first ladies are also included in the exhibit. The hour-long, self-guided tour provides a glimpse into each of the presidential libraries and runs through January 4, 2008. Visit www.trumanlibrary.org or call 816-268-8200 for more information.

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Lebanon, MO • 417.533.5280

www.whirlwindranch.com

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info@whirlwindranch.com

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ALL AROUND MISSOURI

Arts Festival/Art on the Run Oct. 6, Poplar Bluff. Artists, 10K and one-mile run, live entertainment, and children’s hands-on art activities. Margaret Harwell Art Museum. 8 AM-3 PM. Free ($2-$10 run fee). 573-686-8002 Harney Heritage Day Oct. 6, Sullivan. Folk festival featuring pie-baking contest, Civil War-era costume display, Army band concert, bluegrass, and displays. Harney Mansion grounds. Free. 573-468-2878 OctoberFest Oct. 6, Willow Springs. More than 100 exhibitors and music. Downtown. 9 AM-4 PM. Free. 417-469-5519 Women’s Show Oct. 6-7, Cape Girardeau. Seminars, exhibits, and fashion shows. Osage Community Center. 10 AM-6 PM Sat.; 11 AM-5 PM Sun. $3-$5. 573-335-8291

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Vaile Victorian Mansion ��

Rose Holland Trout Derby Oct. 6-7, Salem. Fish for tagged trout and win prizes, country store, bake sale, auction, health screening clinic, children’s activities, and live music. Montauk State Park. Free. 573-548-2001 Iron County Fair Oct. 11-13, Ironton. Carnival rides, crafts, antique tractors, lost art demonstrations, mounted shooting competition, and bull buck-out. Fairgrounds. 7-11 PM Fri.; 9 AM-11 PM Sat. Free (except rides). 573-546-2759 Old Iron Works Days Oct. 13-14, St. James. More than 100 crafters demonstrating 1860s-era crafts, concerts, and clogging. Maramec Spring Park. Noon-5 PM. $10 for each carload. 573-265-7124 Autumn Daze Oct. 13-14, Ste. Genevieve. Art, artisans, fine crafts, children’s art tent, quilt show and sale, farmer’s market, and Promenade de Art. Historic downtown. Free. 800-373-7007 Haunted Underground Oct. 20, Leasburg. Tour the cave and hear true and not-so-true stories of Missouri’s underground haunts. Onondaga Cave State Park. Reservations recommended. Fee to be announced. 7:30 PM. 573-245-6576

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The Great Pumpkin Roll Oct. 31, Jackson. Chamber of Commerce bowling tournament. Main Street Lanes. 7 PM. Pre-registration. $20 per bowler. 573-243-8131 Antique and Collectible Show Nov. 11, Cape Girardeau. More than 50 dealers from a four-state area sell a variety of antiques and collectibles. A.C. Brase Arena Building. 8 AM-4 PM. $2. 573-334-1100 Holiday Lighting Nov. 16, Perryville. Wagon rides, lighting of the square, Mr. and Mrs. Claus arrive by firetruck, and choir performance. Town Square. 5:30-7:30 PM. Free. 573-547-6062

Southwest Outdoor Recreation School Oct. 5-7, Cassville. Various outdoor skill classes including canoeing, fishing, archery, caving, and repelling. Roaring River State Park. $10-$25. 417-847-3742 Barnyard Days Oct. 5-7, Neosho. Scarecrow contest, arts, crafts, antique tractors, and music. Circle R Ranch. 9 AM-6 PM Fri.-Sat.; 9 AM-4 PM Sun. 417-451-3399 Smoke on the Water Oct. 6, Anderson. Bluegrass, BBQ cook-off, Duck Race, and Kid’s Corner. Dobbs Greer Town Hole Park. 48 PM. Free (except BBQ cook-off and $5 per duck). 417-845-8200 Pumpkin Daze Oct. 6, Republic. Growers weigh-in their giant pumpkins, squash, and watermelon for local and international prizes, arts, crafts, and children’s activities. Downtown. 8 AM-4 PM. Free. 417-732-5200 Homer Sloan Buddy Bass Tournament Oct. 6, Shell Knob. Cash prizes, drawings, and dinner. Table Rock Lake. 7:30 AM take-off; 4 PM weigh-in. $100 per two-person boat. 417-858-3300 Maple Leaf Festival Oct. 11-20, Carthage. Quilt show, 5K run, arts and crafts booths, antique auto and tractor show, charity chili cook-off, dog show, concerts, and parade. Throughout town. Free (except some special events). 417-358-2373 Halloween Storytelling Oct. 19, Burfordville. Sit around the bonfire, hear scary stories, and enjoy cider and cookies. Bollinger Mill Historic Site. 7 PM. Free. 573-243-4591 Fall Hike Oct. 20, Sullivan. Join the park naturalist on a three-mile hike through river bottoms and glades that make up Meramec Mosaic Natural Area. Meramec State Park. 9 AM. Free. 573-468-8155 Kitchen Tour Oct. 27, Branson. Tour kitchens of several celebrities. Throughout town. $12. 417-336-4255 FREE LISTING AND MORE EVENTS Visit MissouriLife.com for even more great events all around the state. 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. Visit MissouriLife.com and fill out the form, e-mail amy@missourilife.com, fax 660-8829899, or send announcement to Missouri Life, 515 E. Morgan St., Boonville, MO 65233.

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Celebrate Fall! Celebrate Fall! Celebrate Fall! Missouri’s Finest SPA Professionals

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Festival of Leaves Saturday, October 6th Historic Boonville, Missouri

Third annual 5k Fun Run/Walk Thespian Hall/Streets of Boonville, 8 AM Artisans, Crafts, Food, & Seasonal Produce Booths Chestnut & 4th Streets 9 AM to 5 PM Free! Pumpkin Decorating Contest Hain House Garden, 10 AM Photography Show & Contest Hain House, 412 4th Street, 9 AM to 5 PM Porkfest, Cooper Co. Pork Producers Citizens Bank & Trust Parking Lot 400 E. Spring Street, 11 AM to 5 PM For more information & contest entries, contact the Boonville Chamber of Commerce 660-882-2721 www.boonvillemochamberofcommerce.com

[35] October 2007

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9/4/07 10:54:28 AM

M USEU U RIowM MISrvSO ing and Sh ing Our Culture Prese

THE ONE AND ONLY THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR I Museum at the Liberty Memorial at Kansas City opened its doors almost a year ago to rave reviews. At the only national World War I museum in the country, visitors enter the exhibits via a transparent walkway over a noman’s-land battlefield filled with nine thousand blooming poppies. Inside, the collection of more than fifty thousand artifacts orients visitors to the World War I era, its causes, and its lasting effects as well as the personal aspects of fighting under trench warfare conditions. Originally funded by donations from veterans and built immediately after the end of the Great War, the Liberty Memorial was dedicated by President Calvin Coolidge in 1921. Captain Harry S. Truman, World War I veteran and future president of the United States, served on the decorating committee for the event. Guests of honor included the victoriFrom left: Each poppy in the entrance of National World War I Museum represents one thousand combat fatalities from the war. There are 6,400 names of veterans engraved in the Walk of Honor. The Horizon Theater, a widescreen theater, presents visitors with the question, “Why did America enter the war?”

ous military leaders of Belgium, Italy, France, Great Britain, and Missouri’s own General John J. Pershing, the only time these men were ever together in one place. In this modern era of museums when history draws the visitor in by making the past a personal experience through the use of exhibits, this museum presents a well-rounded story of the fighting on all sides, both before and after the entrance of U.S. troops. Recently, seventy-eight-year-old Cecil Chappelow of Kansas City accompanied his daughter and two teenage granddaughters from southern California to the museum, and each generation found the afternoon intriguing and educational. Cecil says that the exhibits effectively tell the story of the wartime experience in a “well integrated manner: the era, people, uniforms, weapons from different countries.” His granddaughters enjoyed the photo exhibit at the entrance and information about the U.S. Army Nurse Corps volunteers who became part of the British Expeditionary Force. The museum houses the letters of nurse Florence Edith Hemphill, a native of Chanute, Kansas, who noted: “We had had quite a good

By B.J. Alderman

many Americans in this last week. Some of them are seriously wounded, some gassed, and some just slightly wounded. I am so glad we are getting to take care of some of them anyway. They are mighty nice boys and they are so glad to see someone from home.” Further into the museum, visitors are able to peek into three different trench setups to gain a sense of how the French, German, and British forces lived during much of the fighting. In like fashion, weapons and uniforms of many nations are presented side by side. The museum also documents the war through film. Film footage taken during the war captures conditions and provides context for the artifacts contained in the museum. Standing at the top (via elevator) of the Liberty Memorial provides another impressive exhibit—a spectacular view of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The National World War I Museum at the Liberty Memorial is located at 100 West 26th St. at Kansas City. Hours are 10 AM to 5 PM Tuesdays through Sundays, closed major holidays. Visit www.nwwone.org or call 816-7841918 for more information.

COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR I MUSEUM

T H E N AT I O N A L W O R L D W A R I M U S E U M AT K A N S A S C I T Y |

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Pamper yourself ...

A Touch of Claas,

Boonville’s finest salon and day spa SereniTea House Serving Lunch Mon-Fri 11 AM-3 PM

TWO GREAT BUSINESSES UNDER ONE ROOF!

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807 Main St. • Boonville

660-882-2600

Linda Claas Jones, owner, stylist, esthetician, reiki master Joe Aguirre, licensed massage therapist

Dining the way it should be! Enjoy a martini at our Historic Falstaff bar, known as Boonville’s Martini Bar. It’s the gathering place of the past and the future! Established 1945.

Come inside and shop outside the box.

Corner of 9th & Walnut Downtown Columbia 443-6688

421 Main Historic Downtown Boonville 660-882-9934

www.thebutterﬂytattoo.com [37] October 2007

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I ISSOdUPrR MAgDShoEw-ImeNBuM oducts sinesses an

Surprisin

WATER HAZARDS

O S A G E B E A C H C AV I A R FA R M E R S C O M B I N E R A N C H I N G A N D G O L F |

By Kevin Crowe

BY THE TIME golfers tee off in the morn-

Osage Catfisheries in 1953 and started selling paddlefish, a cousin of the sturgeon and named for its long snout, about thirty years ago, mainly to aquariums. But an unanticipated shift in global politics catapulted Kahrs’ company into new territory: ranching. Historically, the world’s best caviar has come from the Caspian Sea and other homes of the beluga sturgeon. Lack of government regulation and over-fishing in the Caspian region led to a 2005 U.S. ban on imported beluga caviar. The prices of imported caviar soared, and dealers clamored for domestic caviar. In the mid-1980s, the Kahrs started a paddlefish ranching program, through which they place paddlefish in private lakes and ponds. The fish grow to maturity over a period of seven to ten years. In the late fall and early spring, the Kahrs harvest the females for their eggs; each fish yields between eight and nine pounds. The Kahrs didn’t have enough space on

The paddlefish, which can weigh up to seventy pounds, is Missouri’s state aquatic animal.

their Ozark farms to house the project, so Jim Kahrs enlisted private landowners and golf courses, such as Tan-Tar-A resort at Osage Beach, in the ranching program, paying them per pound for fish at harvest time. Pete Kahrs says that, thanks to his father’s smooth talking, there are about forty-four thousand paddlefish in the ranching program. But Jim Kahrs’ notion of ranching wasn’t embraced as genius at its outset. “Everyone thought they were crazy,” says Rachel Collins, co-owner of Collins Caviar in Michigan City, Indiana. She has known the Kahrs for years as they brushed elbows in the growing circle of domestic caviar dealers. And, according to Rachel, the Kahrs have put themselves in an enviable position in the caviar market and have reason to expect a flood of orders, and cash. Visit www.osagecatfisheries.com for more information.

COURTESY OF MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION

ing at Sycamore Creek Golf Course at Osage Beach, Steven and Pete Kahrs have been working for hours on the water hazards. They turn on oxygen and water pumps, adjust water levels, and collect some of the golf balls that end up in the drink. While many golf courses make a few modest bucks off the resale of the balls that come out of water hazards, the Kahrs have perfected the art of cashing in on lakes and ponds on golf courses. What golfers view as water hazards are the breeding grounds for a business on the brink of an explosion. In private lakes and ponds across Missouri and also Kansas, an unwitting crop of gentle giants quickly and quietly grows fat with buttery eggs that will never hatch. Every week, Steven and Pete Kahrs, the owners of Osage Catfisheries at Osage Beach, deal with another set of orders for a product they have not yet started to harvest in bulk— paddlefish caviar. This past spring, the Kahrs harvested only about one hundred pounds of paddlefish roe, scraping a minimal profit. They’ll harvest a bit more for the holiday season, but they are looking to plunge into the business in late 2008. “Production could reach two to three tons if demand for our product continues and we are able to retain more bodies of water into the program,” Steven says. The caviar label, Osage Catfisheries, L’Osage, reaped a slim ten thousand dollars in sales in 2005. Steven thinks sales could be between five hundred thousand and one million dollars within a few years of mass production. Osage Catfisheries is a family business. The late Jim Kahrs, Steven and Pete’s dad, opened

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The City of Boonville is one of the best kept secrets in the state of Missouri! With more than 350 homes on the National Register of Historic Places and seven historic districts, Boonville is a great place for families to experience the past. Thespian Hall is the oldest theater still operating west of the Allegheny Mountains. The MKT Railroad Bridge is an engineering marvel and well worth the drive to see it at sunset. Ride the Katy Trail as one of our many activities. The Isle of Capri Casino provides an escape from the ordinary with its ﬁne dining and tropical atmosphere. Experience Boonville’s past, present, and future with a great weekend getaway to one of our many overnight accommodations. Come Watch Us Grow! ��

www.boonvillemo.org

��

[39] October 2007

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E RHiOghAwaD OFMiTleH K INiviG y of State ng Every Dr

THE LODGES OF THE MERAMEC

GREG WOOD

H I S T O R I C R E T R E AT S S T I L L B E C K O N T O D AY W I T H F O O D , F U N , A N D F L O A T I N G | By John Robinson

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MARTIN SPILKER

I SETTLED in my lawn chair for the show. Silhouetted by a spectacular sunset over a picture-postcard valley, five musicians launched into vocal harmonies punctuated by fine fiddlin’ and pickin’. Their stage was a concrete poolside tarmac. The crowd sat in lawn chairs and on blankets in this natural amphitheater, a gentle slope softened by thick bluegrass. Traditional bluegrass fans have little tolerance for a band that strays so easily into Buddy Holly anthems. But the crowd loved the Stringtown String Band in this intimate venue where folks mingle with bands like The Amazing Rhythm Aces and Asleep at the Wheel. The lineup this fall is no less impressive with legends Poco, Arlo Guthrie, The Guess Who, and Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Where is this place? It’s near nirvana. And like nirvana, you take a winding road to get there. It was late Saturday afternoon. I’d just departed from a delightful walk through Dillard Mill, a relic fixed firmly against a hairpin turn in the Huzzah River, a vigorous Ozark stream often overlooked until it meanders nearer the Meramec. Taking the back roads, I crossed the Huzzah thrice more before descending into Steelville. As the self-proclaimed Floating Capital of Missouri, the town caters to lovers of the great outdoors. Before there was a Luckytown, Steelville won the lottery. Well, to be precise, the town is the beneficiary of a lottery winner. In 1990, telephone regulators held a lottery to determine which phone companies would provide rural service to the burgeoning cellular phone demand. Among the winners was tiny Steelville Telephone Exchange. The company parlayed that windfall into great service, not only to telephone customers but to the community and its schools. Just up the hill from Steelville, overlooking the Meramec River valley, sits Wildwood Springs Lodge. For eight decades, the lodge has clung to its lofty perch. And like many of the

King of the Road Nobody knows Missouri like John Robinson.

Wildwood Springs Lodge’s screened-in porch overlooks the pool, opposite, and a deep Ozark valley. It’s the perfect spot for a morning cup of coffee. The Meramec River is a short hike from Wildwood down a well-used trail.

John, who is Missouri’s former Director of Tourism, is dedicated to driving every mile of state-maintained highways. This makes him King of the Road. To date, he has covered 3,216 state roads, with 706 to go. As he drives each road, he marks it off on his map, which truly has become his treasure.

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K ING OF THE ROAD

musical acts performing poolside or in the cozy lobby, the lodge is a survivor. Like most eighty-five-year-olds, the lodge has endured peaks and valleys. Today the lodge thrives. Owner Robert Bell brings in the talent, including the bands, the hotel staff, and the cuisine. He’s revived a long history of great music and great times at the lodge. Like a proud grandparent, the lodge displays its photos, visuals of pleasures and performances past. Here, a young St. Louis musician, Gordon Jenkins, honed his chops. Jenkins later became a famous producer for Decca Records. Listen to Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, and you’ll witness Gordon Jenkins’s handiwork. Bill Freeman can tell you about that. A retired state trooper, Bill is affable, polite, and knowledgeable. And he keeps the hotel’s systems running. Bill’s also a walking history book, readily telling stories about the river, the region, and the lodge. The lobby’s charm overflows, especially when a crowd gathers around Michael Martin Murphy or America playing unplugged before a roaring fire in the fireplace during the Living Room Concerts.

Two Events Nearly Changed the Beautiful Face of the Region Forever. The long dining hall could be a movie set. Its hardwood floors, linen tablecloths, and gorgeous floor-to-ceiling French windows serve up splendid scenery. The guest rooms’ comfortably Spartan appointments offer a subtle hint that rooms are for sleeping. Daytime calls for vigorous action in the great outdoors. Like Wildwood Lodge, the story of recreation on the Meramec River has its own peaks and valleys. In the late 1890s, St. Louisans would hop the Frisco Railroad for a short ride to the Highlands resort and recreation complex, just west of Kirkwood. Anticipating the arrival of thousands of visitors to the 1904

Louisiana Exposition, the St. Louis World’s Fair, developers built the Highlands, offering enough activities to ensure fatigue: swimming, boating, dancing, and tennis. Alas, the Meramec Highlands suffered fatigue and disappeared before World War I. City folk then traveled further upriver to find Meramec hot spots around Valley Park and Fenton. About the same time, St. Louisans discovered the lodges in the Steelville area, along the Meramec. They’d take the Frisco to Cuba, Missouri, where shuttles would deliver them a few more miles to the river resorts. Most of those lodges have vanished, victims of time, the Great Depression, increased traveler mobility, and new levees. Along the river, concrete steps remain as memorials leading from the water, up the bank, and into the woods. But a few resorts still stand with Wildwood against the ravages of time and the trend toward corporate conformity. Cobblestone Lodge is an octogenarian, too, and offers an all-inclusive vacation that includes sumptuous meals in a classic dining hall and floating the Meramec, to boot! Float like I did from Ozark Outdoors Riverfront Lodge, which offers everything

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ANDREA WATKINS; COURTESY OF FOX SPRINGS LODGE

From left to right: At Cain’s Bottom, those floating by often take a moment to jump off the bluff into the Meramec River for a swim. Beautiful Fox Springs Lodge promotes a family atmosphere, and with no television or internet connections, it reminds guests that this will be a peaceful vacation.

from cabins to the Grand Suite. It’s a great place to launch an expedition to check the health of the stream. Look closely into the water to examine some of nearly four dozen species of mussels, including the Washboard, the Pocketbook, the Pimpleback, and the Spectacle Case. Don’t be fooled by their seeming inactivity. Some of these living water filters are better bass fishers than anybody pictured on a cereal box cover. The mussel lures a bass to snap at a fleshy appendage that looks like a minnow. The bass gets injected with a mouthful of baby mussels, who attach to its gills and take a ride for a few days as the mussels grow stronger. Don’t worry, the bass survives to face more challenges. More challenging is the search for an Eastern Hellbender, a salamander whose numbers are declining. That’s a concern to herpetologists, who wonder why this species is disappearing. With a name that recalls another disappearance from the Meramec basin, Indian Springs Lodge offers individual cabins that honor great Native American leaders including Black Eagle, Red Cloud, and Crazy Horse. Historic Bird’s Nest Lodge trumpets new

log cabins with all the amenities. On the Huzzah, Eagle Hurst Ranch names its thirty or so cottages for permanent residents: trees like the dogwood, redbud, and hickory. The Huzzah Valley Resort features the Huzzah Hilton, Big Bear Bunkhouse, and a pair of original farmhouses. Situated near the Huzzah and next to Courtois Creek, Bass River Resort offers a multitude of cozy cabins, log cabins, A-frames, and hideaways. The river and the resort business both endure ebbs and flows. But two events nearly changed the face of the region forever. Three decades ago, the specter of a dam loomed in the Meramec valley. Actually, the idea of damming the Meramec goes back to 1830 when the Iron Works at present day Maramec Spring Park near St. James promoted a dam to improve navigation for moving iron ore. The most recent plan would have impounded forty-two miles of the Meramec River, nine miles of the Courtois, and twelve miles of the Huzzah. A group of concerned Missourians realized that many Meramec treasures, including Onondaga Cave, would be lost. Several groups, including the Meramec Basin

Association, united to defeat the dam. The second threat occurred almost twentyfive years ago in Times Beach, a resort community where Route 66 crosses the Meramec River. To control dust, a contractor sprayed oil contaminated with deadly dioxin through the streets. The federal government made history by forcing an evacuation and buying out the entire town. After many years and an expensive contamination cleanup, the state established Route 66 State Park on the property. The welcome center sits in a venerable old roadhouse called Steiny’s Inn, next to the historic Meramec River Bridge. Ask folks who’ve lived nearby for more than a generation, and everyone has a story about Steiny’s. It’s a survivor. Yep, the Meramec has endured both natural and man-made disasters. But today, thanks to healthy stewardship, the river has a fighting chance at survival. And the historic lodges of the Meramec offer their silent approval.

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SCORE YEARS

FOR BRANSON’S RENOWNED Presley

family, the summer of 2007 witnessed laughter and celebration, tears and grief. Through it all, the four generations who have made Presleys’ Country Jubilee an institution did what they do best. And what they do best, contrary to popular belief, would not be their combination of music and comedy, even though that is exceptional and has been profiled on 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, Paul Harvey, Regis and Kathie Lee, and a host of other national broadcasts. What the Presleys do best is stick together as a tightknit family, relying on their deep-rooted faith in God and a faith in the inseparable family bonds that have seen them through two-score years of good times and bad. On June 30, the übertalented family of musicians celebrated their fortieth year of performing on Branson’s 76 Country Boulevard. They were the first entertainers to build a theatre on that stretch of highway now filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic. The Presleys were honored not just by friends and fans, but also by Missouri Governor Matt Blunt, the State Legislature, the City of Branson, the

Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Taney County Commissioners. It was a time of smiles and pride, particularly for the matriarch and patriarch of the clan, Lloyd and Bessie Mae Presley. Just a month and a half later, on August 12, Bessie Mae passed away at the age of eightyfour, succumbing to the pulmonary fibrosis and diabetes she had battled with nary a complaint for several years. Although each and every Presley was rocked to the core by the profound loss of their loving and seemingly indestructible wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, they found solace in the sources that had served them so well in years past—faith and each other. Eventually, they relied on the knowledge that their beloved Bessie Mae had lived a full and extraordinarily happy life, experiencing countless smiles at the fulfillment of professional dreams and, more important, infinite pride in the people her large family had become—people who care not just about one another but also about friends, strangers, and the community. The Presley story begins in the 1850s, when the family first set foot in the green and rugged

Then and now, from top: patriarch Lloyd Presley and sons Gary “Herkimer” and Steve Presley have performed on Branson’s Highway 76 for forty years.

LEFT: COURTESY OF THE PRESLEY FAMILY; RIGHT: ANDREW BARTON

BY RON MARR

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F O R B R A N S O N â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S P R E S L E Y FA M I LY, 4 0 Y E A R S I S J U S T T H E

beginning

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COURTESY OF THE PRESLEY FAMILY

Ozark hills of southwest Missouri. However, the more modern tale starts in 1934, when ten-year-old Lloyd Presley, son of a Pentecostal preacher, watched his older brother, Don, trade a prized hound dog for a guitar. Such would be the impetus for a musical legacy that to this day shows no sign of slowing. “That’s where the music started,” Lloyd says with a smile. “But that hound dog was a good ol’ dog, and I sure hated to see him go.” Both Don and Lloyd’s sister, Elva Mae, made token efforts to learn the guitar. However, both were teenagers and had other pursuits on their minds. The instrument was barely in its case and stashed under the bed before young Lloyd pulled it out and began to teach himself music. “Of course me being just a little kid, I was really watching everything she’d been doing. When she quit going to lessons and quit playing guitar, I jumped right on it,” he says. “I had already learned the chords that she had learned, just by watching her play, and it all kind of went on from there.” Lloyd had a natural aptitude for guitar and singing, and with another brother, Elwin, joining in with his harmonica and voice, the two began playing in their father’s church, at ice cream suppers and pie socials, and any venue that would allow them to pluck and sing

from the back of a flatbed truck. And then lightning struck … the good kind. At age eighteen, Lloyd happened to be hanging out with friends near the bumper car rides at Springfield’s Doling Park. It was there, for the first time, that he laid eyes upon Bessie Mae Garrison. The two began dating (Lloyd always brought along his guitar), and in 1942, the couple married. They remained devoted and in love for nearly sixty-five years. And though many of those early years were not easy, they were almost always fun. The couple’s four children would come soon. Deanna was born in 1943. Next came Gary in 1946, Janice in 1952, and Steve in 1956. Lloyd continued to play his music wherever and whenever he could in the 1940s, forming a group known around southwest Missouri as the Ozark Playboys. However, music didn’t pay the bills. During the day, he operated a trucking business, providing and delivering produce to local grocers. He would continue operating this business until 1967 and, for years after that, earned extra money as a fishing guide on the area lakes and rivers (as well as giving angling reports as The Friendly Fisherman on Springfield’s KY-3 TV) for many years. Though none of the Presley kids were ever

From left, Steve, “Herkimer,” and Lloyd Presley have gone from hay bales and lawn chairs to high-tech. Performances today have the same production qualities found on Broadway.

forced into music, they naturally took to it like a duck to water. From the late 1950s until 1967, the Presleys performed in Springfield’s Fantastic Caverns and at the (now defunct) Underground Theatre near Kimberling City. By this time, Lloyd had been joined on stage by Deanna, Janice, and Gary. It was in those damp and leaky caves that Gary, at age fifteen, added his comedy twists to the show, creating his hillbilly character of Herkimer. Herkimer was a hit from day one (he still is and is internationally trademarked). In 1967, a young Steve first took the stage as drummer, a position he occupies to this day. In 1967, taking a leap of faith, the Presleys purchased ten acres on Branson’s Highway 76. A far cry from the glittering and glitzy thoroughfare it is today, Highway 76 was simply a desolate strip of broken asphalt in open countryside four miles from Branson. “When we built the theatre in 1967, we built it with a flat floor and big, double doors in the backside. We didn’t know how the business would do, so Dad and Gary had the thought that, ‘Well, if it doesn’t work as a theatre, we can always use it for boat storage,’ ”

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Top: Raeanne Presley is the mayor of Branson. Below: Pat Presley, called “Patty Possumlips” by Herkimer, manages the front of the theatre and souvenirs. Puppy Koa visits the theatre too.

Steve Presley says. Steve, the youngest member of the group, was initially provided equipment just a tad south of high tech. “Nobody was playing drums in the family; really, at that time, there weren’t a whole lot of drums in country music. So, they sat me on the stage with just a snare drum. I literally sat on a block of wood with a little piece of plywood nailed to the top,” Steve says. The grand opening of the Mountain Music Theatre was on June 30, 1967 (the name has evolved to Presleys’ Country Jubilee). Recalling how locals sought to escape the stifling Ozark summers in the naturally cool cave theatres, the words “air-conditioned” figured prominently on the building’s sign. Admission was one dollar for adults and fifty cents for kids. Every member of the family was involved with the production in one way or another. On stage, Lloyd played guitar and banjo, while Gary continued with his Herkimer character that had proven such a draw at Fantastic Caverns and the Underground Theatre. Sisters Deanna and Janice sang, as did Deanna’s husband Dave Drennon. The entire family continued to work day jobs to support the fledgling enterprise, and then performed six nights a week (in some years, two shows per night). Lloyd would guide fishermen from the wee hours of the morning. For years, Gary and Bessie made a daily drive to Royal Typewriter at Springfield, before finally landing jobs in Branson. By this time, Gary had married Pat Adams, who was working at a Branson bank. It was a hard row to hoe. “We enjoyed doing it and were dedicated to making things work. For the first three years, we didn’t make a penny. The only money we made at all was the change we found on the floor that fell out of people’s pockets,” Gary

says. Everything else, every cent, it went to pay the entertainers we’d hired, or to pay expenses, or to pay the bank. When we finally made a little money in our fourth year, we were overjoyed.” Much has changed in those forty years. Today, the theatre is a state-of-the-art facility, packed most every night and holding 1,600 people. More important, the third generation of Presleys have moved to the forefront of the production, and the fourth generation appears to contain a few performers, too. Gary and Pat’s trio of sons are crowd pleasers. Scott is the lead guitar player, and there are few harmonica players in the United States who can match Greg’s skills and talent. Eric developed his “Cecil” character, which now rivals his Dad’s “Herkimer” in popularity. In 1976, Steve married Raeanne Miller (now mayor of Branson) and had three children. Nick handles all the video and electronic production of the shows. John is known for his showmanship and virtuosity on the piano, while seventeen-year-old Sarah plays both fiddle and saxophone. Then there is the up-and-coming fourth generation. Lloyd and Bessie Mae were blessed with eight great-grandchildren from Scott and wife Malinda, Eric and wife Kelli, and Nick and wife Rhianna. Twelve-year-old Lauren Presley, Scott and Malinda’s eldest, is already showing her talent as a vocalist. It’s a true family endeavor, and every male member of the Presleys attests that none of it would be possible without the wives who were and are behind the scenes. “On the family side, we always get all the credit because we’re the ones who are on stage. This is still true now, but in the early days, it was the wives behind the scenes that made everything go. They worked during the day and then at the theatre at night. They sold the tickets. They popped the popcorn. They ran the concession stands. Really, everybody just pitched in and was part of it,” Steve says. Before her passing, Bessie Mae Presley had a standard response to the thousands of fans who would say to her, “You must be very proud.” “We’ve been very blessed,” she would respond in her quiet and happy manner. Truer words have never been spoken.

ANDREW BARTON

“FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS, WE DIDN’T MAK E A PENNY. THE ONLY MONEY WE MADE AT ALL WAS THE CHANGE THAT FELL OUT OF PEOPLE’S POCK ETS.”

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Bessie Mae enjoyed the forty-year celebration in June but passed away in August. The third generation from top left: Scott, Greg, Eric, John, and Sarah. The fourth generation from back: Lauren, Brianna, (middle row from left) Brett, Spencer, Zack, (front row from left) Jack, Ben, and Anna. Lauren performs regularly.

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DRIVE 2:

CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

From top: Each scenic view is designated with a road sign indicating its location. Passersby at the scenic view on Highway 63 see hills rolling off into the horizon. The roadside park at the scenic view at Belleview gives visitors the chance to picnic in the shadow of Buford Mountain. Opposite: Fall color punctuates the view near Vichy, between Vienna and Rolla.

BUFORD MOUNTAIN: GLENN CURCIO; ANITA NEAL HARRISON

The scenic view in central Missouri appears on Highway 63 between Vienna and Rolla. Travelers to this spot enjoy the comforts of a roadside park with picnic tables. They also enjoy a stunning view of hilltop after hilltop of colorful trees窶馬o buildings in sight. In southeast Missouri, the scenic view sits on Route 21 at Belleview. This spot offers a canopy-covered table for picnickers. The site overlooks a farm and presents a lovely view of Buford Mountain, which has an elevation of 1,740 feet.

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DRIVE 3:

The three scenic views in northeast Missouri are within three miles of each other just south of the Ralls and Pike county line on Route 79. All three offer picnic tables. The southernmost site overlooks the Ted Shanks Conservation Area. Trees have grown up around this site, and the view has suffered. Visitors find a much better view at the next site one mile north. Sightseers can look north, east, and south. A sweeping view of the Mississippi River valley stretches across the entire flood plain to distant bluffs in Illinois. The final site, a couple of miles north, also presents a far-reaching view of the Mississippi River valley into Illinois. Named Victorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Point, this scenic view sits on a knob. The view is not as panoramic as the prior, but the higher elevation allows visitors to look west over the top of Missouri woods and farmland.

From top: Route 79 north of Louisiana, Missouri, provides a majestic view of the Mississippi River valley and a great place to picnic, too. The Ted Shanks Conservation Area surrounds the first overlook on this drive.

MARTIN SPILKER, MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION

NORTHEAST MISSOURI

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By Sean McLachlan

TREES N A T U R A L

O R

M A N - M A D E

M Y S T E R I E S

SETH GARCIA

IF YOU LOOK, you will find them. In the forests of Missouri, on top of ridges and by streams, in isolated hollows and along major highways stand strange trees, bent at right angles as if by some forgotten hand. Their trunks rise about three feet from the ground before taking a sharp horizontal turn and then rising vertically again. They’ve been called “trail trees” or “thong trees” in folklore, “Indian trail trees” by those who insist they know their origin, or just “trees” by skeptics who are just as certain they are natural deformities. Folklore says these trees were created by American Indians to point

O F

M I S S O U R I

the way to water, good areas for hunting, hideouts, and the most attractive but least likely explanation, buried treasure. Some say that trail trees were used to cure hides. Indians would soak hides in oak ashes and water and rinse them before pulling them back and forth over the rough bark until all the hair was scraped off and the hide was pliable. Then they would hang them on the horizontal part of the trunk to dry. Laura Hubler of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri was one of the first to move beyond folklore and try to find out the truth. In

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THONG TREES the 1960s and ’70s, she began a one-woman crusade, which grew into a statewide movement, to study these trees and have them recognized as historic artifacts. Hubler theorized that they were made by bending a sapling, usually a strong but pliable white oak, with a forked stick called a “thong” in local parlance, and buttressing the bend with another thong, hence the name “thong tree.” The tree would then grow horizontally, pointing in the desired direction, until the tree’s natural quest for sunlight sent it growing up vertically again. Hubler mapped dozens of examples in Missouri and followed their directions to springs, caves, and streams. For the bicentennial, the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri and the Daughters of the American Revolution put plaques by trail trees in state and federal parks, along roads around the Lake of the Ozarks, and in the Tri-Lakes country of the White River. The National Forest Service marked some trees along Route 21 in southeast Missouri. But for all of Hubler’s dedication, she wasn’t a scientist, and the riddle of the trees languished in the fuzzy world of folklore and amateur study for decades. The idea that trail trees are manmade continues to be met with a great deal of skepticism. The Archaeological Survey of Missouri, managed by the University of Missouri anthropology department, has no trail trees in their database of more than thirty-two thousand sites, and there is no state or federal legislation recognizing and protecting them. The main question is whether the trees were really necessary. While many do point to caves or sources of water, walking in a straight line for any length of time in Missouri will bring you to both of these things. There were game trails leading to natural springs, and since the American Indians had an excellent sense of the land, it’s difficult to say just why they would have needed the trees. On the other hand, the spread of European settlers uprooted most tribes of North America and pushed them into unfamiliar areas where they needed some help with directions. This would also explain the rarity of American Indian accounts about the trees. If they were secret markers to help them survive the coming of the white man, it’s hardly surprising they haven’t discussed them with outsiders. And with the destruction and forced relocation of so many tribes, the lore of the trees may have been lost to the Indians themselves. Only recently has a member of the Osage, once the most powerful tribe in what is now Missouri, come forward to state that the trees are indeed genuine. Chief Jim Gray helped create a new trail tree in Forest Park at St. Louis to celebrate the Lewis and Clark bicentennial. The tree points east, toward the rising sun and the direction that the Osage feel they are to travel throughout their path in life.

Dana R. Elliott, former professor of biology at Central Methodist University at Fayette and one of the few scholars to write about the trees, pointed out that most are about 150 years old. In a 1993 article in the Central States Archaeological Journal, he wrote that many Cherokee escaped into the Missouri countryside during the Trail of Tears in the winter of 1838-39. The Cherokee were forcibly moved from Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia through sixteen counties in southern Missouri on the way to reservations in Oklahoma. The majority of trail trees have been found in this region, though it must be said that no scientific survey has ever been conducted. Nor were the Cherokee the only ones to move through Missouri. Several tribes were pushed through the area in the 1830s and 1840s, and Cherokee and Osage from Oklahoma passed through on hunting expeditions as late as the early 1900s. There’s also the problem of “casualty trees,” those that have been bent naturally by a storm or another tree falling on them. Trail tree enthusiasts say they can tell the difference. With “real” trail trees, the trunk is usually bent at about three feet off the ground and has a sharp ninety-degree bend. With casualty trees, the bend is less pronounced and often higher or lower on the trunk. Elliot wrote that casualty trees are usually not white oak, the most common species used for trail trees. Now a new generation of researchers has taken up the study, and this time they have scientific tests to give them hard data. Don Wells, an independent researcher in Georgia, has been fascinated with trail trees for years. He is a member of the Mountain Stewards, an organization working to restore traditional trails in the southern Appalachians, and has recently started an exhaustive study of trail trees. Although the Trail Tree Project just started in 2007, the database already contains more than 450 examples from Georgia, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Missouri. Other researchers have found examples in Ohio, Indiana, and states around the Great Lakes. As early as 1905, a member of the Chicago Historical Society wrote about examples in Illinois. The Mountain Stewards have brought in professional help. Dr. Georgina DeWeese, assistant professor at the University of West Georgia and an expert in dendrochronology (the dating of trees by counting tree rings) has taken numerous core samples of trail trees and has found that two date to the years 1771 and 1782, well within the period of Indian settlement. Most of the other cores were not usable because old, dying white oaks collect water and rot from the inside out, obscuring the tree rings. “Most of the trees I cored on that first trip were rotten in the center. You can core fifty oaks, and only five will give you what you’re looking for,” she explains. But even the rotten ones date to at least the earlyto mid-1800s, perhaps earlier, providing evidence that the trees do,

Evidence That These Trees Are Actually Historic Artifacts, Silent Reminders That The Land On Which We Live Had Been Inhabited By Another Culture, Is Stronger Than Ever Before.

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SETH GARCIA

The thong tree pictured here as well as the one on page 60 are located at Lake of the Ozarks State Park on Route 42 at Kaiser.

indeed, date from the time when the Cherokee still lived in Georgia. One tree, however, dates to 1860. This could be a casualty tree, or it may be a wrench in the works of the trail-tree theory. One thing is for sure: These trees do not bend this way by themselves. “There is no known pathogen or fungus that will make a tree in this form,” DeWeese says, but “there are things on the landscape that can make trees like this.” High winds or another tree falling on it can make a tree bend, she says. Tom Draper, Forestry Regional Supervisor for the Ozark Region for the Missouri Department of Conservation, agrees and notes that these trees are not bent by any known genetic anomaly. Some researchers point out that many trail trees have marks on the bends that look like the impressions of the thongs that lashed them down, but DeWeese thinks these marks are natural results of the trees’ malformation. She suggests that it would have been much easier to simply find a tree that had a branch pointing in the right direction and cut off everything except that branch. “This is the most cost- and time-effective method,” she says. “It makes the branch the primary stem.” DeWeese’s archaeological eye for the land has convinced her that these trees are, in fact, man-made. “Looking at these trees on the landscape, it’s hard to dispute what they are,” DeWeese says. “When you have a line of trees all pointing in the same direction and leading to water, it’s pretty convincing.” More tests need to be done, however. The Mountain Stewards are

constantly adding to their database and plan to do more core samples. DeWeese’s student Brian Parrish plans to analyze more than twenty of them as part of his graduate work at the University of Tennessee starting in 2008. While dendrochronology can determine when a tree was bent, it cannot tell how. But if they accumulate a large number of trees dating to the Indian period, they may yet bring the study into wider academic and public recognition. But recognition doesn’t save historic sites; respect and laws do. Everyone knows burial mounds are the resting places of prehistoric Indians, but that doesn’t stop looting by artifact hunters. At least this highly disrespectful practice has been made illegal. The Mountain Stewards would like a similar law passed to protect trail trees. “We are working with the federal, state, and county landowners to educate them about the trees and with that to hopefully get them to preserve them,” Don Wells says. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of naysayers, so we have our work cut out for us.” Evidence that these trees are actually historic artifacts, silent reminders that the land on which we live had been inhabited by another culture before us that was intimately tied to the natural world, is stronger than ever before. While many people believe that the trees were made by Indians, folklore doesn’t hold up when designating a historic site, so the testimony of professional researchers, such as DeWeese and, someday soon, Parrish, will be vital in the trees’ preservation. Visit the database at www.mountainstewards.org for more information. [63] October 2007

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ILE U RIe YoPuRShoOuldFKn MmaISrkaSO ow ble Peopl Re

EIGHT SECONDS

SPRINGFIELD’S DUSTIN HALL LEARNS TO GET BACK ON |

DUSTIN HALL EARNS his paycheck eight seconds at a time. Think that sounds easy? Ask his coworker: two thousand pounds of bucking, snorting rage. Making a living as a professional bull rider has its perks—plenty of downtime, exotic travel, and hearty prizes for placing at an event. But for those eight pivotal seconds, it’s the least desirable position in the world of sports: hanging on tight as a wild beast does everything in its power to dislodge you. It’s a punishing line of work, and Dustin has the injury history to prove it. But when he’s in the saddle, Dustin’s where he wants to be. Growing up in the country community of Harrah, Oklahoma, Dustin was immersed in bull-riding culture from a young age. It was the kind of town where people like his father and uncle rode bulls “as a hobby”—just the sort of thing to do for some kicks on the weekend. Despite, or perhaps because of its inherent danger, Dustin was eager to try his hand at the sport. His father was ready to oblige, but his mother refused to see her son exposed to the dangers of bull riding. It was one of several disagreements that drove the two of them to a divorce. As part of the settlement, Dustin could not ride bulls until he turned eighteen. Even then, it took his stepfather to convince his mother to let Dustin give it a shot. His first ride was a common story for novice cowboys. The bull turned hard right out of the gate and sent Dustin for a tumble. But Dustin got right back up to give it another go. “It wasn’t hard at all,” Dustin says of dusting himself off after his first attempt. “I was excited to do it again. Once you get past the butterflies, you’re good.” For professional bull riders, success is often not merely a question of talent. To take the kind of consistent punishment that riders endure—and bulls sure know how to dish it out—riders have to possess an intense drive to compete. They are not necessarily fearless men. Dustin still admits to getting nervous in the holding pen before each ride as he waits atop his mammoth bull for the gate to fly open. But perhaps more so than any other athletes, bull riders understand how to control their fears and use them to their advantage. “I think I do better when I get scared,” Dustin says. The popular perception of how to ride a bull is to simply hang on for dear life. But it’s trickier than that. What looks like chaos to the untrained

By Jeremy Goldmeier

eye is actually a series of give-and-take between bull and rider. “It’s kind of like a dance,” Dustin says. The bull kicks; the rider sits up and then bows forward in rhythm with his mount’s movements. It’s not so much brute strength and white knuckles as it is sound balance and sharp timing. Riders can train on horses and wobble boards in their spare time—or mechanical bulls, if they’re feeling kitschy—but nothing substitutes the intensity of the real thing. In his rise to Professional Bull Riders, Inc., (PBR) Dustin relied primarily on his natural abilities. “I didn’t exercise a lot,” he says. “It just all clicked for me.” His first couple of seasons in PBR marked a stunning arrival. After breaking into the pro bull-riding fraternity with six appearances in 2000, Dustin stepped up his game the next season. He finished in the top ten at six events in 2001 and won his first PBR contest in Reno, Nevada. That triumph netted him a check for fifty-five thousand dollars, still the largest sum he’s ever received for a single event. Dustin doesn’t remember what he spent that money on, but he probably blew a lot of it in a hurry. He was still only twenty years old but already making more money than most people see in a year. In order to face the challenges that were going to start cropping up in his young career, Dustin would have to grow up fast. Meeting his future wife Jessica helped that maturation process immensely. Jessica had heard that Dustin was “full of himself” from other riders. Thankfully, it turned out that they were just jealous, she says. The two hit it off, despite their different backgrounds. A Springfield native, Jessica convinced Dustin to move to southwest Missouri, where the couple and their two daughters currently reside. It was the first of many changes Dustin would undergo as his career progressed. “Bull riding was his life,” Jessica says. “The idea of taking a weekend off to go fishing was out of the question. It was an obsession for him.” But getting married and becoming a father changed Dustin’s perspective on life considerably. He came to realize there was something much more important to live for than just the action down at the rodeo. At the same time, Dustin was getting a new lease on his spiritual life. He had talked extensively about his faith with some of his fellow PBR members, including longtime friend and roommate Mike Lee. With his

COURTESY OF MARK SCOTT

What Looks Like Chaos Is a Series of Give-and-Take Between Bull and Rider.

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dustin hall Age: 26 Hometown: Miller 2006 PBR Finish: #16

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MISSOURI PROFILE

colleagues’ encouragement, Dustin recommitted himself to Christianity and began attending Bible study programs regularly. As he continued to improve as a bull rider, Dustin matured more rapidly as a person. These systems of support that Dustin had cultivated became more important when his career hit the skids in 2003. Early in the season, a bull stomped on his left knee after Dustin had fallen to the dirt, causing severe ligament damage to the joint. As a result of the injury, he had to wear a brace for several months. After a short hiatus, Dustin tried to soldier on but suffered an even more devastating injury when he broke his right arm in a second accident. That was the arm that he used to hang onto the bull, and with it out of commission, he simply couldn’t take to the saddle until it healed and strengthened properly. There were more setbacks than progress with his injuries, and Dustin wound up off of the PBR tour for two full seasons. He got the chance to spend more time with his family and, as he underwent various rehab activities, talked on the phone extensively with Mike. But there was never any question that he wanted to return to competition. Once he was healthy enough to start riding again, Dustin had to rediscover his sense of timing. That was no easy task after spending so many months on the sidelines. “There was a while there where it seemed like I couldn’t ride anything,” Dustin recalls. But once he got back in the swing of riding, Dustin’s fortunes took off once again. The 2006 season became Dustin’s dream comeback campaign. He placed in the top ten at eight events, won the PBR’s St. Louis event, appeared in his fourth PBR World Finals, and earned over $125,000. That success has carried over into 2007, as Dustin once again sits among the PBR’s top twenty riders in total points. He attributes the success to his family, who travel with him all over North America, and his renewed trust in God. His favorite Bible passage, Isaiah 58:8, has a great deal of relevance to his long journey back from injury to the PBR spotlight: “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rear guard.” Dustin’s certainly not your typical Hollywood cowboy—he’s boyish, soft-spoken, and a consummate family man. “His witness is to be the best example he can be,” Mike says, “and he’s trying harder than ever before.” After Dustin’s brush with early retirement, he and Jessica think a lot more about their future—including life after the PBR. “It’s not going to be there forever,” Jessica says. “It can be taken away quickly. That gold buckle might shine today, but it won’t mean anything when you’re seventy.” Dustin hopes to raise cattle after he retires from professional bull riding and maybe have some more time to participate in his favorite hobbies of hunting and fishing. Until then, he’s going to keep at the sport he loves. Now he knows that while those eight seconds of excitement might make his paycheck, life has a bounty of more rewarding moments to offer.

Missouri Rough Riders matt bohon

Age: 24 Hometown: Cole Camp 2006 PBR Finish: #13

Over the past couple of PBR seasons, Matt Bohon has emerged as a legitimate top ten threat. A rider since the age of thirteen, Bohon studied under instructor Brett Leffew before embarking on his PBR career in 2004. Building on his recent success, Bohon is once again putting together a strong 2007 season, capped by a win at this year’s St. Louis tour stop.

willy ropp

Age: 25 Hometown: Trenton 2006 PBR Finish: #64

Willy Ropp came into the PBR as a bit of a late bloomer—he didn’t really get a start riding steers until he was twenty. Part of that was due to his Amish background, a lifestyle that has yet to produce many rough and tumble bull riders. Ropp made his first full season in 2006 one to remember as he finished the year among the PBR’s top seventy-five riders. He trains and rides mules as a hobby, which helps to train him for PBR events.

luke snyder

Age: 25 Hometown: Raymore 2006 PBR Finish: #28

Luke Snyder exploded onto the PBR circuit in 2001, capturing the PBR World Finals event and winning Rookie of the Year honors. He’s yet to match the feats of his banner rookie campaign in subsequent seasons, but his consistency has earned him spots in six consecutive PBR World Finals. The man they call “Cool Hand Luke” is nearing one million dollars in total career earnings, a prestigious milestone among PBR stars.

COURTESY OF MARK SCOTT; COURTESY OF BRUTON-STROUBE STUDIOS

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Civil War Series

E A SL V RY

T +SCOT

Calvin C. Chaffee was in for quite a surprise. An abolitionist elected to Congress, he had married the widow Irene Emerson in 1850. He was apparently unaware that she owned arguably the most prominent slave in Scott had garnered attention after being involved in a number of trials leading all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Originally born into slavery, his life story turned out to be pivotal to the beginning of the Civil War. From infancy, he was the property of the Peter Blow family. Slaves were financial assets, which could be used in the same way as property. As such, Scott was sold to Dr. John Emerson when the Blows suffered money problems. Many records show that Peter Blow died, which resulted in Scott being sold to Emerson. An army surgeon, Emerson took his slave with him as he received assignments outside of Missouri. Two of the places they worked, Illinois and the Wisconsin Territories, were under the Northwest Ordinance, which prohibited slavery. Eventually, Emerson and Scott each got married and in 1842 returned to the slave state of Missouri, living in St. Louis. The doctor soon died, but his widow made use

of her “assets,” hiring the Scotts out to work for other families. Scott was illiterate and may not have been aware of the doctrine, “once free, always free,” which would have made his family free people since they had lived in a free state and territory. In an interesting turn of events, Scott reconnected with the Blow family, who first owned him. They were willing to finance his efforts to be legally free, and so in 1846, he filed suit, going to trial in 1847 in the old courthouse in downtown St. Louis. A series of trials followed. Scott lost the first but won the second round when the jury said “once free, always free” should prevail. But Widow Emerson and her brother appealed. The 1852 decision went their way and was explained as follows: “Times now are not as they were when the previous decisions on this subject were made.” Scott filed a new suit in St. Louis against Mrs. Emerson’s brother, which went to trial in 1854. Scott lost, but the United States Supreme Court accepted and

By Jerre Repass

heard the appeal in 1857. In the context of the times, the case was more about property than people. Slaves belonged to their owners, not as people but as property. Owners didn’t see the relevance between where they happened to be—in a free or slave state—and continued ownership of their property. The makeup of the United States Supreme Court at that time was crucial. The chief justice was Roger Brooke Taney. He was born in Maryland into a wealthy family of tobacco farmers who were also slave owners. In 1835, Andrew Jackson submitted Taney’s name to be an associate justice. After the death of Chief Justice John Marshall that same year, President Jackson wanted Taney confirmed as chief justice. That’s what happened in March of 1836, despite a bitter fight against the appointment. Arguments took place before the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., in 1856, with sessions devoted to the question in both

MISSOURI HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ST. LOUIS

America, Dred Scott. Rather interesting baggage.

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This painting of Dred Scott is on display at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis.

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Civil War Series

decision. Events at St. Louis during the year have commemorated the Dred Scott decision and taught today’s citizens some of the basic civil rights that many take for granted. An exhibit in St. Louis’s Old Courthouse will continue through March 2008. This is especially poignant as the site where the first trials began a century and a half ago. There are original documents collected from the St. Louis Circuit Court, the Missouri Supreme Court, the City of St. Louis, the National Archives, the St. Louis Mercantile Library, the Missouri Historical Society, and the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The exhibits in the courthouse are on three subjects: the family story of the Scotts, the story of the legal system at the time, and the bigger picture of slavery in the 1800s. There is a recreated courtroom environment where reenactments of the case take place. The original courtroom is set up as well as additional courtrooms on the second level to accommodate visitors. On the weekend the exhibit opened, students played the parts of lawyers of the day; the judges’ parts were played by sitting judges who took time to explain to the audi-

Descendants of Dred Scott pose in front of an exhibit celebrating the life of their famous forefather in St. Louis’s Old Courthouse.

ence how politics and pressures of the times influenced the decisions judges made. The National Park Service provides scripts for groups that wish to schedule a reenactment, a popular thing to do this celebration year. Visitors to St. Louis can see a painting of Dred Scott permanently on display at the Missouri History Museum. The Eugene Field House and Toy Museum also has Dred Scott exhibits. Eugene’s father Roswell Field was the attorney who strategized the Scott lawsuit so that it would be heard by the Supreme Court. The display includes photographs of letters from the Library of Congress explaining the attorney’s role. Another part of the exhibit compares the lives of free and slave children 150 years ago. The historical material in the exhibit also illustrates well the hopelessness the early civil rights cause experienced. Visit https://cms.mwr.nps.gov/jeff/historyculture/dredscottsesquicentennial.htm.

JACK REPASS

February and December. The final majority decision was handed down March 6, 1857. Taney wrote the opinion, declaring that the attitudes toward slavery when the constitution was constructed were not favorable to a slave ever becoming a citizen. The court later widened that to include a prohibition against citizenship for even the free descendants of slaves and determined that Congress could not forbid slavery in the territories. Again the property question was addressed: Slaves were property and not citizens, so they could not bring suit in a federal court. Justice Taney said that Slave Scott as property was subject to the provisions of the Fifth Amendment, which prohibited taking property from an owner without due process. By this time, Irene Emerson, who had been married to Dr. Emerson, had been widowed and remarried to Calvin Chaffee, the abolitionist. Her brother, who had championed her through the first trials, was in an insane asylum. Chaffee, embarrassed and criticized, arranged Scott’s return to his original owners, the Blow family. They had aided his struggle for freedom and now emancipated him on May 26, 1857. He worked as a freeman, laboring as a porter at Barnum’s Hotel until his death in 1858. The aftershocks of the decision were incredible. Taney labeled opposition to slavery as northern aggression. He was widely criticized for the Dred Scott decision, of which Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts said: “The opinion of the chief justice in the case of Dred Scott was more thoroughly abominable than anything of the kind in the history of courts. Judicial baseness reached its lowest point on that occasion.” But there was another result: The decision inflamed the country and is considered one of the most influential forces in the outbreak of the Civil War. Alongside the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the newspaper The Liberator, publication of the court decision made common people aware of what slavery meant and moved them to action. This year is the 150th anniversary of that

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SHOW-ME GETAWAYS Unique and Unforgettable

THE RIGHT SPOT

V I S TA S B E C K O N AT C A M E R O N ’ S C R A G AT B R A N S O N |

By Jeremy Goldmeier

looking to start their own bed-and-breakfast in 1986, they followed the first law of real estate survival: Build it in the right spot, and they will come. Today, the Cameron’s Crag Bed and Breakfast strikes the perfect balance between the remote and accessible in its location. The guest suites overlook the natural beauty of Lake Taneycomo, a site renowned for its excellent trout fishing. But when night falls, the city lights of Branson are visible just three miles distant. All of the city’s celebrated attractions lay at the ready but at a safe enough distance that Cameron’s Crag visitors enjoy the tranquility of their immediate surroundings. The bed-and-breakfast’s four suites each present a unique character for visitors. The Around the World Suite features decorative items that the Camerons picked up on their many international travels. The Bird’s Eye View and the Grandview suites both advertise their scenic overlooks in their names, while the Highland Rose Suite caters to couples with special occasions to celebrate. All of the suites feature kingsized beds, hot tubs, and TV/VCR setups. In his Complete Guide to Bed & Breakfasts, Guesthouses & Inns of Missouri, travel author Harry Hagen makes especial mention of Cameron’s Crag’s wide variety of cuisine. Kay has compiled three separate cookbooks of Ozark cuisine and draws from all of them in preparing dishes for guests. Her and Glen’s families have both dwelt in the Ozarks for generations, and both possess a wellspring of knowledge about the area and its traditions. In her cooking, Kay draws on the various culinary cultures of European settlers who

originally inhabited the Ozarks. In addition to her responsibilities at Cameron’s Crag, Kay also coordinates the Ozark Mountain Country Bed and Breakfast Service, which she founded in 1982. For those guests wishing to continue their Ozark journeys beyond Branson, Kay can arrange future stops along the trail. Glen, meanwhile, is a retired dean at the nearby College of the Ozarks. He has participated in the Boy Scouts of America organization for years. “The first time I met these two nice people,” Hagen writes, “I felt right at home with them, and I still do.”

Clockwise from top: Cameron’s Crag owners chose the perfect location for the cozy bed and breakfast. The decks overlook Lake Taneycomo. Kay Cameron has written three cookbooks.

Suites range in cost from $105 to $155 per night. Call 417-334-4720 or visit www.camerons-crag.com for more information.

COURTESY OF GLEN CAMERON, GREG WOOD

WHEN KAY AND GLEN Cameron were

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BOOKWORM BLISS

7 SMALL BOOKSTORES THRIVE DURING HARD TIMES F O R T H E W R I T T E N W O R D | By Dawn Klingensmith

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FACING STIFF COMPETITION from chains and online booksellers, independent bookstores are going the way of the feather-quill pen. Thousands have gone out of business across the United States in the past decade, and in May, Missouri bookseller Tom Wayne of Prospero’s Books at Kansas City made national news by torching his own inventory to protest society’s diminishing support of the written word. But though so many indies have bitten the dust, some manage to survive by specializing in and catering to a specific niche. For those whose literary interests go beyond the bestseller list, Missouri Life spotlights some of the best specialty bookstores in the state.

Becky’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor & Emporium, Hannibal

MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

Books by and about Mark Twain

For thirty years, Sara Anton North’s family ran a specialty bookstore in the childhood home of Laura Hawkins, who was Mark Twain’s boyhood sweetheart and the inspiration for his fictional character Becky Thatcher. “Our claim to fame was that we had everything by and about Mark Twain,” says Sara’s husband, Fred. When the Mark Twain Home Foundation bought the house in 2000, the business moved around the corner to an established ice cream parlor. “We combined books, souvenirs, and ice cream into one fun store,” Fred says. The décor includes a pressed-tin ceiling, an oak back bar, and gingham-draped tables. The sign outside says, “Things you didn’t know you could get anymore,” and the emporium keeps that promise with an array of nostalgic goods. About a third of the books the store carries relate to Mark Twain. Though the selection has been scaled back since the move, “We do still look for rare and used editions and can offer a wealth of information on Mark Twain and his writings,” Fred says. 318 N. Main; 573-221-0822; Mondays through Sundays, 10 AM to 5 PM (fall); Fridays through Mondays, 10 AM to 4 PM (winter).

Hannibal Big Sleep Books, St. Louis

Mystery, detection, and espionage They say crime doesn’t pay, but Helen Simpson owes her livelihood to it. Independent bookstores are dying left and right, yet Simpson’s shop, Big Sleep Books, survives by catering to fans of murder mysteries, private eye novels, and the like. Choosing which books to carry, Helen always goes for blood. “If there’s a sin or a crime involved, it belongs in my store,” she says. The shop is named for Raymond Chandler’s novel The Big Sleep, featuring a hard-boiled private investigator as the protagonist. The book was made into a film, and larger-than-life cardboard cutouts of its costars, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, dominate one wall of the bookstore, along with pictures of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, the Thin Man, and others. The Parallel Case—an offshoot of the Baker Street Irregulars, a Sherlock Holmes fan club— meets there bimonthly to discuss the works of writer Arthur Conan Doyle. 239 N. Euclid; 314-361-6100; Mondays through Saturdays, 11 AM to 6 PM; Sundays, noon to 5 PM.

The Blue and Grey Book Shoppe, Independence Civil War, American, and Missouri history books

Intent on saving a local landmark, Betty Key and Ted Stillwell bought the boarded-up Blake

Museum in 2002; two years and ninety-six gallons of paint later, it opened to the public as a bookstore, gift shop, and art gallery. The peculiar museum was built around 1940 by Raymond Blake to house his antiques and collectibles. Meant to resemble 1850s architecture, the structure was made from materials salvaged from old commercial buildings. Curious objects, like millstones, Indian artifacts, elephant vertebrae, petrified wood, and even an old pair of ice skates, are mortared into the brick and stone. “Because the building is a piece of history itself, we wanted to keep that focus with the books,” Betty says. An assortment of other literary genres is also available, along with Celtic and 1950s music, traditional tunes from the Revolutionary and Civil wars, and Civil War reenactment supplies. 106 E. Walnut; 816-252-9909; Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 AM to 6 PM.

Great Expectations, Joplin

Christian books, Bibles, and CDs With a handful of successful chains dominating the Christian book market, owner Mike Curry knew he needed to do something special to make Great Expectations stand out. Working with a designer, he chose a palette of bold colors for the store’s interior, including orange, blue, yellow, and green. “Most Christian bookstores are all about pastels,” he says, “so I wanted to move away from that. I didn’t want it to feel churchy.”

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BEST OF MISSOURI

St. Louis

Columbia More than just a bookstore, Great Expectations is a community gathering space with a cozy fireplace, a children’s area, a special teen section, and a music area where folks can listen to albums before buying them. “I wanted to create an atmosphere where people would immediately feel welcome and want to dwell here awhile,” Mike says. As an added incentive, “We have free coffee all the time,” he adds. Though the store’s name happens to be a book title, it has nothing to do with author Charles Dickens. “It’s about how you can count on God to exceed what you expect out of life,” Mike says. 920 E. 15th St.; 417-206-7800; Mondays through Thursdays, 9 AM to 7 PM; Fridays, 9 AM to 9 PM; Saturdays, 9 AM to 7 PM.

Hammond’s Books, St. Louis

Rare, out-of-print, and collectible books Part of Cherokee Antique Row near downtown St. Louis, Hammond’s Books fits right in on this five-block stretch of antiques dealers. Art deco clocks grace the bookshelves, and elegant chandeliers from the same period glow overhead. “I’m told it has a very European or Soho feel to it,” owner Jovanka Hammond says of the interior. “It’s kind of jammed,” she admits. But hunting for treasure among the narrow walkways and floor-to-ceiling bookcases needn’t be an odyssey, thanks to Jovanka’s meticulous filing

system. “Every book I have is cataloged on the computer,” she says, “so if somebody comes in and wants a certain book, I can tell them if we have it and exactly where to find it.” Hammond’s Books carries eighty thousand hard-to-find titles, with tens of thousands more stored in two warehouses. Jovanka’s interest in art and architecture is reflected in the inventory. 1939 Cherokee St.; 314-776-4737; Thursdays through Saturdays, 10:30 AM to 4 PM.

Reading Reptile, Kansas City Children’s literature

Alice falls down the rabbit hole, Dorothy follows the yellow brick road, and Lucy enters Narnia through a wardrobe. Beloved children’s books transport young readers to new worlds, and Reading Reptile does the same thing the moment kids walk through the door—and into the jaws of a hungry beast. “It’s a papier-mâché monster head I made myself,” says owner Debbie Pettid. “You walk through its mouth to enter the store.” Children’s literature comes to life throughout the store, even in the restrooms, which have a Harold and the Purple Crayon theme for boys and an Eloise theme for girls. The back of the store has a stage for puppet shows, plays, and birthday parties. Reading Reptile also offers free story hours; book clubs for six- to eight-year-olds and nine- to twelveyear-olds; craft-making workshops; free movies

on Fridays; and an annual kids writing contest. 328 W. 63rd St.; 816-753-0441; Mondays through Fridays, 10 AM to 6 PM; Saturdays, 10 AM to 5 PM; Sundays, noon to 5 PM.

Rock Bottom Comics, Columbia Comic books and graphic novels

By the proprietor’s admission, the store is cramped and could stand to be dusted, but what Rock Bottom Comics lacks in spotlessness, it makes up for in customer service, expertise, and selection. Customers from all walks of life plunk money down for bestselling comics such as Superman, Batman, and World War Hulk, as well as lesser-known titles like Crossing Midnight and Criminal. Every Wednesday is New Comic Day, when hot-off-the-press comic books arrive. Rock Bottom offers a “pull-and-hold” service for regular customers, so certain arrivals end up behind the counter instead of on the sales floor. This guarantees that customers’ favorite comics won’t be sold out. Rock Bottom also carries games, such as Magic: The Gathering; trade paperbacks; and graphic novels (meaning illustrated, not explicit). An adults-only room in the back offers spicier fare, but elsewhere, “We try very hard to keep the store kid-friendly,” Glenn says. 1029 E. Walnut St.; 573-443-0113; Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 10:30 AM to 7 PM; Wednesdays, noon to 7 PM; Saturdays, 10 AM to 6 PM; Sundays, noon to 5 PM.

ANDREW BARTON

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TRIVIA

Questions and A nswers

BRANSON BIOGRAPHY By Aja J. Junior

COURTESY OF ENTERTAINERS

This book launched Branson as one of the tourist capitals of the country back in 1907. Famed amusement park, Silver Dollar City, was named for this reason. This body of water at Branson remained popular during the early twentieth century and helped the area overcome the Great Depression. The longest continuously running show at Branson is said to be the first live show in the city. This family was the first to open a theater on the Branson Strip.

While fishing in Lake Taneycomo, one can expect to catch these. 7. Ozark Beach Dam created this popular place in 1913. 8. He was the first celebrity entertainer to live in Branson and own a theater there. 9. This is the largest theater sitting on the strip today. 10. This lady was the first to gather Ozark arts and crafts as entertainment at Branson. (Answers on page 115)

This family celebrates forty years on the Branson Strip this year. They were the first to open a theater on the Strip.

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WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW 0N MISSOURI CAMPUSES Presented by Missouri Life magazine

BY AJA J. JUNIOR Missouri Life explores whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new at colleges and universities around the state. We bring you highlights on first-year student programs and 2007 who makes the grade as well as green campuses, a performing [81] artsOctober campus, and a virtual school for high school and elementary students.

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THE FRESHMAN FIT Getting off on the right foot is important for students at colleges and universities. Now, several schools are giving students a boost in the right direction. The Policy Center on the First Year of College, established in 1999 with a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, assists colleges in developing a first-year program for their students. The center’s key project, the Foundations of Excellence, provides a set of

guidelines that schools use to look at their programs and goals for first-year students and how they can improve. The nine guidelines for new students include serving them according to their needs, making them a priority to faculty and staff, developing learning atmospheres for them, and ensuring that they explore diverse ideas, world views, and cultures among others. Missouri Western University, Missouri Southern State University, and Central Missouri State University participate in the

four-year programs under the Foundations of Excellence project. Metropolitan Community CollegeLongview at Lee’s Summit is the only twoyear community college in Missouri participating in the program and is one of ten pilot community colleges in the country developing a program. Dr. Beth Lindquist, dean of institutional success at Longview, predicts that next year will focus on making sure the changes are working for students, faculty, and staff.

PREVIOUS AND THIS PAGE: COURTESY OF DRURY UNIVERSITY

FIND YOUR FEET. CHOOSE YOUR PATH. ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS.

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ALPHA STEPS Drury University was one of thirteen institutions recognized by the Policy Center on the First Year of College and the American Association of Colleges and Universities for its Alpha Semester course, Global Perspectives 21. The course examines the major questions of American culture and helps students develop the communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills they need to become leaders on campus, in their careers, and in the communities. The collegiate experience begins in June with registration for classes. During this time, first-year students interact with classmates and the professor of Alpha Seminar. Alpha Seminar is a yearlong class in which students study the American experience through democracy, ethics, and capitalism. The Alpha Seminar professor acts as an advisor and a mentor for students during their first year of college. Dr. Richard Schur, director of interdisciplinary studies, says that this course is a great way to get to know fellow students and faculty. Visit www.drury.edu or mcckc.edu/home for more information.

COURTESY SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY

PREVIOUS AND THIS PAGE: COURTESY OF DRURY UNIVERSITY

ONE FOR ALL This fall, the spotlight shines on the new visual and performing arts school on Southeast Missouri State University’s River Campus. The Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts, home to the only Missouri campus dedicated to music, art, dance, and theatre, opens its doors during Homecoming in October at Cape Girardeau. River Campus brings the theatre, dance, music, and art departments together in a new home. The Cultural Arts Center houses the new John and Betty Glenn Convocation Center, where banquets, pre- and post-performance receptions, and school meetings will take

The music, theatre, art, and dance departments at Southeast Missouri State University find a new home this fall at SEMO’s River Campus.

place. The Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall, named for a member of the Southeast Missouri State University Foundation Board of Directors, will be the site of plays, symphonies, dance and music concerts, musicals, and other shows. State-of-the-art scenery and costume shops also find a home in the center. Three performance stages sit adjacent to the shops, including the Wendy Kruka Rust’s Flexible Theatre, which can convert its two hundred seats and stage to a variety of arrangements. Near the theatre, a new dance studio features a high-quality, “sprung” floor, which protects dancers’ legs and feet from injury with a slightly elastic surface. Beside the Bedell Performance Hall, the Rosemary Berkel and Harry L. Crisp II Southeast Missouri Regional Museum finds a new home after being located in Memorial Hall for more than thirty years. The second part of the school resides in the 150-year-old newly renovated St. Vincent’s Seminary. The seminary holds the Robert and Gertrude Shuck Music Recital Hall, which offers music students opportunities not possible in other classrooms. The Art Gallery and Arts Resource Center on the lower floor complete the artistic facility. Visit www.semo.edu/svpa.index.htm for more information.

A MEDICAL LIFELINE Central Methodist University’s health professions program propels pre-medical students into graduate institutions and medical schools with a 95 percent acceptance rate, while 100 percent of nursing students are passing the National Council Licensure Examinations.

ALL STUDENT ACCESS Missouri students can not only download music from iTunes but can now download an education. Missouri legislators approved Missouri Virtual Instruction Program (MoVIP), which allows elementary and high school students to take classes online and receive more education out of the classroom. Middle school courses will be made available in 2008-2009. Students in various circumstances can participate. Those with no access to Advanced Placement courses can take them online and possibly earn college credit. Expelled or suspended students, students facing illnesses, or teenage parents can enroll in high school courses to finish their secondary education. MoVIP does not yet offer high school diplomas. Northwest Missouri State University acts as a liaison between the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and companies providing courses, such as Kaplan and eCollege. “We’re looking to provide instruction for those students caught in the gaps,” says Dr. Curt Fuchs, director of the virtual schools. No matter whether the student is in public, private, or home school, every Missouri student is eligible to enroll. All that is needed is a home computer and internet access. With more than two thousand students signing up this year, state-funded seats are almost full. Tuition-paid seats are still available at $357 for secondary students or $375 for elementary students. Call 573-526-4219 or visit www.dese. mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/movip for more information.

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ON MISSOURI CAMPUSES

Dr. James Gordon, chemistry professor and chair of the science division, credits the high statistics to resources that undergird classroom learning. “Support that goes beyond the classroom helps make our students successful,” Dr. Gordon says. Organizations, seminars, and sources are available to students as early as their freshman year. For example, the Pre-Health Advisory Council, a council of physicians, mentors pre-medical students. It allows students to build professional relationships. Students may be able to intern with physi-

cians on the council and procure recommendations for medical school. Professional student organizations also contribute to students’ success. A Pre-Medical Honor Society, Alpha Epsilon Delta, hosts mock Medical College Admission Tests for students as early as their freshman year to aid in understanding the test. The PreHealth Advisory Committee conducts mock interviews with students for graduate school, Dr. Gordon says. Students often regard the mock interviews as more difficult than the actual thing.

EAST CENTRAL EXTENDS NURSING

In August 2008, East Central College at Union will offer a full nursing program at Rolla through their extended campus. Previously, students attended a nursing program at the main campus at Union, or licensed practical nurses could become registered nurses through their bridge program at Rolla. Phelps County Regional Medical Center at Rolla reserves a clinical lab for nursing students to use. Visit www.eastcentral.edu for information.

COURTESY OF CENTRAL METHODIST UNIVERSITY

WHAT’S NEW

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WHAT’S NEW Nursing students find success with the help of two key components to their program: intensity and nurturing. Megan Hess, chair of the nursing department, credits the 100 percent pass rate on the State Board Examinations to the small school atmosphere, close faculty-student relationships, and the hard work of students and staff for success in the program. The nursing program maintains a high intensity level to produce good nurses. After completing a science minor and other general education courses, students complete required major courses along with a 225hour clinical practicum with professional nurses. More importantly, the nurse-filled faculty ensures that, along with technical proficiency, prospective nurses have compassion and respect for humanity. “How would you want your mother to be treated?” Megan questions her students. “How would you want your child to be treated?”

ON MISSOURI CAMPUSES

Visit www.centralmethodist.edu for more information.

BIG SCHOLARSHIPS Emily Wales knew she wanted to pursue a career in public service or government. She never dreamed William Jewell College would help her get a Harry S. Truman Scholarship. Emily, a new William Jewell alumni, received the thirty-thousand-dollar Harry S. Truman scholarship to attend graduate school in pursuit of a government or public service career. Prestigious awards, such as the Truman and Fulbright scholarships, have become associated with William Jewell’s students over the years due to the college’s Prestigious Fellowships and Scholarships Program. “I would never have applied for the Truman scholarships because I thought bignamed institutions’ students received it,” Emily says. “I would never have applied for the scholarship without the program.”

The program helps students find scholarships and fellowships within their field, then prepares them for the rigorous application process that is part of these national competitions. Emily says it helped her in writing the essay and preparing for the interview. She is not the only student benefiting from the program. Elizabeth Hall, another member of the class of 2007, received one of this year’s Fulbright Scholarships. The Fulbright Scholarship, divided into three categories, allows students, professionals, or teachers to engage in teaching or researching curriculum in and out of the United States. Elizabeth is a scholar under the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program, which allows her to advance students’ understanding of the English language in other countries. She will teach in Uruguay. Jenilee Morrison, also a new William Jewell alumni, earned the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for her achievements in academia and promise of a career in the fields of

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WHAT’S NEW

ON MISSOURI CAMPUSES about having a high grade-point average,” Lois says. “That is true, but there is much more to the process; leadership and service are two very important criteria.” Visit www.jewell.edu for more information.

program. She notes that many times students are able to attend top-tier graduate schools after engaging in the program. “Many believe that being a recipient is

COURTESY OF WILLIAM

science, engineering, or mathematics. Lois Anne Harris, director of the Prestigious Fellowships/Scholarships program, serves as a mentor to many of the students within the

Fontbonne University has always been committed to Catholic heritage; now the institution is introducing what it calls a Dedicated Semester each fall, which will focus on a particular theme. In the inaugural semester, students, faculty, and administration are sponsoring speakers, panels, and events to explore the topic Judaism and its Culture, inspired partly by the words of Pope John Paul II depicting Jewish people as “dearly beloved brothers.” “This will change the way we do the business of education at Fontbonne,” says Jason Sommer, English professor and one of the creators of the dedicated semester. Courses in a variety of departments were

JEWELL

THE FIRST DEDICATION

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WHAT’S NEW created to address the study of Judaism, such as Sociology of the Jewish Family and Benedictions to Broadway: Jewish Musical Traditions. Current professors of each department teach the new courses that will later become part of the permanent curriculum. Many courses fulfill major and general education requirements for students. As part of the co-curricular activities associated with the semester, immersion courses in Hebrew have been scheduled and filled with students and faculty. Events ranging from a visit from the authors of Jews and Baseball to activities focusing on the ethnic identity of Judaism will also take place. The entire semester culminates with the commencement ceremonies when David Marwell, director of the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust at New York City, speaks to the graduating class of 2007. At the heart of the matter is learning more about Judaism and its connections to Christianity on the campus and community

ON MISSOURI CAMPUSES wide, Sommer says. The planned theme for the 2008 dedicated semester is U.N. Millenial Goals. The United Nations set forth eight ten-year goals in 2003; the semester will look at how the university and students can understand and support those goals. Visit www.fontbonne.edu/dedicated for more information.

HARD-WORKING FACULTY Out with the old and in with the new describes the goals of some graduate school deans and faculty departments regarding rankings in productivity. A new survey for research universities’ faculties evaluates schools objectively, compared to other subjective surveys’ standards. The Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index, produced by Academic Analytics, serves as a fresh and impartial outlook on how colleges and universities are ranked in faculty productivity. Among those to make the index were Washington University at St. Louis and

University of Missouri at St. Louis. While the University of Missouri at St. Louis ranked eleventh in small research universities, Washington University placed fourth overall for the Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index and topped the political science, ecology, and evolutionary biology fields. Academic Analytics works in conjunction with State University of New York at Stony Brook to collect and analyze scholarly outputs by university departments and their faculty. What sets their index apart from other surveys, such as U.S. News & World Report, is the lack of opinion-based or other subjective methodology. Academic Analytics uses journal publications, citations, awards and honors, and grant data on doctoral programs from federal agencies to compile the index. Visit www.umsl.edu for more information.

GREEN AMBITION Green is in. It may not appear on the Paris runways, but it’s springing up around

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RANKED Princeton Reveiw

Best Midwestern Colleges in Missouri 2007 College of the Ozarks Drury University Fontbonne University Missouri State University Rockhurst University Stephens College St. Louis University Truman State University University of Central Missouri University of Missouri-Columbia University of Missouri-Rolla Washington University at St. Louis Westminster College William Jewell College

Best 361 College Rankings (Student Rankings) “Best Campus Food” Washington University at St. Louis (No. 10) “Best Quality of Life” Washington University at St. Louis (No. 4) “Class Discussions Rare” University of Missouri-Rolla (No. 10) “Colleges with a Conscience” Missouri State University “Dorms Like Dungeons” University of Missouri-Rolla (No. 12) “Dorms Like Palaces” Washington University at St. Louis (No. 15) “School Runs Like Butter” Washington University at St. Louis (No. 4) “Stone Cold Sober Schools” College of the Ozarks (No. 3) “Students Happy with Financial Aid” Truman State University (No. 5) “Students Pray on a Regular Basis” College of the Ozarks (No. 8) “Tough to Get Into” Washington University at St. Louis (No. 8)

2007 U.S. News & World Report

America’s Best Colleges (National Universities) Washington University in St. Louis (No. 12) St. Louis University (No. 77) University of Missouri-Columbia (No. 88) University of Missouri-Rolla (No. 112) Master’s Universities: Truman State University (No. 8, within the Midwest region—Master’s category, No. 1 public university) Drury University (No. 9) Rockhurst University (No. 14) Webster University (No. 23) Maryville University of St. Louis (No. 29) Missouri State University (No. 59) Fontbonne University (No. 65) Top Midwestern Comprehensive Colleges College of the Ozarks (No. 29) Columbia College (No. 35) Culver-Stockton College (No. 52)

Missouri campuses for one cause: eliminate global warming. Washington University has devoted more than fifty-five million dollars for a renewable energy and sustainability program known as International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability. The program will allow research and collaboration with other schools and organizations to examine renewable energy and sustainability. Park University at Parkville pledged along with more than two hundred other colleges and universities to diminish greenhouse gases, eventually abolishing all emissions on their campuses. This commitment allows Park to create an action plan that will create a “climate neutral” campus as well as to incorporate environmental education in the curriculum to produce more climate responsible citizens. One college flying under the radar is making leaps and bounds with its studies on renewable energy. Crowder College’s Alternative Energy Program bleeds green with their innovative projects and ideas. Crowder stood out in past Solar Decathlon competitions, not only as the sole community college entrant, but also as a high-place finisher in each. The biggest undertaking by the small community college currently is the construction of the Missouri Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology Center. Set to open next fall, the center will be Missouri’s first educational building powered entirely by solar and renewable energy.

Visit wustl.edu or www.park.edu or www. crowder.edu, for more information.

AUCTIONEER HARVARD One of the best auctioneering schools in North America, Missouri Auction School produces top auctioneers in all fields around the world. Newsweek proclaims it the “Harvard of Auctioneering.”

ROLL FILM! Script supervisors, gaffers, and assistant directors are positions unnoticed by many, but students at Stephens College at Columbia know these positions well. After three years, the only women’s college with a digital film major has left its star on various films and festivals, including Columbia’s True/False Film Festival. This year, the program offers a new filmmaking minor. Kerri Yost, assistant professor of filmmaking, believes that the hands-on experience students get while studying filmmaking at Stephens separates it from other undergraduate film programs. Students learn the tricks of the trade, while creating student reels and focusing on obtaining internships and jobs following graduation. Visiting Hollywood professionals and filmmakers offer students connections to the film industry and potential for landing internships with such powerhouses as Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon. Visit www.stephens.edu/academics/programs/ digitalfilm/ for more information.

COURTESY OF STEPHENS COLLEGE

Best Value for Colleges 2008 Truman State University (No. 2, Public Schools) College of the Ozarks Drury University Westminster College of Missouri Missouri State University University of Central Missouri

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U O R S I ALUMNI C S I M The year was 1911. The place, Columbia, Missouri. The words that would forever change campus autumns: Come Home. The story goes like this: University of Missouri football coach and athletic director Chester Brewer invited alumni to “come home” for the team’s football game against Kansas, a game packed with a spirit of rivalry that seems to have rippled since pre-Civil War Border Wars between the two states. Brewer’s call yielded an unprecedented response. More than nine thousand Tiger fans packed the Columbia campus for a spirit rally, parade, and of course, the game—igniting a tradition that today is celebrated each fall on campuses across Missouri and the United States: homecoming.

FIRST-EVER HOMECOMING

Although other universities claim to have hosted the ﬁrst homecoming, the word according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the television show Jeopardy, and the game Trivial Pursuit is that bragging rights for the nation’s ﬁrst homecoming do, indeed, belong to the University of Missouri. The particulars of homecoming vary wildly from school to school, but there are three elements generally deemed essential for any homecoming celebration: proud alumni, spirited students, and at least one

big event that pulls everyone together in contagious camaraderie. The manner in which these fundamentals are interpreted and expressed is what makes each Missouri homecoming a tradition unto itself.

FROM REFLECTIVE TO ROWDY

Convention dictates that alumni who make the trek back to their alma mater for homecoming be welcomed with open arms and a weekend full of food and festivities planned just for them. Missouri universities are dedicated to carrying out these traditions with grandeur and gusto. In addition to the standard fare of pep rallies, tailgate parties, and alumni awards, many Missouri colleges and universities offer something out of the ordinary on their homecoming schedule of events. These events range from the airport-based fly-in breakfast hosted by St. Louis University to the night parade at Southwest Baptist University. Some of these events are designed to be quiet and reflective (University of Missouri-Rolla’s Mass at St. Patrick’s followed by a wine and cheese social); others, playfully rowdy (Missouri Western University’s Yell Like Hell). Missouri State University at Springfield has a fivekilometer race. Truman University at Kirksville has a golf tournament. Southwest Baptist has bed races.

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E M I COME HO

By Lynn Pickerel

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT COLUMBIA

The first homecoming took place when University of Missouri alumni were invited to come back to Columbia for the game (above) against rival University of Kansas. Alumni marched in the Old Grads Parade (below) in 1913 at the University of Missouri.

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MISSOURI ALUMNI COME HOME

THE PROUD PARADES

Sometimes fun and games for families supplement the athletic events, as is the case with the giant inﬂatable bounce games that entertain little ones during Columbia College’s homecoming. Such innovations are what make Missouri homecomings popular ... and anything but predictable.

Marching bands, ﬂoats pieced together by student groups, school administrators perched on convertibles—these and more create the slideshow of the campus community known as The Homecoming Parade. At these parades, you’ll catch a glimpse of the perpetually smiling-and-waving homecoming king and queen. Here, too, is where you’ll spot some new trends. For example, decorated golf carts are lined up for this year’s homecoming parades at both Missouri State University and Rockhurst University. In some cases, you can measure a homecoming’s popularity by the trafﬁc jam created by the size of its parade. Culver-Stockton College in the small town of Canton claims a doozie of a jam. Southeast Missouri State and University of Central Missouri also do them right. The grand marshals of these homecoming parades alone can create quite a stir. This was certainly the case when Mizzou alum and superstar Sheryl Crow presided over the University of Missouri at Columbia homecoming parade in 2003.

This year, Harris-Stowe State University at St. Louis will be celebrating 150 years of educational excellence with a number of events at their homecoming. On the menu is the traditional Kielbasa Party and Alumni Conversations, an event where students and alumni together enjoy barbecue, music, and meaningful discussions. Meanwhile down in southern Missouri, the College of the Ozarks will culminate the centennial year of “Hard Work U” with Homecoming 101, during which the campus’s own hard-working Fruitcake and Jelly Kitchen will unveil a 101-pound fruitcake! Saint Louis University plans to take its centennial celebration out on the town during homecoming 2007, treating alumni to the cultural pleasures of both the campus and city with evenings in art galleries, wine tastings in mansions, and family-friendly picnics.

THE BIG GAME

HOMECOMING HIJINKS

All these parades and all this partying tend to constellate around one glowing event. In most cases, this event is The Big Game: traditionally, a football game—ideally, an emotionally charged football game against a long-standing rival team. But homecomings being what they are, there are twists to this tradition. The University of Missouri at Kansas City’s homecoming is referred to as a “Court Warming,” and a Kangaroo basketball game is the athletic highlight. Across the street at Rockhurst University, a Hawks soccer game takes center stage.

Giant inflatable bounce games entertain kids at Columbia College’s homecoming celebration. The event includes activities for all ages.

A SESQUICENTENNIAL

In a 1915 prank at Kirksville, a bugle sounded and two hundred of three hundred students walked out of their morning classes. Thus began the Northwest Missouri State tradition of Walkout Day. Eventually the walkout was sanctioned by the school president, and students waited in eager anticipation for the time the bugle (and later the campus’s Memorial Bell of ’48) would sound, releasing them from classes to picnic in the woods and play baseball games against faculty. Today, even though classes are not in session, the president of the student senate and the university

A 101-pound fruitcake will be unveiled at the College of the Ozarks to celebrate Homecoming 101 for the college’s centennial year.

COURTESY COLUMBIA COLLEGE, COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS

And Missouri Baptist University has begun a new homecoming tradition with its cruise giveaway. This is just a small sampling of what Missouri homecomings have in store.

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coming traditions may be lost on those from other cultures, has international students carry the ﬂag of their home country in the homecoming parade and invites them onto the ﬁeld during half-time.

Since the ﬁrst nearly a century ago, the homecoming at Mizzou has continued its grand tradition, growing to become one of the country’s largest. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education has also named it the best homecoming in the nation. The parade and spirit rally are still as important as ever. But over the years, additional alumni events, campus decorations, and talent competitions have been added into the mix. There is also an increased emphasis on community service. In fact, one service project, the annual homecoming drive at Mizzou, has broken the world’s record for the largest peacetime blood drive on a college campus.

WELCOME HOME! Thanks to the Missouri-born tradition of homecoming, each fall, the thousands of alumni who make their way back to the colleges and universities across Missouri and across the country are sure to ﬁnd both something soothingly familiar and something surprisingly fresh when they respond to their alma mater’s invitation: Come home.

ALUMNI COMMUNICATION

BEST IN THE COUNTRY

president ring the Bell of ’48 on the Friday of homecoming weekend. Each year, Missouri Valley’s homecoming celebrations do not begin on campus, but rather in the town of the college that the Vikings will play at the homecoming football game. This town is the starting block for the school’s annual Valley Torch Run, where Missouri Valley athletic teams run a relay-style race with the last leg arriving at the homecoming bonﬁre on the night before the game. The idea for the run started with the 1958 Tangerine Bowl, when 58 students ran 1,285 miles from Marshall to Orlando, Florida. This year, the Viking athletes will run from MidAmerica Nazarene University at Olathe, Kansas, to Marshall. Some of the more bizarre homecoming traditions are those undertaken by fraternities. The University of Missouri at Rolla has been rather proliﬁc in this sense. Sigma Pi fraternity burns an outhouse on campus each year. The tradition began years ago to protest a campus policy. What was the policy? No one remembers, but the annual outhouse burning continues. Also on this campus, several fraternities conspire to literally carry out another homecoming tradition: moving a veteran one-ton rock to a new campus location each year. Let us pause for just a moment and imagine someone from another culture straining to make sense of all this homecoming fuss. Missouri Southern State University at Joplin, mindful of the fact that home-

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT ROLLA; MU PUBLICATIONS

MISSOURI ALUMNI COME HOME

From left: In keeping with homecoming tradition, another outhouse falls victim to annual torching at the hands of the University of Missouri at Rolla’s Sigma Pi fraternity. The University of Missouri’s homecoming parade winds through downtown Columbia.

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[1] August 2007

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RTiviIST U RuitIy A SOIng MIS & Creat ty undant en Ab

From left: Larger than life murals adorn the Traders Printing Company building at Springfield. Muralist Jim Veronee’s work can be seen at Springfield’s Queen City Cycles.

NO CHANCE TO BE FORGOTTEN

“GET A BUILDING!” That’s the advice Jim Veronee gives young people. “You can talk about art; you can show a portfolio, but until other people see you working … find a building, even if you have to paint it at your own expense. It will propagate more work. Stop painting on canvas right now and get a building.” Jim got his start around age twenty at movie studios in California where he watched people paint houses and backgrounds for movie sets. “I can do that,” he thought. He was already doing the same thing on smaller canvases. He joined the Painters Union and joined the people working on canvases so huge that the artists had to walk the length of the canvas to paint it. Once, busy painting mountain scenery, he asked what production it was for, and someone answered, Gunsmoke. That was a television show set in Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s. Gunsmoke? Kansas? Mountains?

“You can’t see mountains from Dodge City,” Jim says. “None of them had ever been there; they didn’t know. But the storyboard called for mountains so we painted mountains. That’s show biz,” he says with a quick laugh. Jim’s biggest challenge was a sign, high up on the Landers Theater at Springfield. “I thought in the beginning I could just use a big boom truck,” he says. “Well, it wouldn’t fit in that alley with all those high tension wires located right next to the building just below the work site.” He found a company from Kansas City that would put up a cable with a small cage that ran up and down the cable. But it wouldn’t fit between the building and the wires, so he couldn’t go from the bottom up. “Well, I’m not a young man,” says this energetic senior who admits to being seventy. “I had to go up inside the theater, up a ladder—the fire escape was kind of loose—then

climb over a five-foot retaining wall on to the backside of the theater. Then I had to get into a harness, lie down on the roof, and swing out over a twelve-inch gutter hoping my feet would hit the railings of the cage; and then get into a position to paint.” Jim has painted murals, both inside and out, from California to South Carolina. A perk for him is people who stop to visit while he’s painting. His eyes twinkle as he tells one of his many stories, especially if it involves word play. “Murals increase the value of a building,” Jim says, “and they give you the opportunity to leave something behind. Otherwise people forget you. When you’re forgotten, you’re dead. Being dead’s worse than unemployment, you know. Longer hours and less pay.” Laughing, he gets back to painting. He’s finishing Traders Printing Company; next comes more bicycles for Queen City Cycles. For more information, call 417-890-5196.

COURTESYOF MAMORU SEKI; OPPOSITE: EDWARD BIAMONTE

SPRINGFIELD MURALIST JIM VERONEE LEAVES A L I T T L E S O M E T H I N G T O R E M E M B E R H I M B Y | By Nancy Dailey

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Great Missouri Art

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Dogwood Spring Gallery Nature landscapes and wildlife paintings by Erin Van Ommen

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Announcing Daisy & Digger This beautiful book tells the story of a Red Heeler, a Blue Heeler, and a little boy named Tommy–for the child in all of us! Written by Kathy Meyer and illustrated by Catherine Mahoney, both of Hermann, Missouri.

November 3 and 4, 2007

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The Foundry Arts Centre In Historic Saint Charles, Missouri

Orders: camahoney@ktis.net For phone orders/information call: 573-486-2444 or fax 573-486-2164

For details call 636-451-6090 www.openspacecouncilstl.org

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MISSOURI ARTIST

PIECES OF WOOD By Laura L. Valenti

for high blood pressure, but perhaps none has produced more beautiful results than the hobby Vic Eckmann took up at his doctor’s behest, which was woodworking. “The stress of farming had my blood pressure up too high. My doctor told me I should find a relaxing hobby, and that got me started in woodworking about fifteen years ago,” says Vic, standing in his workshop just outside of Lebanon. Now a retired farmer, Vic creates intricate pictures in wood. He fits different types of wood into sometimes simple, sometimes truly exquisite pieces of art. “Each color in the design is a separate piece of wood. Finding the woods is the hard part,” Vic says. “The walnut, maple, oak, and the cedars are not so hard to come by, but the butternut, aspen, and catalpa are often difficult to find. Still, I prefer to use the natural woods rather than do any staining of the wood.” While his workshop has a wood stove, Vic often works without the benefit of the heat. “Heating up the stove changes the wood,” he

says. “It makes it expand, and when you’re sawing something that fine, even a little bit of a change means a lot.” Vic’s works are traveling far from his home in southwest Missouri, carrying his reputation throughout the state and region. Wild turkeys are one of Vic’s favorite subjects; he is an active member of the National Wild Turkey Federation. In 2006, he and his wife, Sue, traveled to the organization’s national convention in Nashville. They brought along pieces depicting a jake, which is a young male turkey, and the NWTF logo. Vic also makes trophies for Bennett Spring’s local Hillbilly Days competitions, held each year the third weekend in June. “I have a craft booth at Hillbilly Days,” Vic says, “but with time constraints, I don’t do other craft shows.” Vic works part time at the nearby Bennett Spring Trout Hatchery, where he spends most weekends caring for and stocking hundreds of trout in the park’s fishing stream. He may not have the time to travel, but people are literally beating a path to his door to com-

mission his works in advance or to buy something he has already made. Currently, his wooden pieces of art have found homes and offices in Texas, Tennessee, South Dakota, Virginia, and Illinois as well as Missouri. Vic’s favorite piece, Hidden Forest, hangs in his own living room. It is a forest portrait that depicts tall trees and various forest animals, including a raccoon, tree frog, lizard, and deer. It is comprised of nine hundred pieces of wood, and it took more than five years to complete. Whether it is the complicated pattern found in Hidden Forest or the simple beauty seen in one of his latest, such as Mother with Child, Vic Eckmann’s art in wood leaves a lasting impression with the viewer. Just as importantly, Vic’s doctor was correct. His blood pressure is back down to where it should be. Call 417-532-6418 for more information. From left: Hidden Forest, New Shoes, and Elephant are carved from several types of wood. Vic Eckmann took more than five years to complete Hidden Forest, which he kept for himself.

LAURA VALENTI

MANY A CURE has been recommended

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MISSOURI ARTIST

GLASS BEAD-MAKING By Glenna Parks

hand, a wire called a mandrel in the other. The bright flame of a torch burns between them. She brings the glass rod into the flame to melt it and carefully winds the molten glass onto the mandrel, shaping the glass. One by one, she fashions elaborate beads, which she then strings on twisted wire to create intricate, handmade jewelry. “I started by stringing beads as a hobby,” Gail begins. But unable to find the specific sizes, shapes, and colors of beads that she wanted for her projects, she decided to make her own. After searching for bead-making classes in her area, she found one at the St. Louis City Museum in 1998 and began her whirlwind adventure of learning different types of working glass, kiln temperatures, and shaping techniques. Inspired by her new talent, Gail set up a studio in her home and practiced the art for

a year and a half. She then discovered Craft Alliance, a non-profit art gallery in St. Louis that teaches aspiring artists and provides lessons in bead-making, metalsmithing, and fiber arts. “I thought I was doing well right off, but as it turns out, I wasn’t!” Gail admits that she’s still learning new techniques and perfecting the craft. “It’s not hard to learn,” she says. “It’s hard to do well. It takes a lot of practice.” A typical day in the life of this lampworker (called such because glass rods are shaped into beads using the heat of a torch or lamp) starts at 9 AM. Normally, she averages three hours creating beads, but if a show is approaching, she’ll spend four or five hours working. A look at her work reveals both talent and technique variety. “I like a lot of spirals and swirls, shell, sea creatures, and fish,” Gail says. “These shapes

are made with different kinds of tools. Some are like dentist tools, wax-carver tools, and I mostly use tweezers to flatten round beads, pointy-end tweezers to grab and twist, and flat paddles to roll the beads to make cone shapes.” Gail is a juried a member of both The Best of Missouri Hands and The Greater St. Louis Art Association and a member of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers. She has won the Award of Excellence and First Place in Jewelry at Columbia’s Art in the Park and is the corresponding secretary and treasurer of the St. Louis Lampworkers Society. Call 636-978-1790 or visit www.strandedglass.com for more information. From left: Glass swirls and spirals are incorporated into many of artist Gail Crozier’s pieces. She uses a torch and small tools to mold molten glass. Shells and sea creatures are also featured prominently in her jewelry designs.

COURTESY OF GAIL CROZIER

GAIL CROZIER SITS, striking glass in one

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E CUstISChIN U RIm the MISst SO efs Be Recipes Fro Be

WILD AND TASTY

M I S S O U R I W I L D G A M E G I V E S T H E H O L I D AY A T W I S T By Karen Mitcham-Stoeckley

WILD FOWL HAS been a staple on the dining menu of Missouri inhabitants since before recorded time. Early settlers found the forested hills and lush prairie meadows teaming with quail, turkey, and pheasant. Today, numerous hunt clubs across the state offer sportsmen and women the opportunity to bag these wild birds for their tables. For those of us who are not hunters, we offer a few alternatives. Flying Wings Bird Farm at Cyrene offers dressed quail, pheasant, and wild turkey to customers who phone ahead to place their orders. Owned by Terry Thomas and wife Denise, this enterprise began as a hobby, and today there are more than ten thousand quail scurrying around their flight-restricted pens. Wild turkey strut their stuff and spread their tail feathers to impress one another and express their dismay at visitors. Young pheasants are just beginning to grow what will become elegant tail feathers. Next year Terry will raise chucker. Call 573-470-4943 for more information. If you prefer to feast on smoked wild bird, a trip to Burgers Smoke House at California, Missouri, is the right recipe for delicious game. A family-owned business now run by the third generation of Burgers, the store offers smoked duck, quail, and pheasant as well as many domestic meats, such as capon, Cornish hen, and numerous other award-winning smoked meats. A real treat for the holidays is their Wild Game Deluxe Sampler

consisting of one duck, one pheasant, one smoked elk salami, one smoked venison sausage, and one smoked buffalo sausage. Visit www.smokehouse.com for the history of Burgersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as remembered by various family members going back to the 1920s or call 800345-5185 for more information. Our recipes this month offer alternatives to the standard grocery store turkey for the holidays. Serve with traditional holiday side dishes and enjoy some good Missouri wines with these birds. From left: Turkey, quail, and pheasant are available at Flying Wings Bird Farm at Cyrene. Wild turkey with grapes in brandy sauce makes a delectable addition to a holiday menu.

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Roast Quail with Potato Zucchini Pancake Potato Zucchini Pancake Ingredients: 1 medium zucchini, unpeeled and finely grated 1 teaspoon salt 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced and chopped 4 tablespoons butter, divided 4 – 5 red potatoes, finely grated 1 egg 2 tablespoons flour Salt and pepper to taste 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Directions: Place zucchini in a strainer and sprinkle with salt, mixing well. Drain 30 minutes. In a non-stick skillet, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons butter, until translucent. Remove and slightly cool. In a large bowl mix together the potatoes, egg, flour, and sautéed onion. Squeeze the remaining moisture out of the zucchini. Add to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper. In the skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat until bubbly. Drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture in the skillet and flatten with a spatula like small pancakes about 1/2 inch thick. Sauté until golden brown and slightly crispy. Turn and sauté the other side in the same manner. Remove to paper towel to drain. Add the remaining butter and oil and continue with the rest of the mixture. Pancakes may be made in advance and kept dry between layers of plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Place in a 400-degree, preheated oven to reheat. Quail Ingredients: 12 dressed quail 8 tablespoons salted butter 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 large garlic cloves, crushed and minced 1 ½ cups chicken stock 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/3 cup dry sherry 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon dried basil Salt and pepper to taste

–MissouriLife –

Wild Turkey with Grapes in Brandy Sauce Ingredients: 3 cups seedless grapes (white, red, and black if available) 2 cups brandy 1 6-8 pound wild turkey, dressed 1 small white onion, cut in half Salt & pepper to taste 2 tablespoons butter 3 bay leaves 2 cups dry white wine 2 tablespoons Herbs of Provence 1/3 cup red wine 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 cups beef bullion or stock

Smoked Duck with Orange

Sauce

Directions: Soak the grapes in brandy overnight. Wash turkey and place the onion in the cavity with salt and pepper, butter, and bay leaves. Tie legs together. Place in roasting pan with a dome lid or in a deep pan covered with foil. Pour the wine over the turkey. Sprinkle with the herbs and salt and pepper. Cover tightly and place in a preheated 350-degree oven. Roast for about 1 1/2 hours, basting every 15 minutes. Add more liquid if needed; chicken stock, water, or wine. Once cooked, remove the bird to a serving platter and cover. Pour pan drippings into a saucepan. Add brandy marinade but not the grapes. Using the red wine, add the cornstarch and dissolve well. Add this to the drippings and brandy. Add the beef stock and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour some of the sauce over the carved turkey and serve the remaining sauce with grapes in a side dish. Serves 6.

Roast Quail

–MissouriLife –

Smoked Duck with Orange Sauce Ingredients: 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 cups orange juice ¾ cup orange marmalade Zest of one orange, save flesh 1 smoked duck, netting removed 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped Directions: Mix cornstarch with orange juice. Add marmalade and orange zest to mixture and simmer until thickened. Slice the zested orange into thin slices. Place on top of the duck and drizzle 1/2 cup of the sauce over the duck. Place in a preheated 350-degree oven and roast 25 minutes to heat through completely. Smoked duck is completely cooked, so do not over cook or it will dry out. Place on serving platter and pour remaining sauce over all. Serve with sauce on the side. Garnish with fresh rosemary and additional orange slices. Serves 6.

Spinach with Apples Ingredients: 1 1-pound bag frozen spinach 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced 2 cooking apples, unpeeled and diced 1 tablespoon grated nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 egg, beaten 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 cup dried bread crumbs, lightly salted

Directions: Wash and dry each quail well. Place a teaspoon of butter inside each cavity of the birds. Oil a baking pan or a cookie sheet with sides, and place the birds breast side up on the sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Then broil until birds are golden brown. Be careful not to burn. Blend garlic and chicken stock together, and pour over the quail. Return to a 350 degree oven and bake another 20 minutes. Remove the quail to a platter and tent with foil to keep hot. Pour the pan juice into a saucepan. Mix the cornstarch and sherry together, and pour into the pan juices, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste and continue to stir. Add basil. Season to taste. Place each quail on a potato pancake and drizzle each with the sauce. Serves 6.

Directions: Place spinach in strainer and drain for 1 hour. Squeeze out excess water until very dry. Place in large mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients, except the bread crumbs. Mix well and place in a buttered oven-proof baking dish. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove, top with bread crumbs, and return to oven for 10 minutes until crumbs lightly brown and au gratin is firm. Serves 6.

DAVID TORRENCE

–MissouriLife –

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Missouri Beef Industry Council [1] August 2007

2306 Bluff Creek Drive #200 Columbia, MO 65201 AD 1

800-441-6242

beefinfo@mobeef.com 8/21/07 8:19:27 AM

AgriMissouri

tasty food and fun destinations Visit the AgriMissouri Buyer’s Guide to ﬁnd local foods and destinations www.agrimissouri.com • 1-866-466-8283 JON EL’S BBQ 2539 Highway B Boonville, MO 65233 660-882-8815 White Lightning all purpose sauce. Goes great on... Beef • Pork • Chicken • Fish Try it on your favorite sandwich!

COWBOY CHRIS’ BBQ

Romano Cheese Dressing from an Original Family Recipe. A St. Louis Tradition & Fancy Food Show Award Winner. The Dressing for people who make their own! Tucker Food Products, Inc. P.O.Box 16072, St Louis MO 63105-0772

1-800-827-0778 • www.vivienne.com e-mail: ttucker@vivienne.com

28842 Highway AA Wright City, MO 63390 636-359-2277 cowboy33_@excite.com www.myspace.com/ cowboychrisbbq It’s so delicious, you almost forget the meat!

MISSOURI CAJUN PRODUCTS 1082 Highway 100 Morrison, MO 65061 E-mail: NNOLTE@centurytel.net 573-294-6235

Ross Sauce: A Creamy orange sauce that is great with wings. Home Style Ketchup: Made from Granma Ross’s recipe. Ms. Betty’s Sweet Tarragon Peppers: No heat, crisp and sweet.

•

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FARMER’S MERCHANT 115 North 1st Street Owensville, MO 65066 573-437-2093 e-mail: amradem@fidnet.com Restored 1913 Farmers and Merchant Bank building, this shop has Missouri Products and serves lunch and Central Dairy ice cream. Lunch and dessert specials are homemade and worth a visit.

LAHMS, INC.—MEDITERRANEAN LAZEEZ GOURMET PRODUCTS P.O. Box 10232 Springfield, MO 65808 Phone: 417-869-2226 Fax: 417-869-2288

100% Missouri-made fresh ingredients featuring: Garlic, Tomato, and Eggplant Dip/Salsa or Sauce. Pepper Jam made with sweet bell pepper and a hint of jalapeño. No perservatives, chemicals, or artificial ingredients.

LETTUCE LIZZIE’S

Quality products from our worker-owned community. All-natural, organic-certified nutbutters. Peanut butter, almond and cashew butter, sesame tahini, and roasted peanuts. 417-679-4682 HC#3 Box 3370 Tecumseh, MO 65760 www.ewcrafts.com

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Box 30, Arrow Rock, MO 65230 660-837-3324 e-mail: liz@lettucelizzie.com www.lettucelizzie.com All Natural Ingredients! 5 Fabulous Flavors with Multitudes of Uses! Dressing, Marinade, Dipping Sauce or Glaze. Heck, you can just drink it! And remember, “Let us cover your lettuce!”

ANNIE’S ACCENTS BAKERY

408 West Elm Street • Oregon, MO 64473 http://anniesaccentsbakery.vstore.ca/ e-mail: sandra_jstc@yahoo.com 800-238-7357

Old-fashioned bakery with down-home flavor! Special orders on request. Gourmet bakery products–decorated cakes and cookies, jellies, jams, Splenda-made products, more!

BLESSING TIMES JAMS AND JELLIES 800-693-6320 www.blessingtimes.com Jams, jellies, syrups, raspberry jalapeño medley, and Missouri River Bottom fudge. We ship nationwide with pride.

MAMA PATRINA’S BEST LLC 100% Missouri-made fresh ingredients featuring: Garlic, Tomato, and Eggplant Dip/Salsa or Sauce. Pepper Jam made with sweet bell pepper and a hint of jalapeño. No preservatives, chemicals, or artificial ingredients.

P.O. Box 10232 • Springfield, MO 65808 Phone: 417-869-2226 • Fax: 417-869-2288

636-282-2608 P.O. Box 432 Arnold, MO 63010 E-mail: mamapatrina@charter.net

Branson, MO 65616 417-332-0046 Find Mimi’s jalapeños at Danna’s BBQ.

Ingredients: Jalapeños, sugar, spices. Net Wt. 10 oz.

All from original family recipes: Sicilian-style pasta sauce in a spice blend mix or 24 oz. jar and a Sicilian-style meatball spice blend. Aprons, and gift baskets also available.

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[114] MissouriLife

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TRIVIA ANSWERS

Grand Opening! In September

(questions on page 79)

1. The Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright attracted visitors to see the area the book described. 2. Silver Dollar City was named after the silver dollar the park used as change given to customers. 3. During the Great Depression, Lake Taneycomo was inexpensive and fun for tourists. 4. The longest continuously running show in Branson is The Baldknobbers Hillbilly Jamboree Show. 5. Forty years ago, the Presley family moved from a cave into the first theater on what later became the Strip. 6. Trout are plentiful in the waters of Lake Taneycomo. 7. Bull Shoals Lake was produced from Ozark Beach dam. 8. Boxcar Willie was the first celebrity to live in Branson and own a theater. 9. As the largest theater on the Strip today, the Grand Palace Theater holds four thousand seats. 10. Mary Herschend found patrons needed entertainment while awaiting their tour of Marvel Cave and brought artisans to Silver Dollar City.

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INs E U Rr’sIEvW MISCoSO aluation nnoisseu

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Baltimore Bend Vineyard offers great wine without intimidation and pretense. Come experience a welcoming, fun environment, whether you’re a novice or a connoisseur. Learn more about Missouri wine, and ﬁnd your favorite.

STATE FAIR SURPRISES

Located at 27150 Hwy. 24, Waverly, Mo. Join our mailing list at www.baltimorebend.com or call (660) 493-0258.

Tucked high on the bluffs of the Missouri River, OakGlenn offers a breathtaking countryside view. Open daily, noon to 6 PM Hermann, MO • 573-486-5057 • www.oakglenn.com

I’VE JUDGED TWO DOZEN YEARS, more or less, at the Missouri State Fair wine competition, and I learn something new each year. Last year Vignoles finally fulfilled the promise it had so tantalizingly suggested over the last several years. Chambourcin, which I was beginning to believe in, was a bust. This year, the surprises continue. Unlike last year, Vignoles was mixed, though it remains a grape that can perform. Chambourcin also returned to its exciting ways, with examples that were intensely fruity, well-balanced, and just plain delicious. Seyval Blanc was pretty last year. This year, it was uneven, and there were fewer examples, good or bad. Vidal Blanc, too, was not the complete success that it has been in the past, though it still offered lush, apricot-tinged dry and sweet wines. And then there’s Chardonel. The grape has been on a steady increase in plantings, and in the last few years, Chardonel has shown up in versions as disparate as a crisp, apple-tinged refresher and as fat and buttery as a Chardonnay wannabe. But with all due respect to those folks who do a legitimate job with the grape, Chardonel rarely excites. Unlike some of the surprises at the Missouri State Fair competition, Chardonel is predictable. I must admit that I’m mystified by the rush to plant Chardonel in Missouri. There are better options available to Missouri grape growers. Vidal is uneven but often fascinating. Seyval Blanc is probably better in other places. Vignoles is great, at least at times. Chambourcin is getting better and better. Traminette, a new grape to many, can be delightful with its Geurztraminer-derived aromatics and a Sauvignon Blanc-like mouth, although other states may end up offering better versions. But I don’t think any other area, and perhaps any other state, can make Norton perform like the state of Missouri. Norton is Missouri’s state grape, sure, but it is also Missouri’s most reliable wine grape. And at this year’s competition, Norton showed like a champ. Next year, things might be a little strange. Readers might recall the Easter Massacre, the April freeze that destroyed so much of Missouri’s crops, its grapes included. There will be very little, if any, Norton. But, at the very least, it will be another interesting competition. –Doug Frost, one of three people in the world who is both a Master Sommelier and a Master of Wine, lives in Kansas City.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MEGAN ELDER

Open: Mon.-Sat. 11-6, Sun. 1-6

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CONGRATULATIONS! 2007 NATIONAL NORTON WINE COMPETITION WINNERS

BEST IN SHOW Sugar Creek Vineyards & Winery (Deﬁance, Mo.) 2006 Cynthiana BEST OF CLASS – DRY NORTON Sugar Creek Vineyards & Winery (Deﬁance, Mo.) 2006 Cynthiana

BEST OF CLASS – PORT NORTON Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery (New Haven, Mo.) 2002 Mo. Red Port

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

DRY NORTON CATEGORY Gold Medals Bethlehem Valley Vineyards (Augusta, Mo.) 2004 Norton Chrysalis Vineyards (Middleburg, Va.) 2005 Barrel Select 100% Virginia Norton Chrysalis Vineyards (Middleburg, Va.) 2004 Locksley Reserve Norton Mary Michelle Winery (Carrollton, Ill.) 2006 Norton Sugar Creek Vineyards & Winery (Augusta, Mo.) 2006 Cynthiana Westphalia Vineyards (Westphalia, Mo.) 2006 Norton Reserve

Silver Medals 1. Chrysalis Vineyards (Middleburg, Va.) 2004 Estate Bottled Norton 2. Chrysalis Vineyards (Middleburg, Va.) 2005 Estate Bottled Norton 3. Hermannhof Winery (Hermann, Mo.) 2002 Norton 4. Jowler Creek Winery (Platte City, Mo.) 2006 Norton 5. Les Bourgeois Winery (Rocheport, Mo.) 2005 Norton Premium Claret 6. Spirit Knob Winery (Ursa, Ill.) 2005 Norton 7. Spirit Knob Winery (Ursa, Ill.) 2006 Estate Reserve Norton 8. St. James Winery (St. James, Mo.) 2003 Norton 9. St. James Winery (St. James, Mo.) 2005 Cynthiana 10. Stone Hill Winery (Hermann, Branson, New Florence, Mo.) 2002 Norton 11. Stone Hill Winery (Hermann, Branson, New Florence, Mo.) 2005 Norton 12. Stone Hill Winery (Hermann, Branson, New Florence, Mo.) 2005 Norton, Cross J Vineyards

Bronze Medals 1. Augusta Winery (Augusta, Mo.) 2003 Estate Bottled Norton Reserva del Patron 2. Augusta Winery (Augusta, Mo.) 2003 Norton 3. Augusta Winery (Augusta, Mo.) 2004 Estate Bottled Norton 4. Augusta Winery (Augusta, Mo.) 2004 Estate Bottled Norton Reserva del Patron 5. Baltimore Bend Winery (Waverly, Mo.) 2004 Cynthiana 6. Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery (New Haven, Mo.) 2004 Norton Mo. Dry Red 7. Cave Vineyard (Ste. Genevieve, Mo.) 2004 Norton 8. Chrysalis Vineyards (Middleburg, Va.) 2003 Locksley Reserve Norton 9. Cooper Vineyards (Louisa, Va.) 2004 Norton 10. Cooper Vineyards (Louisa, Va.) 2005 Norton 11. Crown Valley Winery (Ste. Genevieve, Mo.) 2002 Norton Limited Edition 12. Crown Valley Winery (Ste. Genevieve, Mo.) 2003 Norton Estate 13. Crown Valley Winery (Ste. Genevieve, Mo.) 2003 Norton Proprietor’s Select 14. Hermannhof Winery (Hermann, Mo.) 2002 Norton Hermann French Oak Reserve 15. Hermannhof Winery (Hermann, Mo.) 2003 Norton Hermann 16. Hinnant Family Vineyards (Pine Level, N.C.) 2004 Beaverdam Vineyards Estates 17. Holy-Field Winery (Basehor, Kans.) 2004 Cynthiana 18. Holy-Field Winery (Basehor, Kans.) 2005 Cynthiana 19. Horton Vineyards (Gordonsville, Va.) 2004 Norton 20. Keswick Vineyards (Keswick, Va.) 2005 Norton 21. Keswick Vineyards (Keswick, Va.) 2006 Norton 22. Les Bourgeois Winery (Rocheport, Mo.) 2005 Winemaker’s Select Norton 23. Mary Michelle Winery (Carrollton, Ill.) 2004 Cynthiana 24. Mary Michelle Winery (Carrollton, Ill.) 2005 Illinois Cellars Norton 25. Mount Pleasant Winery (Augusta, Mo.) 2004 Norton 26. Piasa Winery (Grafton, Ill.) 2003 Norton 27. Rappahannock Cellars (Huntly, Va.) 2006 Norton

28. Rappahannock Cellars (Huntly, Va.) 2006 Virginia Headwaters Norton 29. St. James Winery (St. James, Mo.) 2004 Norton 30. St. James Winery (St. James, Mo.) 2004 Reserve Norton 31. Stone Hill Winery (Hermann, Branson, New Florence, Mo.) 2003 Norton Estate Bottled Hermann 32. Stone Hill Winery (Hermann, Branson, New Florence, Mo.) 2004 Norton Estate Bottled Norton 33. Stone House Vineyards (Spicewood, Tex.) 2005 Claros Norton 34. The Winery at La Grange (Haymarket, Va.) 2005 Norton 35. The Winery at La Grange (Haymarket, Va.) 2006 Norton 36. Tiger Mountain Vineyards (Tiger, Ga.) 2002 Mountain Cynthiana 37. Tower Rock Winery (Altenburg, Mo.) 2006 Cynthiana

1. 2. 3. 4.

SEMI-DRY NORTON CATEGORY Bronze Medals Cooper Vineyards (Louisa, Va.) Non-Vintage Noche Keswick Vineyards (Keswick, Va.) 2005 Late Harvest Kugler’s Vineyard (Lawrence, Kans.) 2004 Cynthiana Summerside Vineyards (Vinita, Okla.) 2006 Dam Red

PORT NORTON CATEGORY Gold Medals Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery (New Haven, Mo.) 2002 Mo. Red Port Bronze Medals 1. Crown Valley Winery (Ste. Genevieve, Mo.) 2004 Norton Port 2. Davenport Orchards & Vineyards (Eudora, Kans.) Olde Squidde Port 3. French Lick Winery (French Lick, Ind.) 2002 Heaven’s View Port 4. Montelle Winery (Augusta, Mo.) 2004 Cynthiana Port 5. Stone Hill Winery (Hermann, Branson, New Florence, Mo.) 2004 Norton Port 6. Stone Hill Winery (Hermann, Branson, New Florence, Mo.) 2005 Norton Port 7. Stone House Vineyards (Spicewood, Tex.) Screaming Beagle Port

[1] August 2007

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[1] August 2007

AD 1 WashingtonCVB1007.indd 1

8/28/07 2:17:01 2:47:57 PM PM 8/24/07

MISSOU RI BOOK S Regional

Authors, Locations, or Topics

HAUNT HUNTING By Amy Stapleton

Haunted Missouri: A Ghostly Guide to the Show-Me State’s Most Spirited Spots

Mansion at St. Louis did. Life magazine once listed the mansion as one of the ten most haunted houses in America. The author’s story of his visit brings goose

By Jason Offutt, Truman State University Press,

bumps to your arms. The mansion offers

190 pages, $19.95 softcover

tours on Monday evenings. Other spots presented odd temperature

Even the most doubtful skeptic can enjoy

changes and the smell of cigar smoke

Jason Offutt’s book Haunted Missouri: A

when no one was smoking. Savoy Hotel and

Ghostly Guide to the Show-Me State’s Most

Workman Chapel Cemetery were the only

Spirited Spots. The book brings Missouri’s

places in which the author was able to get

haunted sites to life and beckons the

a ghostly-looking orb on film.

The Buffalo, Ben, and Me Todd Parnell Foreword by Jim Baker

Offutt sets the stage with a lighthearted

“ghost hunting.” Grab a friend, pack a

look at what it takes to write a guide to

flashlight, and discover some of the Show-

“A touching story, subtle and true, both symbolic and real, of a father and son’s search for passage into each other’s hearts. Finally, it is the ancient language of the river itself that connects them, reminding us all of the secret values of solitude, sky, wind, water, and rock. This is a beautiful journey and a wonderful book.” —John Dillon, founding member, Ozark Mountain Daredevils

haunted spots. He chose two criteria: the

Me State’s most spirited spots.

160 pages, 81 color illus., $24.95

Haunted Missouri offers a new take on

reader: Come visit.

places had to have historical significance and be open to the public. Readers can eas-

And remember, if the voice says to get out—do it!

ily take a haunted tour and perhaps experience the ghosts themselves. At the beginning, Offutt tells his story about seeing a ghost (or what he thought was a ghost) as a child, thus establishing his belief in ghostly beings. The book includes a ghost-hunting checklist that is easy to follow and has a

Mizzou Today

hint of humor. When that “deep, disem-

Photographs by Rob Hill Text by Richard L. Wallace Edited by Karen Flandermeyer Worley

bodied voice tells you to get out—do it.” There is also a clearly marked

of War, This is My House,

The University of Missouri’s rich record of accomplishment and service to Missouri, the nation, and the world has been captured in this pictorial history—more than 140 magnificent full-color photos that provide a visual record of living and learning at the University of Missouri–Columbia. Mizzou Today is a keepsake for anyone who loves MU.

School

152 pages, 140 color illus., $29.95

map, which is helpful to the reader. You can find haunted spots within easy driving distance and make a day trip out of it. Each chapter covers a specific

haunting: Spirits,

Remnants Ghostly

ANDREW BARTON

Graveyards, Returning to

Available at local bookstores or

Their Old Haunts, and Someone’s Watching You. Most of the spots Offutt visits did not reveal the presence of anything

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI PRESS

unusual while he was there, but The Lemp

800-828-1894 • http://press.umsystem.edu

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H T L A E H E M - souri Health Professionals SHeOFrW om Mis

Advic

CANCER CARE

M O R E M A N A G E A B L E O P T I O N S F O R B R E A S T C A N C E R T R E AT M E N T | MILLIONS OF CANCER PATIENTS endure six intense weeks of restlessness, fear, pain, and loss of time during their radiation or chemotherapy treatments. Now, those dealing with breast cancer and its effects have options and decreased time for radiation treatments, giving a boost to women around Missouri for Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is October. Siteman Cancer Center at St. Louis is making gains in breast cancer radiation technology. Using the Varian Trilogy system, breast cancer patients in the St. Louis area can cut their radiation treatment time down to five days. Like traditional chemotherapy treatments, Trilogy delivers a beam of external radiation through the skin within one millimeter of the treatment site. Trilogy is also capable of taking CT scans, conventional X-rays, and three-dimensional images. It is normal for patients to have CT scans before radiation to determine the location of tumors. Trilogy is a non-invasive procedure that uses radiation through the skin to the area where the tumor was discovered. This treatment requires patients to have two rounds of radiation for five days. Patients incur slight side effects due to the shorter time and the radiation targeting a direct area, instead of a larger area. To be considered for Trilogy, candidates must be in the early stages of breast cancer, with no spread to the lymph nodes. Ellis Fischel Cancer Center at Columbia is using MammoSite for radiation treatment. “It makes a big difference in many women’s lives,” says Dr. Paul Dale, chief of surgical oncology at Ellis Fischel, who has performed more than one hundred treatments. As with Trilogy, women endure partial breast radiation treatments, which would

otherwise take six weeks for whole breast radiation treatments, twice a day for five days. Following a lumpectomy, candidates for MammoSite have a balloon placed within the lump site for treatment. After a bead of radiation is added and twelve minutes pass, a round of treatment is complete. Certain qualifications must be met before a woman can receive MammoSite treatments. She must be forty-five or older, her tumor has to be less than three centimeters or one inch, and she must have no evidence of lymph node metastasis, or spreading cancer cells. Fortunately, more than 65 percent of women qualify as candidates for MammoSite, and the low recurrence rate following treatment is approximately 1.6 percent, according to

By Aja J. Junior

the National Registration Center. The procedure proves safe, if not safer, than the other radiation alternatives for women, says Dr. Dale. No treatment comes without its share of complications, though. Skin irritation, chance of infection, and problems arising from the balloon fitting the lumpectomy site are all possible complications. However, the complication percentage is relatively low, less than 5 percent, Dr. Dale says. Along with advancements in radiation treatment, breast cancer detection seems to be undergoing a transition to more comfortable means. SoftScan, produced by Advanced Research Technologies, Inc., leaves the days of press-and-squeeze mammography behind and gives women a reason to relax. University of California at San Diego is testing SoftScan technology. Lying on a table face down, a woman’s breast is placed into immobilization plates and through a soft, water-like pod. Using a non-harmful laser, the device gathers an image of the breast and potential lesions. If made available in the United States, detection of lumps in breasts may become simpler and more comfortable. Call 573-8822100 or 314747-7222 or visit www.ellisfischel. org or www.siteman.wustl.edu/ default.aspx for more information.

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ACE e.com K ETatPL MAiRProdu cts MissouriLif

Find Missour

FOR THE EARLY HOLIDAY SHOPPER Compiled by Amanda Dahling

EXPLORE OUR UNIQUE marketplace that offers special Missouri-made gifts that will be a treat to those on your list.

Play 'War' with the Civil War $12, $9 These commemorative decks of playing cards are enhanced with illustrations, photos, and detailed information about Missouri history. The Civil War cards provide facts about the battles, generals, soldiers, and more from Missouri’s role in the war and make a great gift for a history buff. And the University of Missouri cards provide a tour of campus: hot spots, history, and hallowed halls. Mizzou fans, students, and alums are sure to enjoy this unique gift.

A Gateway Gift $275 Jan L. Coffman, a juried member of the Best of Missouri Hands, specializes in digital photography and art. This portrait of the St. Louis Arch encompassed in fog is just one of several Missouri images that Jan has taken and digitally enhanced. Each piece of art is matted on an acid-free mat and framed in a black wooden frame, which makes the final piece sixteen by twenty inches.

Butter Her Up $21.50 Baer’s Pure Scents at Boonville creates all-natural bath and body specialties with organically grown herbs and ingredients. This set of five tins of Baer butter can be used to restore, heal, and protect your skin. The half-ounce tins include Baer’s famous salve as well as lavender and chamomile; ruby red grapefruit; lemon grass, clary

For Well-Dressed Greens $6.50 This twelve-ounce taste of mid-Missouri can be a great way to add something new to your traditional salad or specialty salads. The creamy, sweet and sour dressing was created by trial and error for The Settler’s Inn specialty, Spinach Salad. Visit MissouriLife.com or call 1-800-492-2593, ext. 103 to buy.

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NGSon U RI YoMurUCoSI MISCoSO nsiderati gitation for

Ozark

TOO POOR TO PAY ATTENTION IT'S NO GREAT SECRET that I am both blessed and cursed with a short attention span, tripping over my own boredom threshold several times a day. I believe that achieving a consistently clear focus is the dominion of astronomers, photographers, and satellite TV repairmen. As has been proven by nearly forty-eight years of existence, my interest rate in most topics is analogous to that paid by most checking accounts. If you’re lucky you might get 1 percent, but please trust that, over time, the figure is bound to go down. The blessing of this affliction is that I’m often studying something new, offbeat, or strange. The curse is that the new, offbeat, and strange don’t stay that way for long, at which point I hear wild geese and move on. The result of this personality quirk is a pea brain chock-full of odd facts, trivia, and obscure minutiae. You’ll find factoids ranging from the Akkadian Empire (it flourished between the twenty-fourth and twenty-second centuries BC in what is present-day Iraq) to the properties of zebrawood (it smells awful and breaks if you look at it funny). In between I can tell you a little (but very little) about Butte, Montana; Delta-style guitar; Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle; the Popeil Pocket Fisherman; Quantrill’s Raiders; woodworking; Xerxes the Great; and a plethora of equally boring tidbits spanning the alphabet. No ... I don’t have ADD, ADHD, or even HDTV. What I do have is the knowledge that I was never meant to be a specialist. I thrive on being a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. I’ve never desired great expertise in anything, never felt infused with burning ambitions. I’ve lived hither and yon, but never cared to travel for travel’s sake. I’ve always managed to pay the bills via honest self-employment (except for a brief foray into cubicle world when I was down to my last buck) and gladly swap less cash for more freedom. Quite simply, I have one goal in life. That is to be as happy as is humanly possible. I suppose I’m pondering this nonsense because my birthday is approaching, which traditionally makes me philosophical. I’ve always known I was an intellectual and geographical gypsy, but for a very long time I didn’t know what made me most happy. These days I do, which is probably why I’m generally sporting an idiot grin. What are these things? Not surprisingly, they are the very elements

with which I started out this life. And, in contrast to the topics with which I have but passing fancy, they are also the things that endure. One of them is the Ozarks itself. It seems, no matter how far I’ve wandered, it is the Ozarks to which I return. This go-round, snug in my little cabin on the Gasconade, I’m smart enough to know that leaving again would bruise my heart. I like the herons in the shallows, catfish fried fresh from the river, and the absolute peace of my home. I like the attitude, language, and laughter of the people and spending time with family and friends here. Summer humidity, armies of ticks, and the occasional ice storm are a small price to pay for such gifts. Another is dogs—all dogs. I’d have an entire pack if mine weren’t so old, set in their ways, and happy as clams (traits shared with the human who lives with them). I know that life without a dog is no life at all. They give me joy beyond joy. There is more. I would rather build guitars or dulcimers or psalteries or anything with strings on it than eat. On the other hand, speaking of eating, I’m blessed to live in the culinary epicenter of anything fried, smoked, or barbecued. For entertainment, I can blast my shotgun from the porch, cast a line, sing as loud as I want, and write stories surrounded by Milk Bone-addicted fur wagons. Some folks would find all this a tad strange, but forty-eight years have taught me one core lesson. For happiness, you hold close those things that endure. All else is fleeting. For best results, move slowly and think quickly. Mostly, folks should be themselves, offering little compromise but demonstrating great conviction. Chasing that which you think you want is an amusing diversion. Learning what you truly want is a success story. Knowing who you really Ron Marr are is what makes it all possible.

ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD RENO

By Ron Marr

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