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Organization is saving a community’s history
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S a v i n g H i s t o r y
By Julie Turner-Crawford
Photos by Julie Turner-Crawford
Appleton City Landmarks Restoration, Inc., brings history back to life in St. Clair County, Mo. In Appleton City, Mo., a group of County, was to be torn down, Virginia and – a New York City publisher who came broken in 2010 for a separate museum on the dedicated volunteers are digging Bob took action. to town shortly after the train made it to donated lot. That same year, the 1880 Moore deep into their community to make “She said, ‘Oh, Bob. We can’t let that town and offered community leaders $300 School was offered to the organization. Once sure their roots remain strong. happen.’” Susan Rotert said. and 500 books to start a library and name again, Appleton City’s citizen stepped up to
Former resident Virginia Aydelotte reVirginia and Bob worked to save the dethe town, previously known as Arlington, restore the one-room schoolhouse, which turned to her hometown with her husband pot, which still stands today, and helped after him – was moved across the street was moved to what is now known as the ApJ.R. “Bob” Aydelotte in the 1980s. Virginia give birth to the Appleton City Landmarks and restored by 1995. pleton City Landmarks Complex. The museand Bob had lived around the country and Restoration organization in 1986. Susan and fellow board member Linda um, complete with a research and genealogy in Spain, but eventually returned to her be“We want to preserve our history,” Susan, Lampkin said the first museum, the Prairie library, was finished in 2014. loved Appleton City and bought the 1915 who is the board secretary, said. “Most of these Queen Museum, was once housed in the “Oftentimes, people won’t donate or give Clark Home on North Maple Street. It was small towns don’t have museums and history old Durley Hotel. In 2004, the Aydelotts you things until they see something going across the street from the home where Viris lost.” donated their home, as well as a large lot, on,” Susan said. “Once it got started, peoginia had grown up. Both Virginia and Bob The depot was moved and was the first to the Landmarks Restoration group. It ple just started donating more and more.” were active in the community and had the project undertaken by the board. The began a chain reaction that allowed the “Things started to escalate from there,” desire to preserve its history. restoration was completed in 1989, and a organization to have a permanent home. Linda added. “We want to preserve the
When plans were announced that the old caboose was eventually acquired from the It didn’t take long for the Clark House, Appleton City area, not just Appleton Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad depot in railroad. The library built in honor of the which is set up as a house museum from the City. We take in the small towns in about Appleton City, the first depot in St. Clair town’s namesake, William H. Appleton 1900s to the 1940s, to fill up. Ground was a 15-mile radius, like Rockville, Montrose 10 Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com SEPTEMBER 21, 2020
and Pleasant Gap. Anything from a resident who lived in the area is history to us.”
The depot and complex are not the only areas where Landmarks Restoration can be found. For 20 years, it has sponsored a historic home tour at Christmas and holds various events and fundraisers throughout the year, and other projects continue to be in the works.
Linda has been compiling a “tour” of sorts of the downtown area by cross-referencing business lists with current and past structures with a fellow member who has read every edition of The Appleton City Journal since 1881 and has compiled six volumes of community news and working on the seventh.
“There is a lot of the history we remember because we grew up around here, or at least from the 1950s on. I’m probably going to have a wreck from looking up at building façades while I’m driving,” Linda said with a chuckle. “It’s put me in touch with some of these old names. I told someone that history changes weekly. They told me history doesn’t change. Well, it does change is you get a new fact.”
Members had planned to hold a sesquicentennial this year, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to delay the celebration until June 2021. Linda, who chairs the celebration committee, said it was disappointing to delay the sesquicentennial, but it has given members more time to develop other programs for that weekend.
Two roaming tours of the community will be available on an app, allowing celebration goers to drive, or walk, to sites of historical importance. The app was prepared by museum volunteers, and is narrated by two young men.
“I’ve also always wanted to do a documentary, but they are super expensive,” Linda said. “Companies wanted to come to town and video old buildings, but the old buildings are gone.”
The project was undertaken by a local resident, at no cost, and is going back to
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the days of Native Americans. Linda is hopeful the presentation will become a permanent record of the community. It will premier on Sept. 26.
Many activities are set to be a part of the event, as well as the annual Appleton City Baby Show, which continues to be sponsored by the family of the show winner in 1903.
On Sept. 10, the date which the organization feels is the exact day the railroad crew reached Appleton City 150 years ago, a stamp cancelation event was held at the depot.
Another recent project is helping 30 Main Street business owners obtain approval for placement on the National Register Commercial District. The designation is for commercial districts and only looks at the facade of structures in the district and how much they have been altered if any.
“It culminates what we’re all about,” Susan said, adding there is new life coming to the district with younger business owners taking an interest in preserving history.
For Linda, Susan and other board members, keeping history a part of the present is key to helping communities thrive.
“Maybe we can promote enough interest and appreciation in the community that they will say, ‘You know, that house is really old and it’s got a lot of history. Maybe we should take care of it rather than tear it down.’ Or, ‘This business is on the National Historic Register, maybe we should save it,’” Linda said.
Linda and Susan look at themselves, the organization and its members as cheerleaders for their community, and are proud to say where they are from.
“I enjoy meeting the public and being excited with them when they find a piece of their family is from this area,” Susan said. “It’s fun and invigorating to help people find their history... We aren’t just a place, we’re a community and we are all part of that community. I’m six generations here and I know Linda is
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several generations too, so it’s just in us.”
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