Ghostly Mother Goose
Was Mother Goose haunting the Jordan Creek valley? This newspaper article from 1905 gives all the details.
Local History - Articles
The End of the Wire Road
Road improvements in 1922 bypassed the old Wire Road in Stone County. The old route is described in this article.
Renumbering the Streets
The 1941 annual tax assessment renewed the interest in renaming and renumbering Springfield streets to reduce inconsistencies.
Wizard of Oto
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Omar Palmer, sometimes called the Wizard of Oto, was a healer, perhaps a doctor, who moved to the Ozarks for his health. He ended up helping and healing in the Oto, Mo. community.
Lights in Buffalo, Mo.
Illuminating idea: Buffalo, Mo. residents vote on electrifying the city, 1911.
William Weaver
The obituary of William Weaver, an early pioneer of Greene County, recounts his full life.
Heavy rain falls downtown
Springfield's unusual rain patterns are described in this 1927 news article.
Toe and Bump Fishing
In 1919, Senator [Solomon E.] Bronson explained toe fishing and bump fishing to his fellow senators as they debated a fish and game bill.
Local History Newsletter
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If you would like to receive a new quarterly e-newsletter, History Footnotes, which will include upcoming events, event recaps, new collections, donations received and local history book release information, click here.
Black Culture Week 1981
Rufus Walker, Vance Jenkins, and David Hutchinson share a laugh at a dinner in honor of Black Culture Week in 1981.
Spiritualist Camp Meeting
Springfield hosted a two week spiritualist camp meeting in 1919. One of the 'stars' of the show was the well known professional medium, Cora Richmond.
Fireworks permits
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A permit and the supervision of a city fireman and policeman were required to shoot fireworks in 1931.
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GLO Center opening
The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of the Ozarks, GLO, opened in 1996. The center, on Commercial Street, was to be a place for gay men, lesbians, and their friends and families to gather for social activities and support.
The Bank of Billings
A short history of the Bank of Billings was given by John K. Hulston in 1989.
Dial phones comes to Springfield
Southwestern Bell Telephone and Springfield newspapers announce the switch from manually operated systems to dial telephones in 1949.
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