History
In looking back at the first European arrivals in our county, around the end of the 18th century, racial tensions would be primarily between Native Americans and whites. The two races had been at war for a century in the eastern United States as the conflict spread ever westward with the growing...
It hardly seems possible, but forty years ago this week during Wendell Bailey’s 1980 U.S. Congressional campaign, I appeared on his behalf at the St. Louis County Pachyderms. Wendell had been invited to their “Meet the Candidates” event, but had to be in Willow Springs for a birthday party. ...
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced on July 21 that the Missouri State Archives and Missouri Historical Records Advisory Board (MHRAB) are offering 45 Lite Registration Packages, each valued at $130, to representatives of the state’s genealogical and historical societies interested in...
Looking into our past, I'm impressed at the resourcefulness of Ozarkers in making a living. I have personal experience with some people who found an unusual niche and a way to make a living in a unique business.
Fifty-four years ago, at the ripe old age of twelve, I found my first job. Wanting...
Willow Springs celebrated the 4th of July with a parade this past Saturday for the twenty-sixth year in a row. It was one of the best in memory, despite the pandemic. The crowd was spread over a wider area along Main Street than in previous years. In the recent past, most observers gathered...
One hundred twenty years ago this month, Howell County was abuzz with news of a murder - over a dog fight. The story initially garnered little attention in local newspapers. Though the incident occurred on June 2, 1900, it was three weeks before the West Plains Journal-Gazette got around to...
The articles in this column often mention my appreciation for the teachers and the education I received at Willow Springs. Learning was fun, and I was mostly an A and B student. In fact, I received my first D in college. Well . . . that’s not entirely true, so I will fess up to an incident...
The tragic murder of two men near the Howell/Douglas County line in September 1861 is one of the first stories that impacted me when I began researching the Civil War forty-five years ago. As told by Union Captain William Monks in his 1907 book, "History of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas...
Chances are, if you went to Willow Springs High School from 1927 to 1967, you had Mrs. Jessie Munford as an English teacher. Even if you came afterwards, most likely you have heard stories about her.
I have previously described her as Jennifer Jones in the vintage movie Good Morning, Miss...
Fifty-nine years ago, the curtain went up for the WSHS production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma. It was the first musical play in school history, and of my high school memories, it ranks near the top.
Oklahoma played to capacity crowds in the school auditorium November 16-17,...