History
Willow Springs Historical & Genealogical Society Museum
Owned and Operated by the Willow Springs Community Foundation
Hidden among the hills southwest of Willow Springs lies one of Howell County's most fascinating forgotten communities—Siloam Springs.
Known as "The Healing...
From time to time, I recall a day in 1959, the summer before the seventh grade, early in the baseball season at Booster Field. Coach Arnold Copeland is at home plate hitting grounders for infield practice. As the catcher, I’m standing next to him to receive the return throws.
There’s...
Take a close look at this week’s photographs, and especially at all those cars! It may be hard to imagine the Noblett Lake parking lot looking this crowded today, but these photographs show just how popular the lake once was. I have written about Noblett Lake many times over the years, but the...
Willow Springs Historical and Genealogical Society Museum
First and foremost, I am excited to announce that, beginning this week, I will be writing a new column for the Howell County News every other week!
Through this column, I will share museum updates, stories from the past, and...
During the summer of 1946, a red flashing light appeared on the northern horizon above Willow Springs. This was significant in a time prior to the ubiquitous cellular/microwave towers dotting our Ozark skyline today. This light, the one on top of the Missouri State Highway Patrol tower, has...
I have been connected to tomatoes since I was a toddler. I dislike their taste, but I’ve lived among the plants since I could crawl (literally, among them). Mountains of bright red, vine-ripe tomatoes spread out on big tables in our basement are a summer memory extending from my infancy through...
In Part 1 of this article, I highlighted the impact of the Hannah Harper effect on the singer’s adopted hometown, Willow Springs, and recounted the adventurous trips of Birch Tree resident Beverly Barnes Ledgerwood to Los Angeles for the American Idol live shows. I’ll continue the story now with...
By now, most folks in Missouri—and maybe, the entire solar system (with ET supposedly lurking about)—know that Hannah Harper, winner of the 2026 American Idol singing competition, claims Willow Springs as her adopted hometown. She wrote her latest song, “Married into This Town,” as an homage to...
I was in North Pole, Alaska, on May 6, when Hannah Harper’s return to Willow Springs made national news. The first major network clip I saw zoomed in on the stage beneath a sign that read “Palenske Field,” my hometown football-track field! As the Willow Springs High School song goes, it's the...
Each year, Alumni Weekend in Willow Springs, Missouri, (now, the adopted hometown of American Idol winner Hannah Harper) provides plenty of writing material for this column. This year was no exception.
The ceremonial unveiling of the wall mural at Bailey Legacy Park, an interactive children...