OLD’N NEWS From Around the County
People have started saying lately that they have been missing my column in the paper. There is a reason for that. I have been busy with other things and just haven’t written anything for a while. But maybe I can get in the habit again. This column will just be a sort of ‘catch up’ column.
Cecy and I had a good crowd at our open garden in July. We had a good daylily bloom this year and there over a thousand blossoms open that day. It was a particularly good year for hostas. They really like cool weather and lots of rain, so this was the perfect spring for them. They are rather sad looking right now, but they will survive. We have not watered very much due to the high price of the sewer fee. I haven’t mowed the lawn, except for a few patches of water grass, since July 5.
The mural at the History Center is continuing to draw many visitors. Most are fascinated by its color and size. Eventually we will have a small brochure that explains the various scenes depicted on the wall. Norma Crafton’s students at the middle school will be working on that project this fall.
Jerome Vaughn and his family spent some time in the History Center last week. They were in town visiting his Mom, Regina Lee. Jerome is assistant news director of WDET radio, the PBS station in Detroit.
Carey Bankhead has been a regular at the Historical Center lately. He is planning a book on the town of Higbee. His research file has grown to overflowing in the past few weeks. We’ll have an article by Carey on T J Moss, the great railroad tie tycoon from Higbee, in the next issue of the Randolph County Historical Society newsletter. The September issue is coming out this week. Articles include a feature on an War of 1812 Soldier buried in Randolph County. There are also notes on railroaders from the 1884 Moberly City Directory and a continuation of the list of WW I soldiers from the county. To receive a copy, just send $15 to the Randolph County Historical Society, 223 N Clark, Moberly MO 65270. You will then be a member and will get four issues each year.
Huntsville Historical Society heard Ralph Gerhard speak on Mount Pleasant College at their last meeting. He has been doing research for a long time on the college. It was in Huntsville in the 1800’s.
The Board of Directors recently directed our project manager, Carolee Hazlet, to enter into an agreement with Randy Adams Construction to design the final plans for the 4th Street Theater restoration. Now that’s exciting. One part of the project will be the repainting of the 4th Street Theater sign that on the south side of the building. But more important items come first, such as seeing that the roof is totally leak proof. Funds continue to come in from generous donors. Several reunion groups and other groups have had tours of the old theater. Carolee will be happy to explain the restoration process and show the theater to your group. Just call her at 660-263-3345. Take a look at the website at www.4thstreettheater.org.
The Pottawatamie Indian Trail of Death caravan will go thru Randolph County on September 26. They will have a lunch sponsored by the Huntsville Historical Society that day. More later.
Ingrid Jones, Sheryl Morgan and Cecy Rice have had a busy summer at the family history library at the Historical Center. They have had people from 22 states come in for help in researching their families. Several have donated previous research of their family tree to the Society’s library for other people to use in the future. Family tree books and genealogies are a welcome addition to our collection at the History enter.
The Railroad Museum on Sturgeon Street is going to have heat and air-conditioning. It’s coming as a part of a grant that the City of Moberly received for its Wabash Trail project. What a relief it will be for the folks that volunteer to keep it open on Sunday. We will probably be able to open at other times when the work is complete.
Plans are being made for a reunion of descendants of residents of the White Oaks community northeast of Yates. Mary Houston, Higbee and Pam Smith, Chicago, and several others from Randolph County had a planning session in Yates this weekend.
Really Really Old News – This is the best week!!
Have you been out to look at the stars lately? No rain, no clouds, so it’s easy to see them. Well it’s time you took a look if you haven’t. It is estimated that the planet Mars came very close to earth about 60,000 years ago. Of course as far as we know, there was no one here to see it. But Mars has come close again and no one will see it this bright for another 60,000 years or so. So look to the east for a very bright star that has a reddish cast to it. That’s Mars. The very brightest night will be August 27, but don’t wait – you never know when it might cloud up and rain.