BLOODY BILL ANDERSON IS COMING
Well, it’s not really Bloody Bill, but one of his latest biographers, Tom Goodrich, will be speaking about him at our annual dinner meeting at Heartland in Moberly. We expect this to be one our most enlightening programs in several years. Hope we see you there. The dinner starts at 6 PM on Sunday, September 18. The dinner is open to everyone and the cost is $10.00.
William ‘Bill’ Anderson grew up in the Huntsville community from his birth in 1840 until he was 14. The family moved to Lyon County, Kansas in 1854. His exploits as a Confederate guerilla during the war between the United States and the Confederate States, won him the title of Bloody Bill. His group of guerillas was famous for raids that were made in many towns in Missouri and Kansas. Raiders would plunder stores and rob citizens during these raids. One of these is documented as being in his old hometown of Huntsville. On the 23rd of September 1864 the guerilla raided Renick and there was a skirmish in Allen. Allen was a small town in where McDonald’s of Moberly now stands.
His most famous raid was in and around Centrailia on 27 September 1864. The killing of over 100 Federals by Bloody Bill Anderson and his guerillas that day has become known as the Centrailia Massacre.
A reenactment of that day will be held in Centrailia starting around 11 AM on September 18. Members of Confederate and Union reenactment clubs will portray the people of that day. Our local Confederate club, called the Sons of Confederate Veterans, is headed up by Neil Block of Huntsville and it is named for William ‘Bill’ Anderson.
WABASH HISTORICAL SOCIETY NATIONAL CONVENTION IN MOBERLY
Members of the Wabash Railroad Historical Society from across the nation will gather in Moberly Oct 1 and 2 for their annual convention. Convention headquarters will be at the Moberly Inn, but the Randolph County Historical Society History Center and Railroad Museum will be open all day both days for them and anyone else to view our large collection of railroad memorabilia.
ANNUAL ICE CREAM SOCIAL OCTOBER 1
Our annual ice cream and home made cake social will be held at the Railroad Museum this year, since we will all be there for the conventioneers. Tickets are $3.00 and can be purchased from any Society board member, at the History Center or at the door.
FOURTH STREET THEATER RESTORATION PROJECT
The theater project is ongoing. The restoration committee is in the midst of phase two of the reconstruction, which includes tuck pointing the bricks on all sides of the building, restoring the terracotta figures inside and outside of the building and repainting the sign on the south side of the building. Theater Restoration committee member, Carole Kehoe, told the board on Thursday that the contractor plans to finish this phase by the end of the month.
Over $400,000 has been donated so far and Project director, Carolee Hazlett, is in the process of developing new ways of raising more money. Send your donations to Randolph County Historical Society, 223 N Clark, Moberly, MO 65270.
WHITE ELEPHANT SALE
The White Elephant sale on 6 August, one of our two fund raising projects, was a great success. Eight hundred forty four dollars was the final figure. Thanks so much to all of you that bought, donated items and helped with the sale.