Revisit Mark Twain’s timeless tale of boyhood mischief and adventure STORY AND PHOTOS by Sara Schafer Tom Sawyer Could profit from a punishment — convincing neighborhood boys to give him treasures for the honor of whitewashing a fence. He could charm local beauty...
Puxico changed prep basketball with run-and-gun play by Jim McCarty In 1945 a new coach launched his basketball career in tiny Puxico, Missouri. He would stay for 10 years, and in that time would completely change prep basketball in Missouri. His Puxico Indians would...
Memories of its steam railroad live on in Bevier by Jim McCarty | jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop The Bevier & Southern wasn’t much of a railroad, even in its prime. Its tracks ran just 10 miles for much of its history. Its specialty was hauling carloads of coal...
by Jim McCarty | jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop Like a lot of small Missouri towns, Charleston has its share of challenges. Chief among them is balancing the residents’ desire for amenities such as better parks with more practical matters like repairing leaking water...
West Plains native made history in World War 1 When an Associated Press dispatch from France during World War l hit the wires, it failed to mention the name of the aviator being featured in the story. It did tell his hometown, and everyone in West Plains knew the...
Heroism brought Medal of Honor — but little fame — to John Lewis Barkley In the months before the U.S. entered World War I, an underaged young man entered the Holden post office where the postmaster doubled as the Army recruiter. He applied for the service and was...
It may be difficult to imagine how elephants once came to reside in Lancaster more than 100 years ago. Numerous newspaper accounts from the day paint an exciting picture, but no source is better than the Schuyler County Historical Society. “Back then, it was probably...
At home and abroad, Missourians were front and center for World War I On April 6, 1917, Missourians and their fellow Americans found themselves at war. For the previous three years no one in Missouri, or anywhere else in the nation, wanted anything to do with the...
Book celebrates the history, people and traditions of Missouri’s churches There’s something about our churches that draws us in. They often dominate the skyline, with steeples pointing toward the heavens. They are a place of community and a sanctuary in difficult...
The extraordinary life of rider and trainer Tom Bass The idea of the American show horse is now synonymous with Kentucky, but it was once a symbol of Mexico, Missouri during an all but forgotten era of horse training. The town was home to the most skilled show horse...