Name: Steamboat Disasters of the Lower Missouri River
Brand: Vicki Berger Erwin
SKU: 9781467143257
Price: 23.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Vicki Berger Erwin

Steamboat Disasters of the Lower Missouri River

9781467143257

$23.99

During the nineteenth century, more than three hundred boats met their end in the steamboat graveyard that was the Lower Missouri River, from Omaha to its mouth. Although derided as little more than an “orderly pile of kindling,” steamboats were, in fact, technological marvels superbly adapted to the river’s conditions. Their light superstructure and long, wide, flat hulls powered by high-pressure engines drew so little water that they could cruise on “a heavy dew” even when fully loaded. But these same characteristics made them susceptible to fires, explosions and snags—tree trunks ripped from the banks, hiding under the water’s surface. Authors Vicki and James Erwin detail the perils that steamboats, their passengers and crews faced on every voyage.

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Valerie Battle Kienzle

Columbia

9781467113007

$24.99

Columbia has distinguished itself as a leader in educational excellence since its 1826 incorporation. Early residents so valued education that three institutions of higher learning were established there by the mid-19th century: Stephens College, Columbia College (formerly Christian College), and the University of Missouri. Located in the state's center, this Midwestern city with a small-town feel has witnessed a nonstop influx of people since its first years. The Boone's Lick Trail passed through Columbia, connecting the early National Road with the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. The flow of settlers migrating west led to Columbia's rapid growth, as stores and businesses were established to provide needed supplies. Numerous battles were fought in Missouri during the Civil War, but none in or near Columbia. The group that protected Columbia against possible encroachers was called the Columbia Tigers Company. The Tigers was the name later adopted by the university's athletic teams.

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John Pinney

Wicked Branson

9781467137119

$21.99

Branson's wholesome brand of entertainment made it the nation's destination for family fun, but the vacation wonderland can't claim a spotless past. Murder and mischief dogged the town's efforts at respectability from the very beginning. The founder's own brother, Galba Branson, was a prominent member of the notorious vigilante gang the Bald Knobbers. He died in a picnic shootout that originated in a church prank. Branson's transformation into a showbiz mecca brought quarrel and scandal in its wake, from provoked orangutans to wire-tapped dressing rooms. Three comedians and authors—Ed and Karen Underwood and John Pinney—offer this backstage pass to the seamier side of Branson's history.

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Richard Deposki

Ste. Genevieve

9780738551838

$24.99

In the late 1600s and early 1700s, the French established forts, such as Fort de Chartres, in the mid-Mississippi Valley, as well as villages, such as River des Peres and Mine la Motte. Ste. Genevieve was founded in the late 1740s when French Canadians settled on the rich soil of the floodplain. They built homes, cultivated crops (including corn and cotton), and mined the rich veins of lead and the bluffs for stone. The great flood of 1785, referred to by early residents as l'année des grandes eaux, swept away the tiny village, and the mighty Mississippi River reclaimed its riverbed, forcing residents to move their village several miles farther west to higher ground. Today much of the early French culture remains in the numerous 18th- and 19th-century Creole houses that line the ancient streets. Germans began to arrive in the early 1800s and left their mark using the abundant clay and limestone for brick buildings and limestone houses. Ste. Genevieve is dotted with landmarks: the famous Bolduc House, the "post-in-the-ground" Amoureux House, the Felix Vallé House, and many other historic and architectural treasures.

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Larry Wood

The Two Civil War Battles of Newtonia

9781596298576

$21.99

Though the First and Second Battles of Newtonia did not match epic Civil War battles like Antietam, where over thirty-five hundred soldiers were killed in a single day, and Gettysburg, where twice that number died in three days of fighting, such smaller engagements were just as important to the men who lived through them. The ones who didn't were just as dead, and for a brief time at least, the combat often raged just as violently. With the approach of the sesquicentennial of the war, some of the lesser-known battles are finally getting their due. Join local resident and historian Larry Wood as he expertly chronicles both Battles of Newtonia, the first of which, in 1862, was the Confederacy's first attempt to reestablish a significant presence in Missouri and the only Civil War battle in which American Indians took opposing sides, fighting in units of regimental strength. The second battle--a fight that was fierce and furious while it lasted--stands as the last important engagement of the Civil War in the state.

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Steven Louis Brawley

Gay and Lesbian St. Louis

9781467115926

$24.99

In the late 19th century, St. Louis--America's fourth-largest city--was a hub of robust commerce and risqué entertainment. It provided an oasis for those who lived "in the shadows." Since 1764, the Gateway to the West's LGBT community has experienced countless struggles and successes, including protests, arrests, murders, celebrations, and parades. St. Louis had its own version of Stonewall in October 1969 and is the hometown of icons such as Tennessee Williams and Josephine Baker. A colorful array of activists, drag queens, leather men, artists, academics, business leaders, and everyday folks have contributed to the rich fabric of the lesbian and gay community in St. Louis.

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Priscilla Purcell Brown

Joplin

9781467110723

$24.99

When lead was first discovered in southwestern Missouri around 1830, it had little value, and zinc, called black jack, was discarded as waste. After the Civil War, mining camps sprang up along the Joplin Creek Valley, which was named for Methodist circuit rider Rev. Harris G. Joplin. As the mining camps merged into neighborhoods and zinc increased in value, Joplin was quickly coined the city that jack built. Known for being a rowdy boomtown, it was said that Joplin had a bar on every corner and a church across the street. Many early settlers came to Joplin seeking their fortunes in the mines, while others came to make their fortunes off of the miners.

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Doug Garner

Forest Park Highlands

9780738551623

$24.99

Forest Park Highlands was once St. Louis's largest and best-known amusement park. In its earliest years, the Highlands boasted a fine theater and one of the largest public swimming pools in the United States. After the 1904 world's fair closed, several attractions found a new home at the Highlands; the large pagoda—a re-creation of the temple of Nekko, Japan—served as the park's bandstand for several years. Roller coasters are the lifeline of every good amusement park, and the Highlands always had two. The end came for the Highlands in a spectacular fire that decimated almost the entire park on July 19, 1963. Only the Comet roller coaster, the Ferris wheel, the Dodgems, the carousel, and the Aero Jets survived. Forest Park Highlands covers other historic amusement parks in St. Louis as well, starting with the earliest, West End Heights, and ending with Holiday Hill, the last remaining park.

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Darlene Isaacson

Kansas City in Vintage Postcards

9780738531793

$24.99

Kansas City, Missouri, has long been a bustling center of activity in the heart of the Midwest, hosting the railroads that rambled through its stockyards and the jazz pioneers who made a lasting mark on music history. This collection of vintage postcards from the late 1800s through the 1950s brings to life the people, places, and events of old Kansas City. The unique postcards printed in this book capture the historic downtown area and the Country Club Plaza as well as the private notes of a homesick visitor, paying homage to a time long gone, but not forgotten.

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Michelle Korgis-Fitzpatrick

Ozark

9780738532110

$24.99

The name Ozark comes from the French Aux Arcs. The town of Ozark may have gotten its name because it is at the bend of the creek. Today the term Ozark refers to the large upland region that covers parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Ozark, Missouri is nestled in the hills of this region and serves as the county seat of Christian County. This book looks at Ozark's 150 year history, using vintage photographs from the Pegram Collection to capture the spirit of the town and surrounding areas. Ozark has long prided itself on its hospitality, and that is evident here in the images of people, events, schools, railroads, and more that have made Ozark the warm and friendly town it is today.

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Erika Woehlk

Kirksville

9781467112758

$24.99

Kirksville has made a name for itself with its two major institutions of higher education—Truman State University and A.T. Still University—that attract bright students from all over the world. Incorporated in 1857, it has grown to become the most populous city in northeast Missouri. As the seat of government for Adair County, the courthouse stands proudly in the center of the business square downtown. Entrepreneurs have benefited from railroad lines that entered the town in the 1870s, and many businesses have flourished in Kirksville as a result. Residents braved the tumultuous Civil War and rebuilt the town after major tornadoes and ice storms. Kirksville is a beautiful place to live, as exemplified by nearby Thousand Hills State Park. It is indeed the town where people make the difference.

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Deborah Reinhardt

St. Louis Coffee

9781467152327

$23.99

The Taste of St. Louis

Coffee is an elixir many live by, but few of us know the history of what's in our mug. Follow author Deborah Reinhardt as details the rich history of coffee in the Gateway City.

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Connie Yen

Springfield

9781467108928

$23.99

After undergoing periods of dormancy, neglect, and occasional attempts at revitalization, Springfield’s downtown area is currently experiencing a resurgence of change and growth.

This appreciation of Springfield’s historic architecture is evident in the restoration of once-neglected historic buildings that are now restaurants, businesses, and lofts. This renaissance extends from the public square to what was once North Springfield and beyond.

Connie Yen is an author, historian, and archivist. She has lived in Springfield most of her life and has a passion for local history.

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Michelle Korgis-Fitzpatrick

Nixa

9780738533278

$24.99

This book looks at the people and history of Nixa and the surrounding rural Christian County communities of Sparta, Billings, Linden, Clever, Highlandville, and the rural area around Bull Creek. The area was originally known as Faughts, for James Jasper Faught, who had operated a trading post at the old Crossroads site in 1879. It linked the burgeoning settlement of Nixa to other communities in the area. Nicholas Alexander Inman came from Tennessee in 1852 and opened a blacksmith shop with Joe Weaver. Inman's family farm consisted of 160 acres, which are part of the present day boundaries of Nixa. Nixa was officially incorporated as a village on June 10, 1902.

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J. Frederick Fausz

Founding St. Louis

9781609490164

$24.99

The animal wealth of the western wilderness provided by talented savages encouraged French-Americans from Illinois, Canada and Louisiana to found a cosmopolitan center of international commerce that was a model of multicultural harmony. Historian J. Frederick Fausz offers a fresh interpretation of Saint Louis from 1764 to 1804, explaining how Pierre Lacl de, the early Chouteaus, Saint Ange de Bellerive and the Osage Indians established a gateway to an enlightened, alternative frontier of peace and prosperity before Lewis and Clark were even born. Historians, genealogists and general readers will appreciate the well-researched perspectives in this engaging story about a novel French West long ignored in American History.

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Michael J. Steiner

Maryville

9781467110792

$24.99

In 1845, the Missouri State Legislature created Nodaway County out of the rolling Platte Purchase lands added to the far northwestern corner of the state. Within a decade, small communities emerged; the largest of them was the county seat of Maryville, which was platted in 1845 and started out as a frontier settlement. The intersection of two railroad lines in Maryville in the early 1870s brought traffic and commerce and later made it a center of education with the addition of the Fifth District Normal School in 1905. Superior regional agriculture, diverse local manufacturing, and progressive education helped build a vibrant and durable community that, while similar to hundreds of others throughout the Midwest, fills lives with the rich experiences of communities in constant transition.

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Jeremy R.C. Cox

St. Louis Aviation

9780738584102

$24.99

For a little more than 60 years, from 1904 to 1967, St. Louis was considered the world's air capital for balloon racers, parachutists, airship aeronauts, air-traffic controllers, scheduled airlines, solo-flight adventurers, fighter pilots, and astronauts. At many times, the United States has led the world in aviation development and technology, and St. Louis was one of the biggest contributors with many aviation firsts. A U.S. president first flew in an aircraft here. St. Louis can arguably be credited with the world's first parachute jump, along with the world's first air-traffic controller. The city was the epicenter for international balloon racing, and of course most people know that the city was home to Charles Augustus Lindbergh. The Cold War and subsequent conflicts might have turned out quite differently if a St. Louis aircraft manufacturer had not existed. The world's largest airline may have never gotten off the ground if not for a U.S. mail contract that was awarded to a St. Louis company in the mid-1920s. This book provides a brief view of these firsts in aviation, as well as the development and impact of aviation in the city and beyond.

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LaDene Morton

The Country Club District of Kansas City

9781626199149

$21.99

ONE OF THE GRAND EXPERIMENTS OF AMERICAN URBAN PLANNING lies tucked within the heart of Kansas City. J.C. Nichols prized the Country Club District as his life's work, and the scope of his vision required fifty years of careful development. Begun in 1905 and extending over a swath of six thousand acres, the project attracted national attention to a city still forging its identity. While the district is home to many of Kansas City's most exclusive residential areas and commercial properties, its boundaries remain unmarked and its story largely unknown. Follow LaDene Morton along the well-appointed boulevards of this model community's rich legacy.

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Vicki Berger Erwin

Slaying in South St. Louis

9781625859068

$21.99

A loving mother. A teenage killer. “Plenty of lurid details and twists and turns . . . A story about the consequences of an overwhelmed justice system” (West End Word).

On a crisp December day in 1963, Nancy Zanone left her young son and daughter playing in the backyard while she went inside to check the laundry. She never came back. A troubled teen prowling for unlocked doors along Chippewa in South St. Louis surprised her in the kitchen and stabbed her to death.

Despite Joseph Arbeiter’s confession and hard evidence, he was freed on a technicality. In response, Zanone’s family fought to change how juvenile murderers are tried in the state of Missouri.

Local authors Vicki Berger Erwin and Bryan Erwin investigate the senseless tragedy and the family’s quest for justice.

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Steve Cottrell

Haunted Ozark Battlefields

9781589808775

$15.99

This ghostly guide provides an accessible walk through the history of the Civil War. Quantrill and the Younger gang, the mysterious Baxter Springs Buffalo Soldier, the spooky secrets of Indian Territory, and the Spook Light in Hornet, Missouri, are among some of the haunted highlights included.

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Lisha Cauthen

The Ghostly Tales of Kansas City

9781467196079

$12.99

Ghost stories from Kansas City have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

Welcome to spooky Kansas City!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that spirits patrol the grounds of the historic John Wornall House? Or that ghostly figures have been seen lurking inside St. Mary's Episcopal Church? Can you believe some guests at the former Hotel Savoy enjoyed their stay so much . . . they never checked out?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Kansas City forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

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Nicki Jacobsmeyer

The Ghostly Tales of St. Charles

9781467196048

$12.99

Ghost stories from St. Charles have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

Welcome to spooky St. Charles, Missouri!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that on moonlit nights, ghostly pioneers stroll St. Charles's historic Main Street? Or that at Grandma's Cookies, you might just meet a spirit with a sweet tooth? Can you believe that whispers from the past still echo at the Lewis & Clark Boat House and Museum?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see St. Charles forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

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Gerry Matlock

True Tales of Wentzville

9781467159234

$24.99

A Town Imbued with the Pioneering Spirit

Visionaries like Wentzville founder William Allen saw that the railroad not only would aid in the transportation of goods and people but also would be instrumental in the development of the interior of the county and state. Rugged pioneers like Catherine Thompson, Mary Louise Dalton and generations of the Cannon family infused the city with an enduring grit. From the men and women who helped Allen’s vision take shape to the Civil War skirmish at Wentzville and the postwar rise of tobacco and the great wealth it brought to some, a trio of Wentzville authors open a time capsule on the city’s fascinating early days.

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James R. Doyle

St. Louis Gambling Kingpins

9781467156226

$24.99

A history of betting on the East Side. Making it as a professional gambler in the first part of the twentieth century was a long shot, but wagering on the wide open scene of East St. Louis could help even the odds. Folks who were feeling lucky enough might grab a copy of Louis Cella’s racing form, or get the inside scoop from turf men like Barney Schreiber. Students of the art of bookmaking had plentiful mentors in local legends like Adam “Mulepole” Fritz. But even then, a hot streak could attract the attention of a representative of the Chicago Outfit such as Frank “Buster” Wortman. The nephew of Vic and Jim Doyle, who built the Ringside Casino into the Midwest's largest casino, author James Doyle connects the dice rolls of bygone St. Louis Kingpins to high stakes players in New York and New Orleans.

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William Garvin

Drury University

9781467109673

$23.99

On September 25, 1873, Dr. Nathan Jackson Morrison, the first president of Drury College, stood in the second-story window of an unfinished building and rang a borrowed boardinghouse dinner bell to announce the opening of the school. The six faculty members and thirty-nine students in attendance that day had to share the simple brick structure with carpenters and plasterers, and the isolated campus consisted of a few hardscrabble acres of prairie dotted with hazel brush and hickory saplings. Today, Drury University sits upon a 90-acre campus and has over 2,200 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students. The school has a vibrant and innovative academic program, a strong tradition in athletics, and over 30,000 living alumni. For 150 years, Drury University has stood as an institution that blends liberal learning and professional studies in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks.

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John A. Wright Sr.

Florissant

9780738532554

$24.99

The first civil government in Florissant was established in 1786, three years before the United States adopted its constitution and George Washington was elected the country's first president. French farmers and fur trappers looked upon the land and called it the Valle Fleurissant-which is to say, the flowering or fertile valley. The community remained small until after World War II. Between 1950 and 1980, the population grew from 3,737 to 76,754. Today the community strives to preserve its proud heritage and build on the strength of its diverse population. The historic images in this book illustrate the city's founding and development, from the first French settlers to the post World War II building boom to the exciting new city of today.

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Frank Absher

St. Louis Radio and Television

9780738590578

$24.99

St. Louis sits near the center of the United States in an area sometimes termed flyover territory by those who live on the coasts. Although this city in the middle of the country is not generally known as the birthplace of broadcasting, it is in fact where Nikola Tesla demonstrated the first true broadcast in March 1893. Later, in 1920, two St. Louis men began a radio broadcast announcing the results of the Harding-Cox presidential election on the same night as KDKA in Pittsburgh, but the Pennsylvania event received all of the national recognition. Wireless broadcasts (in Morse code) of weather information were emanating from the campus of St. Louis University in 1912; that station, 9YK, became WEW in 1922. Television was introduced to St. Louisans in 1947, although at least one forward-thinking local broadcaster was experimenting with the medium as early as 1928.

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Delia C. Gillis

Kansas City

9780738534480

$24.99

Since 1803, when York, a slave in the Lewis and Clark expedition, stood on the bluffs overlooking Kansas City, African Americans have contributed to the city's rich history. Men and women like Tom Bass, Emily Fisher, Sam Sheperd, and Hiram Young built the region in slavery and in freedom. Musicians such as Julie Lee, Bennie Moten, Joe Turner, and Count Basie turned Kansas City into a jazz mecca in the 1920s and '30s. The professional class made their voice heard with the establishment of the Kansas City Monarchs baseball team, the Kansas City Call newspaper, and election of the city's first black mayor, Emanuel Cleaver. With over 200 vintage images, Kansas City recreates this beautiful mosaic of African-American community.

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Sandie Grassino

Sunset Hills

9780738584089

$24.99

Over the course of its history, Sunset Hills was known by many names before its incorporation in 1957. For many families, however, it has always been a constant; some Sunset Hills families are seventh-generation residents on land that was granted or purchased early in America's history. Early settlers were drawn to this community by the salt springs and clay mines. Indian tribes also utilized this area as an early regional site for trade and multi-tribal meetings along the Meramec River. The Meramec Landing Site was historically significant to both the tribes and the settlers, and the community formed eastward from this spot on the river, toward St. Louis. Today, the city encompasses over nine square miles. Largely considered a commuter suburb for St. Louis, Sunset Hills possesses its own rich history and strong sense of community.

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Lynn Tatum

McDonald County

9781467107389

$23.99

The rugged, timbered, and isolated hills of southwestern Missouri attracted and created hardworking, innovative individuals. In the 1830s, outsiders began arriving in the area, bringing their families and their Appalachian ways. A rich and unique Ozark culture evolved and has transcended time. McDonald County’s lush and fertile valleys, crystal-clear rivers, and vast woodland terrain allowed people to gather, cultivate, can, pickle, hunt, trap, catch, and smoke their own food. Largely isolated in small communities, the new arrivals became skilled in rural ingenuity and relying on one another. Children worked alongside parents to build homes, make furniture, harvest and preserve crops, and create their own—sometimes renowned—music. Sunday was reserved for church. The county’s residents had plenty of wealth without money and formed a legacy unlike any other. Today, this culture of caring for family, neighbor, God, and country continues to enrich the lives of those who call McDonald County home and remains forever ingrained in those who pass through the area.

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John A. Wright Sr.

Civil Rights in St. Louis

9781467107198

$23.99

Since its very beginnings, St. Louis has been at the forefront of America’s struggle for equality. Many people have contributed to the fight for justice both in and outside of the courtroom by challenging the country to live up to the ideals outlined in the Declaration of Independence. St. Louisans have fought for civil rights in housing, property, education, health care, voting rights, and criminal justice, creating landmark cases that have reshaped America. The fight has not been without victories but has often been laced with tragedy, pain, and suffering. St. Louisans have always been a driving force for change. St. Louis was the site of some of the earliest civil rights protests before Missouri entered statehood in the early 1800s. George Vaughn fought in the Supreme Court to end restrictive covenants and housing discrimination in the 1940s. Unarmed Michael Brown’s death brought attention to the area, placing the Black Lives Matter movement in the nation’s forefront in 2014. The civil rights movement in St. Louis illustrates the unfinished work to live up to America’s promise.

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Carol Bohl

Harrisonville

9780738590615

$24.99

Harrisonville, founded in 1837, is one of the oldest towns in western Missouri. Situated just south of Kansas City, it served Cass County as the center of government, commerce, and cultural life for over 150 years. Its geographic proximity to the Kansas border brought conflict and bloodshed during the Bleeding Kansas and Civil War eras, from 1854 to 1865, as jayhawkers and bushwhackers raided, looted, and terrified local citizens. After the war, four railroads brought new settlers and business opportunities. The town flourished as the center of a rich agricultural region and touted businesses, including a brickyard, a foundry, and several mills. Victorian brick buildings sprung up around the square from the 1880s to the early 1900s. The Italianate Cass County Courthouse, designed by W.C. Root, crowns the square as an architectural gem. In the 20th century, shoppers flocked to the town for business and pleasure. The square retains a high degree of architectural significance and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

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Kenneth L. Bird

The Cole Camp Area

9780738583006

$24.99

Cole Camp was named by Ezekiel Williams, who established a post office in 1830 on Williams Creek, south of the present town. Settlers from the south followed Williams, and in the 1840s an influx of German immigrants arrived to leave their mark on the area. Cole Camp maintains a cultural connection with the original settlers through year-round festivals and celebrations. In 1861, an early Civil War battle was fought nearby by the militia; the skirmish is reenacted every two years by descendants of those men. The area's rich history is evident in many 19th-century structures preserved in Cole Camp and neighboring communities. Tourists and day-trippers en route to the Lake of the Ozarks find a delightful mirror of an earlier era in Cole Camp, along with fine restaurants, art galleries, a winery, and antique shops.

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Allen Ballard

Ralls County

9780738594026

$24.99

In 1820, Ralls County was the cradle of northeast Missouri civilization. Ralls was a Benton Baby, born from a political deal brokered by the powerful Thomas Hart Benton and named for an ordinary New London farmer and state representative. In fact, no other US county is named Ralls. One citizen became a Texan patriot serving defenders at the Alamo, while a slave from the county was ordained as America's first African American Catholic priest. Ralls is blessed with springs, salt licks, farmlands, wildlife, abundant hardwood timber, coal, sand, gravel deposits, and limestone, and most importantly the Salt River passes through it. Development progressed slowly, but Ralls became a major north-south thoroughfare and had the first direct rail route from Hannibal to St. Louis. The Atlas Cement plant produced millions of barrels of cement that were used in the construction of the Panama Canal and the Empire State Building. Today, the Clarence Cannon Dam prevents flooding while providing recreational opportunities rivaling more prominent Missouri lakes.

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Ann Lemons Pollack

Lost Restaurants of St. Louis

9781467140263

$21.99

A culinary history of the Gateway City and the memorable restaurants that once made their home there.

St. Louis is a food town, but of the many restaurants that have captured the heart of the city, some are no longer around. Rossino’s low ceilings and even lower pipes didn’t stop the pizza-hungry residents from crowding in. Jefferson Avenue Boarding House served elegant “Granny Food” in plush surroundings. King Burgers and onion rings ruled at the Parkmoor. Dohack’s claimed it was the first to name the “jack salmon.”

Author Ann Lemons Pollack details these and more restaurants lost to time in the Gateway City.

“Few St. Louisans know the history of the St. Louis food scene like local food and travel writer Ann Lemons Pollack. . . . The book is a treasure trove for St. Louis history-lovers, beginning with an extensively researched look at the food served at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition—better known as the 1904 World’s Fair—hosted in St. Louis. She debunks some myths—hot dogs were not “invented” at the fair, but perhaps found a wide audience there—and charts the various restaurants and cafes that fed eager fairgoers.”—Feast Magazine

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Steve Chou

Hannibal

9781467102674

$24.99

Not only the boyhood home of Mark Twain but also the Crossroads of America, Hannibal, Missouri, is an idyllic river town with a rich history that is 200 years in the making. Hannibal: Bluff City Memories, 1819–2019 is a pictorial chronicle of the town's past—steamboats, Union Depot, picnics at the cave, and the old Mark Twain Bridge—and present—the Folklife Festival, historic floods, businesses, and stately residences. This expanded bicentennial republication of Hannibal, Missouri: Bluff City Memories features all of the images from the original work plus additional photographs.

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Deborah Bowman

Wentzville

9781467128230

$24.99

Wentzville, Missouri, was founded in 1855 by William M. Allen, a tobacco farmer and state senator. Allen knew that the new railroad would run through Missouri, so he used his senatorial influence to convince railroad engineers, particularly chief engineer Erasmus Livingston Wentz, to lay the tracks through his farmland and build a station with a promise to name the town after Wentz. The tobacco industry became a driving force for Wentzville's early growth. Since 1983, when General Motors built its plant on the outskirts of town, the population has exploded. Yet the Wentzville historic area maintains a small-town feeling that charms anyone who takes the time to explore.

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Larry Wood

Wicked Women of Missouri

9781467119665

$23.99

Marauders like Jesse James and the Younger gang earned Missouri the title of Outlaw State, but the male desperadoes had nothing on their female counterparts. Belle Queen of the Bandits Starr and Cora Hubbard kept Missouri's sensationalist newspapers and dime novelists in business with exploits ranging from horse thefts to bank heists. Missouri native Ma Barker and her murderous sons rose to infamy during the gangster era of the 1930s while Bonnie Parker crisscrossed the state with Clyde Barrow. From savvy burlesque dancers to deadly gold diggers, historian Larry Wood chronicles the titillating stories of ten of the Show-Me State's shadiest ladies.

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Joan M. Thomas

St. Louis' Big League Ballparks

9780738532653

$24.99

Baseball came to St. Louis before the dawn of the major leagues. It was a gentleman's game, a simple summer pastime, and its popularity grew as the city evolved. Local amateur teams proliferated, and interest in forming a team of professionals resulted in two such St. Louis teams in 1875, the Brown Stockings and the Red Stockings. The Browns and Reds played their home games at separate parks, the Grand Avenue Grounds and Red Stockings Park. The first fully professional game of baseball held in St. Louis took place at the latter. Very few modern fans are aware of this, or of these parks' locations. Moreover, there was a time early in the twentieth century when St. Louis supported not just two, but three major league teams, each with its own ballpark. This book is intended as a keepsake of the stadiums and playing fields of St. Louis' baseball past.

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Maureen Kavanaugh

Hidden History of Downtown St. Louis

9781467136839

$23.99

A reputation as the town of shoes, booze and blues persists in St. Louis. But a fascinating history waits just beneath the surface in the heart of the city, like the labyrinth of natural limestone caves where Anheuser-Busch got its start. One of the city's Garment District shoe factories was the workplace of a young Tennessee Williams, referenced in his first Broadway play, The Glass Menagerie. Downtown's vibrant African American community was the source and subject of such folk-blues classics as Frankie and Johnny and Stagger Lee, not to mention W.C. Handy's classic St. Louis Blues. Navigate this hidden heritage of downtown St. Louis with author Maureen Kavanaugh.

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Bob Bell

Steelville

9780738584133

$24.99

The settlement of Steelville, Missouri, was named in 1835 in honor of its first mercantile store and property owner, James Steel. Since then, the little town has survived devastation, with the flood of 1898, and destruction, with the great fire of 1904. Yet while many neighboring towns such as Midland and Sankey have vanished, Steelville has been resilient and survived. This is thanks to its founding fathers who realized the importance of education, with the construction of the Steelville Academy in 1851, the Steelville School System in 1886, and bringing to town the Steelville Normal and Business Institute in 1890, where many a young lad and ladies commenced with a formal education. Many graduates went on to be successful, like John Zahorsky, who would become known internationally as the world's most influential pediatrician; Judge Albert L. Reeves, who helped settle this great nation's civil rights cases; and John T. Woodruff, the great attorney for the Frisco Railroad. The photographs of this book have been collected for years by those locals wanting to keep track of their heritage--from the building of their railroad, to the flood, to the simple pleasures of their lives, like picnics on the courthouse lawn.

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Toney Aid

West Plains

9780738560236

$24.99

The Great Depression hit West Plains hard, but people were resilient and bounced back during World War II. The postwar years brought rural electrification, television, and paved roads. As the economy began to move away from agriculture to new industries, a flooring mill and shoe factory came to town, accompanied by a community hospital. Big band slipped into rock and roll, radio to television, and iceboxes to refrigerators. In 40 years, people went from Ford Model Ts to Mustangs and from silent films to the big screen at the 63 Drive In. By the end of the 1960s, the Beatles had arrived, and everyone was looking in their world atlas for a place called Vietnam. This is a pictorial journey through a small town in the Ozarks from the 1930s to the 1970s.

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John A. Wright Sr.

St. Louis

9780738533629

$24.99

Since the founding of St. Louis, African Americans have lived in communities throughout the area. Although St. Louis' 1916 Segregation of the Negro Ordinance was ruled unconstitutional, African Americans were restricted to certain areas through real estate practices such as steering and red lining. Through legal efforts in the court cases of Shelley v. Kraemer in 1948, Jones v. Mayer in 1978, and others, more housing options became available and the population dispersed. Many of the communities began to decline, disappear, or experience urban renewal.

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Neal W. Fandek

Native American Monuments of Missouri

9781467171731

$24.99

Take a trip back through 10,000 years of Missouri history.

Wherever you live in the Show-Me State, chances are good that someone was there thousands of years before—a member of one of the many ancient civilizations that called Missouri home. These include the Hopewells, who built large towns throughout the Kansas City area; the Mississippians, who built cities with towering pyramids and large plazas along that great river, especially around St. Louis (nicknamed “Mound City” for that reason in the early nineteenth century) and the Bootheel; the Oneontas, who built massive hilltop enclosures along the Missouri River in central Missouri; the Niúachis (Missourias), for whom the state is named; the Osages and Illiniweks (Illinois), who lived in towns in southwest and northeast Missouri; and the artists who carved marvels in stone at Thousand Hills and Washington State Parks, all of which you can see today, absolutely free.

Author Neal W. Fandek guides Missourians on a tour of ancient wonders in their own backyard.

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Gwen Simmons

College of the Ozarks

9781467161862

$24.99

On November 19, 1906, the School of the Ozarks was chartered by the State of Missouri.

The poverty-stricken Ozarks had limited educational opportunities, but when the first students enrolled, the school did not depend on tuition dollars. Instead, each student worked at the school in exchange for an education. Today, the College of the Ozarks is a liberal arts college where students still work for their degrees. The institution is recognized for its emphasis on academics, faith, patriotism, and vocation, and it continues its commitment to the mission “to provide the advantages of a Christian education for youth of both sexes, especially those found worthy, but who are without sufficient means to procure such training.” Located near Branson, Missouri, the campus hosts thousands of visitors each year who enjoy Williams Memorial Chapel; Edwards Mill; and the Keeter Center, modeled after a historic building on the Point Lookout campus. Visitors discover a unique college where generations of students have gained a life-changing education.

Gwen Simmons is the director of Lyons Memorial Library at the College of the Ozarks and an alumna of the institution. Most of the images featured in this book are a part of the college’s archival collections at the library, alumni center, and museum.

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Roger E. Slusher

Lexington

9781467110334

$24.99

Although best known for the cannonball in a column of its Greek Revival courthouse, Lexington was also an outfitting stop on the Santa Fe Trail. Merchants and freighters such as the Aull brothers and Russell, Majors, and Waddell contributed to its prominence, as did steamboats transporting large quantities of hemp and tobacco. Following the Battle of Lexington, Union occupation, and robberies by the James-Younger Gang, the railroads' need for coal led to the expansion of local mines and an influx of immigrants. New prosperity also led to the founding of four private schools, including Wentworth Military Academy. Providing entertainment for the miners was the notorious Block 42, which extended through Prohibition and the Depression. Since that time, Lexington has become a regional service center and a tourist destination.

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Leslie Simpson

Joplin

9780738583228

$24.99

After the discovery of lead along Joplin Creek in southwest Missouri, a rowdy boomtown sprang up overnight. Named after the creek, it paid homage to itinerant minister Harris Joplin, who had settled there briefly in the 1840s. Two rival towns developed: Murphysburg, west of the creek, and Joplin to the east. They merged and incorporated as Joplin in 1873. The town swelled from a mining camp into a thriving city, populated by American and European fortune seekers. Construction of trolley and rail lines furthered the economic growth of Joplin, the zinc and lead capital of the world. The city later gained fame as a stop on historic Route 66. During World War II, Joplin provided an oasis for soldiers in training at Camp Crowder, 20 miles south of town. The post–World War II years ushered in the construction of Interstate 44, suburbanization, and the commercial development of Range Line Road.

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Pete Dulin

Kansas City Beer

9781467135610

$21.99

Westbound immigrants, pioneers and entrepreneurs alike arrived in Kansas City with a thirst for progress and beer. Breweries both small and mighty seized opportunity in a climate of ceaseless social change and fierce regional competition. Muehlebach Brewing Company commanded the market, operating in Kansas City for more than eighty years. Built in 1902, the iconic brick warehouse of Imperial Brewing still stands today. Prohibition made times tough for brewers and citizens in the Paris of the Plains, but political Boss Tom Pendergast kept the taps running. In 1989, Boulevard Brewing kicked off the local craft beer renaissance, and a bevy of breweries soon formed a flourishing community. Food and beer writer Pete Dulin explores Kansas City's hop-infused history and more than sixty breweries from the frontier era to the twenty-first century.

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H. Dwight Weaver

Osage Beach

9780738594224

$24.99

In 1886, the railroad-tie industry spawned the village of Zebra at the confluence of the Osage and Grand Glaize Rivers in the Ozark region of south central Missouri. Forty-five years later, when the Lake of the Ozarks was created by the construction of Bagnell Dam, the water inundated Zebra, and the village was reborn as Osage Beach. At its core, the bridge linked land, water, and people to create a recreational jewel in the heart of the Midwest, and the people, roadside businesses, and lakeside resorts featured in this book were among the pioneers who made it all possible. The story begins with the construction of the Grand Glaize Bridge, which became known as the Upside Down Bridge. US Highway 54 passes through Osage Beach, and this book follows the growth of the town as it spread east and west along the shoulders of the highway and out onto the peninsulas and shorelines of the lake.

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Joan M. Thomas

St. Louis

9780738531939

$24.99

The beautiful city described by early 20th century picture postcard senders still exists. The vintage postcard images presented here take you on a tour of St. Louis' burgeoning days, where you will revisit the grand architecture and neighborhoods of the early part of the last century. See Union Station in its original incarnation as a train station. Witness the grandeur of the 1904 World's Fair held at forever beautiful Forest Park. Plus, savor the charm of the city's many other parks, such as Lafayette Park, the site where baseball was first introduced to St. Louis. You will visit the thoroughfares of downtown St. Louis before it became necessary to rebuild and renovate. Finally, visit favorite places like Soulard Market, which have thrived from the beginning, maintaining a connection between the past and the present.

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David Alan Heller

As Good As It Got

9780738531991

$24.99

World War II threatened to ruin Major League Baseball. By 1945, over 500 major leaguers and 3,000 minor league prospects had been enlisted for the war effort, leaving a dearth of talent for the Big Leagues. The St. Louis Browns, like other AL and NL clubs, would be forced to fill holes in their roster with scrubs-4-F players (those dismissed from the military due to physical ailments), retired major leaguers, and youngsters not yet ready to leave the minors. But there were still some top level players to be had, and 1944 Browns manager Luke Sewell assembled the franchise's most successful team ever, taking the St. Louis ball club to its first and only Fall Classic.

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Vida Goldman Prince

That's the Way it Was

9781609499709

$24.99

Segregation was a way of life in St. Louis, aptly called the most southern city in the North. These thirteen oral histories describe the daily struggle that pervasive racism demanded but also share the tradition of self-respect that the African American community of St. Louis sought to build on its own terms.

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Edna Campos Gravenhorst

Benton Park West

9780738534312

$24.99

By the mid-1860s, the St. Louis neighborhood of Benton Park West was already self-sufficient, boasting its own carpenters and dairymen, blacksmith and midwife. While it was a working-class community, many residents owned their own businesses and built beautiful homes that still stand today. Author Edna Campos Gravenhorst takes readers on four separate walking tours of the historic district, highlighting such buildings as the 1860s Eyermann home, the stately Herold mansion, the 1893 Gravois Planing Mill, and the Cherokee Brewery.

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Jeremy Amick

Missouri Veterans

9781467128247

$24.99

Missouri veterans continue to demonstrate their unwavering dedication to both the state and the nation. Theirs is a legacy that stretches forth from the Revolutionary War service of frontiersman Daniel Boone to William Clark, of the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition. During the Civil War, the state became a hotbed of opposing views, as men—such as the notorious Jesse James—joined bands of guerilla fighters who fought to further the cause of the Confederacy. Years later, famed generals, such as William Tecumseh Sherman, chose the state as their final resting site following their dedicated service to the Union during the Civil War. It is a tradition emphasized by the military service of a future president, Harry S. Truman, who enlisted to serve his nation as an artillery officer in the First World War. Found in this book are the images that demonstrate many of the memorials and monuments situated throughout Missouri, highlighting the plentiful and impressive military legacy of the Show-Me State.

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Steve Steinberg

Baseball in St. Louis

9780738533018

$24.99

St. Louis was a hotbed of baseball activity in the early 20th century. Two of baseball's great wars played out here-the rise of the American League and the rise and fall of the Federal League. No pennants flew over the city from 1900 to 1925, yet St. Louis teams were involved in a number of torrid pennant races. Here is the heyday of the St. Louis Browns and the emergence of the Cardinals, as well as a vibrant scene for semi-pro and black teams. The city had two of the greatest hitters in baseball history-George Sisler and Rogers Hornsby-and one of the game's most influential executives-Branch Rickey. Twenty-one members of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown played baseball in St. Louis during these years. The author draws on more than 20 photo collections, with in-depth looks at an important yet overlooked era and the people who made it come alive.

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James W. Erwin

St. Charles, Missouri

9781467136198

$21.99

Louis Blanchette came to Les Petites Côtes (the Little Hills) in 1769. The little village, later dubbed San Carlos del Misury by the Spanish and St. Charles by the Americans, played a major role in the early history of Missouri. It launched Lewis and Clark's expedition, as well as countless other westbound settlers. It served as the first capital of the new state. Important politicians, judges, soldiers, businesspersons, educators and even a saint all called St. Charles home. Despite its rapid growth from a sleepy French village into a dynamic city amid one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, St. Charles never forgot its history. Author James Erwin tells the story of its fascinating heritage.

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Valerie Battle Kienzle

Lost St. Louis

9781625859242

$21.99

St. Louis has been a shining beacon on the shores of the Mississippi River for more than 250 years, and many iconic landmarks have come and gone. The city hosted the World's Fair in 1904, with beautiful acres of buildings, gardens and fountains, nearly all of which are lost to time. Famous Busch Stadium now sits on an area that was once a vibrant community for Chinese immigrants. St. Louis Jockey Club was an expansive and popular gathering spot in the late nineteenth century until the state outlawed gambling. The Lion Gas Building was home to a unique mural featuring more than seventy shades of gray in tribute to famed aviator Charles Lindbergh. Author Valerie Battle Kienzle details the fantastic forgotten landmarks of St. Louis.

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Suzanne Corbett

A Culinary History of Missouri

9781467150361

$21.99

Missouri's history is best told through food, from its Native American and later French colonial roots to the country's first viticultural area. Learn about the state's vibrant barbecue culture, which stems from African American cooks, including Henry Perry, Kansas City's barbecue king. Trace the evolution of iconic dishes such as Kansas City burnt ends, St. Louis gooey butter cake and Springfield cashew chicken. Discover how hardscrabble Ozark farmers launched a tomato canning industry and how a financially strapped widow, Irma Rombauer, would forever change how cookbooks were written. Historian and culinary writer Suzanne Corbett and food and travel writer Deborah Reinhardt also include more than eighty historical recipes to capture a taste of Missouri's history that spans more than two hundred years.

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Jeremy P. Amick

Hidden History of Cole County, Missouri

9781467152167

$21.99

Historic tales lie in the shadows throughout Cole County, notably in the vicinity of Russellville, Lohman and Stringtown. Pioneers such as Enoch Enloe found a home near Russellville following a broken wagon wheel while making the journey west in the 1830s. Stringtown has become a forgotten town that was once home to a self-proclaimed doctor who was brutally murdered. Millbrook claims business-minded visionaries such as John Scheperle Sr., who helped establish the legendary Centennial Mill. A few miles north in Lohman, the railroad became the impetus for growth and ushered in a period of relative prosperity. Historian and author Jeremy P. Ämick uncovers many fascinating tales passed down through the years.

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Dawn Dupler

St. Louis in the Civil War

9781467111263

$24.99

On May 10, 1861, Union troops surrounded Camp Jackson, a military encampment where Confederate leaders were accused of conspiring to seize the St. Louis Arsenal, the largest store of munitions west of the Mississippi. The state militia, which numbered more than 600 men, answered the call of Missouri's pro-Southern governor Claiborne Fox Jackson to assemble but found themselves outnumbered 10 to 1 and were forced to surrender. As federal forces marched them through St. Louis, an angry crowd gathered. Gunfire crackled, leaving more than 24 people dead. St. Louis epitomized the growing tensions between the North and South. The city's strategic position enabled James Eads's shipyards to build ironclads, Jefferson Barracks to muster troops, and Gratiot Street Prison to hold POWs. The list of notables with ties to St. Louis reads like a who's who of the Civil War: Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, William T. Sherman, Nathaniel Lyon, James Longstreet, George Pickett, and others.

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Eric Dodson

Around Mansfield

9780738590776

$24.99

As the Memphis Line was pushing eastward through the virgin Ozark hills, railroad officials realized that watering stations were needed every 8 to 10 miles. One such station was built on the future site of the town of Mansfield. In 1882, F.M. Mansfield and George Nettleton officially established the town. Noted for its rolling hills and abundance of natural water sources, Mansfield became known as the Gem of the Ozarks. Early settlers that were drawn to the area established local businesses, including orchards, canning factories, and mines. Farming became an essential way of life for most rural residents. Today, the town is famous as the place where author Laura Ingalls Wilder, who lived here from 1894 until her death in 1957, wrote her renowned Little House books. It was also the boyhood home of Major League Baseball player Carl Mays, who at one point was a teammate of Babe Ruth.

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Kirsten Mouton

Livingston County

9781467160124

$23.99

By 1833, settlers began arriving in what became Livingston County, Missouri. The first railroad to span the state cut through the county in 1859, and more followed, which led to the founding of new towns along the railways. Residents built successful farms, schools, churches, and businesses. They served their country in the military. Chillicothe was awarded the State Industrial Home for Girls in 1889. Allen Moore founded the Chillicothe Normal School in 1890, choosing Livingston County because of its “progressive spirit.” Rosina Dome was the first Livingston County woman to cast a vote. Lulu May Ott was the only female poultry judge in Missouri in 1915. In 1928, in Frank Bench’s bakery in Chillicothe, a loaf of bread was commercially sliced and sold for the first time. Life in Livingston County included races, circuses, theatres, train wrecks, sports, and the Great Flood of 1909. Residents still exemplify a forward-thinking spirit.

The history of Livingston County is presented here via rich images uncovered by the authors, Kirsten Mouton and Brenda Anderson O’Halloran, from the collections of the Livingston County Library and the Grand River Historical Society Museum, as well as treasured photographs from the private collections of longtime local families. Many of these pictures have never been shared with the public.

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Frank Absher

St. Louis Advertising

9781467112864

$24.99

Mention advertising, and just about everyone thinks of New York's Madison Avenue, long the center of the nation's advertising universe. The reality is that advertising is everywhere and has been almost since the inception of the nation. In St. Louis, for example, two early advertising agencies became major players on the national scene, creating advertising for multinational corporations. Browsing through this collection of old advertisements gives readers a chance to follow the development of the nation's business community over the past 200 years and see what was important in the daily lives of Americans, as well as what the nation's commercial interests wanted them to believe was important.

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Patrick Alley

Kansas City's Parks and Boulevards

9781467112598

$24.99

A fast-growing frontier community transformed itself into a beautiful urban model of parks and boulevards. In 1893, East Coast newspapers were calling Kansas City the filthiest in the United States. The drainage of many houses emptied into gullies and cesspools. There was no garbage collection service, and herding livestock through the city was only recently prohibited. Through the diligent efforts of a handful of recently arrived citizens, political, financial, and botanical skills were successfully applied to a nascent parks system. Squirrel pastures, cliffs and bluffs, ugly ravines, and shanties and slums were turned into a gridiron of green, with chains of parks and boulevards extending in all directions. Wherever the system penetrated well-settled localities, the policy was to provide playgrounds, tennis courts, baseball diamonds, pools, and field houses. By the time the city fathers were finished, Kansas City could boast of 90 miles of boulevards and 2,500 acres of urban parks.

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Lisa Livingston-Martin

Civil War Ghosts of Southwest Missouri

9781609492670

$21.99

For southwest Missouri, the Civil War was an unparalleled period of violence, sorrow and anger. As the torches burned the physical landscape, the depredations inflicted were also scorched upon the psyche of the people who lived through fires. Survey Carthage's battlefield for stubborn holdouts or hold vigil at the Kendrick House for innocent bystanders who were swept up into the stratagems of bushwhackers and guerrillas. Meet the Bloody Spikes, Rotten Johnny Reb and scores more figures from the region's past who continue to trouble its present.

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John A. Wright Sr.

Kinloch

9780738507774

$24.99

Located just outside of St. Louis, Kinloch was once a community locked off from the rest of the area by natural and man-made barriers. In spite of a lack of financial resources, it once provided its residents with a school district, city hall, post office, business district, and recreational facilities. Residents will recognize Dunbar Elementary, the oldest school for blacks in St. Louis County, Holy Angels, the oldest continuing black parish in the St. Louis Archdiocese, as well as former residents Congresswoman Maxine Waters and political activist Dick Gregory. Eventually, due to insufficient revenue, this once thriving community fell into decline, and is now struggling to keep its small town values and ideals alive.

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John A. Wright Sr.

The Ville

9780738508153

$24.99

A few miles from downtown St. Louis, The Ville was once locked off from much of the area. In spite of racial obstacles, this small community became nationally known as the cradle of black culture and intellect in St. Louis. Current and former residents will recognize photographs of Sumner High School and Homer G. Phillips Hospital, as well as many famous former residents. Over the years this once thriving community fell into decline, and is now struggling to recapture some of its former glory.

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Paul Kirkman

Forgotten Tales of Kansas City

9781609496159

$14.99

Meet the folks who slip out of history books like they're playing the Kansas City shuffle. In this fascinating collection of stories, Paul Kirkman has dug up all sorts of head-scratchers: how did Jesse James rob a bank with John F. Kennedy, and how could a Beatles concert in the 1960s fail to make money? Watch a cow explode in a kitchen, frogs rain down from the sky and dogs pay for a public library system. Learn how Harry Houdini was trapped in a phone booth, why Clark Gable haunted street corners in a clown outfit and what kept Kansas City in Missouri.

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Mary Collins Barile

Forgotten Tales of Missouri

9781609494735

$14.99

Truth, after all, still remains stranger and more engaging than most legends. And Missouri, of course, leads every other place in truth. Hop aboard Long's dragon boat or take advantage of 1846 wind wagon technology to plunge into the forgotten tales of this fascinating place. Hobnob cautiously with Stagger Lee, Mike Fink and Calamity Jane and view the chamber pot war from a safe distance. Trade witticisms with Alphonse Wetmore and Mark Twain, the frontier folk who keep us civilized today. If you keep company with storyteller Mary Collins Barile, you'll even catch a glimpse of the Mississippi River running backward from an earthquake that was all Missouri's fault.

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Lisa Marks

Molly Brown from Hannibal, Missouri

9781609498719

$21.99

In the film version of the life of the Unsinkable Molly Brown, she is rescued from the Colorado River and raised in the Rocky Mountains, but the actual Margaret Tobin Brown was born and raised in Hannibal, Missouri. Her formative years took place in the town's Gilded Age; the railroad brought in lumber barons, and as the wealth of Hannibal grew, so too did the dreams of young Margaret. Even though her future career as a philanthropist and socialite would span continents and she would become famous for surviving the sinking of the Titanic, Molly Brown was always proud to be from Hannibal.

Cover image for Molly Brown from Hannibal, Missouri, isbn: 9781609498719

John Simonson

Paris of the Plains

9781609490621

$19.99

From the end of the Great War to the final years of the 1950s, Kansas Citians lived in a manner worthy of a place called Paris of the Plains. The title did more than nod to the perfumed ladies who shopped at Harzfeld's Parisian or the one-thousand-foot television antenna nicknamed the Eye-full Tower. It spoke to the character of a town that worked for Boss Tom and danced for Count Basie but transcended both the Pendergast era and the Jazz Age. Author John Simonson introduces readers to a town of vaudeville shows and screened-in porches, where fleets of cream-and-black streetcars passed beneath a canopy of elms. This is a history that smells equally of lilacs and stockyards and bursts with the clamor of gunshots, radio baseball and the distant whistle of a night train.

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Paul Kirkman

Missouri Revolutionaries

9781467171229

$24.99

A revolutionary ethos serves as the bedrock of the Show-Me State.

Although Missouri wasn’t even part of the United States in 1776, its destiny was shaped by Patriot soldiers and their descendants. From the 1780 Battle of St. Louis through the Louisiana Purchase, veterans of the Revolutionary War settled in the Spanish- and French-run territory to build homes, families, and communities. Drummer boys and militiamen who fought from Lexington to Yorktown in their youth lived to fight again in the West alongside their adult sons in the War of 1812. Veterans of Washington’s armies served in the Missouri Territorial and State Assemblies then drew their pensions and watched their grandchildren play in the state they had helped build. Their stories started in battles east of the Mississippi but came to fruition in the Show-Me State.

Join author Paul Kirkman as he digs through 250 years of history to uncover the story of Missouri’s Revolutionary roots.

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David A. Lossos

St. Louis

9780738539553

$24.99

As we approach the 241st anniversary of the settlement on the banks of the mighty Mississippi that came to be the metropolis of St. Louis, it is appropriate to look back at this great city. We have precious few physical reminders of the days of Laclede and Chouteau. It wasn't until the mid–19th century that we regularly recorded via photographs the development (and destruction) of the sights that make St. Louis unique. It is through these images that we have the marvelous capability to look back and view our city through the eyes of our predecessors: To see the things that were here decades ago and still look the same; to see things that no longer exist, and to see what we have replaced them with; to see what we have preserved, and what we have discarded; and to see the present via the images of the past. There is no way to encompass all the changes that this city has seen in one book. The views in this book will give the reader a representative selection of the more recognizable sights in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The intent is to include most of the major places and things that everyone identifies with St. Louis. But also included are more obscure photos that show scenes with which many of our ancestors would also identify. There will always be progress, but that which is lost is worth remembering. So sit back, relax, and take a stroll down the streets of St. Louis as our ancestors knew them.

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Larry Wood

Bushwhacker Belles

9781455621569

$24.95

The award-winning author provides �a look at the women who supported the male border raiders .�.�. includes heartrending stories from a savage war� (HistoryNet).

In this fascinating look at an often overlooked subject, historian Larry Wood delves into the hidden lives of the brave belles of Missouri. Sometimes connected by blood but always united in purpose, these wives, sisters, daughters, lovers, friends, and mothers risked their lives and their freedom to give aid and comfort to their menfolk. They used subterfuge and occasionally sheer luck to feed, clothe, and shelter the guerrillas. These courageous women of every age and station acted as essential go-betweens, scouts, spies, guides, and mail handlers. They often joined in on the bushwhackers� campaigns, assisting them in any way possible. They even received and traded stolen property for their Confederate brethren. Many of the women were arrested or banished from their home state of Missouri; many were forced to give an oath of allegiance to the Union in order to gain their freedom; a few were able to carry out their clandestine missions undetected. Wood traces these women through their own diaries and other primary sources from the era. The poignant tales of these women are punctuated by images of many of them; the stiff, posed portraits give silent testimony to their resiliency and strength during tumultuous times.

�A fascinating glimpse into the irregular warfare that embroiled the state during the Civil War.� �Jefferson City News Tribune

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Michelle Brooks

Jefferson City Civil Pilots, The

9781467154499

$24.99

Aviation captivated young men before World War II, regardless of their skin color. But few Black enthusiasts had access, means or opportunity until the Civil Pilot Training program.

Lincoln University of Missouri and the old Jefferson Airfield offered the only program west of the Mississippi River exclusively for Black pilots. Fulfilling the dream of the school’s founders, many successful Lincolnites joined the Tuskegee Airmen, the first U.S. military aviation units. Wendell Pruitt’s aerial acrobatics were legendary, and Wilbur Long was one of twenty-two to survive Nazi POW camps. Clovis Bordeaux went on to be one of the first Black rocket scientists, and Charles Anderson became a pioneer in satellite meteorology. Michelle Brooks explores Lincoln’s men and moments in their pursuit of Double Victory.

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Peggy Kruse

Old Jamestown

9781467160209

$23.99

Old Jamestown is an unincorporated CDP (Census Designated Place) in far north St. Louis County, Missouri. Its fascinating history includes a Native American settlement associated with the prehistoric Cahokia Mounds in Illinois, land-grant holders of English and Scottish heritage who arrived in the late 1700s, German immigrant farmers who came during the 1800s, and prominent families who arrived in the mid-1900s. With only two miles separating the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers just north of Old Jamestown, its ferries once provided connections from St. Louis and Florissant to St. Charles County and Illinois. Today, Old Jamestown includes residential subdivisions and nonprofit organizations, but much of it retains its rural ambiance because its karstic topography limits development.

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Sue Blesi

Union

9781467111041

$24.99

The site for the city of Union, Missouri, was selected in 1825 by three men who were charged with finding a location for a new county seat within three miles of the center of Franklin County. An earlier county seat, Newport, was located on the Missouri River, making it inaccessible to settlers from the southern part of the county. The site the men chose was little more than wilderness. A town sprang up, and Union now boasts a strong retail and industrial base, good schools, and East Central College. Over the past few years, a new Judicial Building and County Government Center have greatly added to the town's appearance. The historic courthouse, built in 1922, has been renovated and is a source of pride that houses the Veterans' Hall of Honor commemorating veterans of all wars. The images in this book will bring to life the history of Union's government, business and industry, schools, churches, transportation, events, and some of the people who made it all happen.

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Dianna Graveman

Washington

9780738578200

$24.99

Washington Landing, as the settlement was called in the early 1800s, was a popular river port along the Missouri River. Many German immigrants were attracted to the rolling hills and valley reminiscent of their homeland, and other settlers saw potential as well. The settlement grew quickly, and by the time the town of Washington was officially established in 1839, it was the most prosperous town in Franklin County. John B. Busch established a brewery in Washington in 1854 and produced the first Busch Beer. Franz Schwarzer began manufacturing what would become his world-famous zither (a German, stringed musical instrument) in 1866. Henry Tibbe began making corncob pipes around 1869, and Washington later became known as the Corncob Pipe Capital of the World. Today Washington holds the state record for the most buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and hosts four museums, including the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame. Nestled in the heart of Missouri wine country, Washington draws thousands of visitors to the area each year.

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Valerie Battle Kienzle

St. Charles

9780738591148

$24.99

Incorporated in 1809, St. Charles has distinguished itself as a historically significant city with a small-town feel. Located on the banks of the Missouri River, St. Charles has been called the Williamsburg of the West. Repurposed buildings draw thousands of visitors each year, yet the city's historical importance is more than streets and structures. St. Charles was the scene of notable events, including the 1804 launching of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's exploration of the Missouri River and land in the Louisiana Purchase. The first state capital was located here from 1821 until 1826. Pioneer Daniel Boone settled here and helped create Boone's Lick Trail. It became a major artery for settlers, leading to the development of the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. In 1956, the first section of the Interstate Highway System opened in St. Charles.

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Frank Absher

KMOX

9780738591131

$24.99

Since it signed on the air on December 24, 1925, KMOX has literally been the Voice of St. Louis, a pace setter for the radio industry. That positioning statement perfectly described the station and its mission. Through the years, KMOX listeners have heard hillbilly music, local drama, award-winning news, soap operas, bedtime voices in the night, sports play-by-play, call-in talk shows, local editorials, world leaders, local events, and announcers who were perceived as friends of the family. In radio's heyday, hundreds of CBS network programs heard around the nation originated from the Mart Building studios of KMOX. The station has won every major broadcast award imaginable, directly reflecting its influence and local dominance. For many years, St. Louis's KMOX was tops in the nation in radio market share, and the studios were regularly visited by international radio executives to study the station's success.

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Sandie Grassino

Jefferson Barracks

9780738584072

$24.99

Since it was founded in 1826, Jefferson Barracks has stood for nearly two centuries as a symbol for many aspects of America's history. Many explorative expeditions in the 19th century launched from Jefferson Barracks, an iconic gateway to the West during the country's expansion. A training ground for new programs, Jefferson Barracks was the home of America's first permanent Dragoons (later the United States Cavalry), first School of Infantry, and first regiment of buffalo soldiers. The largest induction and mustering-out center during both the First and Second World Wars, it housed and trained a myriad of soldiers before and after their deployments. Now the home of the Missouri Air National Guard, a Veterans Administration hospital, Jefferson Barracks Historic Park, a national cemetery, and a growing museum district, Jefferson Barracks is preserving its place in history as well as serving toward America's future. The historic images in this book illustrate a rich history of Jefferson Barracks through some of its citizen soldiers--famous and not--and through the incidents that made it an American icon.

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Robyn L. Davis

St. Joseph, Missouri

9780738502663

$24.99

St. Joseph, Missouri, was a well-known portal to the West from the Eastern United States. By the end of the Victorian era, at the turn of the 20th century, St. Joseph had grown into a wealthy city. Industries began to flourish, including catalog, manufacturing,
and warehouse businesses, gradually making the town not only a stopping point for the exhausted and hungry traveler, but also an attractive destination in its own right. These industries left a vast collection of photographic postcards behind, and some of the most interesting ones have been included in this photo album of the area's past. Focusing mainly on St. Joseph's architecture of the early 1900s, this book brings the older St. Joseph back to life and highlights the major events of the early 20th century. Many of the pictures in the book originate from Marshall White's private collection.
The Robidoux Row Museum and Cole Woodbury have also generously allowed their photographs and postcards to be used.

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Jim Bequette

Growing Up in St. Francois County

9780738519043

$24.99

In 1673, Father Marquette and Louis Joliet paddled southward down the Mississippi River and maintained a detailed journal of their observations. Their reports spoke glowingly of vast mineral deposits in the area destined to become Southeastern Missouri. From those earliest known beginnings, and continuing until the outbreak of the Civil War, numerous mining camps flourished. The St. Joseph Lead Company, located in Bonne Terre, St. Francois County, became the world's largest producer of lead ore. With nearly 100 vintage images and personal stories of growing up in Bonne Terre, James Bequette's informative memoir displays the influence the lead company had on the community, and in turn the love the community had for St. Joe. The first image seen by visitors of the town ring true, proclaiming "Welcome to Bonne Terre: Good Earth-Good People."

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Anita L. Roberts

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

9780738591063

$24.99

The Civil War claimed over 620,000 lives from April 1861 until the last major battle in June 1865. Neighbor fought neighbor, while families were divided over the issues of states' rights, secession, and slavery. Few people realize that Missouri was the war's third most violent state with over 1,500 battles and skirmishes. Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, southwest of Springfield, commemorates the Battle of Wilson's Creek, which was the first Civil War battle west of the Mississippi River, the second major battle of the war, and where the first Union general was killed in combat. The Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Civil War collection is an outstanding compilation of artifacts, documents, and photographs primarily related to the Trans-Mississippi theater. Items include Arkansas Confederate general Patrick Cleburne's sword belt and sash, abolitionist John Brown's telescope, a Confederate Cherokee Braves flag, and an original print of General Order No. 11, which forced evacuation of several western Missouri counties in an attempt to eliminate safe havens for guerrillas.

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Lisa Livingston-Martin

Haunted Carthage, Missouri

9781626192041

$21.99

A rich mixture of inexplicable history and eerie happenstance runs through the portion of the Ozark Plateau that Carthage has carved out for itself. Woodland cabins greet visitors with phantom hosts or vanish into the night entirely. Rumors of lost Spanish treasure caravans haunt the hills with the same persistence as the Confederate guerrillas who were run to ground there. Nor is the town itself immune from the encroachment of the supernatural; the drama of tragic death continues to find a stage in an opera house, a hospital and an elegant residence. Lisa Livingston-Martin tracks down the fiercest and most fascinating specters from Carthage's past.

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Mrs. Patricia Treacy

The Grand Hotels of St. Louis

9780738539744

$24.99

The Roaring Twenties was a period of lavish living in St. Louis. In 1917, when Ellsworth Statler decided to build a hotel in St. Louis, he ignited a hotel-building boom that was only quenched by the Great Depression of 1929. Architectural masterpieces arose, and local citizens and out-of-towners marveled at their grandeur. These hotels were hubs of activity and gathering places for high society. They survived the Great Depression and two world wars, but urban demise forced elegant hotels to crumble in disrepair. This book tells the intriguing stories of the Statler, the Chase, the Mayfair, the Lennox and the Coronado Hotels. Today, these hotels are restored and renewed—as glamorous now as they were in their earliest days. They welcome visitors to admire their beauty and savor the history they hold.

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Chad Stebbins

Joplin's Connor Hotel

9781467147675

$21.99

The hospitable history of an attempt at “the finest hostelry in the Southwest.” Determined to build the city’s finest hotel, Joplin’s first millionaire spared no expense on the magnificent Connor. The lobby, with its Italian marble rotunda and grand staircase, served as the city’s main gathering spot for the next 50 years. Thousands flocked to the rooftop garden, which became known as the “most pleasant spot in all Joplin.” The Connor hosted hundreds of conventions, outlaws such as “Pretty Boy” Floyd and more reputable guests including star athletes, Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Eleanor Roosevelt, Gene Autry, and Robert Wadlow – the world’s tallest man. Local residents rallied to “Save the Connor” in the 1970s, but couldn’t stop its demolition and the tragic ending that caught the nation’s attention. Author Chad Stebbins details the fascinating history.

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Rusty D. Aton

Baseball in Springfield

9780738533599

$24.99

It has been more than half a century since Springfield last hosted minor league baseball. That draught will end at downtown's newly constructed Hammons Field in the spring of 2005, when the Springfield Cardinals of the AA Texas League bring professional baseball back to the Queen City of the Ozarks. The new team will have quite a legacy to fulfill, as the Springfield Cardinals of the Western Association won several pennants those many years ago, and brought to town such legendary baseball names as Branch Rickey, Joe Garagiola, and Stan Musial. Before the Cardinals came teams like the Midgets, Reds, and Merchants, and a rich tradition of professional and semi-pro baseball dating back to the mid-1880s. Drawing from a wide range of primary sources and complimented by over 100 vintage images, Baseball in Springfield is must-have for those ready to discover the historic connection this city has to the national pastime.

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ArLynn Leiber Presser

Kearney

9780738578095

$24.99

Kearney, Missouri, is just 25 miles northeast of Kansas City, and though it's a quiet farming and ranching community, its close proximity to the downtown area makes it the perfect place for commuters who want a small town to come home to. Officially incorporated in 1869 and most likely named for Charles E. Kearney, president of the Kansas City and Cameron Railroad, Kearney is best known as the birthplace of outlaw Jesse James and his brother Frank. The James brothers joined with the Younger brothers to form a gang that terrorized the Midwest in the chaotic years following the Civil War. Although the James brothers worked only to enrich their own fortunes, a Robin Hood mythology has developed around them. Kearney encourages the celebration of the era, if not the actual man. Jesse James Festival in September is a time for watching rodeos, eating kettle corn, playing mud volleyball, and enjoying world-class concerts at the town's amphitheater. Kearney is the fastest-growing city in Missouri and a point of access to other parts of the state. Its schools are among the best in the country, and the village takes pride in its business friendly attitude.

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Vicki Berger Erwin

St. Charles

9780738583525

$24.99

Since the settling of St. Charles as Les Petites Cotes (the little hills) by Louis Blanchette in 1769, the riverfront area has been important to the commercial and social growth of the city. Today it is a vibrant example of historic preservation. Yet, in the 1960s, the area was endangered as the once-lovely buildings deteriorated. Thanks to the efforts of dedicated citizens prompted by the restoration of the first state capitol property, the area underwent a revitalization and rebirth. The Main Street Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 1970.

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Michelle Brooks

Lost Jefferson City

9781467150354

$21.99

Jefferson City incorporated in 1825, but so much of that history has changed or been forgotten. Today’s Lincoln University practice field used to host early circus visitors. Although called St. Peter Cemetery #1, the old recently restored cemetery on West Main Street was the second Catholic cemetery, after the sight and smell at the northeast corner of Bolivar and McCarty Streets was too much for neighbors. The man who designed the Missouri State Seal and served as a longtime judge built a Steamboat-style home on a hill at the northwest corner of Adams and High Streets, where the Missouri River Regional Library is today. Author Michelle Brooks explores the world of the Mill Bottom and the Foot, as well as cemeteries, fairgrounds, ballparks and stately homes lost to time.

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Michelle Brooks

Hidden History of Jefferson City

9781467149419

$21.99

Quite a bit has happened in Missouri's capital city since Lewis and Clark passed through the area on their famous journey. And some of that history has remained hidden. Being the center of politics in the state and possessing a small-town mindset, the city has a dual identity. Burr McCarty turned his humble home and stagecoach stop into a political gathering place. Ferryman Jefferson T. Rogers was elected mayor ten times. Calvin Gunn established the town's first newspaper and was the state's first printer. Join author Michelle Brooks as she details these and more forgotten stories from the capital city's past.

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Vickie Layton Cobb

Ozark Pioneers

9780738518589

$24.99

In the early 1800s, rugged and self-sufficient pioneers left their native homelands to tame the wild Ozark territory. These early settlers left their mark on history, as they settled Taney County, and became Missouri's first families.

With family stories and photographs passed down from generation to generation, Ozark Pioneers shares the experiences of the first residents of the area. Family names such as Allen, Coggburn, Smith, Whorton, Layton, Bollinger, Brittain, and Rittenhouse appear throughout the history of Taney County, demonstrating the roots and growth of the wild Ozark territory. From the bloody days of battle in the Civil War, to the continuous fight against the outlaws in the Bald Knobber era, these pages detail the courage, hardships, and strength of theses founding families in an untamed land.

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Rebecca Carr Imhauser

Sedalia

9781467104050

$23.99

Sedalia’s rich architectural history began when visionaries erected wood-frame buildings prior to the Civil War. Stately brick structures later lined its downtown streets, signifying Sedalia’s status as Queen of the Prairie. Throughout Sedalia’s history, new generations have brought fresh ideas to enliven the city’s commerce and culture. This book is a tribute to Sedalia’s visionaries, past and present, and their legacy.

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Mara Cohen Ioannides

Jews of Springfield in the Ozarks

9780738590943

$24.99

Jews arrived to the bustling town of Springfield shortly after its founding in 1838, only five years after the birth of the state of Missouri. The first Jews to live in Springfield were Victor and Bertha Sommers with her brother Ferdinand Bakrow. They opened Victor Sommers & Co., a dry goods store in 1860. The Jewish community grew as merchants brought their families, tying Springfield to other towns along the Mississippi River through marriages. The first congregation was founded in 1893 by the German Reform Jews. In 1918, the Eastern European Jews founded their Orthodox congregation. In the 1940s, the two merged. Unlike other small Jewish communities that have slowly perished because of their children's migration to larger Jewish communities where they could use their education, this Jewish community in the Ozarks continues to thrive because of the universities and hospitals in the region.

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Desoto Historical Society

DeSoto

9780738539935

$24.99

DeSoto was settled in the early 1800s by pioneers who were interested in mining and farming. It became famous for the many artesian wells in the area and was named Fountain City. For many years, it remained a small country community, with a population of about 200 people in 1850. The railroad came to DeSoto in 1857, when the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad established car shops here. This business, which employs about 500 people, has continued to this day under several railroad companies, the present one being the Union Pacific Railroad. DeSoto received All American City awards in 1953 and 1959 and was recognized as the Center of Population in the United States for the decade of 1980–1990.

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Toney Aid

West Plains

9780738531595

$24.99

On the eve of the Civil War, West Plains was a sleepy county seat with a population of 150 and a wood-frame courthouse in its town square. During the war, this Southern Missouri town was burned, abandoned, and eventually reconstructed. With the arrival of the railroad in 1883, West Plains turned boomtown, and photographers were among the first entrepreneurs to arrive. This volume of vintage photographs documents the town as it grew, struggled, and prospered over the next 50 years. Pictured here are the washwomen and the bankers, the circuses and the fires, the schools and homes that helped build the West Plains of today.

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Rebecca Carr Imhauser

Legendary Locals of Sedalia

9781467100403

$24.99

George R. Smith borrowed money to buy 337 acres of treeless prairie in 1856, never dreaming the central Missouri town he founded would become the Queen of the Prairie. He did not foresee his Sedville, now Sedalia, attracting thousands of tourists through the annual Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival and the Missouri State Fair. Smith did envision another type of visitor—steam engines that streamed through town daily. Smith's passion for the railroad launched Sedalia, and two major railroad shops sustained the city for more than a century. They provided the base for the now flourishing seat of Pettis County. Since Sedalia's official beginning in 1860, countless people have furthered Smith's vision by leaving their distinctive mark on the community. This book celebrates their contributions and shares their stories through more than 225 photographs, many previously unpublished.

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Michelle Brooks

Murder & Mayhem Jefferson City

9781467152273

$23.99

The Dark Side of Jeff City

The first century of the wilderness-born Missouri capital was filled with villainous escapes from the state’s only prison, resulting in theft, abuse and even murder. The grandest of escape attempts ended with the city’s only triple hanging. The capital city had plenty of entrepreneurs willing to sidestep the federal Volstead Act, which attracted Ku Klux Klan activity and culminated in the election of a “law and order” sheriff, whose deputies broke laws to enforce them. Many other tragedies grieved the community, including the South Side murder of a German immigrant by a teen-aged deputy, who had been caught sleeping with the victim’s daughter. Author Michelle Brooks has collected a sample of some of the shocking events of Jefferson City’s first century.

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George Larry Lester

Black Baseball In Kansas City

9780738508429

$24.99

Some say that Kansas City has the best black baseball, blues, and Q in the nation. It has been called the heart of America, a cultural melting pot, and the breadbasket of the Midwest. It was also home to the famous Kansas City Monarchs. Black baseball began in Kansas City with the Maroons in 1890. However, it wasn't until 1921, when the black Kansas
City Monarchs triumphed over the white Kansas City Blues, that black players started receiving national attention. The Monarchs produced several championship teams and major league players, and became black baseball's longest running and most stable franchise.