Changes coming to MOBIUS soon! Find out more.

The Midtown Carnegie Branch Library elevator from the basement to the 2nd floor is not operational. Please ask a staff member if you need assistance. The branch will close for renovations May 6. Find out more.

The Library

thelibrary.org Springfield-Greene County Library District Springfield, Missouri
Local History

Battle of Springfield

This week begins the observance of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Springfield.  Below are several events and exhibits that are being presented.  All events are at The Library Center, 4653 S. Campbell, unless otherwise noted.

 Events
Quinine and Courage:  Marmaduke’s Raid on Springfield.  Dr. William Piston and John Rutherford observe the 150th anniversary of the battle. Tuesday, January 8, 6:30 p.m.

Presidential Address: Emancipation and Slavery in Missouri.  Fritz Klein brings the personal and presidential perspectives of Lincoln to life. Wednesday, January 9, 6:30 p.m.

Artifacts from the Battlefield.  Debra Wood and Alan Chilton show artifacts from Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. Thursday, January 10, 6:30 p.m.

The Lucy Chronicles.  Jonathan Herbert presents a collection of short dramas in dramatic readings.  Thursday, January 10, 7:30 p.m.

Racing to the Crossroads: The Battle of Hartville.  Michael Price explores the impact of Marmaduke’s Raid in Missouri. Friday, January 11, 6:30 p.m.

On Slavery’s Border: Enslaved Families and Communities in Missouri, 1815-1865.  Dr. Diane Mutti Burke looks at small-scale slavery in Missouri households. Friday, January 11, 7:30 p.m.

Film presentation: “Ride with the Devil” with scholarly led discussion.   Dr. Jeremy Neely discusses guerilla warfare related to the film. Saturday, January 12, 2 p.m.

Alf Bolin, Notorious Bushwhacker.  Wayne Glenn discusses the origin of Alf Bolin and his evil deeds.  Saturday, January 12, 6:30 p.m.

John R. Kelso, Bushwhacker Hunter.  Teresa Hernandez offers a look into the mind of one of Missouri’s most ruthless soldiers. Saturday, January 12, 7:30 p.m.

The Holmes Brigade Minstrels.  An authentic historical music experience of Civil War camp life. Sunday, January 13, 2 p.m.

Exhibits

Battle of Springfield Website.  A new website featuring an interactive map of the Battle of Springfield is to be unveiled in time to coincide with the anniversary of the battle.  Visit www.springfield1863.org

New Historic Markers for the Battle of Springfield.  Honoring the sesquicentennial of the 1863 Battle of Springfield, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation is updating the historic markers throughout downtown Springfield. The markers will be unveiled at a noon ceremony on Park Central Square, followed by a reception at The History Museum on the Square, 155 Park Central Square.  January 8, 12 p.m.; downtown Springfield.

“Civil War in Springfield, Missouri”.  A collaborative exhibit from the Library and Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield depicting soldiers, civilians and artifacts from Springfield during the Civil War. January; Park Central Branch Library, 128 Park Central Square.

Marmaduke’s Southwest Missouri Raid”.  An eight-panel traveling exhibit exploring Gen. John S. Marmaduke’s 1863 raid into southwest Missouri and the culminating battles of Springfield and Hartville.  Available for viewing at:
• January–February; History Museum for Springfield-Greene County, 155 Park Central Square
• January; The Library Station, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway
• January–February; Wright County Library, Hartville, Mansfield and Mountain Grove

Divided Loyalties: Civil War Documents from the Missouri State Archives”.  This multi-panel traveling exhibit examines the upheaval in Civil War Missouri. It draws on Civil War-related documents and court cases to reveal the charged atmosphere of social conflict in Missouri long after the Kansas Border Wars of the mid-1850s. January–March; The Library Center, 4653 S. Campbell Ave.

Funding for these programs and exhibits are provided in part through a grant from the Richard S. Brownlee Fund by the State Historical Society of Missouri and Missouri Humanities Council, Friends of the Library, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation, Civil War Roundtable of the Ozarks, History Museum for Springfield-Greene County, Wright County Library and the Springfield-Greene County Library District. 

Find this article at http://thelibrary.org/blogs/article.cfm?aid=2142&lid=0