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Local History
Amelia Earhart, Part I
Amelia Earhart visits Springfield, Mo. in 1931 in an experimental autogiro. One year later, she was given the Distinguished Flying Cross medal for her non-stop solo transatlantic flight.
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Haunting of an Ex-Moonshiner, Part 2
In 1959, Gerald H. Pipes interviewed Newt and Alice Bruffett. This extensive news article has been divided into two parts. Part 2 covers Newt's moonshining career.
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Haunting of an Ex-Moonshiner, Part 1
In 1959, Gerald H. Pipes interviewed Newt and Alice Bruffett. This extensive news article has been divided into two parts. Part 1covers Newt and Alice's scary encounters with haunted houses.
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Ghosts in the House
A chilling tale of a haunting in the Cassville, Mo. area and what a witch doctor recommended.More...
The Legend of Springlawn Farm
Springlawn Farm, usually called the Albino Farm by thrill seekers, has been the center of many legends.
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Dr. William K. Hall
Dr. William K. Hall has been indexing the Springfield newspapers for many years. The result is an invaluable tool for genealogists and researchers.
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The Old City Cemetery
The Springfield Old City Cemetery near Campbell and State Streets was relocated in the 1800's...or was it?
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Charivari
Charivari or Shivaree were a loud and noisy way to welcome young newlyweds to their home. Enough noise was generated to have laws restricting "chivarees" in the Springfield city limits.
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Military Service Records at the State and National Archives
Depending when a veteran served, military service records for Missouri Veterans are maintained by the Missouri State Archives or the National Archives and Records Administration.
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Old Central High School
The old Central High School building at Jefferson and Olive streets was razed in 1910 to make way for the Frisco office building.
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Early Description of Springfield, Mo.
An unflattering account of Springfield, Mo. in 1835 and how the locals got even with greenhorns.
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The Ray House
One of the most prominent attractions at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield is the Ray House, a silent witness to the bloody battle there on August 10, 1861.
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Frank James at the Fair
Frank James fires shots; causes stampede and escapes from Greene County jail. An interview in 1898 at the Fair.
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Floating on Ozarks Rivers
Books and websites that can help you prepare for floating down the beautiful streams and rivers in Missouri and ArkansasMore...
Gravestone Preservation Workshop
Saturday, July 25, 2009. Jon Appell, gravestone conservator, will conduct a gravestone preservation workshop at the historic Squibb Cemetery.Antique Ordinances
The Library Center has a copy of the Springfield, Mo., 1887 City Ordinances that regulate the shooting of firecrackers and disposal of melon rinds and other fruit.
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What You Can Find in the Local History Department
If you are planning a trip to Springfield, Missouri, this article will give you an outline of materials available at the Local History and Genealogy department at the Library Center.
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Ghosts on the trolley
Ghosts on the trolley lines in 1892. What started as an editorial against tellers of ghosts stories seems to have sold papers because two more grisly tales followed soon after.
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Gospel for Bloomer Girls
Alternative religious services for bicyclists proposed in St. Louis’ Forest Park area in 1897.
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Family Pets in 1901
The importance of family pets in the early 1900’s is illustrated in an obituary of the Dameron family’s pet horse.
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Workin' on the railroad
A newspaper article about the Hall family of the Frisco Railroad could inspire you to search for your family members.
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Walking…the thing to do since 1862
The healthful benefits of exercise is nothing new as seen in this newspaper article titled “Walking” from The Morning Herald, St. Joseph, Missouri, July 4, 1862, page 1More...
UFO’s in the 1800’s
Were they balloons, experimental zeppelins, political forums, newspaper hoaxes or people from Mars?
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A Look at Both Sides of the Civil War
A review of A History of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas: Being an Account of the Early Settlements, the Civil War, the Ku-Klux, and Times of Peace by William Monks, and the Autobiography of Samuel S. Hildebrand: The Renowned Missouri Bushwhacker.
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How many Springfields?
Springfield is a popular name in the United States. There are at least 34 towns and cities that share this name.
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Missouri,
Regional,
Biography,
Daniel Boone and his son Nathan Boone
Hunters, trappers, surveyors, road builders, businessmen and much more the Boone family played vital roles in the pioneering of the American frontier.
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Tracing your Civil War Ancestor, Part 2
We compiled a list of web sites you may find useful for researching your Civil War ancestor. The list includes general sites, sites for individual states and a few sites that require payment to access.
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The Baker Observatory in Webster County, Mo.
Friday, April 3, 2009 the Baker Observatory is open to the public for NASA Observing night.
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Shipping Parcel Post in 1918
In the good old days you could ship anything, any size, by parcel post from chickens to children. Fortunately, shipping children didn't catch on. The Springfield Republican reports one of the early deliveries by the new motor trucks in 1918.
Tracing Your Civil War Ancestor, Part 1
Learn abut your Civil War heritage! This two part guide will help you discover your ancestors role in the Civil War. Part two, coming next week, will have useful internet sites to assit your research.
Flax
Cotton was scarce in Missouri during the Civil War. This newspaper article offers an alternative to cotton
for the Missouri farmer. More...
Auto Racing in the Ozarks
Racing season has begun. Gear up by taking a look back at some famous drivers that visited Springfield, Mo. at the Fairgrounds Speedway.
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Desegregation of the Springfield-Greene County Library
This desegregation milestone occurred in Springfield fully seventeen years before the passage of The Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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Don't Do It Girls
An 1860 era etiquette lesson from a Virginia newspaper reminding girls and ladies who should and, more importantly, who should not be the recipients of their photographic likenesses.
More...Land of Lincoln
February 12, 2009, marks the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. To commemorate the anniversary, publishers are releasing a greater than normal amount of books about our 16th President. One of the best new titles is Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe’s America by Andrew Ferguson.
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The ice storm of 1924 and the big sleet of 1848.
The ice storms of 1924 and 1848 are reminiscent of the 2007 and 2009 ice storms. Newspaper microfilm, available at the Library Center, and The History of Greene County Missouri, available online, give insight to how our ancestors dealt with severe weather.
A Texas County Missouri Love Story
Springfield Missouri Leader , November 24, 1925, page 1.Names of Towns in Texas County Suggest Romance. An enterprising newspaper reporter used many of the unusual town names in Texas County to create a rather odd romance. More...
Air Fare Costs in 1930
Springfield Municipal airport manager announces reduced air fare prices in this article from the Springfield, Missouri Press.
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Abbreviations in Genealogical Research
You may find unfamiliar abbreviations while doing genealogical research, particularly in newspaper articles. In this article we list some of the most common along with links to lists of other abbreviations.
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Military,
Books,
Research Resources,
Missouri,
Silas Turnbo Manuscripts
From Big Chief tablets to the World Wide Web: Stories of wild animals, families, civil war and other realities of the lives of Ozarks pioneers can be found online. More...
Young Brothers Massacre
The most lawmen killed in one day before 9/11 is the subtitle to the Bruce Davis book, We’re Dead, Come On In. January marks the anniversary of what came to be known as the Young Brothers Massacre. More...
The Ice Crop
"Farming" in the dead of winter could bring a nice profit in the summer months of 1888 according to an article from the Springfield, Mo. Herald. More...
Medal of Honor Recipients
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States Government. Several local soldiers have received the honor. More...