FERA and the WPA
As programs such as the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, FERA, prepared to wind down their operations in 1935, the WPA, Works Progress Administration was created to help Springfieldians get paying jobs.
Local History - Articles
Virgil V. Anderson
Virgil Anderson, a World War I veteran, describes the close calls he survived during the War. He was posted as a balloon observer and had made 25 parachute jumps.
Old Fairgrounds
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The Driving Park subdivision was originally the grounds of the Springfield District Fair Association. The grounds included a race track, lake, and other amenities. In 1902 the land was sold to plat a new housing development. Eventually, the area became part of the Missouri State University's campus.
Arthur Paul Moser
An interview with Arthur Paul Moser in 1981 gives insight to his process of searching forgotten towns in Missouri and some interesting facts found during his research.
Old City Hall
A landmark building was torn down in 1914. The Springfield Leader carried a brief history of the building.
Mary E. Wilson Home
In 1918, plans for the Mary E. Wilson Home for Aged Women moved forward with the purchase of the former Neale Institute on North Main Street.
Georgia Clark
A Drury College graduate became the first full-time woman instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1962.
Lincoln School Library Catalog
A new exhibit at the History Museum on the Square includes an item on loan from the Springfield-Greene County Library. The exhibit is called, Community Cornerstones: Springfield’s Black Educators, and will run February 1-May 7, 2023 at the History Museum on the Square.
Washington's Birthday
Over the years, Springfield has celebrated George Washington's birthday in different ways, which were reported in the papers.
Valentine's Day Dance 1957
Five young men hosted a Valentine's Day dance at the Springfield American Legion Hall in 1957. They were Jerry Fielder, Gary Bareford, Bob Green, Mike O'Neal and Rick Mayse.
A.T. Yoachum
The obituary of Augustine Yoachum gives interesting insight to the history of Christian County, the Ozarks region, and some background of the mysterious Yoachum silver dollar.
Paul Mueller Convoy
A 1981 shipment of 10 giant milk coolers departed from the Paul Mueller Company in Springfield on their way to Pennsylvania. It represented the largest single shipment in the company's history to that date.
New Year's Resolutions
Various city and county officials share their New Year's resolutions with the News & Leader in 1933.
Noah Burger's Christmas
An excerpt from Noah Burger's personal notebook recalls his childhood Christmas after his family moved to Missouri in the 1890's.
Frisco Coal Chute
The beginning and the end of the Frisco coal chute is documented in two articles, fifty years apart. The coal chute was deemed unnecessary after diesel locomotives replaced steam engines.
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