George M. Reed Roadside Park

George M. Reed Roadside Park on Historic Route 66 in Saint Robert, MO is a throwback to a bygone era. Named after George M. Reed in 1952, this park is one of the last roadside parks on Route 66 in Missouri.

Today’s traveler can make their Route 66 experience authentic with a roadside picnic lunch in the park! Don’t have fixin’s for lunch with you? Many of Saint Robert’s dining establishments offer carryout. Tip- Bring a camera with you! George M. Reed Roadside Park is home to a M-60 tank from the Desert Storm era.

George M. Reed Park in Saint Robert is on of the last roadside parks on Route 66 in Missouri.

So…who is George M. Reed? Pulaski County Museum & Historical Society has kindly shared their published article about Mr. Reed that was submitted by Dorris Reed for inclusion in History Pulaski County Missouri Vol II in 1987:

“George Marcellus Hamilton Reed was born near Kirbeyville, Brown County, Ohio on November 24, 1855, and died November 23, 1938 in Waynesville, Mo. He was the son of John K. Reed and Sarah Burdsall Reed. His mother died in infancy and he was reared by his paternal grandparents. He had one sister of full blood, Mrs. Ella Waite, two years his senior, who died July 21, 1934 near Iberia, Mo. At the age of eleven years he joined his father First Lt. John K. Reed and sister who had settled in Missouri after the Civil War. He was carefully schooled to young manhood when he returned to his grandparents in Ohio to study teachers training. At the age of twenty-one, he returned to Missouri. He taught school his first year at Hancock. Other school services were at Dixon and later Waynesville. During all of his teaching years he privately tutored students in violin.

In 1882 he was associated with the late W.H. Murphy in the publication of the “Dixon News”. This newspaper was moved to Waynesville in 1885, and became the “Pulaski County News”. He remained with this paper six more years.

In 1892 he was admitted to the bar under Judge C.C. Bland. He had begun studying law under his father, John K. Reed of Miller Co. When his father moved to Ava, Missouri, Mr. Reed finished reading law under J.L. Johnson. At the time of his death he was the oldest practicing attorney in this judicial court, both in age and in years of practice.

Before taking the bar exam, Mr. Reed had become well known as a surveyor. In 1891 he was appointed County Surveyor and held this appointment until 1896. Since that time he has been held in the light of an expert due to his known mastery of mathematics.

It was under the Presidential administration of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, Mr. Reed was rewarded for being an active Republican. In 1904 he was appointed Postmaster of Waynesville and held the position for ten years. In 1919 he took charge of the highways in Pulaski County under the direction of the County Court. In 1921 he became Project Engineer, by appointment, for the State Highway Department.

George Marcellus Hamilton Reed 1855-1938. Photo courtesy of Pulaski County Museum & Historical Society.

It was due to his many years of service in the capacity of Project Engineer that, in 1952, a roadside park on old Highway 66 in St. Roberts [sic], Missouri was named the “George M. Reed Park.”

On December 31, 1882 Miss Sarah Louella Hudson and George Marcellus Reed were married at Lebanon, Missouri. She was the step-daughter of the late attorney George W. Bradfield of Lebanon. To this union ten children were born, five, (including twins), dying in infancy and five living to maturity. Sarah Louella Reed died August 31, 1923. On March 13, 1925, he married Mrs. Sarah Farquer of Ohio, with whom he had attended school in his youth.

Mr. Reed had been a Master Mason, and was a charter member and first Master of the Waynesville Lodge, organized 50 years before. His long Masonic service was duly honored on October 11, 1938 by the presentation of the fifty year Masonic Service emblem.

He was from a long line of lawyers and Methodist ministers. He helped erect the Methodist Episcopal Church in Waynesville. He and his wife were charter members, and faithful in servitude.

Three generations of lawyers practiced in this area, John K. Reed, Iberia, George M. Reed, Waynesville, and Roy W. Reed, Crocker. Miss Ruby Reed wrote of her father in later years: “Papa was very energetic, most of the time he followed two professions or vocations at a time. He taught school over a period of thirty years, while teaching school, surveying, or practicing law at the same time. Of course this was at a time when a school term could be from ten weeks to six months. Papa also had a great thirst for knowledge. Once he was interested in a subject or activity, he wasn’t satisfied until he had mastered it.”

The old home at the corner of Lynn and Highway 66 on the square was a center for the young. They gathered to sing, accompanied by the organ and at least two violins, sometimes a trumpet.

The children of George M. Reed and Sarah Louella Reed were: Guy E.M. Reed b. 26 Oct. 1883 d. 27 June 1926 married Margot Frances Harrison b. 3 June 1893 d. 18 August 1961, Roy Wentworth Reed Sr. b. 4 May 1885 d. September 1944 married Mary Grace Neal b. 2 November 1891 d. 2 Feb 1971, Loto Marcella Reed b. 5 May 1887 d. 1943 married Harry Haney b. 12 November 1883 d. 18 February 1962, Ruby Louella Reed b. 6 May 1887 d. 3 June 1975, George Hudson Reed b. 25 April 1893 d. 14 March 1938 married M. Hazel Carmack b. September 1897 d. 22 July 1984.”

George M. Reed was laid to rest at Crocker Memorial Cemetery 25 November, 1938. Photo by http://www.findagrave.com.

To purchase History Pulaski County Missouri, Vol II, or other books about Pulaski County Missouri please visit http://www.PulaskiCountyUSA.com/web/store.htm

For your complimentary turn by turn directions of Route 66 in Pulaski County please call 877-858-8687 or visit http://www.PulaskiCountyUSA.com