11 Things You Might Not Know About Pulaski County Missouri

Recently, Mental Floss published an article that has been well received titled “11 Things You Might Not Know About Missouri”. It is a fun fact filled article and it quickly became one of our favorites because of item number five on their list:

“Richland, Missouri, is the only city in the U.S. with a cave restaurant. (Don’t worry: There aren’t any bats.)”  —-UPDATE: The Cave Restaurant & Resort closed circa 2015.

As a tip of our hat to Mental Floss, here is our response, “11 Things You Might Not Know About Pulaski County Missouri”. We hope that you enjoy it, and share it, as much as you enjoyed and shared Mental Floss’ original version.

1. Pulaski County borders six other Missouri counties: Camden, Laclede, Maries, Miller, Phelps, and Texas. The original boundaries of “Old Pulaski” included parts or all of present day Camden, Laclede, Wright, Texas, Phelps, and Maries counties.

2. Mahaffey Museum Complex on Fort Leonard Wood, in Pulaski County, is the only place in the country where you can see three U.S. Army Branch museums in a single location.

Mahaffey Museum Complex on Fort Leonard Wood, located in Pulaski County, Missouri.

3. Devils Elbow, a quaint village that once was a popular fishing and hunting resort location is home to the Devils Elbow Bridge over the Big Piney River. This internationally recognized bridge is the only curved approach bridge still in use by vehicles traveling Historic Route 66.

Devils Elbow Bridge, over the Big Piney River, on Historic Route 66. Image courtesy of http://www.bridgehunter.com

4. Pulaski County is sometimes referred to as “The Heart of Missouri Cave Country” and is the site of the National Speleological Society Convention in 2015.

5. Swedeborg, Missouri is listed in the popular “Touring Swedish America: Where To Go and What To See” travel guide.

6. Hooker Cut, on the four lane 1940’s alignment of Historic Route 66, was once rumored to be the deepest road cut in America.

Vintage linen postcard depicting Hooker Cut on Route 66 in Pulaski County, Missouri

7. The H.E. Warren Store, in Richland, is one of the oldest continually operated stores west of the Mississippi River. The store opened its doors in 1869 and the family has been serving shoppers ever since.

8. The captain of the 1952 United States Olympic Basketball team, and gold medalist, Dan Luther Pippin (1926-1965) was from Waynesville.

Dan L. Pippin and sister Nancy. Contributed by Nancy Lu Pippin Vostal.

9. Walter Henry “Wally” Schang (1889-1965) a 19 season professional baseball catcher, and World Series Champion, retired to his wife’s family farm in Dixon. Wally and his wife, Dorothy rest in eternal peace at Dixon Cemetery.

World Series Champion, “Wally” Schang played in 32 World Series games and hit .287 during those appearances.

10. Laughlin Park, in Waynesville, is one of only seven sites on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail in Missouri.

11. Parts of the 1952 movie, “The Glory Brigade”, starring Victor Mature, were filmed in Pulaski County on the Big Piney River.

The Glory Brigade movie poster.

Special thanks to Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation, Pulaski County Museum & Historical Society, Encyclopedia of Pulaski County, and City of Waynesville for contributions contained in this article.

Be sure to check out our follow-up to this post “8 More Things That You Might Not Know About Pulaski County, Missouri“!

For more information on things you should not miss in Pulaski County USA, please visit http://www.PulaskiCountyUSA.com, like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pulaskicountyusa, or stop in at our Visitors Center located at 137 Saint Robert Boulevard in Saint Robert, Missouri.

UPDATED 18 September 2019