Pulaski County History Crawl- J.B. King

By J.B. King
Author of “The Tilley Treasure” and “Justice”

My father was a World War II and Korean War veteran who retired from the U.S. Army after 22 years of service. Dad settled our family in Salem, Missouri, and as a result I am a 1965 graduate of Salem Senior High. I attended the School of the Ozarks at Pt. Lookout, Missouri and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology in August 1969. I entered the Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy immediately after college on Sept. 16, 1969. Upon graduation from the MSHP academy I was assigned to the Waynesville/Ft. Wood Zone of Troop I in December of 1969. Pulaski County has been my home since then. My career with the Patrol resulted in many commendations and I am one of a very small group of Troopers who have been awarded the Medal of Valor by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. I retired as the local zone sergeant in June of 2001. Shortly after retiring I became a reserve officer for the Waynesville City Police.

In 2004, I ran for the elected office of Sheriff of Pulaski County. (Be careful what you run for, you may be elected.) I won the first race and I was reelected for a second four year term in 2008. The eight years I spent as Sheriff of Pulaski County presented me with more challenges and difficulty than I had ever faced before. I like to think I did a good job in office especially in view of the problems I faced. I retired as Sheriff on 12-31-2012. The following week I became a deputy serving under our new sheriff. I am currently assigned to the detective division as a reserve (read no pay) officer who specializes in cases of financial exploitation against older adults. In 2016, I will start my 46th year in active law enforcement.

J.B. King will be a featured presenter during Pulaski County History Crawl. Photo courtesy of the author.

I am married to the former Cheryl Ann Moore of Dixon, Missouri and I have one son, Taylor. I am a past president of the Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation. I have written two books about the American civil war in Missouri. These books are The Tilley Treasure and Justice. They both contain material on Pulaski County history. I am generally regarded as one of the best experts on Pulaski County history and have written many newspaper articles on local history along with other special Missouri based publications.

At present I am considering third book and am struggling to understand the world of online book publishing and online sales efforts. I now have some time to continue my lifelong interest with the events of World War II and other military history in general.

This article first appeared in “Dispatches”- the quarterly publication of the Military Writers Society of America. To view the issue in its entirety please visit http://www.mwsadispatches.com/dispatches/2016/1/17/winter-2016

Military Writers Society of America is hosting “Pulaski County Missouri History Crawl” September 30th through October 2nd, 2016 in Saint Robert, Missouri. This event will especially appeal to authors, historians, researchers, photographers, journalists, bloggers, and educators. Learn more at http://slate.adobe.com/cp/EDCUA. History Crawl spaces are limited, make your reservation today by contacting Pat Avery at patavery@gmail.com.

Mr. King will be a featured presenter during the Pulaski County History Crawl. You can purchase his books through Pulaski County Tourism Bureau.

This Week Around Pulaski County USA!

A Welcome Place In America’s Heartland

Events for the week of April 25-May 1, 2016

Welcome To The Following Groups!

Westlund Bus
Fancy-Free Holidays
Missouri Retired Teachers Association

April 29- Farmer’s Market at Fort Leonard Wood
What: Farmer’s Market
Where: MWR Rec Plex, Fort Leonard Wood
When: 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Cost: FREE admission
Contact: Amanda Williams- 573.765.2500

Farmer’s Market at Fort Leonard Wood this Friday evening!

April 30- Pulaski County Farmer’s Market
What: Year- round Farmer’s Market
Where: Downtown Waynesville
When: 8 am until Noon
Cost: FREE admission
Contact: Bruce Main- 573.842.9079

Pulaski County Farmer’s Market is held year round in downtown Waynesville!

April 30- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum
What: Pulaski County’s oldest building has served as a private residence, a stagecoach stop, a Civil War hospital, and a hotel on Historic Route 66. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where: On The Square, Waynesville
When: 10 am until 4 pm
Cost: FREE admission, donations accepted
Contact: Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation (Jeanie Porter)- 573.336.3561

Old Stagecoach Stop Museum in Waynesville is open this Saturday!

 April 30- Mountain Man/Blackpowder Fun & Trade Rendezvous
What: Vendors, tomahawk throwing, fire starting, blacksmithing, dutch oven cooking
Where: 16490 Cracklin Drive, Dixon
When: 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE admission
Contact: Kickapoo Trace Muzzleloaders Club (Bob Stormer)- 636.734.2693

Mountain Man/Blackpowder Fun & Trade Rendezvous this Saturday!

Looking Ahead:

May 5- 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum Open House, Waynesville
May 7, 14, 21, & 28- 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum, Waynesville
May 7, 14, 21, & 28- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum, Waynesville
May 7- Paranormal Investigations of Historic Talbot House, Waynesville
May 14- Confederate Railroad In Concert, Laquey
May 21- Volkslauf Mud Run, Fort Leonard Wood
May 27 through May 30- Mid-America Freedom Rally XXVIII, Buckhorn

For more event listings in Pulaski County USA please visit our online calendar at: http://tinyurl.com/PulaskiCountyUSAEvents or www.facebook.com/PulaskiCountyUSA

This Week Around Pulaski County USA!

Events for the week of April 18-April 24, 2016

April 23- Pulaski County Farmer’s Market
What: Year- round Farmer’s Market
Where: Downtown Waynesville
When: 8 am until Noon
Cost: FREE admission
Contact: Bruce Main- 573.842.9079

Pulaski County Farmer’s Market is held year round in downtown Waynesville!

April 23- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum
What: Pulaski County’s oldest building has served as a private residence, a stagecoach stop, a Civil War hospital, and a hotel on Historic Route 66. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where: On The Square, Waynesville
When: 10 am until 4 pm
Cost: FREE admission, donations accepted
Contact: Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation (Jeanie Porter)- 573.336.3561

Old Stagecoach Stop in Waynesville is open this Saturday! FREE admission!

Looking Ahead:
April 30- Mountain Man/Blackpowder Fun Day, Rendezvous, & Trade Fair, Dixon
May 7, 14, & 21- Pulaski County Farmers Market, Waynesville
May 7, 14, & 21- 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum, Waynesville
May 7, 14, & 21- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum, Waynesville
May 7- Paranormal Investigations of the Historic Talbot House, Waynesville
May 21- Volkslauf Mud Race, Fort Leonard Wood
May 27-30- Mid-America Freedom Rally, Buckhorn

For more event listings in Pulaski County USA please visit our online calendar at: http://tinyurl.com/PulaskiCountyUSAEvents or www.facebook.com/PulaskiCountyUSA

Presenting Abraham Lincoln

One score and five years ago bearded Lance Mack shaved off his mustache. When he looked at his shorn upper lip he immediately realized that the face staring back at him wasn’t his anymore- it was the face of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. His first thought was “now what…?”.

At the urging of his wife, Maureen, tall and gangly Mack ventured to Civil War Days at Crossroads Village near Flint, MI. Stovepipe hatless and without a Lincolnesque suit, Mack was greeted by festival-goers with a hearty “Howdy, Abe!”, or a sincere, respectful “Good Afternoon, Mister President”. Union soldier reenactors came to attention and saluted as he approached. The event organizers noticed Mack, who at 6’5″ overtopped the crowd, and asked him to speak. Hearkening back to fifth grade, Mack began speaking, “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

Lance V. Mack, as Abraham Lincoln in Waterloo, IA. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Since then Mack has performed as Abraham Lincoln, complete with hat and suit, at hundreds of events. He speaks in Lincoln’s own words and uses portions of Lincoln’s autobiographical essays, his farewell speech to Springfield, Illinois, his first Inaugural Address, The Gettysburg Address, The Letter to Mrs. Bixby, and the second Inaugural Address. When asked about his personal favorite Lincoln quote, Mack had a tough time narrowing it down to just one, but he did decide on the words that first thrust Lincoln onto the national stage. “Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as we understand it.”

Lance V. Mack, as Abraham Lincoln, test fires a Gatling gun. Photo courtesy of Lance V. Mack.

Mack’s journeys as Lincoln have taken him throughout the Midwest, to New York City and Boston, and even to Nicaragua and Costa Rica. One of his favorite events is the Lincoln Highway Bridge Festival held annually in Tama, IA.

2016 will mark his first appearance at Old Settlers Day in Waynesville, MO.

To learn more about Lance V. Mack Presents Abraham Lincoln please visit http://lancepresentsabe.com/.

To learn more about events and activities during Old Settlers Day please visit www.facebook.com/events/1668769670079314

Immerse yourself in a weekend of living history!

The Pulaski County (MO) History Crawl

by Laura Huffman
Pulaski County Tourism Bureau

 The Ozark Mountains hold an almost mysterious allure that can be traced back to the earliest days of westward expansion. In Pulaski County, in the heart of the Ozarks, place names like Devils Elbow, Bloodland, Colley Holler, the California House, Wildcat Hollow, Poor Farm, Bear Ridge, and Boiling Spring pique the interest of the curious. Route 66 quickens the pulse of those with an interest in Americana, cars, and highways. The now silent whistles of the Frisco Railroad tempt those who yearn for days when railroads cut their swath across the United States and travel was both an event and an adventure. Civil War buffs seek out Pulaski County for its Old Stagecoach Stop and its strategic importance on the Old Wire Road. Military historians visit the archives at the three U.S. Army branch museums (Chemical, Military Police, and Engineer) on Fort Leonard Wood. Ghost towns such as Big Piney, Humboldt, Hancock,  Helm, and nearby Arlington call to the lovers of the abandoned and forgotten. The Big Spring on the Roubidoux River in downtown Waynesville and Portuguese Point on the Gasconade River have drawn artists and photographers for as long as can be remembered. Inspirational locations are around every corner.

Overlooking Devils Elbow bridge. Photo by Julie Ann Capps.

Pulaski County has had many events that defined the area. The Civil War is still visible in the area when looking at what is now the BNSF Railroad. Before the “War of Northern Aggression” (as some local families name it) the railroad was scheduled to be laid in the southern part of the county. After the war it was rerouted to follow troop tails that were pioneered across the northern part of the county. Interestingly, this led to the more rugged southern part of the county to be less populated- which opened the door to the building of the Seventh Corps Training Area, now known as Fort Leonard Wood. World War II is still visible on Fort Leonard Wood as well. The open air museum includes barracks and churches from the earliest days of the training installation. Beautiful stonework still adorns culverts and other areas on the military base- these were created with the labor of prisoners of war during the Second World War.

Pulaski County, Missouri Poor Farm Cemetery. Photo by Pat McGrath Avery.

Pulaski County is the perfect place to meet and develop your next main character. The gentleman at Starbucks could very well be a soldier who recently returned from the Middle East. The bartender  serving up an ice cold beer at the local watering hole could very well be a retired U.S. Navy Seabee. Everyday heroes walk amongst us every day in Pulaski County. Our history pages unveil characters as well- the tie-rafters on the Big Piney at the turn of the 20th century, the Swedish immigrants who took a chance on a wide spot on the railroad to make their fortune, the Italian immigrants who took that same chance on a nearby wide spot and became the first to develop the grape and wine culture in Missouri. We have stores and farms with stories to be told. The H.E. Warren Store in Richland has served its clientele continuously since it first opened its doors in 1869.  Three businesses in Crocker have their beginnings established over a 100 years ago. 18 farms have been recognized as Missouri Century Farms- including one with the second oldest ranch brand in the country.

Much like Tilley’s Treasure, many of Pulaski County’s greatest stories are still waiting to be discovered and told. They are waiting for your voice, your pen, and your vision.

This article first appeared in “Dispatches”- the quarterly publication of the Military Writers Society of America. To view the issue in its entirety please visit www.mwsadispatches.com/dispatches/2016/1/17/winter-2016

Military Writers Society of America is hosting “Pulaski County Missouri History Crawl” September 30th through October 2nd, 2016 in Saint Robert, Missouri. This event will especially appeal to authors, historians, researchers, photographers, journalists, bloggers, and educators. Learn more at http://slate.adobe.com/cp/EDCUA. History Crawl spaces are limited, make your reservation today by contacting Pat Avery at patavery@gmail.com. 

This Week Around Pulaski County USA!

We Are More Than You Expect

Events for the week of April 11-April 17, 2016

April 15 & 16- Sportsman Gun Show
What: Everything for the outdoor enthusiast!
Where: The Barn, 13015 Highway 28, Dixon
When: Friday- Noon until 6:00 p.m., Saturday- 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m..
Cost: $5 Admission
Contact: Bill Johnson- 573.433.9370

Everything for the outdoor enthusiast! April 15 & 16 near Dixon, MO.!

April 16- Pulaski County Farmer’s Market
What: Year- round Farmer’s Market
Where: Downtown Waynesville
When: 8 am until Noon
Cost: FREE admission
Contact: Bruce Main- 573.842.9079

Pulaski County Farmer’s Market is held year round in downtown Waynesville!

April 16- 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum
What: One of only two remaining Route 66 period courthouses in Missouri. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where: On The Square, Waynesville
When: 10 am until 4 pm
Cost: FREE admission, donations accepted
Contact: Pulaski County Museum & Historical Society (Denise Seevers)-573.855.3644

Visit the Museums On The Square in downtown Waynesville! On the National Register of Historic Places!

April 16- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum
What: Pulaski County’s oldest building has served as a private residence, a stagecoach stop, a Civil War hospital, and a hotel on Historic Route 66. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where: On The Square, Waynesville
When: 10 am until 4 pm
Cost: FREE admission, donations accepted
Contact: Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation (Jeanie Porter)- 573.336.3561

Looking Ahead:

April 23, & 30- Pulaski County Farmers Market, Waynesville
April 23, & 30- 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum, Waynesville
April 23, & 30- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum, Waynesville
April 30- Mountain Man/Blackpowder Fun Day, Rendezvous, & Trade Fair, Dixon
May 7, 14, & 21- Pulaski County Farmers Market, Waynesville
May 7, 14, & 21- 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum, Waynesville
May 7, 14, & 21- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum, Waynesville
May 7- Paranormal Investigations of the Historic Talbot House, Waynesville
May 21- Volkslauf Mud Race, Fort Leonard Wood
May 27-30- Mid-America Freedom Rally, Buckhorn

For more event listings in Pulaski County USA please visit our online calendar at: http://tinyurl.com/PulaskiCountyUSAEvents or www.facebook.com/PulaskiCountyUSA

The Back Porch Players- The Beat Goes On

Paul Stickley, acoustic guitar and banjo player for The Back Porch Players, has been a performing musician since the early 1960’s. His career started as many musical careers do, playing popular tunes that made folks want to dance. In 1963 in El Paso, TX James Brown opened for Stickley’s band, The Saxons, on a local TV show. It seems that James Brown and his band had to beat feet to play a gig in Phoenix, AZ that evening so they decided to play first.

Fast forward to 2002, Stickley and his family make a pact to spend one night a week together to play music and sing and you have the earliest beginnings of The Back Porch Players. Things began to move quickly after they played folk music at a Habitat for Humanity event in Springfield, MO. In 2005 Stickley actively began searching for gigs that were folk music related. He also began doing historical research on the songs that they performed and realized that a lot of the music was from the 17 and 1800’s. This led to bookings at Civil War events in 2006 and by 2008 the band was playing close to 32 weekends a year.

The Back Porch Players are Paul, Carol, Barb, and Kaylin Stickley. The group also includes guest performances by Carissa Gilbert, Elizabeth Coons, and Steve & Lori Allen.

The Back Porch Players- Back Row: Steve Allen, Reth Allen, Greg Stickley, Paul Stickley, Elizabeth Coons. Front Row: Lori Allen, Barb Stickley, Kaylin Stickley, Carol Stickley, Carissa Gilbert. The Back Porch Players will be performing Civil War era music at Old Settlers Day in Waynesville, MO., July 30 & 31, 2016.

Some of the songs that they play include “Battle Cry of Freedom”, “Battle of Shiloh Hill”, “Dixie”, “Goober Peas”, “Hard Times”, “I’m Gonna Die On The Battlefield”, “Rose of Alabamy”, “Shelby’s Mule”, “Shenandoah”, “Southern Soldier Boy”, and “The Cruel War”. One song, “Follow the Drinking Gourd”, is believed to have its beginnings as a tool to teach slaves how to escape from Alabama and Mississippi to the North by using the Big Dipper constellation as a guide.

Partnered dances often accompanied these Civil War era tunes. Victorian balls were often opened by The Grand March. Other popular dances were Paddy Cake Polka, Broom Stick Polka, Virginia Reel, Quadrille, and Schottische.

When asked about finding music from the Civil War era Stickley remarked that “Finding it is easy. The hard part is performing it in a style that is not modern”. He added that Appalachian style music is the most similar to what was performed in that time period. The Back Porch Players arrange the songs to fit their instrumentation to fit the era.

It’s no surprise that The Back Porch Players believe in passing down the musical heritage of the Civil War era. “Music is an expression of the times and how life was affected during this time period,” said Stickley. “We hope to help keep alive a love of the melodies, lyrics, and history of these songs.” Some of those lyrics have a blood connection to The Back Porch Players. An ancestor of Carol Geddes Stickley, General James L. Geddes, penned the Union’s answer to “The Bonnie Blue Flag” while a prisoner of war. Sung to the tune of “The Irish Jaunting Car”, Gen. Geddes lyrics include this verse:

And when this war is over, we’ll each resume our home
And treat you still as brothers where ever you may roam.
We’ll pledge the hand of friendship, and think no more of wars,
But dwell in peace beneath the flag that bears the Stripes and Stars!

The Back Porch Players now only perform nine weekends a year. Fortunately, you can find them at Old Settlers Day & Civil War Battle Reenectments July 30 & 31 in Waynesville, MO.

To learn more about The Back Porch Players please visit www.backporchplayers.com.

To learn more about events and activities during Old Settlers Day please visit www.facebook.com/events/1668769670079314

Immerse yourself in a weekend of living history!

This Week Around Pulaski County USA!

Pulaski County USA- A Welcome Place In America’s Heartland

Events for the week of April 4-April 10, 2016

April 9- Pulaski County Farmer’s Market
What: Year- round Farmer’s Market
Where: Downtown Waynesville
When: 8 am until Noon
Cost: FREE admission
Contact: Bruce Main- 573.842.9079

Pulaski County Farmer’s Market is held year round in downtown Waynesville!

April 9- 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum
What: One of only two remaining Route 66 period courthouses in Missouri. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where: On The Square, Waynesville
When: 10 am until 4 pm
Cost: FREE admission, donations accepted
Contact: Pulaski County Museum & Historical Society (Denise Seevers)-573.855.3644

Visit the Museums On The Square in downtown Waynesville! On the National Register of Historic Places!

April 9- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum
What: Pulaski County’s oldest building has served as a private residence, a stagecoach stop, a Civil War hospital, and a hotel on Historic Route 66. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where: On The Square, Waynesville
When: 10 am until 4 pm
Cost: FREE admission, donations accepted
Contact: Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation (Jeanie Porter)- 573.336.3561

April 9- Kickin’ It Route 66 Pageant
What: Route 66 Pageant
Where: St. Robert Community Center, 114 J.H. Williamson Drive, Saint Robert
When: 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m..
Cost: Call for information
Contact: Pulaski County Pageant Board (Tonya Laue)- 573.528.6145

Looking Ahead:
April 15 & 16- Sportsman’s Gun Show, Dixon
April 16, 23, & 30- Pulaski County Farmers Market, Waynesville
April 16, 23, & 30- 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum, Waynesville
April 16, 23, & 30- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum, Waynesville
April 30- Mountain Man/Blackpowder Fun Day, Rendezvous, & Trade Fair, Dixon
May 7- Pulaski County Farmers Market, Waynesville
May 7- 1903 Route 66 Courthouse Museum, Waynesville
May 7- Old Stagecoach Stop Museum, Waynesville
May 7- Paranormal Investigations of the Historic Talbot House, Waynesville

For more event listings in Pulaski County USA please visit our online calendar at: http://tinyurl.com/PulaskiCountyUSAEvents or www.facebook.com/PulaskiCountyUSA

The Old Stagecoach Stop

by Pat McGrath Avery
Military Writers Society of America

A lot can be learned from old historic buildings and the Old Stagecoach Stop is a prime example. From architectural style to owners and purposes, a building speaks for itself.

Located on the square in Waynesville, off Interstate 44, the building is the oldest remaining building in Pulaski County, Missouri, and has a long and varied history.

William Walton McDonald purchased the land in 1854 with the intent of building a hotel for the St. Louis to Springfield stagecoach route. Built in sections, the building became a double pen log structure.

Starting as a single pen- a one-room log cabin with a door in front and an exterior chimney on one side- the building then became a double pen structure when another pen was added next to it. Over the years, owners added a second story and an extension.

During the Civil War, Union troops built a fort on a hill above Waynesville and commandeered the stagecoach hotel for a hospital.

The Old Stagecoach Stop in Waynesville, MO has a lot of stories to tell! Photo by Laura Huffman

After the war, the railroad came to the Ozarks serving other towns nearby. Waynesville lost its importance as a stopover when the stagecoach disappeared. However, a string of owners kept the hotel open over the years.

Saved by the building of Route 66, the area once again became a travel stopover. The hotel remained open and at one point, part of the building housed a dentist office. Then in 1941 and the building of Ft. Leonard Wood, the hotel became home to construction workers and army personnel.

Old Stagecoach Stop in Waynesville, Missouri. Photo by Terry Primas.

The hotel remained open until the 1960’s. After twenty years of abandonment, the city of Waynesville condemned the structure, but thanks to caring citizens, the building was purchased and restored.

Today it serves as a museum where Pulaski County volunteers treat it with loving care and will gladly share its story with anyone gifted with curiosity or a love of history.

This article first appeared in “Dispatches”- the quarterly publication of the Military Writers Society of America. To view the issue in its entirety please visit www.mwsadispatches.com/dispatches/2016/1/17/winter-2016

Military Writers Society of America is hosting “Pulaski County Missouri History Crawl” September 30th through October 2nd, 2016 in Saint Robert, Missouri. This event will especially appeal to authors, historians, researchers, photographers, journalists, bloggers, and educators. Learn more at http://slate.adobe.com/cp/EDCUA. History Crawl spaces are limited, make your reservation today by contacting Pat Avery at patavery@gmail.com. 

 To learn more about the Old Stagecoach Stop Museum & Foundation please visit www.oldstagecoachstop.org and follow them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/oldstagecoachstop