As part of its mission to generate interest and appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of the state and its people, the Society hosts a wide range of engaging and educational events for scholars and community members of all ages.
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Born in Ireland, Tom Connor lived the classic American rags-to-riches story. He witnessed several of the Civil War’s major battles as a newsboy with the 8th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, then spent a decade wondering around the U.S. before ending up in southwest Missouri. Connor soon developed a knack for knowing which tracts of land had rich zinc deposits underneath. He bought thousands of acres of land containing the ore and was a millionaire by age 31.
On Stony Dell’s opening day, the Rolla Herald reported that the pool in Arlington, Mo., attracted over 1,000 visitors; it quickly became a popular entertainment spot for locals, travelers along Route 66, construction workers, and military personnel at nearby Fort Leonard Wood during the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. the amenities at the Stony Dell complex included a spring-fed swimming pool with a slide and diving board, a stone bathhouse, a restaurant, rustic cabins, a souvenir shop, a filling station, and a park with a picnic area.
Meredith Shaw is mid-Missouri’s country outlaw rebel songbird. She's a fifth generation Missourian, raised on a century farm in Northeast Missouri, and has called Columbia home for 30-plus years. Shaw's farm roots run deep, as does her music. With a heart of gold and a quick wit, Shaw delivers songs that are honest, funny, and unfiltered.
A nation of scrappy strivers, we have been bound since the colonial period by the American Dream, an abiding faith that hard work pays off because of the country’s distinctive equality of opportunity. Dr. Joel Rhodes, executive director of the State Historical Society of Missouri, explores this central feature of our shared identity, tracing how generations of restless and ambitious Americans have optimistically pursued economic and social mobility while navigating historical challenges and modern realities.
The events of the American Revolution and its aftermath led to the settlement of Missouri. In the case of southeastern Missouri, Spanish officials founded New Madrid in 1788 on the site of a village settled by Shawnee-Delaware-Creek-Cherokee bands fleeing west of the Mississippi in the early 1780s. A Revolutionary War veteran, George Morgan, became the Spanish empresario in 1788 and recruited American settlers to the area.
A little over 200 years ago, on April 29, 1825, General Lafayette, the last surviving of the Revolutionary War generals, visited St. Louis. It was said to be the greatest and grandest event ever to occur in St.
In partnership with the State Historical Society of Missouri, join Prometheus under the direction of Dr. R. Paul Crabb for the official launch of their American Voices tour, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. This intimate evening combines Missouri’s rich musical heritage with regional cocktails and storytelling, setting the stage for the weekend’s performances. Meet the professional singers, enjoy curated tales from Missouri’s musical past, and experience preview selections from their complete American Voices program in a relaxed, social atmosphere.
Route 66 caught international attention in 1928 with its first major promotional event. Famously known as the Bunion Derby, this foot race across the United States drew athletes from around the world and captivated newspaper and radio audiences for months. Racers endured harsh weather, injuries, hardships, and fatigue in a bid to come out on top and make it home with some prize money. The Bunion Derby only occurred twice at the very beginning of the Mother Road, but it helped launch its notoriety across the nation and the world.
Alberta Northcutt Ellis was a Springfield, Missouri, entrepreneur who owned and operated several businesses along Route 66 including Alberta’s Hotel. Her businesses were noted locations listed in the Green Book. Open to locals and travelers, the hospitality and community sanctuary found at Alberta’s has become an enduring legacy for future generations.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, St. Louis renowned photographer and author Quinta Scott traveled extensively along Route 66 capturing this iconic road and the people and places associated with it. Join AJ Medlock, coordinator of the St. Louis Research Center, as he recounts Quinta Scott’s (1941-2024) groundbreaking research on Route 66. Scott was one of the first historians to chronicle Route 66’s history. Her books Route 66 (1988) and Along Route 66 (2000) provided the foundations for the study and preservation of the Mother Road. The Quinta Scott Papers are held at the SHSMO St.
With the construction of Route 66, automobile tourism increased across the United States. Novelty shops along the route offered regional, one-of-a-kind gifts for newcomers. In the Ozarks, a region known for its traditional handicraft production, residents began making crafts not just for the practical needs of everyday life, but for the influx of tourists exploring their hills and hollers.
Do you love a good ghost story? Join SHSMO archivist Hali Allen as we take a spooky ride along Missouri’s Haunted Route 66, exploring haunted mansions, castles, roads, theatres, and other paranormal activities. For more than a cetury, the area surrounding the Mother Road has produced tales of ghosts, zombies, spook lights and other unexplained phenomenon. Allen will share stories about the spirits at St. Louis's Lemp Mansion, the infamous Zombie Road, the Goat Man in Rolla, and the Ozark Spook Light outside of Joplin. Register and attend this webinar…if you dare.
As we end a full year of activities for the commemoration of Route 66 in Missouri, we reflect on the centennial and share video travelogues and conversation of a week-long epic road trip from St. Louis to Joplin with SHSMO staff Kathleen Seale, Beth Pike and Stacia Schaefer. What did the centennial mean to people in Missouri and around the globe and where does this journey take the next travelers who will experience the open roadways in the U.S. and meet the people, visit places, and hear unique stories along the way.
Author Greg Olson of Columbia's newest book in 2026 tells the story of Jeffrey Deroine (de-rō-NAY), an enslaved trader, prairie diplomat and Missouri settler. Born into slavery in St. Louis in 1806, Deroine worked and lived in the heart of a rapidly changing nation. Forced to work in the fur trade on the Missouri River, he gained his freedom and became an interpreter for the Ioway nation. Later, he participated in the founding of the frontier city of St. Joseph, Missouri.
SHSMO has a selection of on demand programs that are freely available to worldwide audiences.
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Americans got their kicks watching episodes of Route 66 television show airing nine seasons from 1960-1964. The series followed two young men as they travelled the country in a Chevrolet Corvette on Route 66 in search of adventure and themselves. Join Sean Rost, Assistant Director of Research at SHSMO as he explores the portrayal of Route 66 in film and television. Kathleen Seale, coordinator of the SHSMO Rolla and Springfield Research Centers is the webinar host of Asphalt to Archives.
During the Depression, Rev. Vincent Bucher was sent to the impoverished Ozarks to build a church—but ended up rebuilding a community. Before FDR’s New Deal, he organized co-ops, taught farming, and built bridges to unite isolated families. This video shares his impact through the memories of those he changed. Directed and edited by Jason Brasier, Produced by Don and Kathy Love featuring interviews recorded by staff at the State Historical Society of Missouri. This film was made possible by a grant from Missouri Humanities.
A Forest Gospel” looks at the Ozarks after the timber boom, when yearly fire-setting threatened the land’s recovery. Rev. Vincent Bucher raised funds from 20,000 donors to buy 4,000 acres and restore the forest. In 2017, carbon credits saved it from being sold. Featuring interviews with a towerman, foresters, and Rev. Bucher’s children. Directed and edited by Jason Brasier and produced by Mike and Cathy Love with interviews recorded by staff at the State Historical Society of Missouri. This film was made possible by a grant from Missouri Humanities.
The State Historical Society of Missouri hosted a webinar featuring the historical case of Celia Newsom, an enslaved woman in Calloway County, Missouri, who was executed for the murder of her sexually abusive owner, Robert Newsome, on December 21, 1855.
During the Civil War, Black men who gathered to enlist at Benton Barracks in St. Louis listed birthplaces in Canada, Jamaica, and England. While more than 600 Black Canadians did serve, those men enlisting in St. Louis were not in fact coming from abroad. They were Black Missourians, seeking to join the Union cause and hide from their family or their enslavers—especially when their enslavers actually supported the Union. As part of the African American Experience in Missouri Lecture, Dr.
