Welcome to Our Missouri

Spring is here. The temperatures are warming up. The trees are green. The wildlife is out. And the state's highways and waterways are calling your name. For many, May marks the start of vacation season. And so, it's time to hit the road and talk about Rolla, Rotoscope, and Route 66. This episode features Katie Seale discussing the upcoming Ozark Pickin' Time Concert as well as some of the unique collections housed at the State Historical Society of Missouri's Rolla Research Center.

The year 2021 will mark Missouri's Bicentennial, as well as the 150th anniversary of the construction of the Governor's Mansion. Recorded on location at the "People's House," this episode features Mrs. Teresa Parson, First Lady of the State of Missouri, and Dr. Gary R. Kremer, Executive Director of the State Historical Society of Missouri, discussing Mrs. Parson's life and family as well as her goals for addressing important issues related to the state's culture and history.

Each year, thousands of Missouri students put in hours of hard work in preparation for National History Day competitions across the state. National History Day in Missouri offers students at the middle school and high school levels the opportunity to explore global issues through projects such as documentaries, performances, papers, websites, and exhibits.

As the calendar turns from 2018 to 2019, we are one year closer to Missouri's bicentennial in 2021. Since 2013, several state-wide organizations, including the State Historical Society of Missouri, have been tasked with the opportunity to develop and promote events related to this special occasion. This episode features Michael Sweeney talking about his travels throughout the state as the bicentennial coordinator for the State Historical Society of Missouri.

The end of the year is upon us, and it is once again time to load up the car and head out to various parties and events to mark the season. And yet, between watching sports on TV, passing the plate for one more helping of your favorite dish, and awkwardly trying to avoid uncomfortable small talk, don't let the time pass without utilizing this moment with loved ones to finally record information on your family tree.

In 1935, Rose Wilder Lane, the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder, was at a crossroads in her life. Financially, she had weathered the low points of the Great Depression but still found herself on unstable ground after orchestrating the construction of a new building called the Rock House on her family's Mansfield property. Personally, the relationship between Rose and her mother had grown especially strained.

Once upon a time, sixty years ago (now nearly 150 years ago), a little girl lived in the big woods of Wisconsin, in a little gray house made of logs. With that opening scene, Laura Ingalls Wilder launched the Little House book series that eventually became a key piece of American culture. But, did you know, that despite her stories of little houses on the prairies of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, and the Dakota Territory, Laura Ingalls Wilder actually spent a majority of her life in the tiny town of Mansfield, Missouri?

On February 5, 1911, a storm blew in to Jefferson City, Missouri, that most residents alive at the time would never forget. As the storm raged, a bolt of lightning struck the dome of the Missouri State Capitol building. By morning, despite the brave efforts of residents to save the structure and its contents, the fire-ravaged ruins of the capitol were all that remained.