June Events in Springfield, MO History

1861	Col. Franz Siegel with his federal St. Louis German troops marched up St. Louis St. into the Public Square at 11:30 a.m.; then to First Christian Church on College St. The congregation was compelled to take an oath of allegiance to the Union cause.
1868	At the opening of National Cemetery, Sempronius H. Boyd and W.E. Gilman made speeches, and a mile-long procession formed in the city with 65 wagons, 20 carriages, 500 on horseback and 150 men on foot. The 800 newly-made graves were decorated with flowers from two large floats.
1870	Ozark House, hotel built by South Pacific Railway Company, was opened on Commercial street near the RR station. It burned in 1874; rebuilt in 1879.
1875	Springfield observed a day of fasting and prayer, proclaimed statewide by Gov. Charles H. Hardin, because of grasshopper destruction. Later the town had a benefit concert for victims of the grasshopper onslaught.
1894	Springfield Post Office opened in new Federal Building on Boonville Avenue at Brower Street with T.C. Love as postmaster. An extensive addition to building was completed in 1914. After Federal Building at Boonville and Central was occupied, July 5, 1938, former site became City Hall, with lots owned by city between the two sites being exchanged. The city originally had planned to build a city hall on these lots.
1902	In talking about the introduction of ping pong here the News & Leader says: "Springfield is a town always ready to follow a fad as soon as the mandate comes forth that society is interested in it as New York, Chicago, Washington or wherever the social centers from which it emanates can be located."
1904	St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church, South, now St. Paul United Methodist Church, was dedicated at Jefferson and East Walnut. It replaced a building at southwest corner of South and Walnut started in late 1850's. The congregation's first building in Springfield was in 1842 at Patton and Pershing.
1906	First session of Springfield State Normal School opened with enrollment of 543 at Cherry and Pickwick in a building that had been the privately owned Springfield Normal School, established in 1894 by J.A. Taylor and Frank P. Mayhugh.
1910	Aviator Charles F. Willard crashed in his Curtis biplane, falling 150 feet but escaping with slight injuries.
1911	Deed to Confederate Cemetery, combining with National, was signed by Harvey W. Salmon, president of State Confederate Association, and J.E. Elliott, secretary.
1913	Northeast corner of Public Square, including Heer's Store, burned; loss $800,000.
1914	Missouri Pythian Home formally opened. The massive gray stone structure became part of facilities of O'Reilly Hospital during World War II and for a time a Pythian Home was maintained on South Campbell. The structure was the Army Reserve Center for a time and is now in private hands.
1916	The city's first automobile show was held in the new Holland Building.
1918	Headquarters of the Assemblies of God moved to Springfield from Hot Springs, Ark., where it had been organized in April, 1914.
1919	Last licensed saloon here closed under Prohibition. An estimated $150,000 was spent for liquor that day.
1952	Thirty-fifth Division Reunion Parade was led by President Harry S. Truman.
1973	R.T. French Company dedicated $12.7 million plant at 4455 East Mustard way.
1992	Sherill Lewitt, Suzie Streeter and Stacy McCall disappeared from their homes. An intensive hunt took place but there whereabouts is still unknown.

Page maintained by Richard Grosenbaugh - Last updated February 6, 2003