Octobers Past in Springfield, Missouri

1831	10	James H. Slavens, a young preacher, gave first sermon in Springfield in the home of William Fulbright. He was pastor of the log cabin Methodist Church, north of present Central St. in an oak grove east of Silver Springs Park, near National Avenue.
1832	01	Junius Campbell, owner of Springfield's first store and an early postmaster here, was elected justice of the peace as one of his first civic responsibilities.
1836	22	Bands of Osage Indians were reported back in Greene County and away from their assigned reservations west of Springfield. After rumors of Indian uprisings, summoning of the Greene County militia, and a series of meetings, the Indians returned to their reservation.
1856	19	The first congregation of the Disciples of Christ Church organized here in 1856. All records of the church were burned during the Civil War.
1858	8	First stage arrival here from California enroute to the railroad terminus at Tipton probably was Oct. 8.
1861	25	Maj. Charles Zagonyi, at head of Body Guard of Gen. John C. Fremont, with some reinforcements, made charge into Springfield ahead of main Union force, which followed Oct. 27.
1891		St. John's Hospital opened, southeast corner of Washington and Chestnut, by Sisters of Mercy.
1900	15	About Ben Adhem Temple of the Mystic Shrine was installed with headquarters in Masonic Temple, 305 East Walnut, until moved to Shrine Mosque.
1904	17	First night football game in history (according to longtime Springfield contention) played here when Springfield Normal, a private institution, defeated Cherokee Institute of Tahlequah, 11 to 0.
1910	15	Special train, with two surgeons aboard, was rushed to Conway in effort to save life of Stanley Ketchel, middleweight world champion, after he was fatally shot on farm near there. He died in the Springfield hospital.
1918	08	All Springfield schools, churches and theaters were closed due to a serious epidemic of influenza which made public gatherings hazardous to health. Every hospital was full and beds were being set up in corridors here and all across the nation.
1922	02	Central Bible College (formerly Central Bible Institute) opened in basement of church, Campbell and Calhoun. After gift of 15 acres of its present 45-acre campus by Springfield Commercial Club, it was established at Grant Avenue and Norton Road in 1923.
1924		Park Board purchases Fassnight Farm for $12,000
1930	01	First service of merged First and Calvary Presbyterian Church in new building, 820 East Cherry. First Church had been organized May 19, 1844, and it moved from structure at southwest corner of Olive and North Jefferson; Calvary Church, established April 22, 1849, left building at St. Louis and Short Benton.
1930	11	Springfield lost its first regularly scheduled airline, Safeway on October 11. The company has merged with American Airways.
1930		Community Chest organization is founded.
1930	17	Vice President Charles Curtis came in on a train and addressed a large evening crowd at the Shrine Mosque. The Vice President spoke briefly of the depression and pointed out our country is not affected as badly as most other countries of the World.
1930	14	Western hero Tom Mix visited the city in his Rolls Royce touring care en route to his home in Hollywood. His party spent some time at Half-a-Hill Tea House. In his early days, Mix frequently spent short intervals of time in Springfield and was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge here.
1935	01	A team of baseball greats played the Kansas City Monarchs team here. Paul and Dizzy Dean were there and the team was coached by Mike Ryba. The paper noted that there would be a section reserved along the first base line for Negro fans.
1942	01	Bond issue for $350,000 was approved to establish Springfield Municipal Airport, northwest of city limits. It replaced first city airport on East Division, which resulted from a movement for a municipal airport started in 1928.
1950		Mary Jean Pierce, a Negro, wants to be first at SMS. The board there sent the matter to its attorney. She wanted to be a librarian and said she could not get that training at Lincoln which later established a program and avoided conflict with SMS.
1952	02	St. John's Hospital opened in a new facility at 1235 East Cherokee on Oct. 2, 1952. Both it and Mercy Villa were established and conducted by the Sisters of Mercy. A new Mercy Villa, adjoining the new hospital tract is under construction.
1953	01	KYTV, Channel 3, goes on the air.
1958	14	Ground is broken for Dayton Rubber Company plant -- Springday Division of Dayco Corporation -- Battlefield Road and Scenic Drive.
1984	4	A truck carrying an explosive chemical struck an overpass abutment on Interstate 44. The truck crashed onto North Broadway Ave. below, killing the driver and passenger and forcing the evacuation of 100 people.
1986	23	President Ronald Reagan addressed a rally at Hammons Center in support of the senatorial candidacy of former governor Christopher Bond.

Page maintained by Richard Grosenbaugh - Last updated March 28, 2003