by Sarah Gray
Managing Editor
Contact Sarah Gray at sgray@cherryroad.com
Roughly three inches of snow fell in Marshall Saturday morning, Nov. 30, covering roadways and causing some slick conditions until plows could get out to the main thoroughfares. But by that evening, roads had been cleared and the weather didn’t deter a crowd from gathering in support of local history.
That night, the Saline County Historical Society hosted its “Shaping Our Future Reception,” in which it honored businesses that have weathered the good and bad for more than 100 years.
“This is really a testament to the resilience of these businesses,” SCHS President Jack Harvey stated that night, noting their perseverance to stay in business to support the communities and citizens of the county. “It’s just been a privilege to honor those businesses. … We are proud to celebrate you and the rich legacy you helped build.”
Harvey and several SCHS board members spent the day decorating the space inside Montague’s, on the southwest corner of the Marshall square, in preparation of the event. Harvey can often be found at the museum, painting, refinishing old brick, and a host of construction and restoration work.
The ceremony was the first of its kind for the Historical Society, and event co-chair Donna Bailey lauded Montague’s owner Lori Godsey for her support in donating the space for the evening.
The event was two-fold: to honor the long-standing businesses that have helped shaped Saline County, and also to raise funds for the continued restoration of the Saline County Historical Society Museum, which is nearing a point of completion. Bailey sat, smiling, talking about the gratification she had in planning the reception.
“It’s been fun learning the history of these businesses and meeting with the owners,” she stated. “And it’s just been really a fun process as we put the program together. We started in, probably, July – thinking about this. And really were serious about it at the end of August and began working on it. It’s taken a lot of work.”
Mary Bays and Vickie Johnson, at the Marshall Public Library, were instrumental in discovering the number of century-old businesses and their history. Kathy and Bill Green also put in much work, and Bailey worked closely with Donna Huston with outreach opportunities. A video accompanying the program was put together with the help of Rebecca Adams.
“We feel like we are very fortunate to have a good nucleus of people to work on this,” Bailey continued. She stated she and co-chair Nancy Frazee decided there were people active in the historical society who could be honorary chairmen of the event.
“The board was very supportive, too. … It was a whole group of people. My goal was a hundred, and we’re right at 100 (people attending),” Bailey said. “I’m tickled. It was our vision, but we didn’t know if the community would (have the same vision). And they did.”
Conversation hummed throughout Montague’s early Saturday night, as attendees filled their dinner plates from an abundant buffet table and mingled prior to the start of the program. Eighteen businesses were honored Saturday, including Bernard True Value Lumber & Hardware (1913), Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home (1895), Central Missouri Agri Service LLC (1913), ConAgra Brands Inc. (1890s), Equity Bank of Sweet Springs (1884), Exchange Bank of Slater (1878), Fitzgibbon Hospital (1923), J. Juston Tavern (1834), LaCrosse Lumber (1896), Marshall Cinema (1915), Marshall Democrat-News (1879), Marshall Floral (1889), Marshall Homestore (1888), Missouri Valley College (1889), Red Cross Pharmacy (1854), Slater Main Street News (1885), The Sweet Springs Herald (1874), and Wood & Huston Bank (1874).
Ticket sales for the event support remaining improvements to the museum, which is located on the northeast corner of the Marshall square in the former Buckner building. Bailey is a past-president of the historical society, serving in that role in the 1970s. She noted how proud the committee is in what they have accomplished the past few years.
“I hope people will stay tuned, so they hear when we actually open,” she stated. “We will be announcing what we are going to be accepting, as far as donations of artifacts.”
Community members are welcome to join the Saline County Historical Society at any time. Sponsorships are also available, with various levels including Founder’s Circle, Platinum, Gold, Builder’s Circle, Honor Donations, and Memorial Donations. Sponsors for the “Shaping Our Future Reception” were Platinum sponsor Wood & Huston Bank; Silver sponsors Richard and Carol Pemberton; and Bronze sponsors Donna Bailey and Nancy Frazee, who also acted as co-chairs of the event.
For more information about the Saline County Historical Society, visit the organization’s Facebook page.
