Springfield’s Gillioz Theatre is built with bricks and the stories of generations. It was 1926 – 100 years ago, and the same year when Route 66 was “born” just steps away – when the downtown Springfield landmark came to be. “The opening of the new Gillioz Theatre, one of the most magnificent…
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Fame came to Springfield’s Rockwood Motor Court by way of Route 66. It’s long been known to Route 66 travelers, many who hail from across the country and around the globe, but a new level of light is shining on the vintage motor court: In November, it was added to Historic Hotels of America, a…
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The Shrine Mosque has been an Ozarks landmark since 1923. That year, work was complete on the towering downtown Springfield structure, which was — and is — home for the Abou Ben Adhem Shriners. Despite its name, the mosque has no religious affiliation, but was built as part of a national movement…
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Since her famed “Little House” books were published nearly a century ago, the stories of pioneer life have brought new-yet-old worlds to readers whose own memories are linked by their pages. Wilder’s influence was so great that the State Historical Society of Missouri calls her “one of the most…
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For visitors, those moments come through family time and shared experiences at the flower-filled farm, complete with fruit – like apples and berries – and games for kids and moments to remember. It’s also true for the family that runs the farm. The Gradinariu family, immigrants from the eastern…
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The past remains part of the present at Gray/Campbell Farmstead, a tucked-away Springfield park that features vintage buildings representing Ozarks history. The public is welcome to come visit the park where a variety of vintage buildings teach about the past. There’s a barn and log kitchen, both…
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Springfield’s Commercial Street has always been about journeys. The railroad was what prompted the area’s growth in the late 1800s when the train rolled through the now historic district, back when it was part of a separate town from Springfield proper. In more recent years, as economic changes…
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Generations of Ozarkers invested their lives in the Frisco Railway, the giant operation once headquartered in Springfield that employed thousands of people along the rails. That legacy is largely in the past, but a group of dedicated volunteers help keep the story alive through the Railroad…
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History will roll before one’s very eyes at the Midwest MidBEST Crankie Fest, a new event that brings crankies – an art form that combines music and panorama storytelling – to Springfield on June 8. The festival is the only one of its kind in the region, organizers say, and offers a chance to see an…
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Cassidy Station at Estes Farm is about history, but it’s also about heart – of the Estes Family, which has transformed a century-plus Christian County family farm into a destination they hope others will enjoy. The Estes family has held the farm since 1872, but today it’s a place where visitors can…
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