Featured Items
Prohibition in St. Louis: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
As German immigrants arrived in Missouri, many settled in St. Louis, where a lot of breweries were created, but none as famous as Anheuser-Busch (1879). After signing the legislation to ratify the 21st Amendment, ending prohibition, FDR said: “I…
"Judge Lynch" Visits Clarksville
About 9:00 a.m., the Ottumwa Belle, a steamboat excursion from Keokuk, Quincy, and Hannibal, which was carrying a group of about 300 African Americans, arrived at the wharf in Clarksville, MO. As church bells were ringing, beckoning late-arriving…
The African American Plight Post Civil War
When researching the Donley family, and also through the stories my family has told, it has become apparent that the Donley/Royster family kept in close contact with their former African-American slaves long after the end of the Civil War. In the…
Featured Tours
Self-Guided Walking Tour of Historic Elsberry
8 Locations ~ Curated by Sarah Hunt, Librarian Joseph R. Palmer Family Memorial LibraryRecent Items
Manuel Lisa and St. Louis's Fur Trading Foundations
Imagine it’s the Spring of 1808. You and local acquaintances are arriving back from a winter-long expedition in the tributaries of the Missouri River. As you enter St. Louis, you are appalled by the crowd and number of people. Hundreds are arriving…
Influence of Influenza in Lincoln County (1918-1919)
So, what does a history teacher do with so much time on his hands and a ton of records readily available to the public through the Missouri Secretary of State’s Archives? Get more data. I can’t take credit for all of the data collected. This project…
Prohibition in St. Louis: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
As German immigrants arrived in Missouri, many settled in St. Louis, where a lot of breweries were created, but none as famous as Anheuser-Busch (1879). After signing the legislation to ratify the 21st Amendment, ending prohibition, FDR said: “I…
The Battle of the Sinkhole: International War Comes to Lincoln County
Following the American Revolution, there was near constant conflict between Great Britain and France. Because France was a trading partner of The United States and Britain was interfering with this trade by blocking American ships from getting to…
Beverly Porter (c.1820 - 1903)
Before Missouri had achieved statehood, Beverly Porter was born a slave in Culpepper County, Virginia. Although it is unclear how (or when) Beverly was moved to Lincoln County, MO, it is likely that he was moved here by his enslavers, the Porters,…
The Man Who Brought Two Presidents to Town
Honorable, respected, conservative. These are just a few words that describe former United States Congressman, Clarence Cannon. Cannon went from being a small town boy from Elsberry, Missouri to being one of the most powerful men in United States…