Forum Flashbacks: July 27-Aug. 2
FORUM FILE PHOTO
25 YEARS AGO: ‘Way to go, Mom’ – Valerie McCrary stands up on the lap of her grandmother, Sue McCrary, so she can see her mother, Marla McCrary, get her diploma, as she graduated from Northwest, July 30.
15 years ago
Sometimes the most exciting thing to happen during a building renovation can be the discovery of a historically valued element of design in a room.
This kind of thing has been happening to the Maryville Public Library for years. The most recent discovery with the renovation of an old library room into a fine arts section, came when Bill Foster, of Bill Foster Contractor & Builder LLC, tore out part of a wall only to find the old window from the post office. Even better, the marble surrounding that window is still intact today, hidden between the walls of the modernized library.
From 1913, the Maryville Public Library was actually the Maryville Post Office, and when they moved locations, the building was purchased for the use of a library.
Diane Houston, director of the library, said that the construction that occurred at that time was probably done to be an energy saver — as gracious high ceilings, marble columns and trim and beautiful artwork was covered up and the ceiling was lowered. It wasn’t until Houston was giving a reading of “Jack and the Bean Stalk” and put a pole through a ceiling tile that she realized there was something up there. That something is currently the high columned ceiling seen today in the entrance of the library.
50 years ago
Union Carbide today announced plans for a production expansion at its plant on U.S. 136 east of Maryville.
New equipment and facilities and a 45,000 square-foot addition to the present building will involve expenditures of several million dollars over the next 18 months. …
Employment is expected to increase during the next two years by approximately 300 or more personnel.
The Maryville plant, which was completed in 1971, produces “Eveready” alkaline batteries. The expansion will involve manufacturing several new types and sizes of small, specialty dry cells utilizing an alkaline electrolyte system. Additional warehousing space will also be required, and total floor space will be increased to 167,000 square feet.
Plant manager W. C. Hintze stated that “Increasing demands for high-quality, long service battery types for numerous uses resulted in the decision to make this expansion. We are extremely pleased that Maryville was chosen for this opportunity. It is a further demonstration of Union Carbide’s confidence in Maryville and the fine people in our plant.”
100 years ago
44TH BIRTHDAY FOR BUR. JCT. SUNDAY
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“BABE OF NODAWAY”
Burlington Junction, Sunday, August 5, 1923, will be 44 years old. A file of the Nodaway Democrat of August 7, 1884 says:
“Last Tuesday, the fifth inst., was the fifth anniversary of the queenly city of the Nodaway Valley, sometimes called the ‘Babe on the Nodaway’ — Burlington Junction. The occasion was one in every respect worthy of, and in keeping with the wide awake and enterprising character of its citizens and business men. …
Mr. J. H. Bryant, editor of the Post, gave a historical sketch of the city, which was listened to with interest, as follows:
When the Wabash railroad was built through the country in the spring of 1879, the people predicted that a town would grow up in the Nodaway valley at some point where the railroad crossed it. Acting under this impression a town was laid out half a mile east of the Nodaway river, at the crossing of the old survey of the C. B. & Q. railway with the W. St. L. & P. This town was first called Lewiston, for Prof. Lewis of the Wabash road. It was afterwards changed to Cleveland. But when the second survey of the C. B. & Q. came down the valley and crossed the Wabash at the foot of the hill, a move was immediately put on foot by W. H. Davis and Charles D. Caldwell, that resulted in a partnership between these gentlemen and the C. B. & Q. town company in locating a town on the hill, on the plat of ground then known as Col. John Davis farm. …
The postoffice was established October 6, 1879, and the first day’s business amounted to nineteen cents in sale of stamps. The lucky one who amassed a fortune by getting his sixty-five per cent of this enormous day’s business is our present postmaster, I. B. Crissinger, sometimes referred to as “Old Baldy,” at present a prominent candidate for county judge.
The first marriage was on May 17, 1880, and was solemnized by Esq. J. H. Herriff. The contracting parties were Miss Hester Shaffell and A. J. Smith, better known as “Smit, the baker.” The first birth was twins — we never do things by halves, you know — born to Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Wilson, August 31, 1879. The first death was that of Ed Hogan, first local editor of the Post, who was shot by Otto Sharp October 9, 1879: the second local, known as the “Fat Editor,” still lives in spite of the sharpes and flats and cake. Let us remark right here on the healthfulness of our town — they ‘killed a man to start a graveyard.’”
*EDITOR’S NOTE: The 50-year and 100-year flashbacks are courtesy of the Missouri Digital Newspaper Project from the State Historical Society of Missouri, viewable at shsmo.newspapers.com. The original 50-year article ran in the Aug. 1, 1973, edition of The Maryville Daily Forum. The original 100-year article ran in the Aug. 1, 1923, edition of the Maryville Daily Democrat-Forum, which later would become The Maryville Forum.
