“Strip Forty Miles Long is Laid Waste”: The Disastrous Tornados of May 30, 1917

A Stray Ox Leads to a Tragedy in Lowndes

July 27, 1871, proved to be a tragic day in the small Wayne County community of Lowndes.

“On the Verge of a Big Boom” - The Ardeola Coal Mine

The lure of riches has given rise to many historical events. Sometimes the promised boom happens, but often the lure leads to overly optimistic visions. One such event occurred in the late 1880s in Stoddard County.

The Sainte Genevieve Militia at the Battle of St. Louis

Reflecting on the upcoming 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, it seems unlikely that southeastern Missouri had any role. However, hostilities did directly affect those who lived in Ste. Genevieve.

Richard E. Buehler: Russian Immigrant, Wayne County Public Servant

One of the most influential of Wayne County’s public servants in the late 19th Century was a Russian immigrant who came to the U.S. with his father in 1849.

“Strip Forty Miles Long is Laid Waste”: The Disastrous Tornados of May 30, 1917

The period from May 25 through June 1, 1917, was one of the worst severe weather weeks in the history of southern Missouri. During that time, three low pressure systems in succession formed on the Plains and swept through the southern Midwest and upper South.