http://www.historic66.com/missouri/det-mo4.html -- for more detail
We may find ourselves lending a hand to people in Joplin still reeling from the tornado that ripped through the area on May 23, 2011.
Here is an audio of the terrifying experience: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/23/joplin-mo
"Webb City is ...in Jasper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 9,812 at the 2000 census. Situated on the Ozark Plateau, Webb City, MO is 982 feet above sea level in the southwest corner of Missouri. It is approximately 200 miles southwest of the center of population of the United States and near the geographical center of the country. Located next to Joplin, ten miles east of the Kansas state line, 14 miles northeast of the Oklahoma state line, and 46 miles north of the Arkansas state line, Webb City provides central access to the United States, Canada and Mexico."
The city pays homage to its war heroes in three locations. In Mt. Hope Cemetery is found an outdoor chapel and Veteran’s Memorial inscribed with the names of the 77 Missouri Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. In Memorial Park stands a new World War II Memorialbearing the names of those Webb City service men and women who lost their lives in our wars. And finally, just west of the Praying Hands a WW II howitzer stands in silent vigil over the memories of those who have served their country."
"...John Webb, for whom the city is named, plowed up a large chunk of lead ore one day in 1875 and from there sprang one of the richest lead and zinc mining areas in the world, and this city. A bit of the history of the town can be read on its street signs and buildings, Aylor, Ball, Chinn, Daugherty and Webb. The city was established in the year 1876, the year of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. "
"....But the grass is sometimes greener and richer lodes of lead were found in Oklahoma, and eventually the mining ceased;...."
http://www.webbcitychamber.com/community.htm
Thank you, Debbie!
Here are a few books/authors a bit more famous than those named previously:
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Complete Short Stories of Mark Twain
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Mark Twain's Own Autobiography
Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer
Little House (9-Book Boxed Set) by Laura Ingalls Wilder
For pictures and descriptions of Carthage, hop over here:
http://www.theroadwanderer.net/66Missouri/carthage
Courthouse in Carthage
"Carthage was also involved in the marble industry around the turn of the last century. The Missouri State Capitol, U.S. Capitol and White House are faced with marble that came from the Carthage area. According to Jack Rittenhouse the famous Carthage Marble is the only true gray marble found in the United States."
"...the splendid age when Carthage had more millionaires than any other town in America at the time because of the lead and zinc mines. Today their mansions and Victorian homes offer us a glimpse of the wonder of those times."
"The Mother Road from Carthage to Carterville is one of the prettiest sections of Route 66 that can be found today. ... 'Picture Calendar Country!'"
We'll pass through Avilla this morning, a rural village on old Route 66, whose population was 137 at the 2000 census! A ghost town today, with some "real" ghosts reportedly in the area, Avilla apparently boomed for a short time after the Civil War. But it was bypassed by the railroad, dooming it to almost oblivion. The post office, since 1952, built as a bank in 1915, is referred to as a "local cultural icon."
Artifacts of the original bank apparently can be seen, such as the teller windows and vault.
"Storefronts once lined this strip in Avilla, Missouri, one of the living "Ghost Towns of Old Route 66." The Avilla House, built in 1868 (far right) and an early Route 66 era Auto Shop, Tom Barbado's Garage (second stone structure from left) can be seen in this 2000 photo before being demolished. Old Flo's Tavern (white building) still stands today next to the abandoned stone IOOF Lodge[one of two "secret" societies in this town in its hey-day] and (Old French's) grocery store (center)."
See Avilla's Wikipedia entry for more interesting tidbits about the town, its history, and its name. Sort of fun is the list of stores: "through the 1870s and 1880s there were two general stores (dry goods & clothing), two grocery stores, one or more doctor's offices, one "notion" (sewing) store, two boot & shoe stores, one livery & feed stable, three churches, a drug store, ...."
From our literature/books perspective, the Shadow people that supposedly live in the town and the legends associated with the "Death Tree" are probably of particular interest. Those are discussed in the Wiki article as well in this one.
A source of local pride reportedly is that Avilla remained Union through the Civil War, even when the rebel flag flew in Carthage, only ten miles away.
These articles reminded me that at least parts of Missouri were left war-torn by the Civil War. Scarlett O'Hara makes certain we don't forget Atlanta, but Missouri stories seem less known.
Peppermill wrote:We'll pass through Avilla this morning, a rural village on old Route 66, whose population was 137 at the 2000 census! A ghost town today, with some "real" ghosts reportedly in the area, Avilla apparently boomed for a short time after the Civil War. But it was bypassed by the railroad, dooming it to almost oblivion. The post office, since 1952, built as a bank in 1915, is referred to as a "local cultural icon."
"Storefronts once lined this strip in Avilla, Missouri, one of the living "Ghost Towns of Old Route 66." The Avilla House, built in 1868 (far right) and an early Route 66 era Auto Shop, Tom Barbado's Garage (second stone structure from left) can be seen in this 2000 photo before being demolished. Old Flo's Tavern (white building) still stands today next to the abandoned stone IOOF Lodge[one of two "secret" societies in this town in its hey-day] and (Old French's) grocery store (center)."
See Avilla's Wikipedia entry for more interesting tidbits about the town, its history, and its name. Sort of fun is the list of stores: "through the 1870s and 1880s there were two general stores (dry goods & clothing), two grocery stores, one or more doctor's offices, one "notion" (sewing) store, two boot & shoe stores, one livery & feed stable, three churches, a drug store, ...."
From our literature/books perspective, the Shadow people that supposedly live in the town and the legends associated with the "Death Tree" are probably of particular interest. Those are discussed in the Wiki article as well in this one.
A source of local pride reportedly is that Avilla remained Union through the Civil War, even when the rebel flag flew in Carthage, only ten miles away.
These articles reminded me that at least parts of Missouri were left war-torn by the Civil War. Scarlett O'Hara makes certain we don't forget Atlanta, but Missouri stories seem less known.
Thanks, Pepper...and also Debbie, for showing these excerpts of Missouri.
Small 'ghost' towns of the US, would be something to write a novel around! "The Ghosts Reunion" where they all meet at one town, or another, to tell their tales.... 
Had a darling picture from an email of a little girl asleep over her noodles. Even figured out how to upload the image and do a google search to find the image on the net. But for some reason, I can't load it here.
Anyway, she expressed perfectly how I felt by the time I tried to get this wagon on the road from Avilla yesterday! So, we aren't making the trek into Phelps until today. ;( Here's our road in case you are wondering where we are:
http://www.historic66.com/missouri/det-mo4.html
This is from the Wiki entry for Phelps:
"Phelps is an unincorporated community in Lawrence County, Missouri, .... It lies along former U.S. Route 66 (Route 96) twenty-one miles east of Carthage.
Phelps dates back to the 1830s, a town on the old Carthage Road (later US 66). It was a fairly large town by the 1870s until a fire wiped out everything south of Carthage Road. It went through a building boom in 1926 with Carthage Road becoming Route 66. In 1955, US 66 was widened which razed all the business on the south side of the highway. Like other towns on the highway, the construction of Interstate 44to the south hurt the town, though it remains a sizeable community.Josh Holloway, who portrayed the character Sawyer on the hit TV show LOST, lived in Phelps, MO for 2 years as a child..."
I'm not having much success in finding pictures for Phelps, and got lost somehow further east in Phelps county, billed as gateway to the Ozarks. Think we'll just keep travelling after a water hole break to give those oxen a rest.
Here is a ghost service station in Phelps from the days of Route 66.
http://www.roundamerica.com/trip/journal/day41.htm
Above is a journal of a couple of travellers through this part of America.
Sidetrip into history and Missouri geology -- am about ready to skip over to the Ozarks, rather than poking along Route 66, but we shall see. Anyway, in exploring the Ozarks a bit, I learned about something called the "Lead Belt", an area where substantial amounts of this nation's lead are mined.
What caught my eye was that mining went back to the early 1700's, whereas I think of most "settling" activity this far west as coming in the 1800's: "European lead mining started in 1720, by Philip Francois Renault of France, who led a large exploratory mission in 1719 and started mining operations in Old Mines and Mine La Motte. "
"Old Mines ( French: La Vieille Mine) is the name of both an unincorporated community and the surrounding area in southeast Missouri that were settled by French colonists who mined for lead from the early 18th century when the area was a part of the Illinois County of New France. Descendants of the early settlers still inhabit the area, and through a combination of geographic and cultural isolation maintained their distinctive French culture well into the 20th century. As recently as the late 1980s there may have been a thousand native speakers of the region's Missouri French dialect. This culturally distinct population has sometimes been referred to as "paw-paw French"...."
"The Lead Belt produces about 70% of the U.S. primary supply of lead as well as significant amounts of the nation's zinc. In the year 2000, Missouri produced 313,105 tons, with an estimated value of $128,838,880. About 84% of the lead is used for lead-acid batteries, and a secondary smelter in Boss, Missouri,recycles lead-acid batteries. Another major consumer of Missouri lead is Winchester Ammunition, located in nearby East Alton, Illinois."
Lead belt, also known as Southeast Missouri lead district.
Here is another side-bar of a link. It has some wonderful pictures of fall in the Ozarks, although I haven't yet found the side link that tells me exactly where this is:
http://www.sugarpiefarmhouse.com/autumn-in-the-gor
My best guess is Branson, Missouri. This is quite a web site, including your choice of background music from Aunt Ruthie's favorites!
I think I'm going to head to Massachusetts, the state of my history.
I was 19 when I had my first experience seeing the beautiful fall colors of the east, and also seeing my grandfather for the first time. I went back there with my parents. My mother hadn't seen her father since she and her brother were taken away by her mother. My mother had been 12. My family, on my mother's side, were French Canadian, and my grandfather, and so many of my cousins in this town, spoke French. My father's family were from the Boston area.
Welcome to Amesbury, MA!
Known for its quaint shopping, diverse dining options, and beautiful access to both the Pow Wow River and the Merrimack River.
![[Downtown Amesbury, MA]](http://www.ne-dyslexia.com/downtownamesbury.jpg)
Downtown Amesbury
![[Pow Wow River Walk, Amesbury, MA]](http://www.ne-dyslexia.com/powwowriver.jpg)
Pow Wow River Walk
![[Alliance Park on the Merrimack River, Amesbury, MA]](http://www.ne-dyslexia.com/merrimacriver.jpg)
Alliance Park on the Merrimack River
The colors of Fall--and other pictures
http://snoupi.smugmug.com/keyword/amesbury%20ma/1/
Amesbury was settled in 1655 as a part of Salisbury, but was separated from Salisbury in 1666 and incorporated as the town of Amesbury in 1668.
Originally the boundary between Amesbury and Salisbury was the Powwow River. In 1876 Merrimac was created out of West Amesbury. In 1886 West Salisbury was annexed to Amesbury so the mill area on the Powwow River was unified. See the maps linked below.
Beginning as a modest farming community, it developed an aggressive maritime and industrial economy. The 90-foot (27 m) drop in the falls of the Powwow River provided water power for sawmills and gristmills. Shipbuilding, shipping and fishing were also important. The ferry across the Merrimack River to Newburyport was a lively business until the construction of bridges to Deer Island. Newton, New Hampshire would be set off from Amesbury in 1741, when the border between the two colonies was adjusted.
In the 19th century, textile mills were built at the falls, as was a mechanized nail-making factory, believed to be the nation's first. The Merrimac Hat Company produced more hats than any of its competitors. Beginning in 1853, Amesbury became famous for building carriages, a trade which evolved into the manufacture of automobile bodies. The industry, however, would end with the Great Depression. Amesbury also produced Hoyt's Buffalo Brand Peanut Butter Kisses. In 1876, the town of Merrimac was set off from Amesbury. In 1996, the town changed its status to a city, and adopted the mayor and municipal council form of government, although it retained the title "Town of Amesbury."
The community has an impressive collection of early architecture, particularly in the Federal and Victorian styles. Following a recent restoration of the historic downtown, many new restaurants opened. The "Doughboy", a memorial sculpture by Leonard Craske, stands on the front lawn of the Amesbury Middle School. It was dedicated November 11, 1929. Craske is best known as sculptor for the "Fishermens' Memorial" in Gloucester. There is here a monument erected to Josiah Bartlett, who was born in Amesbury.
Thomas Macy House in c. 1905
Mills in 1914
Bartlett's statue in c. 1910
Whittier's home in 1909
KathyS wrote:I think I'm going to head to Massachusetts, the state of my history.
What a beautiful place to visit this time of the year -- Massachusetts right up against the New Hampshire border! It is hard to top New England for gorgeous autumn scenery.
Thanks for sharing the personal stories to go with it, Kathy.
How did your wagon train skip straight from Missouri to Massachusetts? 
I'm not really familiar with Amesbury, but my mother's and my favorite Italian restaurant, Molise in Wakefield, has another branch in Amesbury. My mother has been there a number of times, but I have only been to the one in Wakefield. Two sisters own them, and Antonietta usually runs the one in Amesbury, while Elisa is usually at the Wakefield location. Check it out while you're in town!
One of my best friend's grandfather was a carriage maker; it may have been in Amesbury.
During my late teens and early 20s, a favorite outing for me and my friends was Salisbury. We did go on the beach, but we mostly enjoyed playing the arcade games and going on the rides. Another best friend's grandmother had a mobile home there, and she and I used to use it sometimes for an overnight.
The Skydiver was my favorite ride!!!
BTW, you've arrived in MA at just the right time for the Haunted Happenings in Salem! You'll have to check it out! Being unemployed with plenty of time, I may even take a jaunt over, and maybe you'll see me there!
