More from Tom Perry May 1926 Newspaper

More Pictures from Dennis Myers

Bart,

Here are two more Rich Hill post cards. The one of the Missouri Pacific Depot you already have on your website and the only difference is I’ve included the back as it has some handwritten text and a postmark of May 23, 1911. I couldn’t tell if the one you have on-line already has this or not but on the front, by the ramp is the text “Photo By Van.”

The other post card is of a bridge scene in Rich Hill but I have no idea where. The back also has handwritten text and a post mark of June 3, 1915.

Both are from an Inez G. and to a Miss Flossie Work.(?) in Iowa (Carlisle for the bridge scene and Milo for the train depot).

More Pictures from Dennis Myers

More pictures from Dennis Myers

City Hall in 1913

Bo peep motel 1960

Rich Hill mo. Missouri Pacific Depot

around 1910
Check out this link-Rich Hill Missouri Depot

More from the May 1926 Rich Hill Newspaper

Here is some ads from Tom Perry's 1926 Rich Hill Missouri Newspaper.

I like the Bank ad- telling people there money is safe (in four more years it won't be safe)

More Pictures from Dennis Myers

Rich Hill 1923 Yearbook

The 1923 Sophomore of Rich Hill

When It rains it pours- a Dennis Myers from Independence , Mo. sent me this E-mail with this yearbook attached https://sites.google.com/site/richhillhistory/1923-yearbook

I have attached a 9 meg PDF of the 1923 Echo (Rich  Hill High School Yearbook) in case you are interested in having it and/or putting it on the website.  Dennis Myers

Independence, MO

May 1926 Rich Hill Newspaper

Tom Perry a Rich Hill residence has load the blog a bunch of May 1926 Rich Hill Newspapers.I will try to put some clippings on the blog every night.

Thanks ,Tom

August 24, 1972 Rich Hill Newspaper part 3

August 24, 1972 Rich Hill Newspaper Part 2

More from the 1972 Newspaper

A new sidewalk is going in in front of Marquardt's super market.The new steps provide lower and safer access to the store. The sidewalk extends from the south end of the super market to the north edge of the Adrian Craigmiles offices.

Several improvements have been made this year at both Schools .Here Larry Busby watches work on some outside windows. Busby is parter in LEM Drywalling out of Sedalia and installed the windows at the High School. Other improvements include work in the gym, paneling rooms inside and painting throughout the building.

August 24, 1972 Rich Hill Newspaper

Charley Ross catches big fish -everybody says later on Charley catches a bigger fish then this one.

Charley Ross topped his record by catching this 74 pound cat fish out of the Big Osage this past weekend. Charley had previously caught fish weighing over thirty pounds. This is the biggest he has ever caught and is only a few pounds off the records.

6th and Park summer of 2008

This picture was taking a few months before the buildings where taking down in dec. 2008.

6th and Park. South West corner

Another picture of the ditch from Jeff Droz

More documents from Tom Perry

1957 Rich Hill Phone-book

This a 1957 K.L.M. Rich Hill Telephone Company book, I received it from Tom Perry. Tom lives in Rich Hill and wanted to contribute to this blog. He has more items that I will post in future blogs. Thanks Tom!

More Pictures

I got these pictures from Jeff Droz, he got them from Spencer Talbott. He got them from his grandmother, Alma. Thanks Jeff

More E-mails

Hi Bart,

I sent a note sometime back saying I had pictures of my uncle (John (Blackie) E. Robertson, JR, pouring the concrete streets of Park Avenue. That picture is attached.

I am sorry I haven't sent them before now, but my computer decided it wanted to "die" so it has been at the "Doc". I am back in business now. There are also some of different stores in town. These are all post cards. You have probably seen most of them.

Thanks, Tana Bennett

I got a email

Yeah ,I got this e-mail Friday.

I enjoyed reading about Rich Hill, especially that which was written by Mary Griffin. Mary, Ada and Raymond Griffin were my father's cousins. Mary and Ada frequently visited my Grandmother in Kansas City, KS. They were very nice ladies. I have attached 4 family pictures. Keep up the good work.

Linda Dees

1917 Ada Griffen, Mary Braasch, Mary, Edith & Raymond Griffen
Albert Griffen, William & Charlie Braasch, Edith Griffen, Goldie & Bill Braasch, Mary Griffen.
Ada Griffin

Mary Griffin

RHHS Alumni Banquet 2010

Ron Thompson -Presentation of Alumni Scholarship to Trenda McClaughry

Ad out of the 1981 Yearbook

Rich Hill FFA 1978-1979

National Day of Prayer 2010 in Rich Hill May 6, 2010.

A small group meet at the Park at City Hall for the National Day of Prayer.The group started out with scripture read out Psalm 2 by Bart McClaughry.Then the group prayed that God would make them better individuals for the whole Nation and the World.

I have a email

Hi,

My name is Maureen Mello. I live in Cincinnati, Ohio. I have been researching my family tree for a big family reunion in July, 2010, in Oklahoma where I grew up. I have enjoyed reading your blogs this evening and I have found some of those interesting stories that go between the lines of all the census information. I thought I should present you with information of my family history in Rich Hill, Missouri. I discovered I am related to several people of note in Rich Hill. My great-grandfather, Joseph Charon, moved his family from Weston W. VA. In 1883-1884 to follow the coal mining dream. He was a simple man of French descent and he brought his German wife and several children with him. The story told to me was that he had a claim in a coal mine near Rich Hill, but was killed by his partner in 1884. He died quite suddenly, but no one is sure whether it was by poison or by gun. My great-grandfather was only 47-49 years old at the time. I am told he was buried there in Rich Hill. He was Catholic. He left behind my great-grandmother, Barbra Charon, his sons George Charon, Cornealous Charon and John Charon; daughters Johanna and Gertrude. His son, Joseph Charon, was born in Rich Hill after his father’s death. My great-aunt, Johanna Charon, married Elmer Jones in 1891. They lived at 208 Olive St, 202 Chestnut Street and 567 Park Ave. My great-aunt, Gertrude Charon, married John M Heck in 1889. They lived at 198 Chestnut St. My great-grandmother, Barbra Charon, lived at 199 Chestnut St. I visited Rich Hill once or twice as a child. I remember walking to the park and the big house where Esther and Albert Brady lived on Park Ave. I even remember Aunt Johanna, although she was quite elderly. We walked the downtown streets as kids. My mother, Ellen Charon and her siblings spent many summers in Rich Hill during the 20’s and 30’s and I will ask her about the great July 4 events. Thanks again for helping me put details to the lives of my ancestors.

Sincerely,

Maureen Mello

ads from the Rich Hill Daily Review November 14, 1917

Website brings Rich Hill History to the computer age

This Blog is from the Rich Hill Mining Review Sept. 4 ,2009. This story is about the Rich Hill History blog and my connection to it.

On the World Wide Web, more and more people are learning about the unique history of Rich Hill, "TheTown that coal built;" and it's because of Rich Hill electrician, Bart McClaughry.

A bit of a history buff, McClaughry first became inter­ested in Rich Hill's past as he and fellow city employees discussed some of the oddities of the town. For example, City Hall used to be a two story structure, but now its only one story. Why? Was there a fire? No one really knew. And the power station; it looks like two buildings joined together. Was it originally one building or was there a second building attached as the city grew? And of course, as an electrician, any insight into the history of the city's power grid perked McClaughry's interest.

Then one day, a person gave McClaughry a stack of old Mining Review newspapers. They were archive copies that had been the property of the Review but were being discard when discovered in one of the old buildings in town. They were so brittle, that even when carefully handled, the corners and edges broke off as the pages were turned. But inside were glimpses of a time when Rich Hill was a different place.

"I've always wondered about things;" said McClaughry, "but my interest in history probably started a number of years ago when I began researching my an­cestors." McClaughry had a close relationship with his grandpar­ents, but he realized he knew nothing about their parents.

I wanted to know to know about my grandparent's grandparents,"said McClaughry. Some folks just have an inquiring mind; that's why when the stack of old Rich Hill papers was dumped in McClaughry's lap his wheels began to turn.

As he searched through the papers, he began to tinker with the idea of starting a history web site. He was familiar with blog sites, having participated in one that was used by baseball card collectors, and realized a Rich Hill site wouldn't be too difficult to start. So he began scanning some of the articles and posting them. Then he made trips to the Butler Library and cop­ied articles from their micro-film records, and started taking advan­tage of the material at the Rich Hill library. Then others joined in. Some would give him photos with bits of information. And the site grew, more folks became aware of it.

Today, if you type Rich Hill history," in a Google search, you'll find the web site listed at the top www.richhillhistory.blogspot.com

"It's a great site for people to find out information about families," added McClaughry. "We have directories which list residents in the community in 1883 and in 1888." There is also a growing list of names from the Greenlawn Cemetery; currently 708 are listed, but it's a large project and one that will take time and help from others as there are approximately 8,000 markers to record.

"Its important to keep the site well documented," he adds, "which is why I rely on newspaper clippings and other previously recorded accounts."

Proper documentation is vital when individuals are doing family history or when historians want to know something about Rich Hill. But it's something that people can use just to learn about the town.

I had one resident's father-in-law contact me who said he re­ally appreciated the site because

he had always heard so much about Rich Hill, but now he had a resource for information," added McClaughry.

Rich Hill has had a number of individuals over the years that have helped preserve the town's history. There J .D. Moore, one of the city's founders, who was a great source in the early days, as was Frank Ralston, E.W. McQuitty did a lot to preserve the city's history with his contributions to the Review during the town's 75th anniversary. Then then there was Mary Griffin, who contributed to the Wagon Wheel section of the mining Review, and of course Randy Bell's book "The Town that Coal built,"which is the most authoritative work published.

McClaughry is quick to men­tion those who have contributed in the past, as well as those who have helped him with the current history web site.

"I really want to thank every­one who has helped me with the project," said McClaugry who mentioned a number of individu­als, but asked that their names not be listed as he didn't want to for­get someone, because as he put it, "they've all been very helpful." When most people think of his­tory, they think of classes in school or of that famous quote, "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it." But to oth­ers, it's a way to connect with the past and an opportunity to learn. For those who enjoy history, or who are interested in Rich Hill, the place to visit is www.richhilMstroy.blogspot.com. And for those who want to get involved, simply contact McClaughry at bartm@ckt.net

Part 2 on the Auditorium-gymnasium

This picture is out of the 1938 Year Book,the top picture is the school in 1888

The bottom picture is in 1938 after the new Auditorium was build

King and Queen of R.H.H.S. 1938

This Blog comes from the 1938 yearbook

On March 18, 1938 the opening night of our new auditorium- gymnasium, the contest was completed that told which of our students was completed that told which of our students were to be King and Queen of the yearbook.

For a week the contest had raged. Every student had his favorites and was anxious to see them win. Two Seniors, Mary Vodry and Thelma Ochsner, and one Junior, Ruby Schapeler, were nominees for Queen; Herbert McDaniel, Earle Isaacson and Arthur Lynch were candidates for King.

At the close of the contest when the winners were announced to be Thelma Ochsner and Earla Isaacson, the study body cheered. While the orchestra played a triumphal march, the audience formed a lane through which they ascended the steps to their thrones. When Thelma and Earle were seated, the students sang with the orchestra.

The freshmen were the happiest students present for they felt triumphant over the victory of

Ikie, their football hero. Thelma's supporters beamed as she merrily danced the last number wearing on her dark curls the little crown of pink rosebuds.

That evening proved a happy one for all the students. It was a truly gala occasion.