Historium exhibit outlines Missouri’s ‘Struggle to Statehood’
Claire Bruntrager, left, with the Missouri Humanities Council, and Ozark County Genealogical and Historical Society president Jean Allen were two of many volunteers who recently unloaded and installed the UHC’s “Struggle to Statehood” exhibit at the Ozark County Historium in Gainesville. Bruntager, with another MHC employee, designed the exhibit, which will be at the Historium for five weeks. Times photo / Jessi Dreckman
Our state will celebrate an important milestone next year when we mark the 200th anniversary of Missouri becoming the 24th state to enter the Union. But it was not a simple matter; in fact, the process took three long years to complete and involved a controversial compromise. Does this pique your interest?
If so, you will want to visit the Ozark County Historium in the next five weeks to see a beautiful and informative exhibit detailing the process of Missouri’s “Struggle to Statehood.” On loan from the Missouri Humanities Council in St. Louis, the exhibit will be traveling for three years throughout the state to museums, libraries and other public places. It comes to Gainesville from Jefferson City, where it was most recently displayed in the rotunda of the Missouri Capitol. Volunteers here were pleased that the Historium was chosen as one of the host sites.
If you have forgotten (or never learned) your Missouri history, here are some clues to what transpired in the early 19th century as the United States was expanding westward: it involves slavery, debate, bloodshed, the founding fathers, pioneers, boundaries and Maine. You’ll need to visit the exhibit to put these all together and learn what happened!
The Historium is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday; there is no cost to view this museum-quality exhibit, and everyone is invited to come see it. Last week Gainesville High School history teacher Trevor Hicks brought his three history classes to visit the exhibit. Other schools and groups are also invited to arrange a visit. For more information, call the facility at 417-679-2400, or email ozarkco1@ozarkcountyhistory.org.