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Monday, August 23, 2010
Progress Notes
Last week on Monday, August 16 Miller County and the town of Tuscumbia celebrated one of its major historic public events when the new bridge across the Osage River was opened to the public. Estimates of the crowd present at the opening ceremony varied but you can make your own assessment by viewing these two photos taken by the official MoDoT (Missouri Department of Transportation) photographer (photos 01 and 02).
01 Crowd at Bridge Ceremony
02 Large crowd for Ceremony The first photo is only a third the way up the bridge and the second is about halfway along and you can see that the crowd extends back to the North a long distance. I thought probably about a thousand people were in attendance. A reporter for the Missouri Network was there and I thought he wrote a very good summary of the events last week.
For convenience, I will copy the article here:
Route 17 bridge opens as 1st project funded by federal stimulus dollars
by Ryan Famuliner on August 16, 2010
in Politics & Government, Transportation
Hundreds of people celebrated in Miller County today, as the first project in the country funded by the 2009 federal stimulus package is finally complete.
Work on the new Route 17 bridge over the Osage River near Tuscumbia started about a year and half ago. It replaces a bridge built in 1933, which was in such terrible shape the Department of Transportation had to shore up the sub structure of the bridge numerous times over the last decade to prevent it from slipping into the river (photo 03).
03 Old Bridge Crumbling Away “Quite frankly, it’s important to Missouri because our infrastructure shouldn’t look like this bridge we’re replacing over here,” said MODOT interim Director Kevin Keith (photo 04).
04 Kevin Keith Keith says the hundreds of people from the region that showed up for the ribbon cutting ceremony, didn’t do it just because of the media attention.
“Infrastructure’s important. This bridge impacts everyone in this community’s and region’s life on a daily basis and quite frankly they didn’t like driving across the old bridge and they’re happy to have this one,” Keith said.
In the past, some politicians had described this project as the “bridge to nowhere.”
“This one happens to connect the Lake of the Ozarks, the biggest tourist area, Fort Leonard Wood, and this community, and this is the crossing of a major river, the Osage River. If this bridge is not here, you’ve got a 30 mile loop to go to get to the other side,” Keith said.
Locals say they were also frustrated to hear it had been described as “the bridge to nowhere,” since they take it to work, use it to transport farm equipment, and their children’s busses drive over it on their way to school.
Work on the project started just minutes after President Obama signed the stimulus package into law in February 2009.
“We did that to show that investment in infrastructure can move quickly and can help our economy by generating jobs in the short term and providing wonderful infrastructure facilities that will serve this country and this state for the next 100 years,” Keith said.
There was a parade across the bridge after the ceremony this morning, with hundreds of people attending the event in the mostly rural area. The parade was led by the Eldon High School marching band (photo 05).
05 Eldon Marching Band After the parade the crowd went to a park nearby where the celebration continued. The events were organized by the people of Miller County and Tuscumbia. The town has a population just over 200, and there were at least twice as many people than that on hand for the ceremony.
As I commented before I believe the crowd number was much larger than the author above quoted. The website at Missouri Net also had a very interesting audio commentary and interview with one of the visitors, Ronda Bishop. You can listen to it HERE. (Audio file is in the MP3 format.)
PBS sent a reporter to the event also. You can read and listen to what he wrote and recorded at the PBS website.
The Missouri Department of Transportation provided a photographer who uploaded many photos of the bridge ceremony on the Internet at the MoDoT location of Flicker.
The MoDoT site also provided a link where you can listen to the audio of the speeches.
The audio takes a minute or more to download so be patient.
I downloaded some of the MoDoT photos which I thought were of special interest. A large framed glass covered printed description of the project was unveiled during the ceremony (photo 06).
06 Dedication Plaque Several speakers were present including Kevin Keith mentioned above, Rodney Schad, our local State House representative (photo 07) and Tom Wright, our Presiding County Commissioner (photo 08).
07 Representative Rodney Schad
08 Miller County Commissioner Tom Wright I was honored by a gift from MoDoT of two official Missouri State Identification plates which carefully were removed from both ends of the bridge for our museum (photo 09).
09 Miller County Historical Society President Dr. Joe Pryor with 1933 Bridge Plaque One of the plates long ago had been broken with the loss of one corner. Later in the day, at an auction at the Riverside Park Celebration, Sheriff Bill Abbott, bought the damaged plate for two hundred thirty five dollars but immediately gave it back to the museum. The museum then will use the money Sheriff Bill so kindly gave us to repair the plate (photo 10).
10 Sheriff Bill Abbott Here is another photo of Sheriff Abbott and myself taken by Ginnie Duffield for the Autogram (photo 10a).
10a Miller County Sheriff Bill Abbott bought the broken bridge sign from the 80-year old bridge at Tuscumbia for $250 and then donated it back to the Miller County Historical Society, which sold it as a fund-raiser during the community celebration in Riverside Park Monday. Another sign off the old bridge also was given to the society by the Missouri Department of Transportation for display in the museum in Tuscumbia. With Abbott, at right, is the society’s president, Dr. Joe Pryor. (Photo by Ginny Duffield)And here is a photo of the auction also taken by Ginnie (photo 10b).
10b Talking about the fund-raiser for the Miller County Historical Society at the Riverside Park celebration Monday for the new Osage River Bridge is Frank Schlesinger, who also emceed the parade and entertainment as well as sang. Others in the photo are Society President Joe Pryor, left, Tom Wright, who assisted with the auction, and Larry Dave Flaugher who headed up the celebration committee. (Photo by Ginny Duffield)After the speeches the official ribbon cutting ceremony began followed by distribution of pieces of the ribbon to bystanders in the crowd (photos 11 and 12).
11 Official Opening of Bridge with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
12 Ribbon Momentos distributed to Attendees Then it was time for a parade across the bridge highlighted by the presence of the Fort Leonard Wood Honor Guard followed immediately by the excellent Eldon High School Band whose director is Rex McCargar (photos 13 and 14).
13 Parade ready to Begin
14 Eldon High School Band Matt Davis, Eldon School Superintendent, also was present to watch his school’s band perform (photo 15).
15 Matt Davis - Eldon School Superintendent
Accompanied by Sharon Holder and Doris Wiggins Frank Schlesinger was master of ceremonies of the parade in which he sang some songs. One selection particularly appropriately titled was “Shall We Gather At The River.” Hearing Frank sing that song brought some really happy memories to many of us raised in the small rural churches of Miller County (photo 16).
16 Master of Parade Ceremony Frank Schlesinger After the band passed, Elsie Patterson Yates walked alone carrying the American Flag (photo 17).
17 Elsie Patterson Yates
Leader of Previous Suspension Bridge Crossers Elsie was the first in line of a group of Miller County citizens chosen to be in the parade based on the simple criterion of being old enough to have crossed the first Tuscumbia Osage Bridge. It was a suspension type structure commonly known as the “swinging bridge.” Except for Elsie, the rest of this group was riding in a line of cars donated for the event by Mike Kehoe Motors of Jefferson City. Mike has been a very generous supporter of Miller County activities including not only the Bridge Celebration in Tuscumbia but the Miller County Fair at Eldon as well (photo 18).
18 Mike Kehoe These elderly honored guests had been added to the list of those riding in the parade as often as one would call us requesting to participate. We first were holding the number down to twelve (we had arranged for twelve cars from Mike Kehoe) but when more called and asked to be a part of the parade we added them also and they shared cars with other participants.
The drivers of the Mike Kehoe cars left the Tuscumbia school very early last Monday morning at 6:15 a.m. to go to Jefferson City to drive the Kehoe cars back to the bridge. Their names are:
1. Jack Brumley, who organized the group
2. Richard Lupardus
3. Larry B. Flaugher
4. Jim Clark
5. Bill Watkins
6. Scott Patterson
7. Kenny Wyrick
8. Gary Carrender
9. Steve Wilson
10. Brian Jarrett
11. Clayton Jenkins
12. Gene White
I single this group out of the many volunteers we had helping for the celebration because their day was very long having also to return the cars when all events were over. In addition, they were responsible for helping these elderly honored guests in and out of the vehicles and watching out for their safety.
Monday morning last week which was the day of the parade I met all those elderly people at the door of the high school on top of the hill above the bridge and we enjoyed coffee, donuts and conversation. Some of them needed walkers and canes but we took our time and helped them get along wherever they wanted to go. I took pictures of them as they entered the door.
Here is a group photo Ginny Duffield took for the paper (photo 18a):
18a More than a score of area residents who have traveled the 1933 bridge as well as the old suspension bridge it replaced were honored to be the first people across the new bridge at Tuscumbia Monday. They are, from left, seated, Marie Wieberg, Arzena Nixdorf, Cyrilla Doerhoff, Flossie Clark, Lonnie Ahart, Betty Robertson and Mary Hammack; standing, Elsie Yates, Leonard and Marie Schanzmeyer, Helen Martin, Royal Kallenbach, Doris Wyrick, Helen Schulte, Dorothy Edwards, Bamber Wright, Reba Martin Graham, Norma Jean Ahart and Kleo Robertson. Not pictured are Greg Pauley and Louie Martin. (Photo by Ginny Duffield)
And here is a photo of the group just after getting on the bus to go down the hill to the bridge for the ceremony (photo 18b):
18b On the Bus The week before I had called all of them and wrote down some of their memories of the old suspension (swinging bridge - photo 18c):
18c Suspension Bridge at Tuscumbia: 1905 - 1933 These narratives will be presented below. I also shared the narratives with Ginny Duffield who will place them in the local papers.
I am very grateful to Dee Riemensnider of Iberia who sent me photos of our honored guests in the cars during the parade. In some instances, because we had added more and more participants as they called in, more than one guest was placed in a car.
Below is the name of each of these honored guests who many years ago had crossed the Osage River over the old suspension bridge. Included also is their photo at the school and a second photo taken later when they were in their car. In addition I am copying here the short narrative of what they told me they remembered about the old swinging bridge:
Arzinia Nixdorf (photos 19 and 20)
19 Arzinia Nixdorf
20 Arzinia Nixdorf in Car Arzinia crossed the old swinging bridge when she went to Tuscumbia with her family to trade eggs and other items at Hauenstein’s Store. But often they didn’t ride across the old swinging bridge, they walked across it. She remembers very well the old gentleman and his daughter who took their money before they crossed. She thinks it was around five cents each person; however, she isn’t sure because there were 12 children in the family and not everyone came along each trip. Arzinia’s home in Ulman burned a couple of years ago which has caused her and the family a lot of trouble but she said this bridge opening celebration is something that is getting her excited and fun to look forward to.
Bamber Wright (photos 21 and 22)
21 Bamber Wright
22 Bamber Wright and Doris Edwards Wyrick Originally, Bamber was born and raised in Tuscumbia but has been living in Jefferson City for the last several years.
Bamber reports that on the south end of the old suspension bridge on the upstream side a large 2 x 6 beam was present as part of the support structure where was carved a big letter X. The X was said to indicate the location where a man jumped off the bridge. He was told this story by his uncle, Clarence Boyce (C.B.) Wright, former President of the Anchor Milling Company of Tuscumbia. Bamber says that Clarence would point that out to him every once in a while when they would cross the old bridge. Bamber says that as many times as he was told this story, he was young and didn’t pay attention that much. Now he would like to know the name of the person who jumped off the bridge. If anyone today remembers the story Bamber would like to talk to them. The only problem, and Bamber realizes this, he is 92 and one of the two or three oldest people in the parade, so he knows that probably no one else today is going to remember the name either.
Cyrilla Doerhoff (photos 23 and 24)
23 Cyrilla Doerhoff
24 Cyrilla Doerhoff and Helen Schulte Originally Cyrilla was from the Mary’s Home/Tuscumbia area but has lived in St. Elizabeth for many years after she married Leonard Doerhoff who was born and raised in that town south of the river.
Cyrilla remembers that she and her family would often visit her grandmother who lived in St. Elizabeth. Cyrilla’s home was on a farm between Mary’s Home and Tuscumbia, so the family would have to cross the Osage River at Tuscumbia to travel to St. Elizabeth. Cyrilla was so apprehensive about crossing the swinging bridge that she never could keep from closing her eyes as the car made its way across the loose wooden boards attached to the bridge. The river seemed far below the bridge and the bridge had no sides, only some cables on the side. As the bridge started to swing she was always fearful the car would slide too far to the side and fall off the bridge. Her biggest fear was if a car would enter the bridge from the opposite end, or even worse, a team and wagon, because the hoof beats of the horses caused more vibration than any car.
Dorothy Edwards (photos 25 and 26)
25 Dorothy Edwards
26 Dorothy Edwards in Car Dorothy was six years old when she first crossed the old suspension bridge at Tuscumbia. Her Uncle Earl Jenkins drove the car and Dorothy sat in the rumble seat of the old Ford to go on the trip to Tuscumbia for the annual Tuscumbia Homecoming Picnic. Dorothy remembers the little house where the bridge ticket taker stayed and she remembers her uncle giving him a coin, she thinks maybe a dime. At the picnic she got four rides on the merry go round for a quarter and an ice cream cone for a nickel. Dorothy has one other very interesting thing to tell us: She was born in the old Lupardus Cabin we now have on the campus of the Miller County Museum as her family was one of the few who lived there after Peter Lupardus died.
Doris Edwards Wyrick (photos 27 and 28)
27 Doris Edwards Wyrick
28 Doris Edwards Wyrick and Bamber Wright Note: Originally, Doris was raised on a farm south of the river about six miles from Tuscumbia. She now lives in Jefferson City. She wrote the following essay for the Edwards Family History:
“When I was a child, we lived on an Osage River farm about five miles down river from Tuscumbia. On Saturdays my mother, Minnie Edwards, drove a Model T Ford and took all the neighbors that would fit into it to Tuscumbia to shop. One Saturday I was permitted to go along. With us that day were Aunt Letha Edwards, Aunt Etta Abbott and her two teenaged daughters, Lucy and Edna. We always dressed as if we were going to church when we went shopping.
We had to drive over the wooden toll bridge to get to Tuscumbia and to return home. I do not remember what the toll charge was or if we had to pay it both ways.
When we were returning home the wind was blowing and the bridge was shaking. Lucy’s beautiful, big brimmed new hat blew off while we were on the bridge, however it did not go off the bridge into the river. Mother stopped the car on the bridge and Lucy walked back to retrieve her hat. We were all afraid. Fortunately, no other vehicles came along. I believe it was a one-lane bridge. This happened in 1931. I was nine years old. It was very scary!”
Elsie Patterson Yates (photo 29)
29 Elsie Patterson Yates Note: Originally from Ulman, Elsie has lived in Osage Beach for many years. Since she walked in the parade no photo of her in one of the cars is present. However, we do have a photo of a Whippet car similar to the one her Uncle Walter owned (photo 30).
30 1929 Whippet Car In 1931 when Elsie was 8 years old she and some of her brothers were taken by their Uncle Walter Graves in his old Whippet model car on a trip to Tuscumbia to go to the Tuscumbia Annual Picnic. These were depression days so when they reached the swinging bridge at Tuscumbia Uncle Walter asked the kids to walk across because no toll was charged for walking. Elsie said she was just a young girl and that her feet weren’t big enough to keep from slipping through the spaces between the planks on the old one lane bridge. To make matters worse the wind was up and she had trouble keeping her balance as the bridge started to swing sideways up and down the river. The wind made the loose boards rattle and jump up and down. Even more, she said it was so far down to the river she had to keep closing her eyes to keep from looking down which made her dizzy. Then her feet started to cramp but she was afraid if she jumped into the car Uncle Walter would have to pay her toll fee. Just when she thought she could go no more the group reached the end of the bridge. Elsie said she never will forget the Tuscumbia Swinging Bridge which was so aptly named!
Flossie Clark (photos 31 and 32)
31 Flossie Clark
32 Flossie Clark and Louis Martin Flossie remembers very well the old swinging bridge. She used to love riding with her family in an old horse drawn surrey to Tuscumbia from their farm near Capps. Flossie was different than a lot of the folks who crossed the swinging bridge. She loved it when the bridge would swing up and down and especially if it would swing sideways back and forth. She would yell “Faster, faster Poppy! Make ‘em run!” She remembers the team her father had of two mares, one was almost red in color she called Pearl and the other was black which was named Dolly. When the family got to Tuscumbia her father went to the mill to get feed and then they went to the grocery store. Most of all Flossie remembers the nice lady at the store who always gave her a “poke” of candy peppermint sticks. If you don’t know what a poke is; well, it is what they used to call a small sack.
Greg Pauley (photos 33 and 34)
33 Greg Pauley
34 Greg Pauley and Mary Hammack Greg now is living near St. Anthony. He was born near St. Elizabeth.
Greg was a small boy the first time he remembers crossing the swinging bridge at Tuscumbia. He was excited to be able to go because his grandfather Clark was taking a team and wagon all the way to Jefferson City to buy some supplies. The river was up so Grandfather Clark couldn’t take the ferry at Capps to cross the Osage. Instead, he had to go several miles or so to Tuscumbia to cross the swinging bridge. It was early in the morning when they arrived at the bridge but light enough to see. Grandfather Clark was afraid the horses would see the river so far below that they would panic so he blindfolded them with flour sacks. He got them across but the bridge swung back and forth so much that the horses near panicked anyway such that he determined he wasn’t going to try that again. On the return trip from Jefferson City the Osage River had lowered somewhat from the level it was when they had left the day before so Grandfather Clark was able to take the ferry across the river at Capps near where his farm was located. Greg never forgot the trouble his grandfather had crossing swinging bridge with the team of horses even though he was only three or four years old.
Helen Martin (photos 35 and 36)
35 Helen Martin
36 Helen Martin in Car Helen, who is a sister of Dorothy Edwards, rode with Dorothy the day they went to the Tuscumbia picnic some eighty years ago. Helen says she was too young to remember much but does remember how excited her sisters were about crossing the bridge, and even more going to the picnic. They had never gone before and it was talked about later many times through the years.
Helen Schulte (photos 37 and 38)
37 Helen Schulte
38 Helen Schulte and Cyrilla Doerhoff Note: Helen was born and raised between Tuscumbia and Eldon where she still lives today.
What I remember about the crossing was what the bridge was doing ahead of us --- It seemed to rise up in the air like a wave of water– My father said that a dog running across the bridge would produce the same effect. He said there was nothing to be afraid of. But still we were afraid, very afraid. The boards made such a racket and the bridge started going up and down such that I thought it might throw us overboard! We lived north of the river and didn’t have reason to cross the bridge often so dad wanted to let us have the experience of the ride on the swinging bridge, appropriately named, that’s for sure!
Kleo Robertson and Betty Robertson (photos 39 and 40)
39 Kleo and Betty Robertson
40 Kleo and Betty Robertson in Car Kleo remembers he and his family would cross the old swinging bridge every once in a while when they were going over to Henley to visit Kleo’s grandfather, Risden Robertson. Kleo’s wife Betty, daughter of John Heltzell, also would cross the old bridge to visit her aunt Eska Heltzell who was married to Bob Fendorf. Both Kleo and Betty have lived in the Iberia area all their lives. For many years Kleo owned and operated a hardware store in Iberia. He has one of the largest tractor collections in the area.
Leonard Schanzmeyer (photos 41 and 42)
41 Leonard and Marie Schanzmeyer
42 Leonard and Marie Schanzmeyer in Car Leonard remembers crossing the swinging bridge many times with his father, August Schanzmeyer, who owned the St. Elizabeth Insurance Company. August was on the Soil Conservation Committee for the county and had reason to come to Tuscumbia often. Leonard said his father had a car so they didn’t have any trouble like many of those who came to town with a team and wagon. Leonard said that some teams would shy away from the bridge or even stop half way when it started to swing.
Lonnie Ahart (photos 43 and 44)
43 Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie Ahart
44 Lonnie Ahart Sometimes Lonnie, who lived on a farm south of the river, would have to walk across the swinging bridge to town to buy coffee or sugar at Hauenstein’s Store in Tuscumbia. Those two items were the only things they couldn’t raise off the farm. One day, when he was about six years old, he was coming back home and was about 40 yards up the bridge when one of Alf Ead’s Shell Gas Tank trucks from Iberia came rumbling down the bridge from the south side right toward him. Lonnie didn’t know if the driver could see him or not, but when the driver down shifted the gears on the truck the bridge started to swing back and forth sideways so that Lonnie lost his balance. When Lonnie tried to get back up the wind was coming from the west and kept the bridge swinging so much that he could do nothing but hold on to the cable and hope the driver missed him on the way down the narrow one lane. Lonnie said that was the most scared he had been of his entire life up to that time! But, when the truck got closer he could see the driver’s eyes were turned his way so he knew he saw him. But Lonnie still had to hold on to the cable for dear life so as not to fall into the truck’s path as it passed him.
Louis Martin (photo 45)
45 Louis Martin and Flossie Clark Note: Louis could not walk into the meeting area at the school nor ride the bus down to the bridge so I have no photo of him. However, I lightened up the photo of him in the car and you can see him in the right front seat waving at you.
In the spring of 1932 when Louie Martin was a student at Berry School, the teacher, Nellie Duncan (Ponder), took the kids on a field trip. She got Myra Conner along with his wife, Edith, to drive their 1929 Chevrolet stock truck. The students and the teacher rode in the back of the truck, standing up. They crossed the swinging bridge at Tuscumbia, MO, where there was a charge to cross the bridge. They went on to Jefferson City where they toured the penitentiary. Next they toured the Capital. Louie remembers at the Capital building, they got to climb a ladder that went to the top of the building and they walked out on a walkway and they could look out over the City of Jefferson City. Leaving Jefferson City, they drove on to the Bagnell Dam. They got to tour under the Dam, to see how the turbines worked when the gates were opened. They had taken a sack lunch for their dinner. They did this all in one day. Some of the students that went that day besides himself were: Garvin Lee, Harold Atwell, Lorene Keeth (Fancher), Pauline Jones (Hickey), Zelpfhia Helton (Beld) and Archie Whitaker. Louie really enjoyed the day. He still talks of it some 78 years later.
Marie Wieberg (photos 46 and 47)
St. Anthony
46 Marie Wieberg
47 Marie Wieberg in Car Marie was 8 years old when she crossed the old swinging bridge at Tuscumbia the first time. The reason for crossing the bridge was to go to Jefferson City to visit Marie’s brother, Victor, who was in the hospital very ill with appendicitis. As they crossed the bridge at Tuscumbia Marie said the ride was rough but she wanted to look out and see the river. Her parents, who had taken Victor to the hospital the day before, said Victor was excited about the ride across the bridge. Even though very ill, he wanted to sit up and look out the side of the Model T to see the river very far below. Marie said the memory of the bridge and the trip to Jefferson City was a big event for her. At the same time the memory is sad because Victor died while in the hospital from a ruptured appendix.
Mary Hammack (photos 48 and 49)
48 Mary Hammack
49 Mary Hammack and Greg Pauley Mary Hammack of Iberia is a very appropriately invited guest to the celebration parade of the opening of our new bridge. Her grandfather was John Ferguson of Iberia, who gave the major speech at the celebration in 1933 of the opening of the present bridge being replaced today. Mary crossed the old swinging bridge many times because her first years of high school were at Tuscumbia before Iberia had its own high school. Her most recurrent memory of the bridge is the clacking and rattling of the wooden planks made by the school bus when it crossed the bridge. She said that something about the way the wooden planks were arranged seemed to make the bus sway from side to side which in turn made the swinging bridge sway even more. Mary was always concerned about who would be the driver of the bus each school morning. Substitute drivers always caused her to worry all the way to Tuscumbia from Iberia hoping that the driver could keep the bus on a straight trajectory.
Reba Sooter Martin Graham (photos 50 and 51)
50 Reba Sooter Martin Graham
51 Reba Sooter Martin Graham in Car Reba Sooter Martin Graham is 87 years old and has lived in Miller County most of her life.
Reba remembers the first bridge, as a toll bridge...and recalls Mr. Ewing collecting the money for the crossing.
Reba was 11 years old when the bridge opened in 1933 and remembers the large crowd attending the celebration...Reba's entire family attended that event.
Royal Kallenbach (photos 52 and 53)
52 Royal Kallenbach
53 Royal Kallenbach in Car Royal was raised north of Tuscumbia but now lives in Eldon. He remembers the day the circus came to town coming up from the south part of the county to set up in Tuscumbia for a few days. But the truck carrying the elephant was so big and heavy the circus owners feared to cross the bridge with such a heavy load so they unloaded the elephant to march it down the bridge on foot. But after only a few steps the bridge started to swing so much that the elephant began careening back and forth sideways banging against the cables on both sides of the bridge. Then the elephant balked and wouldn’t go any further. The owners loaded the elephant up on the truck again and took it up river a ways where the old ferry used to be located to have the elephant swim across the river. The elephant had no fear of the water and began to swim across. But the bank on the other side was too steep for it to climb up and no amount of pulling and tugging could get it up the bank. And even worse, the elephant broke half a tusk after catching it on a root sticking out of the river bank. Many volunteers came down to the river to see if they could land the elephant. But all was in vain. Then the elephant began to tire and couldn’t swim anymore causing it to float down the river. Finally, somewhere downstream on past the bridge the elephant was able to walk out of the river onto a gravel bar on the north side of the river where it was loaded back onto the truck and taken to town. It wasn’t until the circus left town that everyone back home in Tuscumbia learned that the elephant had killed a spectator in the past at another town somewhere down south.
That completes the narratives and photos of those Miller County residents old enough to have crossed the old suspension (swinging) bridge, built in 1905 and replaced in 1932 by the bridge we now are replacing this week. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with all of them and learning more about Miller County History from those old enough to be eye witnesses.
As soon as the Bridge ceremony and parade finished last Monday the Tuscumbia School Buses under the direction of Tuscumbia School Principal Doug Kempker began transporting people to the Riverside Park for the Celebration being offered there. Doug ran a shuttle all day between the bridge and park in the valley and the school parking areas on top of the hill. Other forms of transportation were available including several golf carts. The Celebration at the Riverside Park was very well attended especially earlier in the day when people were very hungry. Entertainment was provided by local folks. These included Toad and Josh Wyrick accompanied by Monty Lafoon who sang a number of songs (photo 54). In addtion, Frank Schlesinger, who had sung a couple of songs at the bridge ceremony, also sang a good many more at the Park Celebration (photo 55).
54 Wyrick Brothers and Monty Lafoon
55 Frank Schlesinger The main featured act was the Martin family from Jefferson City, one of the country’s best blue grass groups. I was diverted at the time and missed getting a photo of them but here is one of their publicity photos (photo 56):
56 The Martins Blue Grass Band The following is a collage of photos from the Riverside Park Celebration. If you hold your mouse over the photo thumbnail, a explanatory caption should appear (photos 57 - 77).
Just click on any of the photo thumbnails to view a larger image.
Note: Once you click on an image below, a new window will open. It would be best to maximize this new window by clicking on the middle box in the upper right-hand corner of the window. When you move your cursor over the image in this new window, it will change to a magnifying glass. Once this occurs, click on the image and it will show in a larger format for easier viewing.
One of the events we held at the Celebration offered an opportunity for attendees to become a part of the history of the day the new Osage River Bridge was opened. Krista Flaugher, Larry’s wife, had prepared two beautifully and artfully designed picture boards to which those who wished could sign their names in return for a specified donation. Those interested were told that the picture boards would be placed on display in the Miller County Museum. The larger of the two picture boards featured a photo taken from the south bluff of the new and old bridges together (photo 78).
78 Five Hundred Dollar Signature Board The smaller of the two picture boards displayed a photo of the 1933 bridge, the one now being replaced, taken from the top of the large hill north of the bridge (photo 79).
79 One Hundred Dollar Signature Board We had an excellent response to this very original idea which was suggested by Larry.
On Thursday morning, August 12 Larry Flaugher and I went over to the Osage River bridge just a few minutes before the four day closure of the old bridge went into effect that morning at 8:00 a.m. We met several of the MoDoT employees (photos 80 and 81).
80 Ed Howser, Darrenn Apperson, Thomas Green, Joe Pryor, Cary Armour and John Komaromi
81 Joe Pryor, Jason Luttrell, David Kleithermes, Jason Pemberton and Troy Minnick They allowed us to make a last walk across the bridge before it closed. Larry had the idea that it would be neat that while everyone else wanted to be the first to cross the new bridge, we would be the last to cross the old bridge just before it officially was closed. Larry had his camera and took most of the photos of me (photos 82 - 85).
82 Joe just before walking Last Step at Last Crossing of Tuscumbia Bridge
83 Joe looking down river at Last Crossing of Tuscumbia Bridge
84 Joe near South end of Bridge at Last Crossing of Tuscumbia Bridge
85 Joe taking last step at the Last Crossing of Tuscumbia Bridge I told Larry we should have at least one of him (photo 86)!
86 Larry at Last Crossing of Tuscumbia Bridge Notice that the concrete is falling away at Larry’s feet in that last photo. And it’s even worse underneath.
So that is the story of last week’s opening of the new Osage River Bridge at Tuscumbia, Missouri. It seemed that everyone was thrilled and happy to have the new bridge and greatly enjoyed the entertainment and food provided at the Riverside Park celebration. Many local and surrounding Miller County area residents worked very hard to put it together. I think their efforts were greatly appreciated by those who attended.
I want to thank Larry Flaugher and his wife Krista for the expert guidance, pre event planning and time both of them provided to help make the entire day an extraordinary success.
Many others also participated in some way with the Bridge Ceremony and Celebration. Attached is a list of those supporters and volunteer workers. Click on the image below to see the complete listing (document is in the PDF format) (photo 87)!
87 Bridge Opening Celebration Supporters
Click image for the complete list (document is in the PDF format)
That’s all for this week.
 Joe Pryor
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