| Weston Historical Museum Weston, MO 64098 |
| Articles from 'The Weston Chronicle' It's Your Museum... Enjoy by Carolyn Bless Larsen |
| It’s Your Museum--Enjoy! By Carolyn A. Larsen, Curator Capramus The first knowledgeable person to call was “Skip” Gatschet who told me that the tool in the picture was a ‘nail puller’. Next Frank Riddle called to tell me the same thing and said if I would like, he would come show us how it works. Please do, Frank, we are curious. His call was followed by four more, two of them from ladies who knew what the tool was; one of them said she has one and uses it frequently. Don Wright, now of St. Joseph but formerly of Weston also called to tell me what the tool was. Thank you all, so much for enlightening this gal and all of us at the museum. See, we can learn something new. Is there anyone around who can tell us anything about Cleopatra Weigman? She was a very talented lady not only as a pianist but also as a writer of music and a talented, self-taught artist. She is kin to the Weigman family of Weston and also to the Woodring family. The newspaper morgue seems to have nothing on her, but we are curious and would love to find out all the particulars such as birth, parents, marriage, children, death, burial, etc.? The number to call is 816-668-9986 or 816-386-2977 or stop by some afternoon and give us what you know. Thank you. On a recent Sunday, Josh and Jane Walruff chose to visit Weston and our museum. Josh left a note to tell us he is kin to the A.F. Walruff who was five times a mayor of our fair city as well as being involved in the Weston Royal Brewery. While at the brewery, A..F. was once gifted with a goat he named ‘Capramus’. The goat was well taken care of at the brewery and some years later died and was given a nice burial. Also noted as a visitor was Chris Helvey who wrote that he was the grandson of one of the Wells’ who lived in Weston for many years. Ray Kirk III and his wife also visited the weekend they were here for the dedication for his brother, Ed, of the caboose near City Hall. Weston citizens taking the time to visit the museum this year number over 120. That is up from past years. Thank you so much. Hope you enjoyed your visit and will come again. Bring friends, family, etc. Any and all of you who are in any way interested in history should join us for the annual dinner of the Weston Historical Society. You do not need to be a member. You do not need to know anybody, be famous, wealthy or healthy or wise. You just need to want to join us for the dinner and program. It will be Sunday, Nov.16, 2008 starting at 5:30 p.m. Held in the dining hall of the Weston Methodist Church, the meal will be catered by the Avalon. Cost for the meal is $16.00. The evening’s program will be a talk by Kelvin Crow, Assistant Command Historian for the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, who will talk about the many connections and long relationship between Weston and Fort Leavenworth. Reservations are needed. Please send them to The Weston Historical Museum, P.O. Box 266, Weston, Mo. 64098 or call the President of the Museum, Diza Eskridge. Please join us. We’d love to see you there! |
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| The Historic town of Weston has many popular events scheduled throughout the year. For more information 816-640-2909 www.westonmo.com |
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| It’s Your Museum--Enjoy! By Carolyn A. Larsen, Curator CCC Camp Once I found that there had been a CCC Camp in Platte City my inquiring mind started searching for information about the camp. Unfortunately I have not found much, but will share what I have thus far. July 5, 1935 “Bennett Doran who recently enrolled in the Missouri CCC stationed at Fort Leavenworth spent last Friday evening with home folks. He left Monday for Arkansas where the government will establish a new camp. George Clark of Weston also enrolled in the CCC and left for Arkansas on Monday.” Sept. 25, 1936 brought us this about the CCC: “A letter from the son of Basil Turner and the late Alma Carrico Turner, who is in a CCC Camp Applegate at Ruch, Oregon, gives some interesting as well as enlightening information about this splendid system which keeps young men in employment of instructive nature. The young man left Weston in November, 1935 and since that time has achieved many things in different environments. Basil, Jr., reports that their camp has the record of having the lowest amount of fires on record for the Rogue River National Forest. He was a truck driver until recently, when he was given the job of Company Clerk. “There is a great opportunity to work into higher fields for a person who puts effort behind his plans, especially here in the CCC.” he concludes his letter in which he spoke of folks from all over the country coming together in the pages of The Chronicle. An issue dated November 4, 1940 tells us this: “Thirty-three members of the Weston Business Men’s Club were hosts to fourteen officers of the CCC Personnel stationed at Platte City Monday evening in the old Weston Distilling Co.’s park. Seventy pounds of barbecued meat were served. W.B. Hull gave the address of welcome; Jim Whitted, president, introduced the officers. Talks were made by Capt. Edmondson, Supt. Moyer and Dr. Freeman. There are two hundred boys in the camp who presently work in conservation in the county. The boys are privileged to attend school, either finishing their elementary work, if they had not been fortunate enough to get it previously or taking High School work, all of which is recognized by the Mo. State School Dept. The CCC gives boys not fortunate enough to secure either work or more schooling, an opportunity. They sign up for six months’ periods, with the privilege of reentering for a second period. The officers expressed their appreciation of the courtesy shown them, saying it was the first time they had been so entertained in six and a half years.” Some time back, you may remember, I found and shared with you an item about a murder in the CCC Camp in Platte City. Though the foregoing articles say “boys” there were a number of men in the camps and some were of the ’rough and tumble’ type characters. However, for the most part the CCC was good for the men/boys and good for the country at the time. If anyone with any information about the CCC Camp in Platte City would care to share with us, the number is 816-668-9986 or write us at P.O. Box 266, Weston, MO 64098. Even better, you could come visit us personally at your museum. We’d love to see you and your smilin’ face! |
| It’s Your Museum--Enjoy! By Carolyn A. Larsen, Curator Cigars While moving things about in order to make more room for items, we found what looked like a block of wood approximately 13 inches long, five inches wide and three inches tall. On one long side it has about ten holes about the size of a slender cigar. On the other side it reads “The Miller Dubrul & Peters Mfg. Co., U.S.A. It also says Patented Nov. 24, 1914. This item turned out to be a cigar press an instrument used in the manufacturing of cigars, oddly enough. Mr. Charles F. Kramer of Leavenworth, Ks, donated it to your museum. There was nothing else to give us much of an idea as to how it works. However, if you wonder what it has to do with Weston, I’ll give you a bit of a run down. Weston, at one time, actually had three cigar factories. One of these came along early about August 2, of 1901. “J.B. Hull, after going over the red tape route of the government, has his cigar factory in operation and will soon have hand made cigars on the market. He does not intend selling at retail, as most merchants handling cigars will see his brands.“ In The Weston Chronicle of December 12, 1913 we read about another cigar factory: “W. E. Welch of Nevada has located in our midst and started a cigar factory on the second floor of the Rumpel- Bless building. Mr. Welch is an expert at his trade and he thinks there is room here for such an enterprise. If one-half of our smokers will smoke his cigars this factory will grow.” An article dated August 25, 1925 says: “ One of the latest additions to Weston is the Cigar factory of J.A. Artlip. It is meeting with considerable success and so far has been unable to keep up with home consumption. He contemplates putting on more workmen so as to be able to supply neighboring towns. The only brand so far put out is “True Blue” and it is beyond a doubt the best nickel cigar on the market. It is a home product. Mr. Artlip should be encouraged by all the smokers in town.” So, there you have it. I hope that soon we will have it on display in your museum. In a Weston Chronicle issue dated August 25, 1905 this was found “M.R. Searcy, who was recently awarded the contract to build a five-foot wall along the east line of the Weston High school property, commenced on the same the first of the week. Marion is a good workman and will push this job to completion as rapidly as possible.” Could this have been the old dry-laid wall, I wonder? Are you sticking close to home these days due to the price of gas? Want something to do with your family that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg? Yep! I’m thinking now would be a good time to bring in the whole family for a stroll through our yours) and (mine lovely museum. We have something for everyone. There are toys, guns, swords, dishes, dolls, clothing of the 1920’s uniforms, tools, etc. And best of all perhaps, it doesn’t cost a cent! You could visit here, go downtown later for a meal or an ice cream cone, a cup of tea and view lots of art work, photographs, and much more. You could later take the children to the Weston Park and relax while they tear around using the playground equipment, the basketball court, and/or the tennis court. What a great way to spend an easy, uncomplicated day with little or no expense! Whatever the reason, c’mon in, we’d love to see your smilin’ faces! |