Christmas on the Square 2011

This year's holiday celebration on the square in Waynesville featured mild weather. The line formed at the door around 6:00 p.m. and celebrants passed through until almost 9:00 p.m.

Visitors were given a special treat of holiday tunes wafting through the vintage rooms. The dulcimer trio was (l-r) Susan Wrassman, Carol Spurlock, and Pam Barnabee. Tom Bohrer and his mules carted the kids around the square.

 

2011 Annual Meeting

The Old Stagecoach Stop Foundation's 2011 Annual Meeting was held November 6 at the Pulaski County Courthouse in the Community Room. After a short business meeting, Dr. Brooks Blevins, Professor of Ozarks Studies at Missouri State University, Springfield.

Foundation President Stephanie Nutt began the meeting with the required business items. Jan and Terry Primas were reelected to the Board of Directors.

Luge Hardman, Waynesville City Councilperson, gave members a short update on the city's efforts to light the Roubidoux Bridge and progress on the Trail of Tears interpretive signage in Laughlin Park.

Dr. Brooks Blevins entertained and educated the audience with his presentation "Ozarks 101," defining the extent of the Ozarks and cultural influences.

2011 Route 66 October Fest

The first annual Route 66 October Fest on the square in downtown Waynesville appeared to be a success, if judged by the crowd of people who turned out on a beautiful fall day. Merchants gauge success in terms of dollars spent but our measure is guests visiting the building. By that measure, it certainly was a successful day for the OSS. There was steady stream of visitors in the building, many for the first time. Jan Primas taught the old time craft of corn husk doll making to scores of children - and their parents, too (picture below, left). Terry Primas taught a few the old game of Sticks. Jeanie Porter, Board Member and independent business person, set up a table in front of the building to sell her wares. Rhea Ann Mathews of the Pulaski Fine Arts Association had an informational table. The OSS had a table of merchandise on the porch, including our 2012 Vintage Images Calendar (picture below, right).

Porch Improvements

This spring saw three improvements to the front porch. The wooden steps at each end of the porch always seemed to need repair so we had two sets of concrete steps poured at the front of the porch. The steps onto the porch had always been in front, beginning with stone steps in the antebellum period. Mrs. Black had a concrete porch and steps constructed in 1911. We also added banisters at each end of the porch. We know there were banisters in place at least as far back as the 1885 picture when Alexander Bryan owned the building and it was known as the Waynesville House. These two early elements were not duplicated when the exterior was restored in 1983 but were arbitrarily deleted. Tom Mills, owner of Signs in Time, graciously made and donated a new sign for the building.

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Fourth Grade Tours

Fourth Grade students from the Waynesville School District toured the OSS this spring. In addition to touring the ten rooms of the historic building, they viewed a slide show in the McNeese Building that presented a brief history of Pulaski County. The students then tried their hands at four traditional games of skill: ring and pin, sticks, graces (shown here), and cobs. Weather permitting, the classes finished the day with lunch and activities at the City Park.

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For images of Appreciation Day 2011, click here.

 

 

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