A Year for Anniversaries in Missouri
| Jefferson City, Mo. – 2010 is the year of anniversaries for several Missouri attractions, making it a great year for festivals and celebrations around the state.On April 3, 1860, Johnny Fry left the stable in St. Joseph, Mo., and headed west to Sacramento, Calif., beginning the first relay mail service in the U.S. This year, St. Joseph, www.StJoMo.com, will be celebrating the sesquicentennial of the Pony Express, April 1-3, with a series of celebratory events. Among them are a Buffalo Bill Look-Alike Contest and Chuck Wagon Dinner, Bridle and Saddle Parade featuring the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales and a Johnny Fry Ride with a direct descendent of Johnny Fry riding from the original stables to deliver the mail. A Missouri icon, Mark Twain, and his hometown, Hannibal, www.VisitHannibal.com, are celebrating three anniversaries this year, including the 175th anniversary of Mark Twain’s birth, the 125th anniversary of Twain’s pinnacle work Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and the 100th anniversary of Twain’s death. Celebrating Twain’s legacy, and named one of the American Bus Association’s top 100 Events in the USA, is the National Tom Sawyer Days, held over the Fourth of July every year.
Yet another sesquicentennial celebration is happening in Sedalia, www.Sedalia150.com, where residents and visitors can go back in time at a “Welcome to the 1860s” celebration on May 1, a competition challenging ragtime composers to write a rag commemorating the event, the 30th Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival, www.ScottJoplin.org, June 2-6, and a costume ball in October at the Missouri State Fairgrounds. In Branson, there are two 50th anniversary celebrations this year, with Silver Dollar City and The Shepherd of the Hills both celebrating with new additions to their attractions. This year marks Silver Dollar City’s, www.SilverDollarCity.com, biggest event year ever with a new ride, Tom and Huck’s RiverBlast previewing in early spring. Silver Dollar City’s official 50th Birthday Celebration is set for April 30-May 2. The Shepherd of the Hills – Old Mill Theatre, www.OldMatt.com, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first season of the outdoor drama with the new Vigilante Extreme ZipRider opening Memorial Day weekend. Visitors will now have an option of riding down from the top of the observation tower across the 160-acre park at speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. Hallmark Cards, headquartered in Kansas City, is celebrating a century of memories and keeping in touch with our loved ones. Visit their Web site at www.Hallmark100Years.com to see how cards have reflected our culture through the years. Need a laugh? Sign up to receive their “100 years. 100 selections from our writers to you,” with funny quips e-mailed to you twice a week. If you want to learn more about Hallmark and the process of making a card, tour the Hallmark Visitors Center, www.HallmarkVisitorsCenter.com. Kaleidoscope, a Hallmark attraction, is a great place for kids to explore their creative side and for families to bond through art classes, www.HallmarkKaleidoscope.com. In May, hop on your bike and celebrate the 20th anniversary of the nation’s longest rails-to-trails project, Katy Trail State Park. A commemoration ceremony will kick off the celebrations on May 8 in Rocheport. Other anniversary celebrations include a groundbreaking ceremony of the Missouri River Bridge Bicycle Lane the week of May 10 in Jefferson City; Holts Summit Spur Trail Dedication on May 15 in Holts Summit; the 10th Annual Katy Trail Ride June 20-25; and the Marthasville depot dedication in September in Marthasville. The Katy Trail anniversary site, http://mostateparks.com/katytrail/anniversary.htm, has the complete list of details. One attraction celebrating two anniversaries this year is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, www.nlbm.com, in Kansas City. It’s the 20th anniversary of the Museum and the 10th anniversary of the Legacy Awards, which are presented annually by the museum. With a 20th and a 10th anniversary, it is only fitting that the events both happen in 2010. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum was dedicated by Congress as “America’s Home” to Negro Leagues baseball history and is the only institution solely dedicated to preserving the history of African American Baseball. The Legacy Awards honor the best Major League Baseball players, managers and executives with awards in the name and spirit of Negro Leagues. The awards are named for several Negro Leagues legends, including Buck O’Neil, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell and Hilton Smith. The awards were presented in January, with Kansas City Royals pitcher Zack Greinke, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter among the honorees. Get more details on Missouri anniversaries, new anniversary attractions and more at www.VisitMO.com or call 800-519-4800 for a free copy of the Official 2010 Missouri Travel Guide. |
