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Brig. Gen. Jim Sears, commander of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, conducts pre-flight checks prior to his fini flight at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, May 22, 2017. During the flight, Sears patrolled the skies with his wingman, engaging enemy ground forces from above to support coalition and Afghan troops. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)

This photo shows Gallatin students ready to advance into first grade as “graduates” of kindergarten classs held in 1958-59.

Democrat Boosters rallied at Pattonsburg, MO, on Oct. 30, 1912. This shows North Main Street with the Pattonsburg Bottling and Wabash train depot in the background. (Liddell Studio photo, courtesy Jack Tingler)

Landmark Mfg. President Don Critten offers an explanation to Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan during a tour of Landmark Manufacturing in 1993. The governor’s visit in 1993 came at a time when Landmark, the largest employer in Daviess County, was a $14 million business employing 160 workers.

Emmette Pittman is shown jumping a train at the Wabash Crossing near Gallatin, MO, in 1927. (courtesy Juanita Pittman, KC)

The impac of the railroad in the development of rural America cannot be overstated. Gallatin’s prominence was fueld in no small way be being the crossroads of two railroads. This scene shows the Wabash Depot east of the Grand River near Gallatin, MO. (circa 1955)

Gallatin’s Courter Theater opened in 1920, operated by John E. Courter at 103 South Main Street. A 30×120 building was erected on a lot adjoining the adjacent Gallatin Trust Company (purchased in 1919).

This parade on North Main Street in Gallatin, MO, paused to be photographed. Businesses shown in the background inlude the McClaskey Mill & Feed Store, the Gallatin Democrat, the U.S. Express Company, and Crystal Kitchen. (date unknown)

This photograph promotes Place’s Dairy, once a prominent business in Gallatin, MO. The Place’s residence was located at 604 South Daviess Street. (date unknown)

This distinctive 3-story building once was known as the Oddfellows Building, located at North Market and West Jackson Streets at the northeast corner of the Gallatin business square. (date unknown)

This type of scoreboard was a mainstay in the Jameson School gym and other conference schools. The Jameson school kept this type of clock/scoreboard after other schools updated to electronic boards. After the other schools went digital, the Huskies gained a slight home court advantage as players from the visiting team had difficulty reading the clock’s second hand (they were used to digital numbers). During the last years of its use at Jameson, the clock occasionally jerked in reverse permitting a few more seconds in the quarter. The scoreboard was replaced in 1978-79.

Bob (Robert Harold) Drummond and his family moved to Jameson in June, 1945, after his discharge from the U.S. Army’s Sixth Armor Field Artillery Division during World War II. In 1950 he built and operated a welding and mechanic garage with his wife LaVerne, who was the parts person for the business. In 1957, Bob hired Ralph Hughes and Ralph Shaw to work in the garage. Bob later sold the business to Leroy Miller. The building in 2017 is now housing Jameson City Hall.

Services of the Daviess County Library in 1968 included delivery of books to communities throughout the county. A van commonly called the “Bookmobile” made scheduled stops at selected locations to extend services beyond the confines of the library building in Gallatin.

When parking was a premium as crowds of people patronized local businesses, ample parking was achieved by allowing a center lane of parking spaces such as shown here on the east side of the Gallatin square. (ca 1937)

This workshop area is for vehicle repairs at Gallatin Motors. The dealership was located at 212 North Main in 1936.

The Gallatin High School football team of 1929: Front row from left — Loren Terry, Clifford Jarrett, Lowell Doak, Robert Place, Vincint Chamberlain, Homer Roberts, Gordon Murphy; 2nd row — Jeff Whitfield, Victor Brown, Forrest Stapleton, Pharea Ramsbottom, Bill Hockensmith, Busy C. Harvey, Paul Mrphy, Maurice Richesson; 3rd row — Leonard Hosman, Bill Whitfield, Herbert Tate, George Koch, Dexter Harvey, Denver Smith, Joe Vyrostek, George Moore, Woodrow Tague, Carey Vyrostek, Wendell Smith, and Mr. Hammett.

Gallatin Mayor Robert Owings accepts the keys to a new police patrol car, an American Motors Rambler Classic, purchased from Moore Motor Company on behalf of the City of Gallatin. (date unknown)

Wild Bill Elliott was born Gordon A. Nance on Oct. 16, 1904, on a farm near Pattonsburg, MO.

Friendships strengthen as youngsters depend on each other to learn how to skate. Shown here is Jenny (?0, Stephanie Bradley and Amber Burns in 1977.

This medallion was issued by Daviess County to commemorate those military veterans serving our country during World War I.

Yesteryear farm scene in Daviess County, MO (date unknown)

Jesse James was a daring outlaw from Missouri. He became a legend in his own lifetime by committing crimes supposedly out of revenge for the poor treatment he, his family, and other Southern sympathizers received from Union soldiers during the Civil War. James sought personal recognition and publicity by writing letters to the press. His crimes terrorized innocent civilians and stifled economic growth in Missouri in the years following the Civil War. This photo dated 1864 shows Jesse James as a teenage, fighting as a Confederate guerrilla.

Leland Stitt looks on the rising flood waters of the Grand River, standing on the Lewis Mill Bridge near Jameson. On the bridge beam, above the arm of Dale Alexander, is the high water mark of the 1909 flood; below his arm is the high water mark of the 1947 flood. The 1973 flood crest was approximately 32 inches lower than the 1909 mark.

The annual Graber Auction in July attracted large crowds and the attention of all ages.

Official records dated Sept. 5, 1842, describe the donation of land from Tobias Miller to School District #1. The year is not known when the first school building was built, but the first of note was a 2-story frame building with a belfry which heralded the school day for three generations. A 2-story brick building was erected in 1872 at a cost of $12,500 without furniture. This building housed four departments: elementary and primary, high school and grammar under the direction of a principal and three other teachers. (photo date unknown)

Here’s a brief explanation of what posts you’ll see in each category:

• • • Amish of Jamesport — data & images about the largest Amish community in Missouri
    • Cemetery Lists (through 1997) — a compilation of data from multiple sources
    • Crime Stories — unusual stories or crimes of significance regardless of date
    • Gone But Not Forgotten — primarily places, buildings, events, and other things
    • Jesse James & Outlaws — notorious outlaws with Daviess County connections
    • Maps & Ghost Towns — historical maps of various dates from many sources
    • Military & Wars — selected Daviess County veterans and wars’ local impact
    • Modern Milestones — posts and images since the last history book printed in 1985
    • Northwest Trails — noteworthy topics nearby but outside of Daviess County
    • People You Should Know — personalities prominent in Daviess County history
    • Pioneers & Mormons — early settlers, especially the Mormon impact in the county
    • The Great Depression — local perspectives during the county’s hardest era
    • The 1889 Squirrel Cage Jail — who, what, when and why the relic still stands

This site features historical articles first published by The Gallatin North Missourian and The Gallatin Democrat as well as information from atlases, history books, and other publications that define Daviess County, Missouri, and the people living here.

Ask questions, add comments or submit your photos at the bottom of each post. Submissions are reviewed and verified before shown online. Your comments are welcome; we especially welcome more photos you may be able to share.