A sewing room was established in the Daviess County Courthouse to help both the needy and to provide jobs. The Sewing Room was located at the courthouse and workers received 30 cents per hour with the exception of a few skilled workers who were paid 40 cents per hour....
In 1936, as the Great Depression was starting to wind down, the Public Works Administration (PWA) was still very active. Probably one of the biggest things constructed in the Gallatin area with the use of PWA grants was a new high school building located adjacent to...
Daviess County’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects started with a bang in November of 1935, the number working reaching nearly 300 men and 53 women in just the first three days. This injects a $10,000 a month payroll into the local economy. The...
In the 20s and 30s, mud roads became outdated by the arrival of the automobiles. Gravel roads became a must. State funds were now utilized to establish rock quarries. At one time, Daviess County utilized 47 men to work on a seven mile stretch of road. A Gallatin...
The Relief Program started in September, 1932, grew rapidly. By January of 1935, Daviess County alone paid out over $71,000 for relief purposes. At this time the county had over 1,600 people either partially or wholly on relief. In the 28-month period of the program,...
The National Recovery Administration (NRA) was established during the Great Depression era. One of it’s main duties was to regulate the working hours and the pay for towns both large and small. Since Gallatin, MO, was classified in the group of having less than...
In 1934, the government established three types of relief gardens to help feed the hungry people. The demand for these gardens were expected to exceed any year thus far with 60,000 gardens to be planted in the Missouri, including some in Daviess County. It was hoped...
By 1934, many Daviess County farmers were in debt “over their heads.” Thus, legislation needed to be passed. After a 17-month period, there were over $318,000 Land Bank Loans in Daviess County, MO. The Emergency Farm Mortgage Act was passed in an attempt...
In the third quarter of 1934, Daviess County residents were granted an additional $10,000 in relief funds. The funds were composed of three $2,500 payments, plus labor in payment of $2,500 in soybean seed which would complete the $10,000. The allotment would be...
In 1933, recruiting Daviess County’s reforestation army was coming to an end with the recruiting number being filled. Seven of the boys would go from Gallatin, but no word had been received as to when the other 30 boys would arrive. To be designated, they would...
Visit the 1889 Squirrel Cage Jail, located 2 blocks west of the Daviess County Courthouse in Gallatin, MO. This historic relic is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as a visitors’ center — by appointment,
Trudi Burton, ph: 660.663.7342