Treasures of the Malden Historical Museum

The Museum continues to host a special exhibit for Narvel Felts who has just completed his successful tour in Italy. Coming home, he will have little time to rest before appearing at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Mo. on August 15 then on to the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa on the 16th. Come by to see his Exhibit including his Gold Record for Drift Away. I just came into possession of two tickets for the Narvel Felts concert September 22 at the Lady Luck Casino. The museum will be giving them away Alumni Weekend so come into the museum to view Narvel's Special Exhibit and register for the free tickets. The drawing will be held at the Alumni Luncheon after the parade on Saturday.

The Museum would like for you to check and see if you have some Malden High School yearbooks. We have a good collection up to the 1970s. We need the 80s, 90s and 2000 to current years. If you find extras please share with the Malden Historical Museum. We are still requesting that you send us your family histories for the Archive Room. Come by and talk to me about this, maybe I can help you get started.

During the Alumni Weekend the MHM will be hosting a Highlights of Bootheel History Seminar Thursday, August 31 with Paul Arnold highly acclaimed Malden High School history teacher. We will have one at 5 p.m. and one at 6 pm. Call the museum to reserve your seat. Space is limited. There will also be a genealogy seminar for beginners on Thursday the 31st at 7:30 p.m. on how to get started. There will be a $10 fee for this due to supplies you will be provided. You must sign up and have your fee paid by Monday, August 27 or you will not be guaranteed a seat. You must sign up for these seminars call me at (573) 380- 1322 to get your seat reserved.

Again we turn to the pages of the Malden Press of 1912 to see what was of interest one hundred years ago.

"While in town last Saturday, that splendid little farmer, John Wagster, ordered the Merit sent to his uncle R. B. Cuffman, at Allen, Tex. John says his mother and her sister, Mrs. John Castleman, have recently returned from a visit at that place and report crops look very promising."

"Caught Selling 'Wet Goods'. Deputy Sheriff Johnny Summers made an important catch at the picnic grounds last Saturday night, even if he did have to play like he was beastly drunk. He arrested Ed Curtis, Roxy Howard, Harvy Kroshon and Oscar McKenzie for the illicit sale of whiskey. Constable Oglesby and Marshal Coons assisted him in making the arrest. As we go to press Thursday afternoon, Ed. Curtis plead guilty and received a fine of $300 and 90 days in jail. The other defendants are standing trial. Deputy Sheriff Summers certainly did a clever piece of detective work in making the catch."

"Malden Merit, August 9, 1912: Drainage Project Affair, Practically all obstacles have been removed from the petition for the Little River Drainage District at Poplar Bluff last Friday. When the district and Louis Houck entered into an agreement which stopped litigation in court and amicably settled their differences.

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Mr. Houck had fifty- two exceptions filed, and all other wise was settled. It is said that the Thebes Bridge and Terminal company, in which he is heavily interested, received $10,000 and his own private lines of railroad got $130,000 from the district.

On a tract of 1,300 acres on the edge of Scott county, the assessment was reduced by Judge Sheppard from about $48,000 to about $25,000. This was also a Houck matter, he and the district attorneys, Oliver & Oliver of Cape Girardeau, having agreed not to appeal from the court's finding.

This drainage district covers several counties and comprises hundreds of thousands of acres. The estimated cost of the project is almost $4,000,000, with resultant benefits of probably $14,000,000. Hundreds of landowners have been involved in the litigation and at one time the Iron Mountain railroad got a Supreme Court injunction pending decision regarding the jurisdiction of the Butler county circuit court."

Just added to our gift shop, we have CDs available featuring early Malden residents who in 1988-1989 gave interviews telling of the life and times during the years of Malden. It is very interesting to listen to them tell of the good times and the hard times.