The Greater Highlandville-Spokane Historical & Genealogical Society

The Greater Highlandville-Spokane Historical & Genealogical Society Focused on preservation and historical education efforts for the Greater Highlandville-Spokane area.

😂
09/14/2026

😂

What a great community event honoring military, law enforcement and first responders that serve so selflessly. This yea...
09/14/2026

What a great community event honoring military, law enforcement and first responders that serve so selflessly. This year’s celebration also commemorated America’s 250th and the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Thank you to Spokane FBC for hosting this patriotic celebration❤️🤍💙.

All are invited to the Meadows School & Cemetery Biennial Reunion on Saturday, September 26, 2026 beginning at 10:30 a.m...
09/10/2026

All are invited to the Meadows School & Cemetery Biennial Reunion on Saturday, September 26, 2026 beginning at 10:30 a.m.
See Elane (Bilyeu) Crum’s invitation to attend the event below:

https://facebook.com/events/s/meadows-school-reunion/930183870144177/

Celebrating 120 years of Meadows School, Family & Friends of Meadows School & Meadows Cemetery are invited to attend the Biennial Reunion on Saturday, September 26, 2026 beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Bring your lawn chairs and a covered dish for the potluck lunch to be served at noon. Following lunch will be fine entertainment from Mark Bilyeu and Cindy Woolf, AKA "The Creek Rocks". The Creek Rocks are the proud recipients of the 2024 Artist in Resonance Fellowship from the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Unfortunately we cannot meet inside the building because the 120 yr. old rock foundation is failing, allowing the school to twist and turn in all directions.
A fund-raising effort is underway for renovation and renewal of Meadows School. We are a Non-Profit, 501(c)(3) organization and welcome all donations. Donations can be mailed to Meadows Cemetery of Taney County, 379 Cascade Rd., Forsyth, MO 65653 or given at the Reunion. If you prefer to give electronically, I will attach a QR Code or you can contact me for Cash App.
Please share this information with any of your friends or family that might be interested as I do not have email addresses for some of our members. I have sent letters by US MAIL to those who do not have email.

Elane Bilyeu Crum
417-239-4059

Meadows School and Cemetery is located on the edge of the southeastern portion of Owl Country. Several local families have ties to ancestors that are buried in the Meadows Cemetery, or that attended the Meadows School. This event is a feel-good day of great food and visiting with one another. You don’t have to be a Meadows to attend…it’s a fun event for everyone. The reunion provides a wonderful opportunity to learn of the area’s history and genealogy. Hope to see you there! Please share with others😊

A wonderful post by Wayne Glenn (The Old Record Collector) about Spokane, Missouri ❤️
08/11/2026

A wonderful post by Wayne Glenn (The Old Record Collector) about Spokane, Missouri ❤️

Have any of you ever visited Bonniebrook in the very southernmost part of the GHSHGS’ reach? Bonniebrook was artist and ...
08/01/2026

Have any of you ever visited Bonniebrook in the very southernmost part of the GHSHGS’ reach?
Bonniebrook was artist and writer, Rose O’Neil’s, home. Rose was most famous for her creation of the Kewpie Doll, which was reportedly the most widely recognized cartoon character, worldwide, until Mickey Mouse came along.
My closest connection to Rose O’Neill occurred while I attended College of the Ozarks in the early 1990s. I worked as a server at the Friendship house, in what was once called the Rose O’Neill Dining Room. While working there, I became “closely” acquainted with the Kewpie Dolls as they all stared at me from the shelves of the adjoining gift shop😂.
Additionally, my grandfather, Vollie Sportsman, was a resident of Walnut Shade and reportedly attended dances hosted by Rose at Bonniebrook. I would suspect that he most likely accompanied my great uncle, Clint Sportsman, who was an amazing fiddle player and would have gladly played there alongside other musicians, if the opportunity arose.
Furthermore, when I taught at Ozark High School, I recall that on at least one occasion the OHS Tigers had to play Columbia, Missouri’s Hickman High School in some form of competition. Interestingly enough Hickman High had the Kewpie as their school mascot😲. Needless to say my students were pretty confident that, “a tiger could beat a fat baby any day of the week!” I am not sure that was the outcome, but the trash talk was pretty fun leading up to this sporting event😁.
Lastly, I personally took my son and a friend of his on a day trip, to explore the grounds of Bonniebrook years ago. We loved the replica of Rose O’Neill’s house, and the grounds were beautiful.
Bonniebrook is a lovely place that is definitely worth visiting, and it’s in our own backyard!
I am sure that many of our followers have stories of their own Rose O’Neill lore. We would love for you to share your tales with us!

Here are some links you might find interesting:

Fiddle music played by Clint Sportsman and Hosea Bilyeu and friends:
https://youtu.be/o7UANKCBBMQ

Historic Missourians: Rose O’Neill
https://historicmissourians.shsmo.org/rose-oneill/

Bonniebrook Museum:
https://share.google/hURiW18QEd0PvTEfB

This photo was taken from Wayne Glenn (The Old Record Collector)’s post featuring the Sims family that would have been f...
07/18/2026

This photo was taken from Wayne Glenn (The Old Record Collector)’s post featuring the Sims family that would have been from the eastern side of the GHSHGS’ area possibly near Tory, down O Hwy.
Please comment with any information you have about this family, or if any of you are related.

Wayne Glenn (The Old Record Collector) posted these photos that have ties to the southern part of Owl Country down Hwy 1...
07/17/2026

Wayne Glenn (The Old Record Collector) posted these photos that have ties to the southern part of Owl Country down Hwy 176. Feel free to share any information or tales that you have about these people or places.

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Highlandville, MO
65669

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