MO -- View of Springfield, MO from the University Plaza hotel:
- Bruce Guthrie Photos Home Page: [Click here] to go to Bruce Guthrie Photos home page.
- Recognize anyone? If you recognize specific folks (or other stuff) and I haven't labeled them, please identify them for the world. Click the little pencil icon
underneath the file name (just above the picture). Spammers need not apply.
- Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.
- Accessing as Spider: The system has identified your IP as being a spider.
IP Address: 3.128.78.41 -- Domain: Amazon Technologies
I love well-behaved spiders! They are, in fact, how most people find my site. Unfortunately, my network has a limited bandwidth and pictures take up bandwidth. Spiders ask for lots and lots of pages and chew up lots and lots of bandwidth which slows things down considerably for regular folk. To counter this, you'll see all the text on the page but the images are being suppressed. Also, some system options like merges are being blocked for you.
Note: Permission is NOT granted for spiders, robots, etc to use the site for AI-generation purposes. I'm sure you're thrilled by your ability to make revenue from my work but there's nothing in that for my human users or for me.
If you are in fact human, please email me at guthrie.bruce@gmail.com and I can check if your designation was made in error. Given your number of hits, that's unlikely but what the hell.
- Help? The Medium (Email) links are for screen viewing and emailing. You'll want bigger sizes for printing. [Click here for additional help]
|
[1] SPRINV_080420_01.JPG
|
[2] SPRINV_080420_08.JPG
|
[3] SPRINV_080420_13.JPG
|
[4] SPRINV_080420_16.JPG
|
[5] SPRINV_080420_24.JPG
|
[6] SPRINV_080420_25.JPG
|
[7] SPRINV_080420_32.JPG
|
- Wikipedia Description: Springfield, Missouri
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Springfield is a city in Christian and Greene Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. On July 1, 2006, its estimated population was 150,797, of whom 150,790 lived in Greene County and 7 lived in Christian County, making it the third largest city statewide. It is the county seat of Greene County. The Metropolitan Statistical Area for Springfield includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Lawerence, Polk, and Webster. According to Forbes Magazine's list of "America's Wildest Weather Cities," Springfield is the city with the most varied weather in the nation.
Name:
The origin of the name Springfield remains unclear. Writing in 1883 the historian R. I. Holcombe states, "The town took its name from the circumstance of there being a spring under the hill, on the creek, while on top of the hill, where the principal portion of the town lay, there was a field." He goes on to note, "This version of the origin of the name is disputed by the editor of the Springfield Express, Mr. J. G. Newbill, who, in the issue of his paper, November 11, 1881, says: 'It has been stated that this city got its name from the fact of a spring and field being near by just west of town. But such is not a correct version. When the authorized persons met and adopted the title of the "Future Great" of the Southwest, several of the earliest settlers had handed in their favorite names, among whom was Kindred Rose, who presented the winning name, "Springfield," in honor of his former home town, Springfield, Robertson county, Tennessee.'" The most common view is that the city was named for Springfield, Massachusetts. One story is that a man named James Wilson, who lived in the then unnamed city, offered free whiskey to everyone who would vote for naming it after his home town of Springfield, Massachusetts.
Springfield's nickname is the "The Queen City." It is also known as "The Cultural Center of the Ozarks." The area formerly known as North Springfield was once known as Moon City. Springfield is also known as "The Birthplace of Route 66," due to its early connection with the designation of U.S. Route 66. A placard in Park Central Square was dedicated to the city by the Route 66 Association of Missouri for its prominent role in the birth of Route 66.
--
Battle of Springfield I
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The First Battle of Springfield or Zagonyi's Charge was a battle of the American Civil War that occurred on October 25, 1861, in Greene County, Missouri. It was the only Union victory in southwestern Missouri in 1861.
Having accomplished little since taking command of the Western Department with headquarters in St. Louis, Maj. Gen. John C. Frémont formulated a plan to clear Maj. Gen. Sterling Price's Confederates from the state and then, if possible, carry the war into Arkansas and Louisiana. Leaving St. Louis on October 7, 1861, Frémont's combined force eventually numbered more than 20,000. His accompanying cavalry force, numbering 5,000 men and other mounted troops, included Maj. Frank J. White's Prairie Scouts and Frémont's Body Guards under Maj. Charles Zagonyi. Maj. White became ill and turned his command over to Zagonyi. These two units operated in front of Frémont’s army to gather intelligence.
As Frémont neared Springfield, the local state guard commander, Col. Julian Frazier, sent out requests to nearby localities for additional troops. Frémont camped on the Pomme de Terre River, about 50 miles from Springfield. Zagonyi's column, though, continued on to Springfield, and Frazier's force of 1,000 to 1,500 prepared to meet it. Frazier set up an ambush along the road that Zagonyi traveled, but the Union force charged the Confederates, sending them fleeing. Zagonyi's men continued into town, hailed Federal sympathizers and released Union prisoners. Leery of a Confederate counterattack, Zagonyi departed Springfield before night, but Frémont's army returned, in force, a few days later and set up camp in the town.
In mid-November, after Frémont was sacked and replaced by Maj. Gen. David Hunter, the Federals evacuated Springfield and withdrew to Sedalia and Rolla. Federal troops reoccupied Springfield in early 1862 and it was a Union stronghold from then on.
--
Battle of Springfield II
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Second Battle of Springfield was a battle in the American Civil War fought January 8, 1863, in Springfield, Missouri. It is sometimes known as The Battle of Springfield. (The First Battle of Springfield was fought on October 25, 1861, and there was also the better-known Battle of Wilson's Creek, fought nearby on August 10, 1861.) Fighting was urban and house-to-house, which was rare in the war.
Prelude:
On December 31, 1862, three columns of cavalry under the command of Brigadier General John S. Marmaduke left Lewisburg, Arkansas and trotted north on separate roads toward Missouri and the Union supply line. Confederate Brigadier General John Sappington Marmaduke’s immediate objective was the destruction of the Union Army of the Frontier’s major winter supply depot, housed in and around Springfield, Missouri’s Public Square. If successful, Marmaduke would cause severe hardship for the Army of the Frontier and almost certainly would force the Union army’s withdrawal from Arkansas.
Marmaduke's main column proceeded north through Forsyth, Missouri to Ozark, Missouri. A Union garrison stationed at Ozark withdrew and the Confederates burned its abandoned fort. A second column, commanded by Colonel Emmett McDonald, destroyed the Union fort at Lawrence Mill on Beaver Creek, north of Forsyth. The third column, under Colonel Joseph C. Porter passed north through Hartville. All three commands were to converge on Springfield in an attempt to capture the city's lightly defended warehouses of military supplies.
Preparation:
On the afternoon of January 7, 1863, Federals from the Ozark garrison reached Springfield and informed the local commander, Brigadier General Egbert Brown, that a Confederate cavalry force, with an estimated strength somewhere between 4,000 and 6,000 men, was headed for Springfield. Having only 1343 veteran soldiers, Brown mulled over two options. He could destroy all of the Union Army of the Frontier's winter supplies at Springfield and retreat, or he could defend the town. General Grant on December 23, 1862 had published a major censure of the Union commander and forces which had participated in the disgraceful surrender of Grant's Holly Springs supply depot. No doubt, Brown recalling this censure, had a strong reason to favor the defense of Springfield.
Brown's subordinates favored the defense of the city also. The general immediately sent dispatches to the surrounding communities, calling forth the Enrolled Missouri Militia with orders to hurry to Springfield. Brown also ordered the removal of 50,000 rations from Springfield into Fort Number 1 and prepared for the burning of the armory in the event of defeat. Meanwhile, at Dr. Samuel Melcher's suggestion, Captain Byron Carr mounted three cannon onto wagon wheels.
During the following morning, the Federals issued arms and ammunition to soldiers and civilians alike. Although Springfield was lightly garrisoned, it had one distinct advantage. It was surrounded by a network of four completed earthen forts which commanded the high ground.
Battle:
As the morning of January 8, 1863 dawned, two of the Confederate columns under Marmaduke approached Springfield from the south. Since Porter's and McDonald's columns had yet to arrive, Marmaduke occupied the early morning with foraging and capturing some of the Enrolled Missouri Militia about five miles from Springfield. With McDonald finally present by 10:30 a.m., the Confederates dismounted three regiments about three miles from Springfield and advanced to feel out the Union lines and develop their strength. After the Confederates had pushed two Union Missouri State Militia Cavalry Regiments two miles north, the smoking ruins of burning homes on the outskirts of Springfield came into view. To provide an unobstructed view for his artillery in Fort No. 4 (located on the east side of South Avenue between Elm and Cherry Streets), Brown at the last minute ordered a number of homes burned along South Avenue.
Colonel Joseph Orville Shelby took command of the tactical operations, launching piecemeal assaults upon the Union center and west flank. The Confederates advanced over open ground against Fort Number 4, seeking such shelter as they could get from tree stumps, piles of rock, and the charred remains of the homes burned by the Union forces. Despite repeated efforts, the assault on the fort failed.
Shelby then resolved to take Springfield by an oblique attack from the west. The Confederates were drawn by the cover offered by a ravine that led uphill toward town from what is now the intersection of Grand Avenue and Grant Street. At the head of this draw stood a two-story brick academy surrounded by a stockade. Used by the Federals as a prison, it stood just west of what is now the intersection of Campbell Avenue and State Street. The Union forces failed to garrison the college stockade, so the Confederates were able to seize the building easily and use it as their own fortress to return the fire from Fort No. 4. However, heavy fighting soon erupted around the stockade as the Union forces attempted to retake the college and stockade. The Confederates found a local advantage in numbers and pressed their own attack. This phase of the assault saw the most severe casualties, hand-to-hand fighting, and the capture of a cannon by the Confederates. Union troops on the west flank also were pushed back to College Street from their original position along the Old Wire Road. But Union reinforcements halted the Confederate drive and even pushed back the Confederates to the vicinity of State Street.
With the sun sinking, Marmaduke launched a final assault against Fort No. 4. The Union forces again repelled the attack. As night fell, the Confederates withdrew to the Phelps farm (now Phelps Grove Park). The Battle of Springfield had ended, and the Union supply depot was safe.
Aftermath:
What were the Casualties? Of the approximately 2,099 Union troops engaged, 19 were killed or missing and 146 were wounded for a total loss of 165 men (7.9 Percent). Of the approximately 1,870 Confederate troops present, 45 were killed or missing and 105 were wounded for a total loss of 150 men (8.0 percent). The absence of Porter's column, had greatly impeded Marmaduke's chances of success at Springfield. Within four days, the Confederate raiders retreated to Arkansas. Springfield continued to remain an important supply and medical center for the Union army in the West.
A series of twelve interpretive markers have recently been placed throughout downtown Springfield at the important sites of the battle. They are intended to be visited in sequence on a walking tour. The first marker is located near Park Central Square on Jefferson Avenue between Olive Street and Water Street.
Among the Confederate dead was Spencer McCoy, son of Kansas City, Missouri founder John C. McCoy. The elder McCoy who was exiled from Kansas City in General Order No. 11 (1863) was allowed to come to Springfield to claim his son who is buried with him in Union Cemetery in Kansas City.
--
John Q. Hammons
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Q. Hammons (born James Quentin Hammons on February 24, 1919) is an American businessman and one of the nation's premier developers of upscale luxury hotels and resorts. With over 50 years of experience in the hotel industry, John Q. Hammons has built and developed nearly two hundred (200) hotels. While many of the early hotels were Holiday Inns, today's portfolio of hotels include Marriott brands (Renaissance, Courtyard by Marriott, and Residence Inn by Marriott), Hilton brands (Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, and Homewood Suites), and several independent properties including those named University Plazas and the award-winning Chateau on the Lake Resort and Conference Center in Branson, Missouri.
Education:
John Q. Hammons grew up in Fairview, Missouri, attended Fairview Elementary School and graduated in 1937 from Fairview High School. He was one of 12 graduating students that year. Immediately following high school, Hammons attended the Monett Junior College and the Southwest Missouri Teacher's College (now known as Missouri State University) where he received his teaching certificate in 1939.
Early career:
Upon graduating in 1939 with a teacher's certificate from Southwest Missouri Teacher's College, Mr. Hammons began teaching science, history, and physical education to junior high school students in Cassville, Missouri. His teacher's salary for the first year was $40 per month and was raised to $45 per month in the second year. During this time, he served as a Cub Scout Cubmaster and the junior high school basketball coach.
The entry of the United States in World War Two, following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, forever changed history and Mr. Hammons's life. In early 1942, John Q. Hammons left the academic world and joined the Lytle Green Construction Company of Des Moines, Iowa to work as a cost accountant on the Alaskan-Canadian Highway project which was also known as the Alcan Highway and nicknamed the Road to Tokyo. This was to be Mr. Hammons's first experience in the construction industry and one which would shape his future. During his time in Alaska, Hammons saved every penny he earned and invested in the stock market. Upon completion of the highway and his return from Alaska, Hammons had managed to amass nearly $60,000 in savings.
From 1943 to the end of the war, John Q. Hammons served in the Merchant Marines on a supply ship supporting troops in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of war. When the war ended, John Q. Hammons had achieved the rank of Lieutenant JG (junior grade).
Sports Enthusiast:
Mr. Hammons's interest and fondness for sports began during his childhood years. He played basketball, which was to become one his life's passions, during all four years of high school. At approximately 5'9" in height, John Q. Hammons was not particularly tall, but he could shoot the ball extremely well and was usually the high scorer.
He continued his interest in basketball during his teaching years as a junior high school basketball coach. In two year of coaching, his team lost only one game in the first year and went on to be undefeated in the second year.
He also played several years on the baseball team during high school and developed a passion for another sport in which he would play a key role in later years. His passion for baseball culminated in the construction of one of the nation's premier baseball parks in Springfield, Missouri. At a cost of $32M, Hammons Field opened in April 2004 and is a first-class, state of the art stadium, and serves as home for the Springfield Cardinals. The Springfield Cardinals are a Double A affiliate team of the St. Louis Cardinals and play in the Texas League.
Personal life:
Born on February 24, 1919 to James O. and Hortense Bass Hammons. His sister, Wrenna Quentilla, was born on December 20, 1921. Grew up in Fairview, Missouri. Married Juanita K. Baxter on September 2, 1949 at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Missouri.
Originally used the name "John Q." when he would introduce himself to city leaders or organizations as a way to convey the message that he was there representing the general public and progress. After a while, the name stuck and he has forever become John Q. Hammons.
- Bigger photos? To save server space, the full-sized versions of these images have either not been loaded to the server or have been removed from the server. (Only some pages are loaded with full-sized images and those usually get removed after three months.)
I still have them though. If you want me to email them to you, please send an email to guthrie.bruce@gmail.com
and I can email them to you, or, depending on the number of images, just repost the page again will the full-sized images.
- Connection Not Secure messages? Those warnings you get from your browser about this site not having secure connections worry some people. This means this site does not have SSL installed (the link is http:, not https:). That's bad if you're entering credit card numbers, passwords, or other personal information. But this site doesn't collect any personal information so SSL is not necessary. Life's good!
- Photo Contact: [Email Bruce Guthrie].