November 25, 2023

“Sgt. Ruie Treece reporting for duty, sir,” Poplar Bluff High School junior Drew Noble spoke with passion as he shared the story of the World War I soldier-in-training buried at the Poplar Bluff City Cemetery. Unfortunately, Treece wasn’t able to fight on the front lines like he had planned. He was struck by lightning and killed instantly at Camp Clark in Nevada, Missouri, on Aug. 19, 1917...

Katie Ray

“Sgt. Ruie Treece reporting for duty, sir,” Poplar Bluff High School junior Drew Noble spoke with passion as he shared the story of the World War I soldier-in-training buried at the Poplar Bluff City Cemetery. Unfortunately, Treece wasn’t able to fight on the front lines like he had planned. He was struck by lightning and killed instantly at Camp Clark in Nevada, Missouri, on Aug. 19, 1917.

Butler County Community Resource Council and the Poplar Bluff Museum partnered to create a series of historical walking tours held in October and early November. The tours were part of the CRC’s “Walktober” designed to help Butler Countians walk and enjoy exercise. The tours were led by Kati Ray with the Poplar Bluff Museum.

The first tour was Oct. 7, in Downtown North and featured the New Life Christian Church United. Pastor John Harwell welcomed the tour into the sanctuary with soft piano music. Karen Murphy and other members of the church provided fall refreshments. The second tour was Oct. 14, in Downtown West. The third tour on Oct. 21, walked the path of the May 9, 1927 tornado as it passed through Downtown.

The final historical walking tour was held in the Poplar Bluff City and Woodlawn Cemeteries on the rain date of Nov. 5. In addition to Drew Noble, the tour featured five other actors portraying notable men and women from Poplar Bluff’s history. PBHS junior Virginiagrace Vandewarker portrayed Annette Bulow Seipel who died in 1914. She has two monuments, including a beautiful angel in the northern part of the City Cemetery.

Harley Stilwell, also a junior at PBHS, portrayed a woman from the 1960’s talking about the Triangle Club and the advertising campaign by Silent George Couch. Many residents remember the billboards around Poplar Bluff stating “Silent George is verry happy!” (Note: the billboards had two r’s in very.)

PBHS sophomore Claire Funke shared the story of Mary Christian. Christian lost her 4-year-old daughter, Wilma, in the 1927 tornado. Her niece, Pearl Brown, also died from her injuries after the wind pulled her out of her mother’s arms on the east side.

The only actor who wasn’t a student was Clinton Salyer from the Poplar Bluff Museum Board of Directors. His portrayal of Jesse Reynolds kept the tour awake when he came from behind an above-ground crypt to tell about the “burnt block” that was downtown from 1909 to 1941.

The final actor in the tour was PBHS junior Jack Funke, sharing the story of Thomas Don Ferguson. Ferguson was killed in action Jan. 27, 1945, in the Vosges Mountains in France. The Ferguson family was prominent in Butler County for many generations.

Joyanne Bates said, “I so enjoyed the tours. The cemetery tour was extra special. The Chautauqua-like characters added a lot.”

Amy Shirrell added, “These walks have been so interesting and I hope there are more in the future.”

Forty-two people attended the Cemetery Tour. In total, 157 people attended all of the tours.

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