By SAMANTHA TUCKER
Staff Writer
The building the Poplar Bluff History Museum occupies is an exhibit in and of itself.
The former Mark Twain School began construction in 1910, the same year its beloved Missourian namesake died.
It functioned until 1988, after which a group of citizens began its transformation into a museum by organizing the school’s Sports Hall of Fame there.
The school district eventually sold the Mark Twain building to the Poplar Bluff History Museum’s founders for $1.
“I think it makes it a neat place for a museum because a lot of people really connect with it,” said museum board secretary Kati Ray.
Today, the classrooms are transformed into galleries dedicated to Poplar Bluff sports, military history, conservation, law enforcement, medical history and more. All of its items are donated. The board initially took in anything interesting and old, according to Ray, but they now angle their collection toward local history.
“We want it to be more intentional toward Poplar Bluff,” she said.
“If we can figure out a Poplar Bluff connection, we’ll probably take it,” added Clinton Salyer, board vice president.
Salyer curates three rooms in the museum, serves as a docent and also scans the museum’s vast collection of vintage photographs. This protects the images from being lost in a disaster while compiling a database of local history. He can help any visitor search the database for photographs from eras past.
“I’ve scanned over, I’m going to guess 50,000 photos by now,” he estimated.
Every exhibit space has its own highlights, including vintage cheerleading uniforms, the counter from Saracini’s grocery store, original James Dalton adding machines, a yearbook collection from 1920 to present — only missing 1941 — and more.
Maintaining and preserving these artifacts falls to the board, which Ray noted has no formal conservation training and continues learning new methods on how to preserve the pieces. Salyer and Ray recently discovered the burlap display backing and fluorescent lights in the museum cause long-term harm to antiques, and are planning to replace them with plywood and LEDs.
“We’re not museum experts. We’re not curators, we’re not trained in preservation of artifacts and but we’re just kind of doing the best we can,” Ray said.
Caring for the building itself is a group effort. Every board member has talents and experience that help.
“We kind of have different people with different strengths,” Ray said. “And they all bring valuable skills to the table.”
All their efforts at the Poplar Bluff History Museum are carried by the community’s overwhelming generosity, Ray said, and watching people connect with and support history is deeply fulfilling.
“It seems like every time we have the museum open and I’m there as a docent, somebody comes in and says, I have never been in here and I’ve lived here all my life. And I love that they’re making it in the door and coming to see what we have lately,” she said.
Salyer finds visitors often come in to enjoy a peek at times remembered but long gone.
“A lot of people just like to see it. A lot of people like to revisit the past and a lot of people like to see how it was at one time,” he said.
The board tries to include items visitors of all ages can enjoy, according to Ray, and she finds even kids find themselves relating to events, people and items from decades ago.
“It’s neat to see those kids come in and find something to connect to,” she said.
She hopes they will soon have more opportunities to connect with history.
One of the board’s priorities is expanding their hours, and just off the Kanell Hall military history exhibit a new Hall of Heroes is taking shape.
Curator and board member Mike Shane is on a quest to find photos of every Butler County veteran who ever served, past and present. The hall is almost solid photographs now from just above the floor to above head height, but Ray noted she still sees new additions when she walks through.
“We can go all the way the ceiling, I think,” she mused.
The Poplar Bluff History Museum is run through the passion of its board members and supporters. For Ray, her motivation to keep documenting, researching and preserving history is the thrill of discovery, for herself and others. Furthermore, she believes knowing the past is vital for everyone.
“I feel like it’s important for people to remember history, local and world history,” she said.
The Poplar Bluff History Museum is located at 1010 North Main Street and is open 14 p.m. every Sunday. More information about the museum can be found at www.pbmuseum.org.