JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MARCH 7, 2018 – As part of their ongoing St. Charles History Talks lecture series, The Friends of the First Missouri State Capitol will present the following lectures:
March 15 – Frederick Bates, 2nd Governor of Missouri
Join the staff of Thornhill in St. Louis to learn about our second Governor Frederick Bates. Bates served under both the territorial and state governments while Missouri was in its infancy. Bates was known for his dislike of public life as well as his talent of administration. (You may also ask about his very famous brother who served on Lincoln’s cabinet.)
April 19 – Dr. Jeff Smith, Rural Cemetery Movement
Dr. Jeffrey Smith of Lindenwood University talks about the Rural Cemetery Movement and how St. Charles fits into this paradigm. Rural cemeteries broke conventional notions of burials and graveyards and showed a new way for people to mourn surrounded by the beauty of a landscaped cemetery.
May 17 – Dr. Thomas Gubbels, Lifting Missouri Out of the Mud
Join Dr. Thomas Gubbels, associate professor of history at Lincoln University, for a presentation on the Missouri Highway System in the 20th century. Topics include the creation of the Missouri State Highway Department and political resistance to road construction as well as discussions of Missouri’s Centennial Road Law and the state’s role in the creation of Route 66 and the interstate highway system.
June 21 – Theresa Graff, Rose Philippine Duchesne
The Shrine of Saint Phillipine Duchesne in St. Charles is a lasting tribute to the French missionary who brought formalized education and a zeal for sharing the Catholic religion to the Missouri Frontier. Canonized in 1988, this incredible woman is memorialized at the shrine here in St. Charles. Join the site’s archivist Theresa Graff in exploring the fascinating work of St. Phillipine Duchesne.
A $10 donation is suggested and includes a membership to the Friends of the First Missouri State Capitol.
The First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site is located at 200 South Main Street, St. Charles. For more information about the event, call the First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site at 636-940-3322.
For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
###