The Ozark Land and Lumber Company Band in Shannon County, MO. Photo from the Priscilla Evans Photograph Collection, State Historical Society of Missouri.
The Curtis Laws Wilson Library at Missouri S&T will host an exhibition about local musical history during October. “On a Miner Note: Musical Miners and Missouri Sounds” opens with a public reception 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, featuring a presentation by State Historical Society of Missouri archivist Haley Frizzle-Green on the history of Springfield-based broadcasting company RadiOzark. Light refreshments will be served.
The exhibition will be housed on the second floor of the library from Tuesday, Oct. 3, to Thursday, Oct. 26. Created by the State Historical Society of Missouri (SHSMO) and the Missouri S&T Archives, “On a Miner Note” explores the history of music in Rolla and Phelps County, including the establishment of the Western Conservatory of Music and the founding of a community band. The exhibition also highlights the history of KMNR, Missouri S&T’s campus radio station.
SHSMO’s new traveling exhibit “Broadcasting the Ozarks: A History of RadiOzark Enterprises” will also be on display in the library. The exhibit showcases the history of Springfield’s RadiOzark Enterprises, the company behind nationally syndicated radio programs such as The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, The Red Foley Show, and Shorty Thompson’s Saddle Rockin’ Rhythm. Visitors can learn about Springfield’s legacy as the “Crossroads of Country Music” and listen to audio clips from the RadiOzark Record Collection. The exhibition is made possible by the Melinda J. McDaniel Charitable Trust, UW, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee.
In addition to the opening reception, other free public events co-sponsored by the Missouri S&T Archives and SHSMO’s Rolla Research Center are planned in S&T’s Curtis Laws Wilson Library during October. These include:
For more information and to register for the Zoom streams, visit shsmo.org/events. For links to resources related to the exhibit, visit libguides.mst.edu/OnAMinerNote.
About the Curtis Laws Wilson Library
The Curtis Laws Wilson Library is located on the Missouri S&T campus at 400 W. 14th St. in Rolla. Dedicated in 1968, the library is named in honor of Curtis Laws Wilson, who served dean of the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, now known as Missouri S&T, from 1941 to 1963. Learn more about the library at library.mst.edu.
About Missouri University of Science and Technology
Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System and located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 101 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top 10 universities for return on investment, according to Business Insider. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.
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