Bit of History -- September 23, 2026

From the front page of the Ridgeway Journal dated September 14, 1922:

Members of the Buchanan County Medical Society might have been slightly confused by two items. The first announced that a free clinic was being offered by the Noyes Hospital in St. Joseph during which members could receive free services for “diagnosis, treatment or operation” on September 19 and 20 In the Methodist Church notes, the same announcement was made, but the clinic was to be held at the Ensworth Hospital in St. Joseph. It is possible that clinics would be held at both, but that was not clear.

The Methodists also “closed its 41^st year of organized activity for the Master.” Of the original eleven trustees, three were “supposed to still be living”. They included John Opdyke, Jap Travis and Morris Sellers.”

The 1922 North Missouri District Fair was considered to be “success despite the fact that rain Friday night and Saturday put a finish to the program and the fair ended with the racing and free attraction Friday afternoon.”

The Rex Theatre was showing “Beyond the Rocks”, starting Gloria Swanson

Bit of History -- September 16, 2026

From the pages of the Ridgeway Journal in September 1932:

In both the September 15 and September 22 issues were a set of three pictures of babies and young children with the headline: “Do You Remember Them Then?” The mystery was solved in the September 29^th issue with this explanation: “The baby pictures which have appeared in the last two issues of the Journal have been recognized.” They were all members of the Ridgeway class of 1919 and were identified as Gemma Rakestraw, Joseph Loveless and Paul Grant in the pictures published on the 15^th and Garland Arvin, Garland Frost and Paul Grant again on the 22^nd. There were 14 in their class, but only eight had baby pictures available. The paper promised to print their senior portraits but I was unable to find them reprinted in the paper. However, you can find their class composite on the Ridgeway School website in the Alumni pages. The school website is www.ridgewayr5.net.

Bit of History -- September 2, 2026

From the front page of the Ridgeway Journal dated September 3, 1931:

The Lewis Cafe building, owned by L. Y. Spragg, caught fire during the early hours of the previous Wednesday morning. Ridgeway fire fighters were called out early enough that the fire was brought under control quickly, despite the fact that the fire bell didn’t “function as it should and a lot of people didn’t even hear it.” The fire originated in the kitchen and was first detected by Mrs. Lewis who lived over the Cafe. “Presumably it caught from a defective flue or was the result of electric wiring.” After the fire, the Lewis family moved to the Linch Graham property.

After the fire, the editor wished that “the next time Ridgeway has a fire, it would happen before bedtime or about time to get up in the morning.” He would rather sleep than have to roll out of bed to fight a fire which “is not a pleasant pastime.”

“Two aeroplanes” flew around Ridgeway but “did not stop long enough to get acquainted.” They were from Trenton and also stopped in Blythedale.

The editor, Fred M. Sanderson, wrote a long column describing a trip he and his family took to see friends and family back home “in the county of Ray.” They stopped in Knoxville, Morton, Orrick and Lawson, visiting and collecting gifts of produce and chickens along the way. They enjoyed their visit, especially getting to see their youngest grandson.

The First National Bank, which had closed permanently eight months earlier, announced a second dividend of 15% which was to be paid to depositors. This was in addition to the 40% which had been paid earlier. “This is considered to be very good management on the part of the receiver, W. J. Gebhard.”