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.”

Bit of History -- August 26, 2026

From the front page of the Ridgeway Journal dated August 24, 1911:

The Ridgeway public schools were scheduled to begin classes on Monday, September 4. The school superintendent, J. R. Hale, reminded parents of the new Missouri law for compulsory attendance for children between the ages of 8 and 14: “It is now made the duty of the school authorities to report violation of this law to the prosecuting attorney”. The school then, as now, would lose state funding for children not in attendance: “Hereafter the state public money will be apportioned according to school attendance. Every day that is missed is the loss of so much public money. Your children cannot afford to be irregular in attendance and we cannot afford to lose the money.”

The editors appreciated the efforts of D. H. Hatfield, the deputy state game and fish commissioner, “to stop the illegal seining of the lakes in the vicinity. Bean Lake was the one in question.” A raid on this lake resulted in the arrest of three men who were awaiting trial. Seining, a method of fishing by dragging a net through the water to catch everything in its path. It was legal with certain restrictions during the months of July through September, but these men were caught with “one of the largest seines used in Missouri at work.”

During a storm on the previous Friday evening, a small “cyclone formed south of town on Route 1 that did considerable damage.” It tore up the peach orchard at the Freeman Baker farm. It then went from there to the Prairie Chapel church and “lifted it up and set the west end about four feet off of the foundation and tore up several of the shade trees. After that, it moved to Albert Wooderson’s meadow and destroyed several hay ricks. It blew down a silo at Henry Leazenby’s and moved his barn off its foundation before disappearing.

Bit of History -- August 19, 2026

A few items from the Ridgeway community columns in the August 26, 1904 issue of the Ridgeway Journal:

Ridgeway got some rains that week:  “They were badly needed and started fall pastures nicely and the great improvement in the outlook for corn is a general remark. The corn crop will be far better than it was last year.”  In another comment about the weather: “It is nearly cool enough for frost.  The corn crop will not be ready for a good frost for some weeks yet.”

In local news:  “G. E. Ballad was exhibiting quite a curiosity. It was a white mouse that he bad captured in a grain box. The mouse was as white as snow and bad pink eyes. It was a very pretty little creature.”

Burglars hit the depot on the previous Sunday evening by forcing open a window breaking open a drawer for a few pennies:  ‘Mr. Patrick says he can miss nothing else of value. The railroad detectives are working on the case and it is possible the burglar or burglars may yet be arrested.”

The editor had great things to say about some of the businesses in town, namely the lumber yards and the stock dealers:  “In fact, the lumber business in Ridgeway is a great drawing card for the town.  Also the live stock dealers of Ridgeway are doing a good work for the town by paying prices that cause farmers who live nearer other towns to make the longer drive to get better prices.  Ridgeway is hard to beat as a market town”.

Bit of History -- August 12, 2026

A continuation of the stories on the front page of the Ridgeway Journal dated August 4, 1921:

The Ridgeway school district was getting ready for the new year and planned to open on September 5. The school building has been undergoing extensive improvements, and has been thoroughly filled up to meet needs of the increased attendance which will result from consolidation” The article also announced that the high school tuition would be $6 per month (about $112 today). In addition, the “board of directors” were accepting bids for bus routes. There were eight routes for the 1921-22 school year, most were about 5-6 miles long.

The Rex Theatre was going to present “Sacred and Profane Love”, a Paramount picture starring Conrad Nagel and Elsie Ferguson that Friday and Saturday. The writer was most impressed with how Conrad could act the part of an out-of-control drunk and as soon as the director yells “Cut” then “Lunch”, “The drunkard returned to normal, ironed his features into a pleasanter guise, picked up a copy of “Julius Caesar” which he had been reading—and started home to help his wife feed the baby.”

City Marshal J. H. Pierce announced that he would be strictly enforcing the city ordinances relating to automobiles: “I intend to make a specialty of catching speedsters and "cut-out" fiends, and if you don't want an interview with the police court keep your "cut-outs" closed and observe the speed limit while in the city limits.”

Bit of History -- August 5, 2026

From the front page of the Ridgeway Journal dated August 4, 1921:

The city council approved a special election to ask the voters to approve the issue of $12,000 of bonds to upgrade the city light plant. The residents had been pressuring the council members for “better light service, more day current, better street light service and an eighteen to twenty-four hour service the year round.”

The existing plant could not keep up with that kind of demand and in fact, couldn’t keep up with the demands of the time: “It is impossible to turn on the street lights in the evening until the load is lightened by the closing of the stores and a partial cutting off of the resident districts.” To upgrade the plant needed a larger 100 horsepower engine which would not leave the town in the dark for a week to ten days at a time. The old engine was expected to be repaired and kept to provide additional power as needed. The election was held on August 26, 1921 and the bonds approved overwhelmingly 184 to 19.

Bit of History - July 29, 2026

BIT OF HISTORY: From the Local Mention column of the July 27, 1893 edition of the Ridgeway Journal:

The editor, C. M. Jaqua, complained that “Very little is going on in the news line. The farmers are too busy in the harvest fields.”

The Christian Church bell was “out of place and those desiring to attend services there have to go by time instead of by the bell.”

The school teachers were expected to arrive in Ridgeway within a week. “They will be met at the depot by the committee and shown to suitable boarding places.”

Mrs. C. M. Jaqua, who wrote the Women’s Department column, had sage advice on the care and use of flat irons and how to economize during food preparation to get as much as you can out of the food. Among her suggestions: Remove as little skin as possible when peeling vegetables (“Taking a thick cut often carries away the best part, as is the case with potatoes”). “Apples are often costly”, so carefully pare and core them and cook the clean cores and skins to make jelly or “with sugar, make a fine syrup for layer cake and to use with warm bread.” The peelings could also be used to make vinegar. “Children should be taught to break only the bread they will eat.” She had lots of ideas for using “boiled meat” as well and wrote that “all meat broths, except from pickled meats, should be made into food.” It’s quite interesting reading.

There was a long article about the success of the W. C. T. U. picnic in the City Park which started with a parade and continued with a “literary program”, an address by Rev. Burrows of Cainsville and a speech by temperance orator Prof. Gantz: “He makes as good a temperance talk as we ever heard and when he comes to Ridgeway is always assured of a large audience.”

(The front page of Ridgeway’s earliest editions of the Journal was typically only ads and national stories. To get to the good, local gossip, you had to go to the Local Mentions page for Ridgeway. It is also where you would find the timetable for the C. B. & Q. trains.)

Bit of History -- July 22, 2026

Some glimpses into life in a small, rural town on the front page of the Ridgeway Journal dated July 23, 1931:

The NW Missouri Fox Hunters Association was having trouble deciding on a date for their annual hunt.  Traditionally, the hunt was held two weeks before the State Fair in Bethany and “the expense is always an item”.  “The business men of this city, the fox hunters as well as the town have always helped, but others feel the task is too great to undertake under present conditions.”

The oat crop was expected to be a good one that year.  Frank Harrison reported that he got better than 50 bushel to the acre on his twenty acres of oats.  Dean Leazenby reported the loss of a 200 lb hog as the result of “rifle shot, presumably by some of the small boys about town.” The Ridgeway ball team played New Hampton’s team in an eleven inning game, but lost the battle.  They were a newly organized team and practiced on a diamond on the Dean Grinstead farm.  

The public well located under the city bandstand was condemned again and the handle removed “for safety’s sake”.  The well had just been cleaned and declared pure a few months earlier and “we are at a loss to know just why and how the water could become unfit in such a short time.”  

The editors had a snarky comment regarding the weeds in town:  “We are mightily afraid a big robbery is going to take place in Ridgeway before frost comes to mow down the many big weed patches on the vacant lots, streets and alleys.  We will not mention all of them for it might give some bandit a tip as so where to hide.”

Bit of History -- July 15, 2026

In the July 21, 1927 edition of the Ridgeway Journal, an entire page was devoted to printing the details of the proposal to sell the Ridgeway Light Plant to Missouri Power & Light for the “sum of $30,000”. “This means securing 24-hour service to patrons and this property to become taxable, and cost of light service not in excess of present rates.” There were several ordinances for residents to consider and a notice of a special election to be held on August 9.

The light plant, built in 1914 and operated by the city, made a small profit each month, but not enough to replace equipment as needed. The sale meant that residents would enjoy 24-hour service at the same rates they currently paid. The sale also meant that the city could pay off two loans totaling $19,000. The old Light Plant provided power to the city water pump and the street lights at no charge, but if the sale was approved by Ridgeway voters, “and these two services will run from ninety to over hundred a month under the new order of things if the plant is voted sold.”

The editors reminded voters to “read the ordinances carefully and play the cards anyway you choose when it comes time to vote. The proposition has two sides and it will soon be up to the voter which side he wants to win.”

The sale of the electric light plant was approved by Ridgeway voters 187 to 37. It still needed to be approved by the Public Service Commission before it could take effect. Mr. P. B Schuss, “one of the transmission company’s men” told the Journal that “the citizens of Ridgeway had done even more of a favor than they realized by voting the sale of the plant and that he was sure that would not have a future regret.” (Ridgeway Journal, August 11, 1927, p 1)

Bit of History -- July 1, 2026

Per the Ridgeway: Then and Now centennial book, Joe M. Peasley opened the first blacksmith shop in Ridgeway about 1880. First known as Peasley and Heizer, they built wagons, buggies and carriages and did general blacksmithing and horseshoeing. They also built school wagons in later years . From 1890 to 1892, he partnered with J. B. “Jack” Mirgon. When their partnership broke up, he renamed the business as Peasley & Co and later as Peasley Manufacturing. His shop was a large two story building. “The lower part was the blacksmith shop and the upper part, which had a ramp, housed the wagon, buggy and repair shop”. It was located long Cedar Street, on the west side of the alley behind City Hall. Joe Peasley remained in business until the 1920s.

One of Peasley’s wagons is still in existence. It was owned by the family of Dale Pontius for many years and was sold to Roger Bayless in 2016. It can be pulled by horses or a vehicle. The wagon is wooden, painted green and has Peasley written on the side. Look to see if Roger brings it to the Fourth of July parade this Saturday!