History is a mere moment in time. To capture such a moment is priceless. To keep history alive is a big responsibility. The Crawford County Historical Society Museum has taken on the task of the safekeeping of family heirlooms, military profiles, vintage fashions, photographs, books, and so much more. While many of the exhibits are decades, even centuries old, it’s all new to the next generation. In that spirit, the Crawford County Historical Society Museum is connecting the past with the present in a Living History Project.
As a way to preserve and promote history, the museum has selected particular exhibits and traced them back to family members who live near the area. Crawford County is rich in tradition and history surrounding the communities of Bourbon, Leasburg, Cuba, and Steelville.
The Kitchen family, along with many other families, make Leasburg a great place to live. Ron Kitchen, a household name in Crawford County, works tirelessly to rejuvenate the communities he calls home. Ron’s father, Lawrence, shares stories of rural Missouri that one won’t hear anywhere else. The father and son team christened the Civil War boards and plaque that stand outside in front of the museum, donated by Clarence Willis, previously from Leasburg. History is alive and interesting at the Cuba Museum.
The museum takes great pride in its Hall of Wedding Gowns. Many of the dresses are accompanied by a story or photo of the woman who wore them. Each story steps back to earlier decades when fashion, fabric, and thread told a unique tale. As an example, Doris Jean Stubblefield surrounds herself in wedding gowns that belonged to her mother, Mrs, Mary Jean Stubblefield, and grandmother, Mrs. Ambruster. Each gown, one from the 1950s and the other from the 1930s, speaks to bride fashions of those decades. Proud to be part of the living history at the museum, Doris is a member of the Crawford County Historical Society and a roving ambassador for the museum. History is alive and beautiful at the Cuba Museum!
Relics and heirlooms are more than tangible objects, they are memories and moments in time. Paul and Edith Doyen moved to Cuba in 1941. Mr. Doyen was the supervisor for the Coca-Cola warehouse on Highway 19. Building a life in Cuba, they raised three children here. Son, Pat Doyen, and his wife Judy recently moved back to Cuba after retirement. Doyen’s family legacy is prominent at the museum. One piece, in particular, a black lace cape, worn to the World’s Fair in 1904 by Doyen’s grandmother, Mrs. Hincher is a stunning exhibit in and of itself. Pat’s mother, Edith Doyen, donated the cape to the museum for safekeeping. History is found again at the Cuba Museum.
The Crawford County Historical Museum in Cuba is alive and thriving. Do you have a family story to tell? The folks at the museum would love to hear it. To learn more about the Living History Project, call the museum at 573-885-6009 or visit crawfordmomuseum.com
Pictured – Ron and Lawerence Kitchen in front of the Cuba Museum with bullet-ridden boards from the Civil War.
Pictured – Doris Stubblefield with family gowns at the museum’s Hall of Gowns.
Pictured – Pat Doyen pictured with Black Lace Cape worn by his grandmother to the World’s Fair in 1904.
