The Crawford County Historical Society Museum continues to preserve the history of the area with a unique approach that connects family, traditions, and heirlooms. The museum is filled with thoughtful displays of artifacts, letters, and photographs that give visitors a glimpse into the past. As a way to preserve and promote history, the museum selects exhibits and traces them back to family members who live near the area. The Living History Project connects the past to the present and prepares for the future!
Willis Wilkinson was born in Cherryville, MO and met a girl from Cuba, and fell in love. They eloped because his soon-to-be mother-in-law did not approve. He enlisted in the Army in 1943 and was assigned as a Horse Trooper. In 1967, Mr. Wilkinson, along with his wife, Dr. Art Gross started what was to become G&W Heel Lift. Now located in the Cuba Industrial Park, the business remains successful today and ships around the world.
Pictured – Jenny Gross, Manager of G&W Lift poses at the museum with her Grandfather’s military uniform.
In 1955, Yondale Wagner made a wedding dress that consisted of 40 yards of tulle, gathered and sewn from a picture in a magazine for bride-to-be Betty Markley. Married on April 30, 1955, Miss Markley became Mrs. Norman DeLeo at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Cuba. Making a life in Cuba, the couple raised three children and served the community in a variety of ways. This spectacular dress is on display in the Hall of Gowns at the museum.
Pictured: Lindsay Fieser, granddaughter of Betty DeLeo teases her grandmother about her waist size then and now.
The iconic 1932 Service Station at the intersection of Hwy 19 and Historic Route 66 has served the community for over eighty years in a variety of ways. Owned and operated by Paul Carr, his granddaughter Barabara Mortimerier remembers fondly how proud her grandfather was of his business. Through the years, it has been a filling station, an oil office, and now a restaurant.
Pictured – Barbara Mortimeier stands next to a photo of her father’s service station.
Crawford County is rich in tradition and history surrounding the communities of Bourbon, Leasburg, Cuba, and Steelville. The Crawford County Historical Society Museum keeps history alive, one exhibit at a time. 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 573-885-6099 or visit crawfordmomuseum.com
Photos provided by the CCHS Museum.
