What about some history and a getaway for Valentine’s Day instead of flowers and the usual? That’s what I’ll be doing with my sweetie. (And we’re even getting a deal on it!) We’ll be starting with a fundraiser 5:30 – 9 p.m. on Feb. 15 in St. Louis for Missouri Preservation, a nonprofit that advocates…
Author: diannaobrien
History blogger. Writer. Traveler. Curiosity drives me. I share what I learn at CoMoHistoricPlaces.com. My newest book, Historic Movie Theaters of Columbia, came out in October 2021. My 2017 book, From Melon Fields to Moon Rocks highlighted the life of Columbia resident Charles W. Gehrke, 1917-2009, a scientist and entrepreneur who founded ABC Labs, now Eurofins.
Six degrees of connection: Lucile H. Bluford
History is all about connections, change and, I hope, progress. Lucile H. Bluford isn’t from Columbia, Missouri but she’s connected to Columbia, Missouri. A book about this journalist, Black feminist and civil rights advocate was published on April 23, 2018 and I apologize for not publicizing it then. To buy it direct, click the title: “Lucile…
Black history is our history
James T. Nunnelly made Columbia a better place to live by taking part in the sit-in at the Minute Inn. Read about the 1960 event in this “The Sit-in at the Minute Inn: A Columbia native and the civil rights protest that shaped him,” published on Nov. 18, 2018 in Vox magazine. As the plaque…
Catch up on CoMo 200 news
Celebration of the 1818 founding of Columbia’s predecessor Smithton.
Sears homes remain
The verdict is in: Sears is closing its stores and declaring bankruptcy. But Sears homes — and more importantly the legacy of kit homes made famous by Sears will live on. Sears wasn’t the only firm that offered kit homes, but the term Sears home for kit homes has become widespread. Do you own or…
Jefferson City home tour Sunday, Sept. 23
Here’s a nearby opportunity in Jefferson City to see inside some historic homes. This historic homes tour will be 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018. Tickets are $15 the day of the event and can be purchased at the Historic City of Jefferson City tent at 1122 Moreau Drive, Jefferson City. (Note: Only cash…
CoMo200 website kicks off
The city’s upcoming 200th anniversary is for real now! A CoMo200 celebration is set for November 2018 (details to be announced soon) and Columbia’s CoMo200 website is live. The site features a series of photographs and some information in the categories of History, Projects & Events, Get Involved, About and a search engine. Here are some…
Where are CoMo’s unique neighborhoods?
Neighborhoods. Streetscapes. Where we live. Cities, even CoMo, are made up of neighborhoods, often with a streetscape, a way the area looks that’s uniform — or not. These neighborhoods with their own streetscapes are the places where we live, it’s where you and I might actually know the people (and, for me, the dogs) who…
Ready to get plastered? Oct. 13 plaster workshop
A workshop to learn how to make plaster repairs will be held Oct. 13, sponsored by the Columbia Missouri Historic Preservation Commission.
History – use it or lose it?
In 2021, Columbia will be celebrating its 200th anniversary, but will this be a celebration of all of our history or only the history of a few? The next meeting of the Mayor’s Task Force on Bicentennial Celebration Planning Meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 23, 2018, in the Community Room Walton Building…
Explore CoMo History 