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.

Bicentennial Celebrations

BoCo200 — On Nov. 16, 2020, Boone County will dedicate a monument to mark the 200th anniversary of its founding, according to this Aug. 28, 2020 Columbia Missourian article.  A planned July 4th event had to be canceled due to the current pandemic. For more information on Boone County’s bicentennial, check out this BoCo200 website. …

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Coronavirus: Lessons from the 1918 Influenza Pandemic

If you’re like me, you’re concerned about ongoing coronavirus pandemic. I stay hopeful by looking at history and how we’re all pulling together by not getting together. Thanks CoMo businesses for curbside pick up! So what can we learn from the 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed about 150 people in Columbia, which had a population…

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Peek inside 601 S. Greenwood

Do you go to estate sales just to see the historic homes? Oh, that’s just me? I don’t think so! Here’s your chance to see the inside of 601 S. Greenwood in Columbia. According to Trulia, it was built in 1909 and has four bedrooms and 2.5 baths. CoMo Estate Sales is advertising a sale…

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October launch of Bicentennial campaign

Put on your thinking cap and get ready to do your part toward making art to celebrate Columbia’s bicentennial. In October, the city’s bicentennial task force is going to launch a “One Word Project.” It will involve asking city residents to describe the Columbia in one word and those words will be put together to…

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Fairy Tale/Hansel and Gretel House for sale

The house at 121 West Boulevard North is up for sale. It features a log cabin inside and while it looks tiny, it’s not. Listed at $140,000, the house is packed inside with three bedrooms, two baths, a dining room and more. But don’t look at the pictures on the realtor.com site. These photos don’t show the…

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A crummy vacation or why Columbia’s bicentennial needs you

Most vacations are great if even just because we escape work. But I remember one vacation I’d rather forget. I was young and I took a road trip with someone I didn’t know well. Even worse, I didn’t help in planning it either. I ended up feeling like I didn’t get to see or do…

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Save today on preservation conference

Whether you’re a history buff, preservation expert or just want to learn, the Missouri Preservation Conference has something for you — and today is the last day to save on registration costs. The 2019 Missouri Preservation Conference is set for June 19-21 in St. Joseph. Why attend? Learning, networking, fun! After today, the full conference…

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5/28/19 News: Tornado, pollution, history comes alive

This week’s news roundup includes news from Columbia, Jefferson City and Kansas City. May 28, 2019 — JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri National Guard Activated to Help with Flood Storms. Source: KBIA. Summary: Gov. Mike Parson has called out the National Guard to help with flooding, tornado damage and severe storms. May 28, 2019 — COLUMBIA — Columbia…

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