This Is Our 60th Anniversary!
This is a big year for celebrations in Callaway County. Not only is the county recognizing its 200th anniversary — Callaway was created in 1820 — but the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society is celebrating its own birthday.
Six decades ago, community leaders saw the need for preserving and protecting Callaway County’s rich history. On July 15, 1960, the State Historical Society of Missouri chartered the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society and incorporated it in the state of Missouri.
Still Growing
The historical society has seen many changes over the past 60 years. Its first official location was at the corner of Seventh Street and Westminster Avenue in Fulton after Warrene Tuttle Williams, a longtime volunteer, conveyed her historic home to the society in 1972. That house served us well until the society outgrew the space. In 1998, the society moved downtown, into a three-story building at 513 Court Street with room for the museum and research materials.
Last year, the society grew again, moving its research materials a few blocks away to the old Boyd & Boyd building on Fourth Street. The museum remains on Court Street and has undergone major renovation.
Throughout six decades of changes, the historical society’s mission has remained the same: to collect, preserve and share the Kingdom of Callaway’s story with all generations.
For most of our 60 years, volunteers have run the show. Even now, we have just one part-time paid staff person. Approximately 22 volunteers staff the museum and research center on a regular basis and donate about 4,263 hours in a year. Additional volunteers help with special events and activities. We can’t thank them enough!
KCHS’s updated logo was accepted by the board in January 2020.
New Website, More Members
During this anniversary year, we are working on two important projects: updating our website and increasing membership. Our new logo and anniversary banner are part of the website project and our branding initiative. We are working to expand our online capabilities, accessibility and depth of content so we can “share” with more people.
The society has launched a “60 Members for 60th Anniversary” campaign to add 60 new members during the year. It is a great time to consider giving a KCHS membership to a family or friend. Many of our current members live out of the area and we often hear how much they enjoy the newsletters and keeping up with Callaway. Consider how you can help us reach our goal!
Mark your calendars now for our annual meeting October 22, 2020, and a great ʼ60s-themed celebration for our anniversary!