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Iron County, Missouri, is in the northeastern foothills of the Ozarks Mountains
Map of Missouri highlighting Iron County
Credits:
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
This is the twenty-first article in our series about Ozarks culture and heritage in the counties of Missouri that are part of the Ozarks region. All or parts of 55 counties in Missouri are considered part of the Ozarks. Iron County is located directly north and east of Reynolds County. The largest city and county seat is Ironton. Iron County was officially organized on February 17, 1857, and was named so because of the abundance of iron ore bound in the county, a part of the Lead Belt region in Southeast Missouri.
One of the Missouri Historic Towns, the Explore Ironton website carries the tagline, "Visit the Peaceful Side of the Ozarks." Ephraim Stout built a log cabin in this valley as early as 1805-07 along the creek which still bears his name. There were few settlers over the next three decades. Those that did arrive, were drawn primarily by the abundant buffalo and deer population, but in 1836 things changed. The vast iron ore resources of Iron County were discovered. Mining brought increased numbers of settlers to the region
The region is rich in Missouri Civil War history and sites. The Battle of Pilot Knob and the Fort Davidson State Historical Site are reminders of those important events. The Battle of Pilot Knob was the opening engagement of Price's Missouri Raid, which occurred on September 27, 1864, just outside Pilot Knob in Iron County. Although by more than ten-to-one, the Union defenders managed to repulse repeated Confederate assaults on their works.
******
I hope you will also subscribe to my series, above or below, as well, if you have not done so already, leave a comment, and share this article with others. You might also enjoy my blogs: Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories and The Homeplace Series.
One of the Missouri Historic Towns, the Explore Ironton website carries the tagline, "Visit the Peaceful Side of the Ozarks." Ephraim Stout built a log cabin in this valley as early as 1805-07 along the creek which still bears his name. There were few settlers over the next three decades. Those that did arrive, were drawn primarily by the abundant buffalo and deer population, but in 1836 things changed. The vast iron ore resources of Iron County were discovered. Mining brought increased numbers of settlers to the region
Ironton, Missouri
37.607471466064 ; -90.628143310547 The region is rich in Missouri Civil War history and sites. The Battle of Pilot Knob and the Fort Davidson State Historical Site are reminders of those important events. The Battle of Pilot Knob was the opening engagement of Price's Missouri Raid, which occurred on September 27, 1864, just outside Pilot Knob in Iron County. Although by more than ten-to-one, the Union defenders managed to repulse repeated Confederate assaults on their works.
******
I hope you will also subscribe to my series, above or below, as well, if you have not done so already, leave a comment, and share this article with others. You might also enjoy my blogs: Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories and The Homeplace Series.
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Reach Your Community • Change The World
 |
| have we lost our priorities? |
Plant a Community Garden
By • 06/16/2013
An Oregon church produces thousands of pounds of food for the local food bank, senior center and a women's shelter.
Rick Hillsinger was in the middle of weeding one day last year when a car full of women pulled up and parked in the road. The women got out and just stood there, looking at the garden.
Hillsinger went over and spoke to one of them. As the group got back into the car, she gave him $40 and said the garden was “good work.”
It was like an if-you-build-it-they-will-come, Field of Dreams moment. This isn’t your garden-variety garden. It’s a half-acre of corn, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, green beans, beets, squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, and scads of other fruits and vegetables on five acres of open space on the grounds of Grace Baptist Church in Dallas, Ore., which townsfolk have started calling “The Food Church.”
What started as a casual planting experiment three years ago has caught fire with many in and outside of the church, making the Grace Baptist community garden a plentiful resource to the tune of nearly 4,200 pounds of produce in 2008, much of it going to the local food bank, a senior citizens center and a battered-women’s shelter.
In 2009, Hillsinger, the church’s pastor, says Grace Baptist wants to provide 10,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables. A steady stream of spontaneous donations like four truckloads of manure, a well, and irrigation lines and lots of elbow grease courtesy of church members young and old have made that goal quite attainable.
Of course, when passers-by hand you cash from their car windows and people like the German-Baptist Brethren ladies from a neighboring farming town show up every week to work in their long-sleeved dresses and little white bonnets, you know something’s happening in the community that goes beyond physical nourishment.
“It’s just been amazing,” Hillsinger, 56, exclaims. “I came here six years ago as the ‘turnaround’ pastor. The church had a bad reputation in the community because of all the conflict, and the attendance was down to 15 adults and four children.”
But with the advent of the garden, the church has been brought back to life with 75 attendees each Sunday and is extending that life to others. And not just through the community garden, but through acts like turning the church into a homeless shelter last winter when it snowed two weeks straight and getting youth involved with fundraisers and clothing and food drives year-round through the church’s Mission Kids ministry.
“If we can give them physical food and spiritual food,” Hillsinger says, “that’s fine with me.”
From the Best of Outreach: A version of this article appeared in the July/August 2009 issue of Outreach magazine.
Hillsinger went over and spoke to one of them. As the group got back into the car, she gave him $40 and said the garden was “good work.”
It was like an if-you-build-it-they-will-come, Field of Dreams moment. This isn’t your garden-variety garden. It’s a half-acre of corn, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, green beans, beets, squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, and scads of other fruits and vegetables on five acres of open space on the grounds of Grace Baptist Church in Dallas, Ore., which townsfolk have started calling “The Food Church.”
What started as a casual planting experiment three years ago has caught fire with many in and outside of the church, making the Grace Baptist community garden a plentiful resource to the tune of nearly 4,200 pounds of produce in 2008, much of it going to the local food bank, a senior citizens center and a battered-women’s shelter.
In 2009, Hillsinger, the church’s pastor, says Grace Baptist wants to provide 10,000 pounds of fruit and vegetables. A steady stream of spontaneous donations like four truckloads of manure, a well, and irrigation lines and lots of elbow grease courtesy of church members young and old have made that goal quite attainable.
Of course, when passers-by hand you cash from their car windows and people like the German-Baptist Brethren ladies from a neighboring farming town show up every week to work in their long-sleeved dresses and little white bonnets, you know something’s happening in the community that goes beyond physical nourishment.
“It’s just been amazing,” Hillsinger, 56, exclaims. “I came here six years ago as the ‘turnaround’ pastor. The church had a bad reputation in the community because of all the conflict, and the attendance was down to 15 adults and four children.”
But with the advent of the garden, the church has been brought back to life with 75 attendees each Sunday and is extending that life to others. And not just through the community garden, but through acts like turning the church into a homeless shelter last winter when it snowed two weeks straight and getting youth involved with fundraisers and clothing and food drives year-round through the church’s Mission Kids ministry.
“If we can give them physical food and spiritual food,” Hillsinger says, “that’s fine with me.”
From the Best of Outreach: A version of this article appeared in the July/August 2009 issue of Outreach magazine.
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You've successfully subscribed to this feed!
Updated content can be viewed in Internet Explorer and other programs that use the Common Feed List.
Updated content can be viewed in Internet Explorer and other programs that use the Common Feed List.
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Wednesday, June 26, 2013, 7:04:12 PM | Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith, Ozarks Cultural Heritage Examiner
The July 2013 events sanctioned by the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission are highlighted by:"Fought in Earnest: Civil War Arkansas," the Arkansas History Commission's traveling exhibit, will be on display at the Garland...
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Friday, January 25, 2013, 11:47:08 PM | Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith, Ozarks Cultural Heritage Examiner
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Friday, December 07, 2012, 6:12:05 PM | Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith, Ozarks Cultural Heritage Examiner
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Cedar County is in southwest Missouri; visited Stockton lately? (Photos)
Saturday, October 13, 2012, 6:27:17 PM | Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith, Ozarks Cultural Heritage Examiner
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The First Battle of Newtonia to be marked on September 29 and 30 (Video)
Sunday, September 16, 2012, 4:05:56 PM | Dr. Bill (William L.) Smith, Ozarks Cultural Heritage Examiner
Newton County, Missouri, was the site on September 30, 1862, of a Civil War battle in Newtonia that saw the return of Colonel Douglas H. Cooper's Confederate troops to challenge the Federals occupying nearby Springfield, Missouri, and Fort...
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