County of marker: Callaway County
Location of marker: Katy Rd., KATY Trail State Park trailhead, North Jefferson
Marker erected by: Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of State parks
Marker Text:
1826 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cedar City's Prosperity
The town Hibernia exists in Post Office records from 1825. A wilder and wider Missouri River was a half mile closer then, and many people arrived by steamboat. While laying out a new town in 1872, David Kenney renamed it Cedar City for the nearby Cedar Creek and the Missouri River island called Cedar Island. He probably anticipated the arrival of the Chicago and Alton Railroad (C&A) that came from the north and ended at Cedar City -- 21 years before the arrival of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad (Katy). Three times a week, stagecoaches delivered mail, passengers and supplies to Columbia, Claysville and Ashland. There was a four-room school and a school for African-American children. In the 1890s, a bridge was completed, tying the community to Jefferson City by electric trolley. When the Katy Railroad arrived, a spur and large freight depot were built for the loading and unloading of livestock and grain. Cedar City was a prosperous town. However, floods took their toll. Following a flood in 1973, new buildings were required to meet 100-year standards. This made new construction impractical, but it was excellent foresight. The next 25 years saw eight more floods. The largest of all came in 1993 when over 20 homes were destroyed. Now part of Jefferson City, only four homes remain in the area.
Missouri's State Capital
State lawmakers meeting in St. Charles mandated that the new state's capital be located on the Missouri River near the center of the state. The land for the new state capital was still wilderness when the seat of government moved to the city in 1826. This began a period of rapid growth with the lower end of Jefferson Street becoming a lively commercial and transportation hub, known as "the landing."
1840 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Union or Confederate?
During the Civil War, Gov. Claiborne Jackson had planned for Missouri to join the Confederacy but was forced to flee in 1861 when the city was occupied by Union forces led by Gen. Nathaniel Lyon. The city continued under federal control despite an 1864 attempt to capture it by Sterling Price, a former Missouri Governor and Confederate General.
Missouri's Capitol Buildings
In just 11 years, the government had outgrown its statehouse and the General Assembly approved construction of a new capitol. This came just in time, as the existing Capitol was soon destroyed by fire, and the new building was occupied in 1840. Business boomed in the 1850s. The Pacific Railroad brought goods from the east, which continued west by steamboat.
As the 19th century ended, there were calls to move the capital from Jefferson City. When that failed, several pushes were made for a new government building. Gov. Herbert S. Hadley warned that the old Capitol was a fire hazard, but cost remained an obstacle.
On Feb. 5, 1911, a bolt of lighting struck the Capitol dome, igniting it. The loss of the building prompted another attempt to move state government out of Jefferson City. Citizens blocked the efforts by once again voting for Jefferson City to remain Missouri's capital.
In response, the General Assembly recommended the issuance of state bonds for a new and much larger Capitol. A design reminiscent of the Capitol at Washington, D.C. was selected, and although it was not yet complete, the building was occupied in 1918.
The tax, which funded construction of the capitol, produced a million-dollar surplus, which was used to hire notable artists from America and Europe. As a result, the Capitol contains a resplendent collection of stain glass, murals, carvings, and statuary.
1936 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Callaway County's Agriculture Heritage
Callaway County (north of the river) has a rich rural heritage. Agriculture has been the backbone of its economy and has shaped the lifestyle and character of its people. A snapshot of that rural lifestyle is given here. The year is 1936 - in the middle of the Great Depression, in many ways, rural families fared better than others did because at least they could grow their own food, but not this year. The drought was so severe that crops failed totally and grass dried up. This was the time of the Oklahoma dust bowl. Folks here saw redness in the sky because of it. people resorted to cutting tree sprouts to feed livestock.
Kenneth Dungan, a farmer, husband and father of two, drove his truck and stationary baler to Illinois where at least there was straw to bale. He hauled it back and sold it to those needing to feed their livestock. For his family, it was a summer of misfortunes as his baler caught on fire, he cut off his thumb at the sawmill and broke his leg. But Dungan family survived. In fact, it was growing as they were expecting their third child.
It helped that their were no bills to pay. There was not water bill, only a cistern and an outhouse. Wood fueled the cook stove and kerosene lamps provided light. Despite the drought, they were able to grow potatoes and watermelons. Water was dipped from a spring to water the three milk cows, hogs, chickens and guineas. These animals supplied milk, eggs, and meat for the family. Since it was very hot, they moved beds outside and slept pout in the open. On these very hot days, eating a watermelon that had been chilled in the spring all day was a special treat. This kind of lifestyle produced strong self-sufficient individuals.