The Dent County Historical Society is hosting the 155th Birthday of the Dent County Courthouse in downtown Salem, Saturday, Oct. 4. Prepare to be entertained with a variety of performances and activities. This event is not just a celebration, it's a community gathering. It's free and open to everyone, ensuring that all can join in the festivities. There will be displays around the Courthouse for everyone to enjoy.
Please bring a lawn chair or blanket, and maybe a picnic basket, to relax and enjoy the local concert featuring a diverse range of groups and vocalists for an enjoyable early afternoon.
A tentative schedule is as follows:
• 11:00 a.m.—Opening ceremony with prayer, Pledge of Allegiance, and singing God Bless America in front of the Dent County Courthouse
• 11:00+ a.m.—Southern Sound (local Southern Gospel Group) begins concert performances
• 12:00 p.m.—Country Mart is to deliver 155 mini cupcakes and everyone will join in singing "Happy Birthday" to the courthouse
• 12:00+ p.m.—Current River Bluegrass Band performs
• 12:45 p.m.—Rick Mansfield portrays Henry Rowe Schoolcraft during Current River Bluegrass Band intermission
• 12:45+ p.m.—Current River Bluegrass Band resumes performance
• 1:00-4:00 p.m.—Dent County Museum open near the top of East Salem Hill
• Afternoon—Walking Faith Ministries performs (final musical group)
• 3:00 p.m.—Final ceremony with speakers
The area belongs to the City of Salem and other areas belong to Dent County. The festivities are planned on government property, so no alcohol, drugs, or marijuana. In case of rain or an unexpected event, the City of Salem City Hall Auditorium will be available for the live event.
For more information, contact Deloris Gray Wood at 573-729-1496.
Performances celebrating Dent County’s history
Southern Sound, a local Southern Gospel Group consisting of Dennis Schafer, Katie Steelman, Terry, and Glenda Chandler, will start the concert part of the program. The Current River Bluegrass Band will perform next. During the Current River Bluegrass Band's intermission at about 12:45, Rick Mansfield will portray one of his characters, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, as Schoolcraft enters Dent County in 1818, before Missouri becomes a state.
Mansfield retraced the trail that Schoolcraft walked from Potosi by way of crossing the Current River before camping on Ashley Creek (named after Missouri's first Lieutenant Governor, William Henry Ashley) at the Saltpeter Cave in Southwest Dent County. There, Schoolcraft recorded the flora and fauna in the cave and Ashley Creek, much like Lewis and Clark did while following the Missouri River west to document what they found and discovered along the way.
Current River Bluegrass returns to play the local bluegrass sound that Dent County became famous for nationally, thanks to The Dillard Band, who were featured as the Darlings on the Andy Griffith Show. Larry Farrar, a Banjo Player with Current River Bluegrass, was a 1961 graduate of Salem High School, along with Rodney Dillard and Deloris Gray Wood. Wood played the big bass drum. The last musical group to perform will be from Walking Faith Ministries, in which Brother Lyndell Decker is the pastor.
Events and activities
The Bank of Salem is providing the Dent County Historical Society with headquarters in its Courtesy Room. Across the street, James & Gahr Funeral Home will display its Glass Carriage, a hearse that offers a view of a casket usually pulled by a team of beautiful horses. The carriage was used when Ernie Bowen passed away. It was part of a cowboy procession where his horse, with his boots hanging backwards from the saddle, rode from James & Gahr Funeral Home to Northlawn Cemetery, on Missouri State Highway 19.
An Air Evac Helicopter is set to be available for a two-hour window so that visitors can take a look. The Dent County Fire District Chief, Dennis Floyd, will signal the Air Evac’s Helicopter to land. The Dent County Fire Protection District plans to have three of their newest fire trucks parked between the City of Salem Administrative Office and the Dent County Courthouse on Iron Street.
The Salem Public Library, which is celebrating its 10th year at its location, will be the place where Kent Nichols' movie, “Civil War in the Ozarks: Battle for Dent County,” documentary will be shown. The movie will be shown in the downstairs library meeting room. Kate McBride, library director, is part of the planning working group who will assist in preparing the documentary for viewing.
In addition, the Current River Cruisers are showcasing their antique cars, along with other vintage vehicles, including some of Glen Sapaugh’s antique cars, as well as a 2023 Chevy Corvette.
The Dent County Museum will be open near the top of East Salem Hill from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4.
At 3 p.m., the final ceremony will take place with speakers.
Final ceremony
Deloris Gray Wood, president of the Dent County Historical Society, is set to be the Master of Ceremonies (MC.) Wood was the MC and planner of the 125th Birthday Celebration of the Dent County Courthouse when Governor Mel Carnahan was the keynote speaker.
Cindy Ard, the elected Dent County Recorder of Deeds, will share her perspective on the Dent County Courthouse. She is the oldest employee of Dent County who was then elected to an office. Circuit Clerk Kristy Morton Craig is next in line for the honor.
In addition, Liz Seay Condray will speak about the Seay family, and its connections to the Dent County Courthouse.
County Clerk Angie Curley is longest serving Dent County official. A scheduling conflict required her to decline being a speaker.
Organizers of the event
Lana Rosselli, administrative assistant at James and Gahr Mortuary, assisted in obtaining the Glass Carriage as part of an exhibit on Fourth Street. She has recruited the Missouri Veterans Home Assistance League to have a display table and talked to the proprietors of the 4th Street Creamery and The Local.
Dr Leigh Ann Price, who serves on the Fire Board, was born and reared in Dent County. She recently returned to Salem after working as a burn trauma surgeon in Baltimore, Maryland. She is vice president and treasurer of the Dent County Historical Society and part of the working groups planning the Courthouse event. Her father’s portrait, J. Max Price, hangs in the Courtroom where he served as a judge.
Cheri Low, seasonal naturalist, and Todd Wilkinson, assistant superintendent from Montauk State Park, were both part of the event planning, as well.
Melba Hedrick, of KSMO, designed the Courthouse’s 155th Birthday flyer and banner. She and Mary Beth Cook worked together to help get the message out.
In addition to being the Dent County Historical Society president, Wood was the volunteer who wrote the Secretary of State Local Records Grants in the mid-1990s to preserve Dent County's permanent records on microfilm.
Records microfilmed included Dent County Clerk records, which comprised the Dent County Commissioners' Minutes, the Dent County Superintendent's reports for the 80 Rural Dent County Schools, surveys of some Dent County roads, four Dent County Assessor records, and the Dent County collector's records, which were missing from the third floor of the Courthouse.
Banker boxes filled with documents were loaded into a box truck prepared for the Judicial Records Project and removed to be microfilmed by the Secretary of State. Marriage records were among the Recorder's records, also located on the third floor of the Courthouse, which were not part of the Local Records Grant.
Additionally, the Courtroom Portrait Project was removed, featuring four charcoal portraits created by L.L. Broadfoot, an artist and author, along with pictures of local dignitaries and judges. The preservation area of the Secretary of State’s office cleaned the images that were reframed when they were returned to Dent County.
