Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace
September 1998
This series of posts on each Friday during 2015 continues the
stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction
families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the
Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Here is a peek at ‘Life in Oak Springs,’
and the surrounding valley, in September of 1998.
At a public meeting held at the Oak Springs Public Library on
Wednesday, September 25, Ronnie Cox shared more details of the plans for the
McDonald Conservancy Visitor Center now under construction at the northeast
corner of State Highway 37 and Mill Road in the east valley. The Visitor Center
is being funded as part of Phase One of the $800,000 grant received last month
from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR). Cox shared the
architectural drawings for the Visitor Center for Phase One. The main building
will contain an exhibit area, a conference room, and offices for staff and
volunteer activities. A hallway leading off the exhibit area divides the
office. In Phase Five, an addition will be added, at the end of the hall, to accommodate
expected expansion needs by that time.
Cox pointed out that our report last week was in error in suggesting
that the only trailhead would be located at the Visitor Center. The Visitor
Center would be the first trailhead constructed, but would be one of several as
the trail system is developed over the years. A Public Restroom facility will
be constructed between the Visitor Center and the Trailhead for the convenience
of visitors. A maintenance garage for vehicles will be constructed behind the
Visitor Center. It will also be built so as to provide the opportunity for
later expansion as the need arises. The drawings also demonstrated possible
landscaping elements for the entire site.
About twenty persons attended the meeting where drawings were also
shared that showed the general areas were the trail system would be built. Cox
pointed out that final placement would depend on further studies of the land
itself and plans for adjoining developments still in the early planning phases.
When asked about the projected westward trail, Cox responded that they were in
early discussions with the State Department of Transportation regarding passage
across State Highway 37. That portion of the trail, he added, would not be
completed in the coming year, but later in the development process. The safety
and convenience of the trail users were high priorities along with costs as
planning moved forward he added.
Locals:
Ozarks Communications,
Inc. was advertising an array of regional and national football games available
on the local cable television network. Special deals coupling football with
movies seemed to be the best available options.
Friday night football at
the Oak Springs High School dominated the Oak Springs Enterprise Sports
Section. The local Tigers were 2-2 in the young season.
A photo of a combine in
a cornfield graced the front page of the Oak Springs Enterprise to signal that
the fall corn harvest was underway.
Social Notes:
Brian and Jennifer Kirk
were the parents of a daughter, Ashley Diane, born on the first day of
September 1998. Grandparents were Bart and Diane Bevins and Don and Linda Kirk.
Richard, Melanie and Kim
Stone visited over the Labor Weekend in the parental Don and Linda Kirk home.
Additional dinner guests on Sunday, September 6, were Brian, Jennifer and
Ashley Kirk along with Christopher, Nicole and C.P. Ogden. They all enjoyed
getting to see the brand new addition to the family.
Reverend Clarice
McCauley baptized Ashley Kirk at the United Methodist Church on Sunday,
September 27. Her parents, both grandparents, along with many other relatives
and friends were in attendance. Bart and Diane Bevins hosted a family dinner at
their home following services honoring their new granddaughter.
"May
everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."
Dr.
Bill ;-)
