Stoddard County Historical Society

08/02/2026

History Detectives, we need your help! 🕵️‍♂️📸

We have received a research inquiry looking for archival photographs, storefront advertisements, or streetscape pictures of the old Ben Franklin 5 & Dime store in Advance, Missouri, during the 1970s.

Do you have any old family albums, photos from downtown Advance, or high school yearbooks with local business ads from that era tucked away? If you have any pictures or information to share, please drop a comment below or reach out to us!

Thank you for helping us preserve and share Stoddard County history!

Send a message to learn more

07/18/2026

A Night of History and Reflection

This past Thursday, the Stoddard County Historical Society and the Stars and Stripes Museum had the honor of hosting Christopher Alan Gordon, the Director of Library & Collections at the Missouri Historical Society Library & Research Center. Christopher captivated us with insights from his compelling book, Letters Home From World War II: St. Louis.

His presentation brought to life the experiences of St. Louisans who served in World War II, sharing their struggles, fears, and hopes through heartfelt letters sent home. These brave men and women, scattered across battlefields, remote bases, and ships at sea, found solace in the words of their loved ones.

We are grateful to Christopher for sharing these profound stories and for everyone who joined us for this memorable evening. If you missed it, you can still dive into these incredible narratives by picking up a copy of his book from Reedy Press: Letters Home From World War II: St. Louis. https://reedypress.com/.../letters-home-from-world-war.../

Thank you to all who attended and made this event a success!

05/25/2026

05/22/2026

05/22/2026

We had a fantastic turnout for our joint Stoddard County Historical Society and Stars and Stripes National Museum and Library event! 📜✨

​A huge thank you to Logan Lowery for a fascinating presentation on the 1862 Skirmish at St. Francisville. Logan did an incredible job bringing our regional history to life, keeping all 32 of our attendees thoroughly engaged from start to finish. We appreciate you sharing your research with us, Logan! 👏

​👉 MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR NEXT MONTH!

If you missed this program, you won’t want to miss the next one as we dive into a darker chapter of Southeast Missouri's Civil War history.
​Program: Scoundrel of the Swamp: Uncovering Captain Leeper's Brutal Legacy

​Presenter: Paul Arnold
​Date: Thursday, June 18
​Time: 6:00 PM
​Location: Stars and Stripes Museum
​Join us to uncover the brutal legacy of Captain William T. Leeper. See you there!

​

05/01/2026

There’s just something special about a downtown building in Bloomfield, Missouri ❤️

Every time we walk into ours at 100 N. Prairie St., we can’t help but think about all the memories that have been made inside those walls over the years.

We remember it as a movie rental spot (Friday night trips were the BEST) and a tanning salon… and even a prom dress resale/tux rental shop 👗🤵

And if you go back a little further, our parents and grandparents remember it as a baseball card store, a house, and even a bakery 🧁

That’s the beauty of a small town, these buildings aren’t just buildings, they’re full of stories.

As lifelong Bloomfield residents, with generations of our families right here, it means so much to us to now be part of that story.

Historic downtown buildings and small-town businesses just go hand in hand in Bloomfield… and we couldn’t be prouder to add Lady O’s to that tradition 💜

What do you remember being in this building?? 🫶

Opening May 7th at 10AM!

04/04/2026

This is a great organization for our community! Thanks for all you do!

🌧️ UPDATE: Easter Egg Hunt 🐣
Due to the rain and soggy conditions at West Park, we are moving and rescheduling the Dexter-Bloomfield Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt. We want to make sure the kids have a dry, safe, and fun environment!

📍 New Details:
DATE: Monday, April 7
TIME: 5:00 PM
LOCATION: The Stars and Stripes Museum Grounds (moved from West Park)

🥚 What to Expect:
3,000+ Eggs hidden and ready to be found!
Special Prize Eggs are waiting for some lucky hunters.
Don't forget to bring your baskets! 🧺

🏛️ Special Open House:
While the kids are hunting, the Museum will be open from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM! We invite everyone to come inside, dry off, and take a tour of our local history.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but we can’t wait to see those smiling faces on Monday evening!