Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society

10/19/2026

Gidley wandered up the hill to the Westminster College Gymnasium!

This historic building has hosted at least 15 world-renowned figures over the years. Dedicated in 1929, the Classical Revival-style structure was originally built as a state-of-the-art campus athletic facility. But its place in world history was secured on March 5, 1946.

That day, former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill stepped to the podium inside the packed gymnasium to deliver his famous “Sinews of Peace” address. Introduced by U.S. President Harry S. Truman, Churchill famously warned that “an iron curtain has descended across the continent.” The speech is widely recognized as a pivotal moment marking the beginning of the Cold War.

Because of this world-changing event, the Westminster College Gymnasium was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1968.

Notable Speakers Over the Years:
U.S. Presidents & Vice Presidents: Harry S. Truman, Gerald R. Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Vice President Dick Cheney, who delivered a campaign address inside the gym.

British Prime Ministers: Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Clement Attlee, Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, and John Major.

International Leaders: Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who visited in 1992 to symbolically declare the end of the Cold War, and former Polish President L**h Walesa.

Prominent Thinkers & Public Figures: Ralph Nader, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and General David Petraeus.

That's a LOT of history in one building!!! It’s incredible to think that world leaders and history-makers have stood on this very stage, right here in our small community.

Thank you, Gidley, for continuing to lead us on this amazing adventure! And with every stop, we’re getting closer to Court Street and the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society Museum. Construction is nearing completion, and soon we’ll be able to move back in and open our doors to the community once again!

Keep following Gidley’s journey home!

https://www.callawaymohistory.org/

10/17/2026

https://callawaymohistory.wixsite.com/kchsstudentjournals/post/events-preservation

10/16/2026

https://callawaymohistory.wixsite.com/kchsstudentjournals/post/digital-archiving-events

10/16/2026

From William Woods to Westminster College! Another incredible historical site right here in our small community.

Westminster College was founded in 1851 by Reverend William W. Robertson and local Presbyterians as Fulton College. Reverend Robertson had begun advocating for a church-sponsored college for young men as early as 1841, and the college went on to operate as an all-male institution for more than a century before welcoming its first coeducational class in 1979.

Westminster is also home to an important moment in world history. On March 5, 1946, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered his famous “Sinews of Peace” address—better known as the “Iron Curtain” speech—at Westminster College, following an invitation facilitated by President Harry S. Truman.

To commemorate this historic event, the 12th-century Church of St. Mary, the Virgin, Aldermanbury, was relocated from London and reconstructed on the Westminster campus. Today, its undercroft is home to America’s National Churchill Museum.

Another remarkable piece of history is “Breakthrough,” created by artist Edwina Sandys, granddaughter of Winston and Clementine Churchill. The monument is made from eight original, contiguous sections of the Berlin Wall—the largest contiguous display of original Berlin Wall sections in the United States. Sandys carved abstract male and female figures into the concrete, creating openings that allow visitors to literally walk through the wall.

Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan dedicated “Breakthrough” on September 28, 1990, less than a year after the Berlin Wall fell.

It’s amazing to learn just how much history is right here in our small community! 🇺🇸

Thank you, Gidley, for leading us along this adventure. We’re getting closer and closer to Court Street and the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society Museum. Construction is nearing completion, and soon we’ll be able to move back in and open the doors to our community once again!

The journey continues… and Gidley is getting closer to home!

https://www.callawaymohistory.org/

10/15/2026

https://callawaymohistory.wixsite.com/kchsstudentjournals/post/preservation-events

By Drew DoebelinWe are on the final boxes of items to clean that came from the Museum! One of the parts of cleaning all the items is that if they needed to be cleaned, they would have a pink piece of tape attached. A habit I got into was that I would stick the sticker of whatever I was cleaning to m...

10/13/2026

KCHS Museum Director, Haley Sylvia, applied for the State Historical Society of Missouri's Richard S. Brownlee Local History Grant back in September. On Friday afternoon, we got the notice of being a recipient!

Thank you so much to the The State Historical Society of Missouri for choosing our project!

10/12/2026

Gidley made a stop at William Woods University. Do you know the history of William Woods? William Woods University started in 1870 as the Female Orphan School founded by the Christian Church of Missouri to care for girls orphaned by the Civil War.

Key Milestones:
1870: Founded in Camden Point, Missouri, as a school for female Civil War orphans.
1890: Relocated to Fulton, Missouri, after a fire and an offer from local citizens.
1900–1901: Renamed William Woods College after Missouri entrepreneur and banker Dr. William Stone Woods, who paid off the school's entire debt.
1962: Transitioned into a four-year college for women.
1993: Achieved university status and became William Woods University.
1996: Became a fully coeducational institution, admitting male undergraduate students.
2020: Celebrated its sesquicentennial (150th anniversary).

Where will G

https://www.callawaymohistory.org/

10/09/2026

Gidley is uncovering even more Fulton history! Did you know that Callaway County was once home to major railroad lines, including the Chicago & Alton Railroad and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (Katy) Railroad? Gidley stopped by the historic Fulton Train Depot to learn a little more about this important part of our community’s past.

The Fulton Train Depot opened on November 24, 1911. It was built through the efforts of Fulton’s local Commercial Club. The commercial club was organized in 1905 with 175 members from nearly every business and profession. It was instrumental in helping Fulton to acquire businesses and industry such as the overall factory in 1909 and the depot. Through the efforts of this club, the seven main roads were permanently paved and rocked for four miles leading into town. In 1924, the Commercial Club became known as the Chamber of Commerce. However, before that change, it had worked with the Fulton Woman’s Club in forming a Library Association in 1908.

The depot played an important role in Fulton’s transportation history. Passenger service officially ended on June 30, 1930, with active railroad operations ending in the 1980s. Today, efforts to restore and preserve this historic landmark are helping keep Fulton’s railroad history alive for future generations.

Be sure to follow along with Gidley as he continues exploring Fulton and uncovering more of the history that makes Callaway County special!

Where will Gidley stop next? Stay tuned! 3R’s Campaign: Remediate • Renovate • Renew --- Helping bring the Callaway County Historical Society Museum back home.

https://www.callawaymohistory.org/