Cass County Missouri Historical Society

05/31/2026

LIVES OF CASS COUNTIANS

"Eula Zimmerman, daughter of German parents, Emma and James Dudley Zimmerman, was born March 2, 1890 in Missouri.
In 1914 Eula married John Thomas McCarty II, born January 21, 1891, of Mason City, Illinois, a fireman on the Northwestern Railroad. Tommie was of Irish descent and a maternal descendant of Colonel Nathaniel Winton who came to this country with LaFayette. To this union were born: Infant son, died 1915; John Thomas McCarty III, November 8, 1916; Richard Edwin, October 14, 1918; Eula Garnet, January 8, 1920; and Earl Lester, April 14, 1922.
Eula came from Mason City, Illinois to the Peculiar-West Union area to live with her mother, Emma, in 1922. Eula's husband, Tommie, passed away August 28, 1924.
Eula and her children moved to a farm 1/2 mile west of Cleveland in 1928. Minnie Ruth Winchel was born March 18, 1929. Eula farmed with horses during the 'Great Depression' and then came the 'Dust Bowl' years through the 1930s.
The children attended Cleveland school and were active in sports. Garnett and Richard graduated from the eighth grade in 1934. Earl and Minnie Ruth attended grade school. After graduationg from high school in 1935, John enrolled in the CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps]; $21 a month was sent home to support our family.
Garnett attended Cleveland High School until the family moved to Belton for a short time before moving to Grandview, Missouri where she graduated in May, 1939.
World War II: John - Navy, U.S.S., Y.R.D., 7th Fleet, South Pacific. Richard - Army, C Btry., 3rd Arm'd F.A. Bn., General Patton's 'Battle of the Bulge,' received the Purple Heart and other medals. Garnett - Ingall Shipyard at Pascagoula, Mississippi, welder checker. Earl - Navy Amphibous Force, A.T.B. Unit 1116, Division 6, served on the Destroyer Es**rt, U.S.S. Husse in North Atlantic and South Pacific, received several major battle stars. Minnie Ruth married an Army service man.
In later years Eula passed away in September, 1960 in Idaho and was buried at Freeman, Missouri. John retired from Cushman Motors, Kansas City, Missouri, and resides in Peculiar. Richard worked for the Paola Panhandle Eastern Pipeline and passed away August 15, 1986 and was buried at Freeman. Garnett retired from Bendix Aerospace Inspection and bought a 241-acre farm at Jerico Springs, Missouri. Minnie Ruth and husband, Dale N. Gott, Jr., retired from the Army Engineers, and they reside near Claremore, Oklahoma.
Submitted by Garnet McCarty Pringer"
Pride in the Past, Faith in the Future, Cleveland, Missouri 1890-1990, pgs 66-67

05/30/2026

CCHS would not be where it is today without the influence and support of these two people. Mrs. Webster was the leader of CCHS for several years and Mr. Foster served on the Board of Directors for many years and still lends support to CCHS in a variety of ways to this very day. I personally never got to meet Mrs. Webster, but I wish I had been able to talk with her about history in the area. Mr. Foster I have had the privilege of meeting and now consider him a friend. He is a wealth of knowlege about our county and still has such a heart for preserving our history. With a full heart, I want to express my gratitude to both of these people for all of the time and effort they have poured into CCHS and its mission to preserve the history of Cass County.
- Jennifer Reed, Executive Director

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05/29/2026

05/29/2026

The 1835 Sharp-Hopper Cabin is currently open for tours by appointment.
To accomodate the influx of visitors coming soon to our area, starting on June 12 and going through July 11, CCHS will be offering cabin tours on Friday and Saturday mornings. Tours will start on the hour and half hour from 9am to 12:30pm.
Tours are still free but donations are always accepted.

The only weekend the cabin will not be open is July 3-4.

05/27/2026

Here is another from the Clatworthy Studio in Harrisonville. The back of the photo has some very faded writing, the only thing that is clear is "From Lizzie Reid."

05/26/2026

" There have been many fires in Archie, destroying both homes and businesses. Two of the most destructive blazes occurred in 1901 and 1931. Both fires destroyed businesses on the corner of Main Streed and Walnut where the Winterset Bank now stands. In May 1901, the general store of E.C. Hart, the Tout Brothers' grocery store and the Post Office burnt. In March 1931, the general store of Eugene Neff, the Archie State Bank, B.B. Tout's doctor office, Maud Garland's optical office, the picture show theater and E.M. Goodrich's appartments were destroyed by fire."
Archie: A History of a Railroad Town pg 6

05/26/2026

05/26/2026

05/26/2026

For the first time in generations, large herds of American bison are showing what the continent lost when their migrations were broken.

In places like Yellowstone, restored bison movement is giving scientists a rare look at how the Great Plains once worked.

Bison do not just walk across grasslands.

They reshape them.

Their hooves disturb the soil.

Their grazing keeps grasses short, dense, and nutrient-rich.

Their movement spreads nutrients across the land.

And their presence supports plants, insects, birds, and entire prairie ecosystems.

A recent study found that migrating bison can speed up the nitrogen cycle and make grazed grasses dramatically more nutritious.

That means the herd is not just passing through.

It is rebuilding the landscape with every step.

For more than a century, bison were reduced from tens of millions to scattered survivors.

Now, as herds return to connected land, scientists are seeing something powerful:

A continent remembering its rhythm.

05/26/2026

📚 Reminder: Join Us This Wednesday for a Special Evening of Kansas City History 📚

There’s still time to register for the official book launch of Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery: Lessons for Living — a moving evening of storytelling, reflection, and local history.

🗓 Wednesday, May 27, 2026
⏰ 6:00 – 8:00 PM
📍 Linda Hall Library
5109 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO

This powerful new work by Bruce Mathews, Jamie Oberfoell, and Tina Laasater-Sladek honors the lives, legacies, and lessons of individuals who helped shape Kansas City’s history.

Featuring contributing authors and special insights into the stories behind the book, this event promises to be both educational and inspiring.

💬 “The greatest gift we can give is learning from history as it was lived…”

🎟 Admission is free, but registration is encouraged.

👉 Register at lindahall.org
(Click “Events” → “Calendar”)

Come be part of an unforgettable evening celebrating history, community, and the enduring spirit of Kansas City.