Springfield Police Museum

08/24/2026

The museum was asked for photos of Officer Wadie Phillips.
He was a motorcycle officer in the 1930's with Oscar Lowe, the subject of my last post. He only served for a few years and left in 1935.
AI helps restore the grainy photos we have of him. He's the person on the right with the officer in the snow. He was in the band that played for a fundraiser for the Young Brothers Massacre victims' families. He was also a WWI veteran.

08/20/2026

The museum was asked to find information and images of Officer Oscar Lowe. He was a motorcycle officer for a few years, from around 1928 to 1932. He came from the KC, MO, Police Department. He came at just the right time when a number of department photos were taken. He was also part of the musical band formed for a fundraiser for the family of the victims of the Young Brothers Massacre, when 6 law enforcement officers were killed.
He’s one of the only rodeo cowboys I’ve located at the department. There was a local rodeo in town, and he was planning to use a motorcycle in a rodeo bulldogging competition. I don’t know if it ever happened. AI can create an interesting image of what it could have looked like.
AI improved the photos and articles.

08/14/2026

A really good story on The Great Cobra Hunt of 1953.

Drury University’s Natural Science Museum has the only known cobra that still exists, which sits in a jar.

08/08/2026

The museum is open today from 10 to 2 PM for the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival.
I guarantee these officers patrolled Route 66 and walked a beat in the square in the 1950's.
AI improved photos.

08/06/2026

The museum is open this Saturday from 10 to 2 PM for the Birthplace of Route 66 Festival.
If you're at the Fair or the Festival, look out for officers directing traffic.
Officer Rector is seen here in a newspaper article directing traffic in the 1970's doing the Traffic Ballet.
AI restore newspaper article.

08/05/2026

The museum will be open Saturday from 10 to 2 PM for the Route 66 Birthplace of Route 66 Festival.
In 1929 if you have a "booze joint", Raider Chief Pike and his men will pay you a visit. The SPD did many raids during Prohibition for making and selling liquor. Hide your corn mash.
AI improved newspaper articles.

08/04/2026

The museum will be open Saturday from 10 to 2 PM for the Route 66 Birthplace of Route 66 Festival.
Command Staff at the SPD attend a modified FBI academy for law enforcement supervisors. The first one to attend for the SPD was Sam Robards in 1941 when it was ran by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. He brought back FBI training in crime scene processing, arrest procedures, and fi****ms training.
Sam Robards became Chief in 1970.

08/03/2026

The museum will be open this Saturday from 10 to 2 PM for the Route 66 festival.
Police Girl and Soprano Dispatcher. I like to find the first person to do assignments in the department.
Virginia Dee was hired as a Records Clerk in 1942 and then assigned as a dispatcher in 1945. She took over the positions from male officers to be the first female dispatcher. During WW2 there was a shortage of officers due to military enlistments. As in many occupations, women took over many new roles.
Springfield, MO Police Department
Birthplace of Route 66 Festival

08/01/2026

The musuem will be open next Saturday for the Route 66 festival from 10 AM to 2 PM.
You might see a few Police Officers around the Ozark Empire Fair. Back in the 1940s they had volunteers acting as "Fair Police". They assisted officers and handled directing traffic, and helping visitors.
Each hat in the photo has "Ozark Empire Fair Police" on it. Some of the people pictured later became police officers.
AI enhanced photo.
Springfield, MO Police Department

07/31/2026

The Museum will be open next Saturday for the Route 66 festival from 10 AM to 2 PM.
AI does a good job of bringing life back to old photos and news paper articles.
This is Officer Roy Lane and the other motorcycle officers in 1947.
Springfield, MO Police Department
Birthplace of Route 66 Festival