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Blog Entries: 1 to 10 of 33
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Missouri State Highway Patrol Scam Alert
 There is a particularly creul group of scammers preying on Missouri citizens right now. Read about it in this alert from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The bottom-line in this as in many other scams is NEVER to make any payment of any kind to someone calling you on your phone or reaching out to you through your email or social media accounts. The same warning applies to gving these thieves access to your bank account or credit card information. Thanks again to historical society member, Judie Huff for alerting me to this latest scam. |
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Oops, Errors in Latest Newsletter
 With my thanks to proofreader extraordinaire, Judie Huff, some minor errors in our latest newsletter (Fall 2024) were identified and corrected. I apologize for letting these errors slip througfh. Some weeks there is just too much to do and too little time. This was one of those weeks, but that said, I will most earnestly try to do better. |
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Upcoming October 2024 Meeting
 The agenda for the upcoming meeting on October 20, 2024 as well as the meeting minutes from the July 2024 Quarterly Meeting have been posted in the Members Only area of the website. If you have logged in, you can access these documents by clicking here.
The meeting will take place at 2 pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Ironton at the corner of Reynold and Knob streets. Prior to the meeting, John Abney will present his program to mark the upcoming 100th anniversary of the devastating Tri-State Tornado. Even though this event occurred nearly 100 years ago, this tornado still holds several records. The tornado claimed 695 lives making it the single deadliest tornado in U.S. history. It also holds the records for the longest duration and distance, lasting some 3 ½ hours and carving a path of destruction 219 miles in length. It was also the fastest moving tornado ever recorded with an average forward speed of 62mph and 73 mph at its fastest along its path between the Illinois towns of Gorham and Murphysboro. Finally, it was the most destructive, destroying 15,000 homes. Whole towns were virtually wiped from the map. Countless businesses and livelihoods were destroyed and the lives of the survivors of this terrible storm were affected, in some cases, forever.
John’s program will tell the story of this deadly storm, but beyond that story, it will also put the storm within its historical context. Weather forecasting and even the knowledge of weather itself was much different in 1925 than it is today. He will examine that history and explain why there was little to no warning about this tragic storm. His program will look at the storm itself and explain the circumstances that came together in deadly unison to make it a perfect storm of destruction. Beyond the science, facts and figures, John’s program will also put a personal perspective on the tornado’s impact by sharing some of the stories of those that were there. Finally, his program will also look at the aftermath of the storm, the multiple relief efforts that began almost immediately and the resilience of many of the communities impacted by the storm.
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More Info on Visit of Big Boy Locomotive
 More information on the visit of the Union Pacific Railroad's Big Boy Steam Locomotive #4014 stop in the Arcadia Valley. This came fromthe Visit Arcadia Valley, Missouri Facebook page. Information on parking for the event is forthcoming.
See our earlier blog post for the link to more information about this historic engine that weighs in excess of one million pounds! The Big Boy Steam Locomotive is the the world's largest operational steam locomotive and the only operating Big Boy locomotive of the eight that remain in existence. |
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Road Closure - MO Highway 221
 Late summer and autumn are great times to visit the Arcadia Valley, but this year visitors need to be aware of a major road closure that could imact your trip. Missouri Highway 221 is now closed and will remain closed until October 30, 2024. The very curvy section located to the west of Doe Run is being straightened out at long last. Information on the road closure is available here.
My personal recommendation (if you are coming from the St. Louis area) would be to use Missouri Highway 32 as your alternate route to reach Bismarck and then turn left on to County Highway N at the 4-way stop in Bismarck. You would then stay on Highway N until you reach the stop sign at the junction of Missouri State Highway 21. Continue going straight (south) on Highway 21 to reach the Arcadia Valley.
There is a shorter way that uses Buck Mountain Road to go around the construction, but as this road is very narrow (at its best), the increased local traffic that will be using this road may make it dangerous to those unfamiliar with its twists and turns. Large trucks are goiing to be prohibited from using this route, but even with this restriction it will be a tight fit in many places for two cars to fit through.
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PSA - Identity Theft
 In case you haven't heard, just about every American's Social Secutiry Number has now been the target of hackers. It seems that every week, sometimes every day, a new threat to the security of our identifies is annouced'
Believe it or not, identity theft isn't a newfangled problem. It's been around since... well, since someone decided they wanted their neighbor's mammoth.
The Stone Age: The Original Catfish
Back in the day, when humans were still sporting questionable fashion choices and questionable hygiene, the biggest threat to your identity was probably getting clubbed over the head. But even then, our ancestors were crafty. If you were particularly skilled at hunting, someone might want to borrow your name for bragging rights. "Ug, the Mighty Hunter," more like "Ug, the Borrowed Bragger."
The Middle Ages: A Knight's Tale of Woe
Fast forward a few millennia, and identity theft took on a more chivalrous air. Knights would often steal each other’s coats of arms to confuse their enemies. It was like the medieval equivalent of using someone else's Netflix password. Imagine Sir Lancelot charging into battle, only to discover he's really Sir Galahad. Awkward.
The Digital Age: The Wild West of Personal Data
And then came the internet. A place where catfishing is an Olympic sport and your social security number is more valuable than gold. Suddenly, your identity became a hot commodity, coveted by cybercriminals with more time on their hands than morals.
How to Protect Your Identity: A Modern-Day Guide
So, how do you protect yourself from these digital bandits? Here are a few tips:
- Passwords: Make them strong, weird, and memorable. Avoid using "password123" or your dog's name. Your dog deserves better.
- Credit Monitoring: Keep an eye on your credit report. If you see something fishy, like a sudden surge in purchases or a new account you didn't open, it's time to panic (slightly).
- Social Media: Be careful what you share. Over-sharing can be a goldmine for identity thieves. Remember, not everyone needs to know what you had for breakfast.
- Phishing: Don't click on suspicious links or open attachments from unknown senders. If it sounds too good to be true (like a free puppy), it probably is.
- Shredding: When disposing of sensitive documents, shred them into tiny, unrecognizable pieces. Your ex-boyfriend's love letters can wait.
- Credit Freeze: If you really want to block potential identity thieves from opening new accounts using your identiy, you can freeze your credit with each of the three major credit bureaus. This is a great option if you won't be needing to take out any type of new loan or credit card in the near term. Unlike just a few years ago, you can now freeze and unfreeze your credit at no cost.
Remember, prevention is key. By following these simple steps, you can significantly reduce your risk of becoming the next victim of identity theft. Just don't blame us if your prehistoric ancestor's identity gets stolen. We're not that responsible.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.
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Steam Engine Stopping at Arcadia
Union Pacific Big Boy Engine #4014 will be making a stop at the Arcadia Valley Station on Thursday, September 12, 2024. Read all about this historic engine, built in 1941 (the same year our station first opened), and see the link to the full schedule of stops by clicking here.
The engine is scheduled to arrive in Arcadia at 1:30 pm CDT and is scheduled to depart at 2 pm CDT. Note that, as per our current operating schedule, the museum will be open that day. We hope that you will stop in and see us
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Museum Now Open on Thursdays!!!
 Until further notice, the historical society's museum located within the Arcadia Valley Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center will now be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. We are pleased to be adding this extra day to our schedule and we thank all of our volunteers for helping us to keep the museum open! |
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April 2024 Minutes and July 2024 Agenda
Just wanted to let eveyone know that the minutes from the April 2024 Annual Meeting as well as the agenda for our upcoming Quarterly Meeting on July 21, 2024 have been posted under the Members tab in the Members Only area of the website. For more information on our upcoming meeting, go to our Home page. |
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New Webmaster Needed - It Could be You!
One of the songs in my playlist I created for when I walk is America’s “Don’t Cross the River”. The song is actually about a young girl trying to move forward with her troubled life, but one line in that song has taken on a deeper meaning for me. That line is, “Don’t cross the river if you can’t swim the tide.” Its deeper meaning implies that one shouldn’t attempt to do something if they are not prepared to accept the challenges, risks and the dedication necessary to see it through. This song and this particular line has taken on a special meaning for me when it comes to being your Webmaster.
When I volunteered to take on the role of Webmaster and to build the website that we have today, my life was much different. I didn’t have the family related responsibilities that I have today and, of course, I was younger. I was also under the mistaken impression that once the website was built that my work was basically done, perhaps my biggest mistake of all. Throughout my life whenever I have taken on a project, I try and give it my all. The sad truth of the matter is that, when it comes to the website, I feel that I am failing. I simply don’t have the time that I need to do everything that I need to be doing to make the website the best that it can be. I have already announced my intention to step down as Webmaster in April 2028 and I will honor that commitment. My sincere hope is that there is someone out there with a vision and the drive to take the website, employ their own vision and work to make our website even better. As it is with all positions in the historical society, the Webmaster is an unpaid position, but as our website is one of our most important outreach tools, it is probably one of the historical society’s most important roles. Any volunteer would need to work with the historical society’s Board of Directors, but you would have the latitude to employ your own vision. I would be willing to stay on for some period of time in a consulting role, but would not interfere with the changes you make. You needn’t worry about not having any experience in creating or maintaining a website, I didn’t have any either. Our website host has a 16 hour online training program along with several downloadable files that will prepare you for this rewarding position.
So, if there is someone out there that is interested in taking on this challenging and important role, I would ask that you reach out to me by email at webmaster@ironcountyhistory.org or by contacting any of our historical society’s officers or Board members.
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