Laclede, Mo. was established in 1853. Conveniently located with access from the railroads, Laclede was at one time quite a prosperous town. general stores, banks, factory work, appliance retail, implement dealerships, upholstery, beauticians, locksmithing, mechanic shops, bedding manufacturing, and many other trades once were a part of the everyday active life in Laclede. Long since the nineteenth century this town has had many historical marks to stake in remembrance. Along this monument are captions of such, take time to read through. Listen close as you read and you can still hear something that hasn't changed in Laclede: the sound of children playing or maybe a neighbor tending to their yard, or maybe just the footsteps passing by for a daily walk. To sum it up, life in our hometown, America.
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Fort Morgan
Like many of the surrounding communities Laclede went through the despairing time of the Civil War. In 1861 the 18th Regiment Infantry was organized in Laclede.
Bushwhacker raids and the threat of supply raids on the passing rail led Laclede to be a center of military operations. Just south of the railroad tracks up to what is now the Methodist Church was a site of earthworks known as Fort Morgan. This fort, which was named after Colonel Morgan, served protection for Union soldiers serving duty of guard of the railroad operations and several bridges in Linn County. Although there were other posts surrounding, Laclede hosted the only fort of protection.
This beautiful little park now occupies what once was the old stockade of this fort along with a silent reminder of those dark days in which this community has long since passed.
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General John J. Pershing,
"General of the Armies"
John Fletcher Pershing and Anne Elizabeth Thompson married on the eve of the Civil War. They set up residence on a small farm near Laclede which is where on September 13, 1860 Mrs. Pershing gave birth to John Joseph Pershing. The Pershing family was [sic] entrepreneurs with two farms, a lumber yard, and a general store. They eventually moved to town where John J. and his siblings spent their childhood. John Fletcher was active in Laclede's Masonic Lodge Cypress #227 and supportive of the Union fort in Laclede giving John J. an early model character.
The [P]anic of 1873 led to financial problems which forced John's father to travel as a salesman. This left John J. to tend to the farm. After graduating high school he taught school at a small African American school. He also then attended course work at the State Normal School in Kirksville. With interest of an exceptional opportunity he applied to West Point Military Academy. It was there that he got his start in his excelled military career. Pershing's progress in ranks are as follow: Second Lieutenant (1886), First Lieutenant (1895), Captain (1901), Brigadier General (1906), Major General (1916), and the well known General of the Armies in 1919.
General Pershing's career lead him to Nebraska, across the western frontier on Indian brigades, Cuba and the Spanish American War, the Philippines and the Philippine American war, as an observer in the Russo Japanese War, Mexico in pursuit of Pancho Villa, and Europe in World War One. "Black Jack" shaped the American Forces up and led with an Iron Hand to push the enemy into defeat.
After World War One Pershing came back to the US as a National Hero. In 1919 Congress awarded him the honor of a new rank, General of the Armies which gave him the four gold star insignia. Later, after the creation of the five star General of the Army, the War Department stated that Pershing was still to hold the US Army's Senior Rank thence giving him six stars. And for Laclede, Our Hometown Hero.
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Locust Creek Covered Bridge
When it was first erected in 1868 Locust Creek Covered Bridge was only anticipated to serve for 15 to 19 years. Yet today, August 31, 2010, it still stands as one of the only four surviving covered bridges of Missouri. Locust Creek Bridge has a span of 151 feet, which makes it the longest covered bridge left.
As a bridge spanning the largest creek in Linn County, it was very important for the reconstruction of the pre Civil War bridge. A company by the name Bishop and Eaton built the covered bridge using the engineering technique of the Howe-truss system. Of which served the community for many years with pedestrians and wagons. At the turn of the twentieth century that path became more than just a trail. It had a title of State Road Number 8, then the White Cross Highway. Travel then also included the occasional automobile. The marked road soon became an important section of Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway. This lead many motorists from across the nation to cross this beautiful bridge.
As automobiles became larger and faster the highway system routed a better location and made Highway 36 the old road and bridge soon got less traveled and finally closed around 1960. The State Park Board later took in the covered bridge and gave it the attention that it deserves.
At the state historic site west of Laclede sits the restored bridge. It is a little walk to view the bridge, but it gives you the sense of what it might have been like to walk across it all the [sic] those many years ago.
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Laclede Train Depot
Built in 1899
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Buffalo Soldiers Corps
Iron Riders
Nineteen Hundred Miles Cross Country on 100 pound bicycles, could you image that? A group of twenty African American soldiers, the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry, defeated this task. It was a tour to test the ability of bicycles for military use. Mountainous terrain and every element of weather didn't slow down the infantry from their 50 mile a day average. In 1897 they set out from Missoula, Montana and ended up at St. Louis Mo. Their path followed the Burlington Northern RailRoad [a predecessor to the BN] and led them right past this park in front of you. A brief camp here let these soldiers rest a spell. The Buffalo Soldiers completed this major task but also were very important in military history including: the Spanish American War, Mexican brigades, Indian brigades and the Battle of San Juan Hill which they were serving alongside the young John J. Pershing and Theodore Roosevelt.
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Souilly, Meuse France
A small village localized between Verdun and Bar-Le-Duc France, has an important connection with Laclede, MO, General John J. Pershing. September 2010 this community and Laclede have united as sister cities in honor of Pershing and the effort put forth by American and Allied forces in World War One. This First World War had many sacrifices to protect the destruction, corruption, and dismay of European countries. Along the road "Voie Sacr?e", the Sacred Way, many soldiers marched into the frontlines. During the Verdun Argonne Section of the war Souilly is where General Pershing set headquarters. The strategic moves were planned there which led to victory. Souilly now is back to the similar small-town life that Laclede has become accustomed to. Let not Laclede nor Souilly forget the cause and sacrifices of World War One and honor it in recognition of twinned cities.
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Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Transcontinental Highway
Just along the rail road tracks on the east edge of town, then past the north corner of the park, a couple of blocks north, then west out of town to the covered bridge lays the route of the famous Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway. Although not much more than a dirt road at the beginning the trail was a valuable asset from the time. A mere marking of trails, it stretched from New York to San Francisco.
The P.P.O.O. Organization formed in 1914 and led many campaigns of tourism, economic development, and travel promotions. The motto "The Appian Way of America" was tagged to the route inspired from the great Roman road. In 1919 it also got the name "The Pershing Transportation Route" since it passed through General Pershing's boyhood home here in Laclede.
These trails were first passed by horse and wagon but later led many travelers through the adventure of an automobile. Across cities to the east, the winding narrow roads of the Midwest and across the desert to sunset of the west tourists could access America. This route linked many to the small towns across America like Laclede.
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Laclede's State Park Sites
Laclede currently hosts three state park sites in its area, Pershing State Park, General Pershing Boyhood Home Site, and the Locust Creek Covered Bridge Site.
Pershing State Park is a property consisting of wildlife, outdoor recreation, trails, camping facilities and fishing opportunity. Originally the size of 2500 acres this area was bought by the Pershing Park Memorial Association of Laclede and donated to the Missouri State Park board in 1937. Among all the activities possible at the site there also stands a basement barn from the 1890's, a war monument of an angel in honor of those who lost sons from war, and a Cambria-Carnegie truss bridge. This site is located along 36 Highway two miles west of Laclede.
The Locust Creek Covered Bridge Site hosts the historic covered bridge. This bridge once was over the bed of Locust Creek but in 2010 it remains as a dry bed due to the rechanneling of the creek. A riparian trail will take you to the site of the restored bridge. This site is located approximately three miles from Laclede on Highway 36, then north a mile, then back east.
General Pershing's Boyhood Home Site is a complex of a few buildings. The boyhood home of General John J. Pershing stays maintained on this site giving you a sense of life in his era. It was originally acquired by the state in 1952. Since then, the cast statue of Pershing and the Walls of Honor of Veteran Soldiers have been added to [the] site. The Prairie Mound School has also been added to [the] site. It is the original school in which Pershing taught. It has been relocated and moved to the site. This site is located just over a block to the north from this monument.
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