AUXVASSE - Participants in Cruising Callaway to Auxvasse on Sunday learned Callaway County's small towns are steeped in history.
During the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society's second "Cruising" event, those on the tour got to enjoy a reenactment of real historical events, learn about the Chicago and Alton Railroad with Mike Offineer, see vintage items from the telephone industry and more.
For some, the fun was in remembering Auxvasse's colorful past.
"Auxvasse was so different until 1992," said lifelong resident Mark Brooks, whose family had lived in Auxvasse for many generations. "You couldn't just walk down the street like we're doing now. You had to wait to cross."
He said once U.S. 54 bypassed the town, traffic dropped and Auxvasse's vibrancy leaked away.
But based on the avidness with which tour members pointed out the sites of former businesses and other landmarks, people still have plenty of love for the town.
Donal Knipp, member of the local Lions Club, cares about Auxvasse's history so much he and the club installed a series of panels next to Auxvasse City Hall to inform passersby. He was on hand during the tour to give a quick rundown.
"You can't get lost in Auxvasse," he said. "Folks say, 'You can stand at the stop sign and see the city limits signs in all four directions.' When I was a kid, that was true."
He said Auxvasse was laid out in 1871 by Thomas B. Harris. At the time, it was three blocks by three blocks, and Harris named it Clinton City. It was soon renamed Auxvasse at the recommendation of the Auxvasse Creek Railroad Bridge's superintendent, Knipp said.
In 1901, the town suffered a severe drought. Residents clamored for a better water source.
"(The town) hired a water witch, who used peach limbs and found underground water in the middle of the road," Knipp said.
The well dug on the spot served the town until 1914, he said.
Auxvasse had darker moments, as well. The Auxvasse Bank operated from 1886-1924, before the Great Depression bankrupted it.
"The banker poured ink on all the records, so people couldn't tell how much they'd lost, and then killed himself in the vault," longtime Auxvasse resident Bob Overfelt recounted.
At the Kingdom Telephone Company building, former general manager Art Gresham and current president Doug Lensing talked about the company's history with Auxvasse.
Lensing said the county was dotted with telephone companies in the early 20th century, but in the mid-1950s, two converged to start Kingdom Telephone. The company's good fortunes really kicked off in 1973, when the nuclear plant's construction began.
"That created an explosion of economic activity," Lensing said.
While the company still has about 3,800 landlines in operation, its focus is now on developing fiber-optic broadband internet networks, he added.
Those touring Auxvasse also got to learn about its ties to the confederacy. KCHSoc arranged a skit to tell the tale of Col. Jefferson Jones, a Callawegian who gathered men to prevent federal troops from invading Callaway County.
Closer to Auxvasse, however, is Camp Jackson. Located just outside Auxvasse, the camp served as a site for former Confederate troops gathered for many years before being lost to time. Local history enthusiasts, including members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Elijah Gates Camp, recently rediscovered the site.