OCTOBER 2025, NEW QUILT DISPLAY: 

A fresh, new display of quilts is now hanging in the Ozark County Historium, and we would like to invite everyone to come and enjoy them! These quilts are unlike any we’ve shown before. The patterns are new, the colorways are new, and the quilter herself is (almost) new to us. We’re happy to introduce the work of Cherri Gregg of Protem and her sidekick, Ruby.

Cherri is no stranger to the Ozarks, having lived in Protem for the last 32 years. She and her husband, Rob Gregg, owned and operated a cabinet-making business for much of that time. Cherri grew up in Southern Missouri, and Rob was a native of Kansas. The couple raised two sons, Kelly and Michael (who, sadly, was killed in an auto accident) in the eastern Taney County community on Bull Shoals Lake.

After the Greggs closed their cabinet shop in the early days of the Covid outbreak, (Rob is now a contractor), Cherri made her first quilt, using embroidered blocks begun by her late mother. In 2022, she attended the American Quilt Society’s Quilt Week Show in Branson where she was introduced to long-arm quilting machines and immediately was interested. She was familiar with CAD software and other design elements from working with Rob in the cabinet business, and the idea of owning her own quilting business immediately took hold. She went right to work, searching for a reasonably-priced used machine in great condition.

That is when Ruby entered Cherri’s life! Ruby is the name of the Statler quilting machine Cherri bought in Colorado. Bright red and in excellent condition, Cherri knew the minute she saw Ruby that she was the one for her! Son Kelly and Cherri, pulling a box trailer, made the trip to pick her up, completely took her apart by themselves (an eight-hour job), and hauled her back to the Ozarks to her forever home.

After they reassembled Ruby in Cherri’s studio, it was only a matter of months before Cherri, using online classes and the help of a friend in Protem who owned a Gammill quilting machine, had taught herself to use Ruby and began quilting tops for other quilters. Her work has consistently improved, and she continues to learn new techniques and enjoys challenging herself to do different quilting designs. Now, only three years into her business, Cherri has lost count of the number of quilt tops she has finished for friends and even people she does not know. She keeps Ruby very busy, which makes both of them happy.

Cherri is part of a local quilting group called the Sew Sisters who meet monthly at the Protem Community Youth Center, housed in the old Brown’s Ferry Store, a business once owned by Cherri’s mother. She is also an active member of the Protem Community Church, and recently she began attending meetings of the Historium Quilt Group in Gainesville.

Cherri has graciously gathered ten of her own handmade quilts for display at the Historium. Each quilt has a story, and each was quilted by Ruby and Cherri. Please stop by to see Cherri Gregg’s beautiful creations and admire the creativity of this talented artist, for that is what she is … a fiber artist.

The Historium is open Wednesday through Friday, from 10-2, except for major holidays and when schools are closed due to bad weather. More pictures of Cherri’s quilts can be found on the Historium Facebook page and on our website, www.ozarkcountyhistory.org. See Ruby’s Facebook page (facebook.com/StatlerRuby) for more information on contacting Cherri. 

Ozark County Historium

From the Tour Bus to the School Bus

October 28, 2025
COMING ON NOVEMBER 20, 2025: It’s been a long time coming, but hometown-kid Sid Pierce’s book is now printed and ready, and we couldn’t be more excited!

New Beekeeping Program

February 10, 2023
SWEET NEWS! We have added another program to our Historium schedule -- on Feb. 23 at 10:00 a.m., we will welcome John and Diane Moore to our facility, to talk about BEEKEEPING! These two are experienced, knowledgeable and enthusiastic beekeepers and are going to talk about why bees are so important and how to get started. SPRING is the right time, if you've ever thought about it, and NOW is your chance to learn a little more from a true expert. John is the official beekeeper for Missouri State University and keeps hives on his property in Ozark County, Greene County and at the Missouri State University Fruit Experiment Station in Mtn. Grove.A keeper of honey bees in retirement, John Moore is a career educator who served 22 years as president of Drury University in Springfield. Moore is a native of the Ozarks (Monett) and holds two degrees from Yale and after active duty as an army officer, earned a doctorate from Harvard. He took up beekeeping after retiring in 2010 and is an active member of the Beekeepers A

January 25, 2023
Happy New Year! 2023 is well under way, and so are we volunteers at the Historium under way with planning some new events. First up will be: On Thursday, February 9, at 10:00 a.m., we are hosting JEFF PATRICK, the museum curator at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, for a program about researching one's ancestors who served in the military. There will be a special emphasis on Civil War service, since the Battlefield was the scene of an important battle curing the war between the states. Jeff is very knowledgeable about the resources available and will share tips on what information is available and how to access it. Please plan now to join us for this helpful and informative event. Even if you are not interested in researching your own ancestors, you'll learn about the Civil War in the Ozarks!

October 10, 2022
 Greetings from the Ozark County Historium!On Thursday, November 17, 2022, we will welcome Kaitlyn McConnell to the Ozark County Historium! Kaitlyn, who is from Marshfield but now lives in Springfield, is a popular blogger, speaker and supporter of preservation of Ozarks culture and history. To help others enjoy the Ozarks as much as she does, Kaitlyn wrote a book in 2019 called Passport to the Ozarks -- and now she has written Volume 2, which she will be sharing with us! Please make plans now to join us for this free event at the Historium at 10:00 on November 17, to meet and enjoy getting to know Kaitlyn McConnell. Our facility is located on the west side of the square in downtown Gainesville and is easily accessible. We'll have the coffee ready for you!

March 29, 2022
 Our program featuring Dr. Brooks Blevins was such a success in January that we have invited him back in April for another presentation. At the OpryThis time the subject will be "Ozarks Roots of the Grand Ole Opry."Dr. Blevins will share some interesting and perhaps surprising information about the inception of the iconic country music venue. Hint: It was close to home!Bill Monroe in an early performanceJoin us on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., for an enjoyable time, learning from one of the preeminent scholars of Ozarks history who also happens to be one of the nicest men you've ever met -- we promise you won't be disappointed. The coffee will be ready for you, too!

Welcoming a new year with high hopes!

January 11, 2022
 As we enter a new year, we are doing so with high hopes for an active, successful year of events and activities at the Ozark County Historium! After two years of cancelling, postponing and waiting, we're ready to invite our friends and neighbors to join us, as we plan programs that will educate, inspire and entertain. We make these plans with fingers crossed, hoping that most everyone is vaccinated and that we can open our doors to groups in safety.First up is a visit on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., from Dr. Brooks Blevins. As head of the Ozarks Studies department at Missouri State University in Springfield, Dr. Blevins is knowledgeable about all aspects of the area known as the Ozarks. He also is a personable and engaging speaker, an Ozarker himself and proud to be so. Dr. Blevins will give a talk about "How to talk Ozarks in Seven Simple Steps." He will also introduce his newest book, Volume 3 of a comprehensive History of the Ozarks. Anyone interested in local history will enjoy hearing Dr. Blevins, so please make plans to join us that morning. You'll be glad you did!Stay tuned for updates on other plans -- many are in the works, and we'll post as we have details. Thank you for your continuing support of the Historium and the Ozark County Genealogical and Historical Society.
More Posts