Prize-winning author, noted speaker and Ozarks native Steve Wiegenstein will visit the Ozark County Historium on Thursday, August 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. to talk about the Great Tornado of 1925,the deadliest tornado in American history, which originated in Ellington in Southeast Missouri.

Wiegenstein is a retired college professor of journalism, English and communication and now writes full time. He has won several awards, and in 2022 he received the Missouri Author Award from the Missouri Library Association in 2022. His most recent publication is Land of Joys, a historical novel that takes place at the 1904 St Louis World's Fair. Steve is also a former president of the Missouri Writers' Guild.


Please join us at 10:00 a.m. to hear this member of the Missouri Humanities Council's Speakers Bureau. The Historium, located in a refurbished century-old general merchandise store, is on the west side of the Gainesville square and is easily accessible to all. For more information about any of our events, call 417-679-2400 during our hours of operation, or email ozarkco1@ozarkcountyhistory.org. 

Ozark County Historium

"Home of the Hawk Dogs" Author, Lonnie & Beverly Uchtman, Book Signing

July 16, 2026
Join us at the Ozark County Historium on Friday, July 24, at 3:00 for a book-signing and talk by Lonnie and Beverly Uchtman and their daughter, Lori Rowe, about their new book, Home of the Hawk Dogs.

New quilt exhibit now on display!

July 16, 2026
New quilt exhibit now on display!  In honor of America's 250th birthday, the members of the Historium Quilt Group have gathered their own red, white and blue quilts to display for a few months in the 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 Quilt Display!

October 28, 2025
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.

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!
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