Springfield, Missouri, Events in Julys Past

1835	Springfield became county seat of Greene County. The County Court adopted plan of John Polk Campbell to lay off town in lots with streets intersecting each side of Public Square, as in his home town, Columbia, Tennessee. There had been contest with Kickapoo Settlement, south, and Josiah T. Danforth Settlement, east, for county seat designation.
1861	Gen. Nathaniel Lyon with his Union troops marched into Springfield.
1865	James B. "Wild Bill" Hickok killed Dave Tutt of Yellville, Ark. on Public Square, following clash after Tutt won Hickok's gold watch in gamble game the night before.
1870	Town of North Springfield was incorporated.
1887	T.B. Collins arrived to become Springfield's weather observer, as U.S. Weather Bureau was being established in Baker Block. Observations began Sept. 20. Bureau was moved June 13, 1894 to new Post Office building at Boonville and Brower, thence to Springfield Municipal Airport, July 2, 1945. Several short-lived weather observation began as early as 1857.
1893	First failure of a Springfield bank. Four more banks closed in next four weeks, but one reopened. There had been 12.
1901	Professors S. W. Howland and Lee Ullmann organized the Springfield Golf Club with 100 members. A course was probably built at the fairgrounds . There was already a course at Joplin and Carthage. The Republican said "Without a doubt, golf is the most popular outdoor game for both ladies and gentlemen. It is played in all eastern cities and is just beginning to invade the west."
1901	The News & Leader reports that tennis is popular particularly at Drury College. Croquet , or rogue is also popular.
1912	City Hall was moved from 40-year quarters on second floor of brick building on east side of Boonville, near Central, to third floor of new courthouse.
1913	The pie on the public square was removed June 24, 1947.
1928	A new $80,000 Pierce Pennant Bus Terminal (later to be called Greyhound) opened on St. Louis Street with 15 bus lines serving it. The terminal building was on Spanish architecture, and cypress wood from the swamps of Louisiana was used for the interior of the new building.
1928	More than 10,000 citizens attended an elaborate dedication of Benton Avenue viaduct. The bridge, which cost more than $200,000, was proclaimed a link between north and south Springfield.
1931	With help from the Cardinals team and local people young men who could not afford to go to a baseball game got in free here as part of the Knothole Gang. R. Ritchie Robertson was the head of the local project. suggested by the president of the Cardinals Sam Breeden and Al Eckert. Eddie Dyer was a favorite of the kids. Tickets could be obtained from a teacher or a minister.
1934	The Springfield Little Theater presented its first production, The"Importance of Being Earnest", for which admission price was 25 cents. Springfield High School teacher Helen Johnson was advisor to the group, made up primarily of restless high school graduates who wanted Springfieldians to enjoy live theater.
1938	After Federal Building at Boonville and Central was occupied, July 5, 1938, former site became City Hall, with lots owned by city between the two sites being exchanged. The city originally had planned to build a city hall on these lots.
1952	Dr. W.E. Handley City Hospital, a wing adjoining Burge Hospital is dedicated. It was sold to Cox Medical Center in 1973.
1954	Springfield's hottest day on record -- 113 degrees.
1958	July rainfall 18.75 inches -- greatest for one month in history of the Springfield Weather Bureau.

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