• Monroe County Historical Society Fall Banquet:  Alice Dye of Monroe County Historical Society (MCHS) shared a flyer with details of their upcoming Fall Banquet.  MCHS’s Fall Banquet will be Monday, October 27, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at Henderson Hall, 115 First Street, Monroe City, Missouri.  The event will feature a catered pork loin dinner, a guest speaker, a raffle of a quilt and quilt rack, and displays by local businesses.  Tickets can be purchased at the MCHS, located at 124 West Caldwell in Paris, Missouri, or by calling 660-327-1831.  The cost is $30 per ticket.  RCHS will share the flyer on our Facebook page to help promote the event. 

• State Registration:  Jeanie Gay made a motion to change RCHS’s registered agent for the State of Missouri Nonprofit Corporation’s registration to Delores Woodhurst.  Mary Jackson seconded.  Motion passed.

• All Time History: Andrew Bartisan shared information about a project he and several others are working on, which is known as All Time History.  All Time History is a social experience designed for kids interested in history.  Designed to mirror historical society operations, members can discover the inner workings of a museum, socialize with like-minded individuals, and share common interests.  Users will not only partake in games and challenges within the program’s server on Discord, but can also participate in real-life events put on by local museums.  Bartisan will return to a future meeting to share updates on the project's progress and discuss how RCHS can collaborate to ensure the most accurate experience.  For questions about All Time History, please contact Bartisan at alltimehistory25@gmail.com. 

• Fort Mason Project:  No update

• Center Depot: The Center Depot was a stop on the Ralls County Honor Flight SXS Ride that was held on Saturday, October 11, 2025.  The event, which raised funds to provide Honor Flight experiences for Veterans, was enjoyed by nine flights of riders, each with 20-25 side-by-sides.  The depot was open to allow anyone who wished to do so to come inside and learn more about the depot and Ralls County’s railroad history.  Sharon Lake is organizing a Bourbon Tasting experience at the depot in the future.  

• Missouri Mule Museum: Jeanie Gay shared information about Mule Appreciation Day, which will be held in downtown Perry on Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., culminating in a dedication of the Missouri Mule Museum (MMM).  The event will bring mules and mule enthusiasts to downtown Perry.  Visitors to the MMM will be able to complete a Walk-Through Challenge to learn more about Missouri’s state animal, the mule. There will be pumpkins for youngsters to decorate, and cookies for all to enjoy.  Missouri Tourism Director Stephen Foutes will speak briefly at the dedication, which local dignitaries will also attend.   Jeanie has several specific volunteer needs, and if you are interested in helping to make the day a success, please give her a call at 573-721-1412.  Jeanie shared the new brochure for the Missouri Mule Museum (MMM), and she also shared that over 200 individuals have visited the MMM since its opening in May 2025.  Many states have been represented, and patrons have been generous.  The RCHS library is located with the MMM, and Jeanie shared that inquiries at the library range for wanting to know directions to Brush Creek Cemetery to family research inquiries to information about Ralls County geography and history.  

• Volunteers Needed: Volunteers are needed to staff the museum in Perry and the depot in Center, keeping them open to the public.

• Perry Bank Restoration:  No update

• Ralls County Seal Design Contest:  Delores contacted Chrissy Strode to let her know that her design was selected as the contest winner.  

• Preserving County Documents and other artifacts:  No update.

• Donations:  RCHS appreciates any donations of abstracts and yearbooks.  We are especially interested in scanning any yearbooks from Rensselaer, Ilasco, or other county schools.  

• Current Research Requests: A Facebook follower would like to share information with anyone who is researching the family of George Campbell Hays & Sarah Dillard Collins of New London.  The Hays family arrived in Ralls County about 1830 & George died at New London in 1880.  The follower’s husband’s ancestry traces back to George's son, Edgar Clinton Hays.  He was born in 1838, married Margaret Harrison, practiced medicine in Hannibal & died there in 1901.  This individual has quite a bit of information to share and hopes someone might be able to provide photos of this family.  To get this individual’s contact information, please contact Delores Woodhurst (dvwoodhurst@gmail.com or 573-248-7445).  

• Ongoing Projects

  • Adult History Preservation:   If anyone would like to conduct interviews with a senior citizen or be interviewed, please contact Delores Woodhurst or Carolyn Trower.

  • John Ralls Donation: Documents from the donation are being transcribed.  Transcribed documents can be found at RCHS’s website:  https://www.rallscohistoricalsociety.com/research-spotlight/john-ralls-documents.

  • Calendar:  Brad Stinson shared a thumb drive of his photography, and Delores will use these images to create the 2026 calendar.

  • Student Internship Program: We currently have ten student interns.  Delores will email the students soon to set up dates and times for volunteer opportunities.  

• Payment of Bills with Receipts:  None were presented

• Brownlee Grant from SHSMO:  The final report for this $500 grant was submitted on September 19, 2025.  RCHS is appreciative of this grant opportunity funded by the State Historical Society of Missouri.

• Financial Information as of 9/30/2025:  Ending balance $47,676.57

• President’s Update: Ron thanked everyone for the work they continue to do for RCHS.  

• Public Outreach Opportunities

  • RCHS’s 50th anniversary will be in January 2026.  RCHS will celebrate this event with a lasagna supper fundraiser in January.  The event will be held  January 17, 2026, at the Mark Twain Rural Development Corporation’s multipurpose building, located just north of Perry.  Donations of lasagna, desserts, paper products, auction items, and time will be needed to make this event a success.  To help, please contact Delores Woodhurst.

  • October 25, 2025:  Oak Hill School Gathering, 6:30 p.m.  A meal is served on a free-will donation basis, accompanied by music.  The public is welcome to attend. 

  • October 26, 2025:  ILASCO Holy Chapel Mass, 9:00 a.m.

  • November 19, 2025:  RCHS Meeting, 10:00 a.m., Perry City Hall.

  • November 22, 2025:  Perry Pop-up Holiday Market, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in downtown Perry

  • November 22, 2025:  Oak Hill School Gathering, 6:30 p.m.  

  • December 5, 2025:  Christmas in ILASCO, 5:00-8:00 p.m., ILASCO

  • December 5, 2025:  A Visit from LaBefana of Italian Folklore, 6:00-7:00 p.m., ILASCO

  • December 17, 2025:  RCHS Meeting, 10:00 a.m., Perry City Hall

  • December 27, 2025:  Oak Hill School Gathering, 6:30 p.m.

  • January 16, 2026:  Area Historical Society Meeting at Missouri Mule Museum, 10:00 a.m.

  • January 17, 2026:  RCHS Golden Birthday Bash and Lasagna Fundraiser, 5:00 p.m.

  • January 21, 2026:  RCHS Meeting, 10:00 a.m., Perry City Hall

The meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m.  Our next meeting is November 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Perry City Hall.  The meeting is open to the public, and we hope that anyone interested in preserving, celebrating, and honoring the history of Ralls County will attend.

His presentation featured sunrises and sunsets over rustic barns and historic churches, wildlife in motion, and the many waterways that wind through the county. Stinson reflected on how much he enjoyed serving as sheriff, particularly the conversations he shared with Ralls County residents. Growing up as a pastor’s son, he found special meaning in photographing local churches.

The Ralls County Historical Society extends its thanks to Brad for sharing his photographs and reminding us all of the beauty that surrounds us here at home.

Click here to see all photos and videos from the 2023 lasagna supper!

Physical Address:

Ralls County Historical Museum 

105 East Main Street

Perry, MO 63462

Missouri Mule Museum & Ralls County Historical Library

114 East Main Street

Perry, MO 63462

Mailing Address:

Ralls County, Missouri Historical Society

PO Box 463

Perry, MO 63462