SHSMO Springfield Research Center

Join SHSMO archivist Ashley Weaver, along with host Kathleen Seale, as we learn about Stony Dell Resort, the Prewett family, who expanded their enterprise to include a park with a picnic area, a rock garden, and a zoo looking to stand out from other roadside stops. Register online, https://shsmo.org/events/2026/asphalt-archives-telling-missouri-route-66-story-disneyland-ozarks-stony-dell-swimming.

On Stony Dell’s opening day, the Rolla Herald reported that the pool in Arlington, Mo., attracted over 1,000 visitors; it quickly became a popular entertainment spot for locals, travelers along Route 66, construction workers, and military personnel at nearby Fort Leonard Wood during the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. the amenities at the Stony Dell complex included a spring-fed swimming pool with a slide and diving board, a stone bathhouse, a restaurant, rustic cabins, a souvenir shop, a filling station, and a park with a picnic area. Stony Dell like many of its Route 66 counterparts, continuously looked for ways to appeal to travelers.

Listen to this month's episode here: https://www.ksmu.org/show/archives/2026-04-27/the-colonial-hotel

The State Historical Society of Missouri archivist Haley Frizzle-Green shares the story of the building that helped make Springfield the Birthplace of Route 66.

SHSMO is hitting the road!
Missouri's Route 66 Road Trip with Kathleen Seale
Follow along on Facebook and Instagram
Sunday, April 26 through Friday, May 1
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What better way to celebrate the centennial of Route 66 than with a road trip! Whether you're in Paris, Missouri, or Paris, France, you can follow along with us on social media as we drive from St. Louis to Joplin, stopping at iconic Missouri places that helped immortalize Route 66 in pop culture for the past century.

Our resident Route 66 expert, Kathleen Seale, Coordinator of the Rolla and Springfield Research Centers, will be our guide. Through photos, videos, and Facebook Live, Katie will talk about the history of the legendary road as we travel, also interviewing business owners, travelers, and Route 66 enthusiasts alike along the way.

From eating at the iconic Big Chief Roadhouse in Wildwood, to taking in the lights of Route 66 Neon Park in St. Robert, to checking out Bonnie & Clyde's apartment in Joplin, we'll explore legendary Route 66 spots across the state. We'll join the National Route 66 Kickoff festivities in Springfield on April 30, where you can learn why Springfield is known as the birthplace of Route 66.
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