History Museum on the Square

Happy Cave Week!

Started in 2017 by the National Caves Association, Cave Week is celebrated during the first full week of June. In the spirit of supporting conservation and learning about Ozarks geography, get underground and visit a local cave!

Known to some as the "Cave State," Missouri is home to over 7,000 caves. These historic photos, taken ca. 1915 - 1930, are of Percy Cave (now known as Fantastic Caverns) and Crystal Cave.

🌐To learn more about cave science and conservation, visit:
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/caves/cave-week.htm
https://nckri.org/cave-week/
https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/habitats/caves-karst

in 1828, prominent Springfield politician Sempronius "Pony" Hamilton Boyd was born. He was a lawyer, judge, and politician who became Springfield’s first nationally prominent statesman.

Boyd served as a US Representative from Missouri during the Civil War and Reconstruction and was later appointed US Minister to Siam (now Thailand) by President Benjamin Harrison. A staunch Union supporter and former Springfield mayor, Boyd helped rebuild the city after the war and advanced its emergence as a regional center.

Additionally, we can thank Pony Boyd for Springfield's nickname. Our iconic title "Queen City of the Ozarks" was first said during a speech he gave in 1876.

Happy birthday, Pony Boyd! 🎉🎂

Preserving history is one of the most important parts of museum work. 👀

In the final video of our behind-the-scenes series, we’re taking a look at preservation; how we carefully handle, wrap, and store objects so they can be protected for years to come.

This reel features the carpet square donation from Springfield-Branson National Airport and highlights some of the steps we take to care for new additions to the museum collection.

🎥 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4kmomViOlKs

Thanks for following along with our behind-the-scenes series on accessioning, cataloging, and preservation! We’re excited to keep sharing more of the work that helps preserve Springfield’s history.

History Behind the Scenes: Preservation How do museums keep their collections safe over the years? Preservation!

The History Museum on the Square wishes everyone a meaningful and restful Memorial Day.

Celebrating Memorial Day is a long-standing tradition. Previously called Decoration Day, the first nationwide celebration was held on May 30th, 1868.

Communities honored fallen veterans by decorating soldiers' graves with spring flowers, wreaths, and flags. The first few Decoration Days honored Civil War veterans, but has since grown to include all fallen service members.

Springfield's first Decoration Day ceremony included a speech by prominent Springfield politician Sempronious H. Boyd, and celebrations and ceremonies continued every year since. This photo shows a Decoration Day celebration on the Springfield Square in 1914.

As you celebrate with your friends and family during this long weekend, we hope you take time to reflect on the sacrifice of our fallen veterans. From the History Museum on the Square: Thank you for your service, Veterans.

https://www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert/memorial-day/history/

https://www.greenecountyhistoricalsociety.com/historical-timeline

Get Your Pics on Route 66!
School is almost out! Plan a fun trip to The History Museum on the Square and visit our Route 66 Gallery and more!
https://historymuseumonthesquare.org/

As spring transitions to summer and students celebrate school being out, residents of Greene County are spending more time outdoors. However, with scattered thunderstorms in the forecast this memorial day weekend, many of us are yearning for sunshine and reminiscing on summers past.

This photo from 1923 shows a crowd of people at Doling Lake's old diving tower, which was clearly a popular attraction. If you are planning a lake day for next weekend, please dive carefully!

The History Museum on the Square Book Club meeting that was planned for tonight, Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 7 pm is going to be rescheduled. You still have time to finish the book.

Once an object officially becomes part of the collection, the next step is cataloging. 👀

In our newest behind-the-scenes reel, we’re showing how museums document and organize objects, from recording details and measurements to tracking where items are stored.

This video features the recent carpet square donation from Springfield-Branson National Airport and gives a closer look at how these pieces are documented in the museum collection.

🎥 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/M26gIzYINCI

And there’s still one more video to come in the series. Stay tuned for an upcoming look at preservation and how we care for objects behind the scenes!

History Behind the Scenes: Cataloging a collection! What happens to an object after accession? We catalog!

Congratulations Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, MO!

Students, faculty, and staff are wrapping up another successful school year! Whether you are a teacher finishing up semester tests, a senior graduating high school, or a parent preparing for your kindergartener's first summer break, give yourself a round of applause!

This photo from 1957 shows SPS student council members learning to "be good Americans at school." These rights and responsibilities centered around thinking for oneself, listening to others, and playing fair still ring true today.

As you reflect on your accomplishments from this school year, can you think of a time you practiced these things?

Congratulations again to all students, staff, and parents for another great year!