Barn Quilts of the Boonslick 2022

oming from the west at night on Route 240, drivers first see Glasgow as a chain of sparkling lights along the Missouri River bluff ahead of them, like a fairy kingdom hovering in midair. In the early 1800s, Glasgow, named after one of its thirteen founders, was one of the most prosperous towns in Missouri. Wealthy planters grew hemp and tobacco in the scenic hills along the river. Many of their beautiful an tebellum homes remain today. The town was a vibrant steamboat port, in the best tradition of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. By the time the Civi l War changed everything, Glasgow was comprised of two drug stores, five churches, a law office, a bank, a barber shop, two hotels, a shoe factory, a newspaper, and in the finest spirit of the age, six saloons. In 1864, Confederate forces under General Sterling Price brought war to the bustling town, fighting a bloody battle with Union troops defending the town on October 15. Before sur GLASGOW GlasgowMo.com C

rendering Glasgow to the Confeder ates, the Union forces blew up their ammunition dump in the courthouse, destroying about half of the buildings downtown. After the war, Glasgow rebounded and became the site of the world’s first all-steel bridge, built in 1879 by the Chicago & Alton Railroad. Today, downtown Glasgow is a charming place, where antebellum and Victorian houses sprinkle the countryside. You can easily walk through all of the downtown, visiting the charming shops and restaurants housed in the rebuilt city. Don’t forget to visit the Lewis Library, the second oldest li brary in Missouri (opened in 1867) and the oldest in continuous use west of the Mississippi. There’s an old-time soda foun tain inside the state’s oldest family- operated pharmacy. A winery over looks the swirling river, and several bed and breakfasts provide comfort to weary travelers.

The John Donaldson Field and Statue commemorates native son and Kansas City Monarch John Donaldson, who had an unmatched thirty-two-year career as a left-handed pitcher in the Negro Baseball Leagues. J.Y. Miller.

Downtown Glasgow

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