History Museum on the Square

06/16/2026

06/12/2026

🎉Join us for the next installment of History Uncorked at the History Museum on the Square on Thursday, June 18th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm!

🎫Please visit our website to purchase a ticket. https://historymuseumonthesquare.org/product/history-uncorked-series/

🚂All aboard for a night of rails, refreshment, and revelry as we dive into the story of the railroad’s arrival in Springfield. Discover the people and events that followed the tracks while enjoying delicious, themed cocktails.

🥂Thank you to the Railroad Historical Museum for bringing the stories, and thank you to Ty Iechyd Da and 417 Cocktails for bringing the cocktails and mocktails!

06/10/2026

The History Museum on the Square celebrates Springfield and Greene County every day, but this year is extra special. Do you want to join in on the celebration and make your mark on history? Stop by the museum or click this link to contribute a survey to our time capsule!

https://qrco.de/bgeHyr 🎉

50 years ago, the History Museum on the Square — known then as the Bicentennial Historical Museum — opened its doors on 311 College Street. Coinciding with the USA's bicentennial, the museum proudly displayed over 100 years' worth of Springfield history.

Now, 50 years later in 2026, the History Museum is celebrating its 50th anniversary as well as the nation's 250th. In anticipation of its centennial and the nation's tricentennial, the museum wants to hear from YOU! Where are you from, and what do you love about it? What are your thoughts on 2026 trends? What do you hope that 2076 is like? Follow the QR code to fill out a digital survey, or come see us at 154 Park Central Square to fill out a paper survey.



Photo by Oliver Hart

06/07/2026

in 1952, President Harry S. Truman led a parade through downtown Springfield to celebrate the reunion of the army division he served with in WWI — the Missouri 35th Infantry.

Also in Springfield this day were Ronald and Nancy Reagan, who had married just a few months earlier on March 4th. Later that evening, The Winning Team, in which Ronald Reagan starred alongside Doris Day, premiered at the Gillioz and Fox theatres.

These photos were taken by Springfield photographer Betty Love. The first photo shows president Truman leading the parade into the Springfield Square past Barth's, which is now the home of the History Museum on the Square. In the second photo, Truman watches the Reagans as they make their rounds in the parade.

06/01/2026

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

05/28/2026

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! 🎉🎂

05/26/2026

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.

How do museums keep their collections safe over the years? Preservation!

05/25/2026

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

05/23/2026

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/

05/22/2026

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!