History Blog 

In 1963, Otis Howell of the Hannibal Courier-Post captured an image of remodeling in progress at 322-324 N. Main St., home to Bennett’s Cafe/Bennett’s Old Barber Shop Cafe. In 2026, both of the pictured buildings house a portion of Pat Waelder’s expansive fabric shop, Hickory Stick. Both of the buildings are now owned by Frank and Sara Anton North. Otis Howell photo, Steve Chou collection. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY In 1963, Martin Bennett expanded Bennett’s Cafe to encompass two st

Publicity illustration from the Canton Carnival Company, published in the Hannibal Morning Journal, Saturday, June 8, 1901. newspapers.com MARY LOU MONTGOMERY A mid-summer attraction, the likes of which had never before been experienced in Hannibal, was about to come to fruition, following an agreement signed on June 1, 1901, between Thomas Robinson, president of the Hannibal Street Fair Association, and the Canton Carnival Company. The scheduled event - said to be modeled af

Christine J. Vincent, (wearing a stocking cap) the Hannibal Arts Council’s executive director from 1976-1981, takes a turn at performance square dancing at what was perhaps the first Folklife Festival in 1976. The event is marking its 50th anniversary this year. This photo may have been taken by Mark Prout, who was a Courier-Post photojournalist at the time. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY As the Hannibal Arts Council prepares to celebrate the Folklife Festival’s golden anniversary on Sa

First graders seated around a table at A.D. Stowell elementary school, from left, Ray McCullough, Jim Hammock, Jimmy Latta, Bob Green and Darrell Skinner. Photo contributed by Jim Hammock. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY Jim Hammock, born on the day before Halloween, 1949, has been a resident of Booker Street on Hannibal’s South Side for much of his life. Among his vast collection of memories is the day he started first grade at A.D. Stowell Elementary School in the mid 1950s. “I didn’t

Jim Hammock describes this as the “tiny” house where his grandparents raised their large family. Jim and his wife Wilma purchased this house at 1700 Booker in 1977, and following many remodels and expansion, he still calls this house his home. Photo contributed by Jim Hammock. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY Booker Street, a north-south corridor located at the peak of one of Hannibal’s highest hills, was platted in 1859, when the 80-acre Wardlaw Addition was first registered with the cou

Vintage Cartivision machine, part of Robert Spaun's collection. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY Before Beta Max and VHS, there was Cartrivision, which was an analog videocassette format introduced in 1972. Robert Spaun was looking at a catalog that came in the mail from Olson Electronics. They were selling the Cartrivision Video Tape Recorders. The company started in 1970, and by 1973 they were bankrupt and gone. They made thousands of Cartrivision units during that time. “They had a lar

Street scene during an early Hannibal Folklife Festival. In the background the old Ice House Theater and the grain terminals are visible. This was taken during the same era that Robert Spaun used his early video equipment to shoot footage of the festival. Photo contributed by Michael Gaines, Hannibal Arts Council. Two videos One from circa 1978 One from 1984 Note, Mary Lou Montgomery, author of this story and accompanying sidebar, is Robert Spaun’s sister. Leading technology

This photo of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, at Ninth and Broadway, Hannibal, Mo., would have been taken shortly after the church building was completed, circa 1907. Notice to the right - or west - of the building is a shack. This would likely have been a building associated with John J. Conlon’s lumber dealership. The lumber yard encompassed approximately two thirds of the block fronting Broadway, until Conlon sold land upon which the Methodist Church would be built.

Mike Ewing, left, and Sarah McUmber-House perform together at a vintage Folklife Festival. Ewing and Sarah’s husband, Dale, made up the regional entertainment group, Spooner Creek Rounders. (Photo contributed by the Hannibal Arts Council.) MARY LOU MONTGOMERY The Hannibal Arts Council unveiled its official 50th anniversary Folklife Festival poster on Thursday night at the organization’s annual meeting, signifying the start of the season of celebration. Sarah McUmber-House, a

The Hannibal Market House, 700 block of Broadway, circa 1927. At the time of this photo, Alfred G. Schnitzer was operating the City Market House, in the storefront at left. In the center of the building is visible a sign promoting T.C. Moon’s used car dealership. The current Hannibal Police Department was built on this same lot circa 1976. Photo from Steve Chou’s collection. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY A building known as the Market House long stood in the 700 block - on the south si