Our Stories

Museum Hours
It’s Thursday 3:22 pm — We’re open
Monday – Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday – Saturday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Elvis Presley’s TCB Band Has Springfield Roots with John Wilkinson

It was the evening of May 17, 1956, and nine-year-old Johnny Wilkinson had heard on the radio that Elvis Presley was in town to perform at the Shrine Mosque. His parents had refused to buy him tickets to the concert saying Presley was too “lewd” in his music. However, Wilkinson’s parents were leaving town that…

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The Founding of Springfield, Missouri: John Polk Campbell

We know Springfield, Missouri, as our home, but what do we know about its beginnings? If not for a traveler and a donation of 50 acres, Springfield may have never been the city that it is now. The History Museum on the Square has put together a brief history of the founder of Springfield with…

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Wild Bill Hickok: Bringing the Dueling Wild West to Springfield, Missouri

Springfield, Missouri, is known for many things: cashew chicken, our ever-changing weather, and the Birthplace of Route 66. Thanks to Wild Bill Hickok, Springfield got to add another feature to that list: the origin of the quick shooting duels that are a hallmark of western movies. An argument over a pocket watch and two men…

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Bring Local History to Life in the Classroom: Teaching Resources from History Museum on the Square

By visiting History Museum on the Square, you can take a look at the artifacts and reproductions that make up our local history. But through our educational trunk program, you can bring Missouri history to life in the classroom by borrowing a collection of artifacts from History Museum on the Square. The educational trunk program…

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How the Historic Fox Theatre Became Springfield, Missouri’s History Museum on the Square

The historic Fox Theatre in Springfield, MO, has been a staple of the square for longer than most Springfieldians can remember. From its opening in 1916 as a movie theater to its new life as a beautiful history museum space, the Fox Theatre has seen countless changes in its century of life. The detailed history…

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Help Preserve George Kieffer Murals in Fox Theatre on Give Ozarks Day 2017

Are you a die-hard Missouri State Bear, Drury Panther or Civil War buff? If so, now’s your chance to vote for your favorite mural at the historic Fox Theatre in Springfield while helping to preserve the artistic and cultural heritage of our region. For Give Ozarks Day 2017, the History Museum on the Square invites…

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