The Old Stagecoach Stop On Route 66
Mayor Luge Hardman Assists In The Revitalization Of The Emptying Main Street In Waynesville, Missouri Making It A Statuesque Stop For RVers
The city of Waynesville, the county seat of Pulaski County, is nestled in the hills of the Missouri Ozarks, near both St. Robert and Ft. Leonard Wood. It is on 33 miles of the original, iconic Route 66, which runs cross country from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, and just happens to be the main road through this quaint but busy little city. But, it wasn't that long ago that Waynesville was dying with an emptying Main Street. The city itself was established in 1833, according to their website, Waynesville wad been named for “Mad Anthony” Wayne, the Revolutionary War hero. It is the oldest town in the county. The city began as a trading post for the settlers and trappers, with most of the early population coming by wagon train from Virginia, Kentucky and the Carolinas.
A lot of the revitalization of the city according to many is thanks to Mayor Luge Hardman. After assuming the City Council position for her ward in 2001, Waynesville, which by now had fallen on very hard times due to military downsizing after Vietnam, the Downtown Beautification Committee was formed.
“We began working on several goals. One was to get a grant for lights and sidewalks and in 2005 we succeeded. We got a CDBG grant for $250,000," explains Mayor Hardman. "When we surveyed the downtown for the grant we discovered that over 70% of the buildings were abandoned and neglected. Several older business people had persevered through all the hard times and only one of them did not support the grant process. When it was over we had a $400,000 project that included capital investment from supporting businesses. We began this (revitalization) in 2005 and it was not quick.
One of the buildings in town saved from a sad and irreversible fate was The Old Stagecoach Stop, a pre-civil war building which is now a unique museum just off of the main street. It is a remnant of the early days of Waynesville and the oldest building in Pulaski County. [It was] condemned in 1982 and slated for demolition, [but] a group of people successfully saved it from its fate in 1983. By the end of 1984, restoration had brought the exterior of the building back to the way it originally looked in 1890. Each room represents a period of time when the building was occupied and it is interesting to see thumbnail examples of what changes the building went through with the generations."
Waynesville also had a part in another historic event, although a sad one. The Trail of Tears (1837-39) came through the town, and had an encampment at Roubidoux Springs, in what is now Laughlin Park. The town itself was the site of 3 stops on the Northern Route. In 2006, the town became a certified stop on the National Historic Trail and in 2015, the National Parks exhibits for the Trail of Tears was completed. “We should never forget these events from our history,” states Mayor Hardman. "Another building currently under restoration is the old court house which is historically significant for two reasons. First, in 1990, (then) Governor John Ashcroft signed the Historic Route designation for Route 66 in front of Waynesville's courthouse, and second, it is one of two original courthouses sitting on Route 66 in Missouri, the other being in Joplin.”
For those hungry for a bit of whimsy, there is also “Frog Rock”, just outside of the city. Affectionately known as W.H. Croaker, the statue is assigned on the GNIS system for locations in the country. This is considered the 5th Frog Rock. A local artist spent six months every morning during most of the 1990s making “Croaker” appear with a chisel. “In my first official act as mayor, we named Waynesville Hill Croaker our official mascot for the City," continues Mayor Hardman. "He continues to be a fun welcoming sight as you come down the Waynesville Hill on Route 66.”
Kim Pezza
A graduate of State University Of New York At Fredonia with a BA in Creative Writing, Kim is an author for Hatherleigh Press [Random House] and Seaside Publishing. She enjoys camping, cheese making and historic crafts.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Riverview RV Park, which offers a quiet & peaceful, well-planned and well-maintained RV Park for camping enthusiasts at Lake of the Ozarks. Its convenient location offers easy access off Hwy 54 and is close to all area attractions.