06/03/2026
Christian County Museum & Historical Society is such a gem located in downtown Ozark, MO. If you have not made time to check this place out, you really should. It is filled with amazing artifacts from our area. There are ties to Bonnie and Clyde and the Baldknobbers! A free activity, fun for everyone!
Paul Johns and his crew, really do put their can do attitude into keeping this area's heritage alive and accessible as a non-profit organization. Hated to hear that they got themselves in such a conundrum yesterday. We were close by and were available to help out in a pinch. You could say we have a soft spot for a 75 year old signs (and Dr Pepper!) LOL
This historic old clock on the front of the Christian County Museum building on the Ozark square was originally on the front of the MFA Farmers Exchange a couple of doors to the west of the museum. Then when the county bought that building to tear it down for the Judicial Center, an Ozark man happened to be driving by and talked some city folks into rescuing the clock and putting it on the front of the Ozark Community Hall (now the museum building) where it has remained to this day. Research reveals that it has been a part of the Ozark square for right around 75 years! We feel it is part of our mission in preserving local history to get the clock repaired and make it a mainstay on the square once again.
Today, Ralph Weninger and museum curator Paul Johns attempted to remove the old Dr Pepper clock so it could be repaired and better sealed against the weather. They rented a Genie lift and using it, Ralph was able to loosen the nuts on the bolts that held it to the angle-iron framework attached to the front wall, but we still could not get a rope around it to lower it as we had planned without fear of it being damaged. We found ourselves in a real quandary, but a phone call to Zern Vess at Signarama saved the day. Zern jumped in his bucket truck and came to the rescue. With his stout rig and bigger basket, the clock was easily removed and lowered to the ground without any damage or putting anyone at risk. The Museum cannot thank Zern enough for baling us out of trouble. And a big thank you to Signarama.