2009 Meeting:
River Rambling, Games and Gambling
Boonville
November 5-7
A Letter from MFS President Brett
Rogers:
Most of you are familiar with Boonville and its contribution to the development of Missouri, from early exploration and settlement and river commerce to Western expansion by trail and rail. Boonville is blessed with a rich Anglo-Southern, German and African-American heritage and contains some of the finest examples of historic 19th and 20th century architecture in the state, from log structures to Lustron homes. It is a town remembered for all kinds of things, large and small: it's the location of Hannah Cole's fort, an early toe-hold of settlement in the area; it's the beginning of the Santa Fe trail and the site of a Civil War skirmish; it's also a town interpreted visually by the painter George Caleb Bingham, and the home of numerous local characters whom Bob Dyer immortalized in song and story. More recently, Boonville has distinguished itself as a cultural destination (if not quite a Mecca) not only for its heritage but also for the craft and folk festivals that are held there every year.
The majority of the conference events will be held at the Isle of Capri. As in previous years, the conference will begin with concurrent paper sessions Thursday afternoon, a business meeting and dinner at the renowned Settler's Inn. Tentative speakers include historian and author Bob Priddy and historian Jim Denny. A Bob Dyer memory session and a tour of some of Boonville's historic spaces are also on the agenda, in addition to the banquet, auction, folk jam and all of the other events that we look forward to yearly and that make our gathering unique and exciting.
This letter also serves as a first call for proposal of individual or group presentations/papers and sessions (forms were included in the quarterly newsletter and are also linked below). Presentations that address some aspect of this year's theme are always welcome. But keep in mind that presentations can incorporate a wide range of scholarship, interests and media, and we are open to any and all creative contributions. Students are especially encouraged to participate. Those of us who are teachers should actively solicit and encourage interested young people.
As always, the annual meeting promises to bring together a diverse membership interpreting and preserving aspects of Missouri's rich folk culture. Collectively, we constitute a kind of "family," drawn together in a single mission. So mark your calendars for the first weekend in November, and we'll see you at the Boonville "reunion."
For more information on the history of Boonville, visit the following:
(due date September 20)
You will need Adobe Reader; if you do not have this essential utility, click here to download it for free).
Annual Meeting Hotel Information:
Isle of Capri Casino & Hotel
Paper sessions, meals and lodging will all be conveniently located in one space, at the beautiful Isle of Capri Casino and Hotel, right by the Missouri River in downtown Boonville.
A block of fifty rooms has been reserved for MFS members at $79 per night. The hotel rooms are quite spacious and comfortable, and are within a very easy walking distance of both the paper sessions and meal locations.
Call 1-800-941-4753, extension 4000 for reservations. Click here for directions.
Brett Rogers
