During the year 2008, the City of Herculaneum celebrated the 200th anniversary of its founding in 1808 with a year long celebration. Below is a brief summary of the Bicentennial Celebration.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee sponsored a flag raising and dedication ceremony to officially start the Bicententennial Celerbation. The ceremony was held at the Bicentennial Memorial Plaza at the intersection of Joachim Avenue and Highway 61-67.Three flags, a United States flag, a Missouri flag and a Bicententennial flag were dedicated and raised. The United States flag was dedicated in honor of all past and present Herculaneum military veterans; the Missouri flag was dedicated in honor of Missouri Governors Daniel Dunklin and Thomas C. Fletcher; and the the Bicentennnial flag was dedication in honor of all past and present Herculaneum residents. Following the ceremony, a reception was held at Herculaneum City Hall.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee sponsored a 200th Birthday Party for the City of Herculaneum. The party was held at the the Herculaneum Masonic Lodge #338 Temple at 309 Station Street. Ice cream, cake and punch was served to the current and form residents of Herculaneum in attendance. Attendees were invited to sign a large birthday banLocal organizations and churches decorated tables to reflect the history of Herculaneum. Numerous old photos and birthday cards created by students from the Dunklin R-5 Pevely Elementary School were also on display. Babaloo, a children’s entertainer, performed for the children in attendance. At the end of the party, 200 red, white and blue balloons were launched.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee sponsored a Bicentennial Baby Contest to determine the first baby born to Herculaneum residents in 2008. On January 11, 2008, Kirsten Elizabeth Nichols was born to parents, Rachael and Andy Nichols. Kirsten was born at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Crystal City, Missouri, and weighted seven pounds, eight ounces and was 20 inches in length at birth. Kirsten and parents were presented with numerous baby gifts, gift certicates, Bicentennial commomorative items by the committee.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee and the Autumn Ridge Senior Living Community partnered to sponsor an old fashion Ice Cream Social at the Autumn Rige facility. The social was open to all facility residents and past and present residents of Herculaneum. Those in attendance were treated to an old-time soda fountain complete with soda and ice cream treats. Two large Bicentennial cakes were also provided by the committee. Musical entertainment was provided by the Chapter One – Spirit of St. Louis Singers that included barbershop and folk music.
The third annual Herculaneum Easter Egg Hunt was held at the Herculaneum Fairgrounds. The event was sponsored by the Herculaneum Bicentennial Committe, the Herculaneum Fire Department, the Herculaneum Historical Society, the Herculaneum Masonic Lodge #338 and Herculaneum Today & Tomorrow. Children up to 10 years of age were allowed to search for 6000 eggs containing candy, small toys, cash and tickets for Easter baskets and stuffed animals. An Easter Bunny was also present for children and adults to be photographed with. In the evening, the first Adult Easter Egg Hunt was held. Participation was limited to 200 ticket holders who searched for 2000 eggs containing candy, tickets for prizes and six golden eggs. The golden eggs contained tickets for digital cameras, St. Louis Cardinals baseball tickets and iPods.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee sponsored two shows by the Kelly-Miller Circus of Hugo, Oklahoma, The circus performances were held at the Herculaneum Fairgrounds.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee sponsored the second annual Arbor Day Celebration in Herculaneum. The event was held at 945 Church Street where a 200-plus year old tree ( a Northern Red Oak) was dedicated as the second Bicentennial Tree. During the ceremony that included participation by students from the Herculaneum High School, the City of Herculaneum was presented with the Arbor Day Foundation “Tree City USA” award for the first time. The City was presented with a plaque and official Tree City USA flag by Paul Whitsell of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Jim Donnelly and Tom Murry spoke about the tree that was located in the yard of their grandparents. The event was sponsored by the Herculaneum Historical Society, the Herculaneum Fire Department, the Doe Run Company and Herculaneum Today & Tomorrow. A reception was held at the Herculaneum City Hall following the ceremony. A Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Tree was also presented to the city by resident, Durwood Lawson.
The Herculaneum High School Jazz/Concert Band program featured the first public performance of a musical composition written to commemorate the Herculaneum Bicentennial. The piece, “With Pride and Celebration”, was composed by Joe Pappas of Jefferson College. The composition was commissioned by the Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee and the Herculaneum High School Band.
Also on display during the concert were various drawings and sketches of historic buildings and locations in Herculaneum. The art show entries were made by students from Herculaneum High School and the fourth grade students from the Dunklin R-5 Pevely Elementary School.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee sponsored a series of movies that were shown on the city’s outdoor cinema screen. The first movie was shown onn June 7 and the last movie was shown on September 27. All movies were shown at the Herculaneum Fairgrounds.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee and the Herculaneum Fire Department sponsored the first Flag Day Celebration in Herculaneum. The ceremony was held at the Bicentennial Memorial Plaza at Joachim Avenue and Highway 61-67. A historical display of all 27 flags of the United States was the backdrop for speeches by military veterans, city officials and members of the Benevolent Order of the Elks #1721. Patriotic music was performed by the Spirit of St. Louis Chapter One Chorus. Boy Scout Troop #467 presented a flag retirement ceremony at the conclusion of the event. A reception was held at the fairgrounds for those in attendance.
For the first time in several years, the City of Herculaneum was host to a 4th of July Fireworks Extravaganza. The event was held at the Herculaneum Fairgrounds and was co-sponsored by the Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee, the Herculaneum Fire Department, Herculaneum Today & Tomorrow and the Herculaneum Park Board. A St. Louis band, Cruzen, performed before the fireworks display. A video prepared by members of the 40th Airlift Squadron from Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, was shown on the city’s outdoor cinema screen.
A photo contest sponsored by the Herculaneum Bicentennial Committee was open to all amateur and professional photographers. The only stipulation was that the photos had to be taken in Herculaneum and have been taken no earlier tha n 2005. Photos were judged in three categories: Daily Life, Landscape/Nature and People. Prizes of $100, $75 and $50 were awarded to the first, second and third place winners in each category. Judging of the photos was provided by the staff of the Leader Publications. All winning photos are displayed in Herculaneum City Hall.
The first induction class for the newly created Dunklin R-5 (Herculaneum) School District Hall of Fame was held at the Herculaneum High School Theatre. Following a pre-induction dinner at the high school cafeteria, eleven individuals were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Inductees were: Dr. Ronald Evens, Dr. Emmett J. Senn, Roy E. Taylor, Roy E. Thomas, Ora Robinson, John W. Dugan, Margarete Burris, William Holmes, J. L. Horton, Tisha (Delaney) Vandemore and Dr. Robert Gray. The eleven inductees had previously been introduced on September 12 at the Herculaneum High School football game.
The Bicentennial Celebration Committee organized a four day weekend celebration of the City’s 200th Anniversary of its founding. The event began with a bike ride through the historic portion of Herculaneum followed by a concert by Klose’Nuf at the Herculaneum Fairgrounds.
On Friday, the celebration opened with an arts & craft festival opened, pony rides, a petting zoo, food and drink vendors and other activities associated with a festival. Also present and on display for the entire four-day weekend were the famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales eight-hitch team. The evening featured a concert by the Joe Dirt & The Dirty Boys band followed by a fireworks display. All events were held at the Herculaneum Fairgrounds.
On Saturday, the celebration continued with a parade that began in Pevely, Missouri, and ended at the fairgrounds. The parade which included over 120 entries was led by the Clydesdales eight-hitch team. Following the parade, a ceremony was held at the fairgrounds where the oldest citizens and oldest military veterans in Herculaneum were honored. Twelve city residents were presented Citizen of the Month awards and one citizen received the Citizen of the Year Award. The day also included an All-Class Herculaneum High School Reunion which was held on the high school campus. Other events held during the afternoon on Saturday included a Car Cruise and Show, a presentation by the World Bird Sanctuary, a Health and Safety fair. Entertainment for the evening was provided by the Bowman Brothers (including an Elvis show) and a concert by the internationally known Beatles tribute band, American English. The concert was follwed by a fireworks display.
On Sunday, the day began with a family fun walk on the Joachim Loop Trail at the fairgrounds. The afternoon was filled with a variety of events that included a Dog Show, a Little Miss and Mr. Bicentennial contest, a performance by the children’s entertainer, Babaloo, and a Herculaneum military veterans ceremony. During the ceremony, all past and present Herculaneum military veterans introduced themselves to the crowd. A highlight of the ceremony was the presence of an American bald eagle, Lewis, who flew to the stage during the ceremony. A military flyover by the 40th Airlift Squadron from Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, was also a highlight of the events. Musical entertainment for the military ceremony was provided by the Chapter One Spirit of St. Louis Chorus. The celebration weekend ended with a concert by the St. Louis band, Cruzen, follwed by a laser light show. All events were held on the Herculaneum Fairgrounds.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Celebration Committee assisted the Herculaneum High School with a Veterans Day Assembly at the Dunklin R-5 Theatre. The committee invited several veterans to attend a breakfast in the high school cafeteria followed by an assembly. The assembly included a recognition of the contributions made by Herculaneum military veterans. The school vocal and instrumental music groups performed patriotic music selections and various students read poems and essays about the United States military and the men and women who have served. All veterans in attendance were introduced to the student body and invited guests. A special memorial recognition was given for three Herculaneum High School students killed in the Vietnam War and for five students killed in World War II.
The Herculaneum Bicentennial Celebration Committee sponsored a Bicentennial Closing Ceremony at the Bicentennial Memorial Plaza at Joachim Avenue and Highway 61-67. The Bicentennial Time Capsule was closed and is scheduled to be opened on December 31, 2058. The program also included a re-cap of the year’s events and the official retirement of the Bicentennial Flag. The new City of Herculaneum flag (adopted in November 2007)was dedicated and raised for the first time. At the conclusion of the ceremony, a fireworks display was held followed by a reception at the Herculaneum Masonic Lodge #338.
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