Author: paulinemasson

By Pauline Masson The late Bertha Gifford of Pacific, Missouri’s most prolific women serial killer, titilated area resident for decades after two young boys in her care died from arsenic poisoning and 15 others succomed while in her care. But compared to the guy who built the drag strip south of Pacific, Bertha was just a misguided nurse who mistakenly treated sick neighbors with medication she said she took herself.  St. Louis dentist Dr. Glenn Engelman was an admitted and … Continue reading “Pacific Drag Strip Opposite the Nike Base Was a Boon to Local Car Lovers But Was Later Linked to the Fast Talking Serial Killer Who Built It”

By Pauline Masson –  Early Pacific was accustomed to loud arrivals – the smoke belching, fire spewing first steam train in 1853 and the Confederate Army that set the downtown on fire on October 1. 1864. But nothing ignited the residents like the week the new Interstate Highway 66 arrived. It was literally explosive. The construction from the east reached Pacific city limits on September 23, 1932. But before it could go through the city the well known landmark – … Continue reading “In September 1932 the New Route 66 Came in With a Bang as Sand Mountain Got a Facelift”

By Pauline Masson – There was a time in frontier America when a person with many skills and abundant energy could use the natural resources that surrounded him to build a prosperous life. If he had six sons to help with the building, that would be a benefit. Frederick William Poertner was such a man. More than the proverbial jack ofalltrades, Frederick Poertner was a successful grower of all things, skilled carpenter, frontier patent medicine bottler, gourmet food provider and … Continue reading “Historic Farmstead Donated as Wildlife Refuge / Visit Old Hollow and the Life of a Fascinating Frontier Man”

By Pauline Masson –  When former alderman Carol Johnson recently asked longtime Pacific residents Dale and Dorothy Hoffman how long they’d been married, the answer was a show stopper. The couple looked at each other broke into laughter. “Well, Dale wasn’t my first husband,” Dorothy said. What? The little repartee called up a 1940 pageant at the old Bend School, that was a history lesson of sorts, a celebration of an historic event that had been of such great public … Continue reading “Nothing Like a Tom Thumb Wedding to Fix Your Place in History”

By Pauline Masson –  There’s a lot of talk these days about vacancies on the citizen committees. Some aldermen and social media mavens say they want to fix it. If the citizens who are willing to serve would just send their contact information to an aldermen they’d get the committees filled. This is a bit misleading. The aldermen can only appoint citizens to the tourism commission. On all other committees, commissions and boards, only the mayor can appoint. Citizen committees … Continue reading “So You May Be Willing To Serve On a City Citizen Committee / Here’s What You Might Want to Know “

By Pauline Masson – David Murphy and Matthew Pross, two grandsons of the late Billy Murphy and Steve Conley, nephew of Bob Conley now spend their early summer months preparing for the revival of an 1870s tradition, the annual homecoming picnic at St.Patrick’s Old Rock Church, Catawissa. Sunday August 20, is picnic day this year, with the festivities beginning immediately after 11:00 a.m. Mass in the stone church. Now veteran event leaders, these men spent every summer of their youth … Continue reading “St. Patrick’s Old Rock Church, Catawissa Celebrates 2023 Homecoming Picnic”

By Pauline Masson –  During the Tuesday, Aug. 15 board of aldermen meeting, the first BOA meeting following the resignation of the city administrator of seven years, aldermen find Steve Roth’s always present and thorough recommendations on how they should vote on the board meeting agenda items. The memorable agenda, which is 535 pages long, offers very specific recommendation on the project to build a new swimming pool. Even though he acknowledged that he would not be able to advise … Continue reading “Roth Leaves BOA One Last Instruction / Hire Company to Manage Pool Project for $187,750”

By Pauline Masson –  Andrew Bruns, son of Tom and Michelle Bruns, has taken the helm at R H Bruns Monument Company, one of the oldest companies continually operated by the same family in the city. The Bruns family’s saga in Pacific began in 1866 when Robert Bruns emigrated here from Germany. He married Pauline Drietchen and built a home and greenhouse at 220 South Third Street, which local lore says was the source of vegetables and flowers, which were … Continue reading “Fourth Generation Owner Takes the Helm at Historic Pacific Business”

By Pauline Masson –  If voters approve a $5 million bond issue, aldermen promise to build a new larger city swimming pool. But it may not be the pool that citizens saw depicted in open house forums. And the building company that met with citizens may not be the firm that get the contract to build the pool. Aldlerman Debbie Kelley worries that her fellow aldermen are putting the horse before the court to such a degree that they are … Continue reading “Horse Before the Cart / City Wants the Bond Issue on the Ballot Before Pool Plans and Builder Are Approved”

By Pauline Masson –  In the fastest and easily the most decisive act of their terms of office, the freshmen board of aldermen snapped up former city administrator Harold Selby on Tuesday to serve as city administrator for up to a year while they search for a replacement for Steve Roth, who leaves the post Aug. 11.   Mayor Heather Filley quickly approved the appoinment. The action came after Selby reached out to the mayor and aldermen saying he had  … Continue reading “Quick Action: Selby is Interim City Administrator as City Searches for Steve Roth’s Replacement”