Jefferson City Archives

Gov. Nixon vetoes bill to allow sale of alcohol in State Capitol, historic penitentiary

July 10, 2014 By Mike Lear

Governor Jay Nixon (D) has vetoed a bill that would allow alcohol to be sold at events in the State Capitol and the historic Missouri State Penitentiary.

Governor Jay Nixon says events in the State Capitol should not include the selling of alcohol. (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

Supporters said the bill would allow the Missouri Capitol Commission to include alcohol sales at celebrations of the laying of the cornerstone of the capitol and the state’s Bicentennial, and would help generate revenue for the restoration and maintenance of the Capitol. Other events held at the retired State Penitentiary would further the effort to draw tourism to the prison and Jefferson City.

Nixon says he disapproves of the bill because he wants children and families to continue to be comfortable visiting the Capitol.

“They do not come to see the sale of liquor by the drink,” writes Nixon. “Moreover, they introduction of alcohol sales in the Capitol is particularly troubling because the bill does not restrict sales in the presence of minors, nor does it limit sales to certain hours of operation.”

Nixon continues, “The additional revenues for Capitol restoration and maintenance that proponents assert would result from House Bill No. 1359 becoming law are outweighed by the message it sends to children and families. We should not sell alcohol in the Capitol.”

The bill cleared both the House and the Senate with enough votes to overturn a veto, if such an attempt is made in September’s veto session and if enough lawmakers vote the same way.

Building that housed death row back on historic prison tour route

July 4, 2014 By Mike Lear

When history tours at the Missouri State Penitentiary resumed in April, they used a slightly different route than they have in the previous few years. Work that continued to repair roofs and remediate mold at the most historic buildings on the site meant that guests couldn’t be allowed in one building, and had access to parts of others.

The turrets at the center of Housing Unit 3 were intended to intimidate inmates being housed there. (courtesy; Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau)

This week some of those limits were removed, as the repair and remediation work nears completion. Guests can now get into half of Housing Unit 3, a cell block finished in 1918 that once housed Missouri’s death row. The rest of that building is expected to be available some time next month.

The agreement between the state and Jefferson City that led to work on the prison was announced in November, 2013

Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Diane Gillespie says the popular paranormal tours resumed this week. She says those use all of the buildings the history tours use.

“We will use Housing Unit 1 and 4 and a part of Housing Unit 3 along with the gas chamber,” says Gillespie. “We have had very great success with people wanting to come and book for the ghost tours.”

Gillespie says guests have been understanding and supportive about the ongoing work, and the impact it has had on tours.

“The feedback that we have gotten is that they are just delighted that the state and the city have stepped up to help preserve the buildings and that we continue to be able to offer tours to our visitors,” says Gillespie, “and our guides have done a great job in being able to continue to tell the full story of MSP even if they can’t get full access to all the buildings.”

Gillespie says the patience of tour guests and guides will be rewarded.

“That’s what we keep telling everybody. Yes, we have to be flexible during this season, but once this season is over with we’ve got full access to moving forward for the next fifteen years,” says Gillespie. “That’s very instrumental in us being able to move forward with bookings and offering MSP to convention groups, events and film groups that want to schedule further out than we’ve been able to in the past.”

MSP closed in 2004 and several years later opened to public tours. Since 2011 those have been offered by the Visitors Bureau through a lease agreement with the state, which still owns the prison property. The prison was 168 years old when it closed and had been the oldest operating prison west of the Mississippi.

Tours resume today and work continues at historic state prison

April 21, 2014 By Mike Lear

Tours of Missouri’s 178-year-old state penitentiary resume today as work continues to save its oldest buildings.

Crews are seen working on the roof of A-Hall, which dates back to 1868 and is the oldest building still standing at the Missouri State Penitentiary. (Photo courtesy, Missouri Office of Administration)

Crews are seen working on the roof of A-Hall or Housing Unit 4, which dates back to 1868 and is the oldest building still standing at the Missouri State Penitentiary. (Photo courtesy, Missouri Office of Administration)

The state and the City of Jefferson are splitting up to $2-million of the cost of mold remediation and roof repair in four buildings at the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City. Buildings dating as far back as 1868 had been going without major maintenance since the prison was decommissioned in 2004.

Mark Schreiber spent 42 years working for the Department of Corrections, much of it inside “the Walls,” where he developed a passion for its history. He has advocated for years to see those buildings saved and credits the state for setting this in motion.

“It’s very pleasing to see the progress that’s been made,” says Schreiber. “It’s the difference between night and day already, and to see that we’re moving forward and getting something done with the roofs, seeing that they’re doing something with the condition of the interiors of the buildings and how they’re sealing them and preserving them, it’s just really great.”

Crews are putting roofs on and remediating mold in three cell blocks that once held inmates like Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd, James Earl Ray and Sonny Liston, and the gas chamber where 39 men and 1 woman were executed between 1938 and 1989.

Tours of the prison were suspended in September due to concerns about mold in some of those buildings. Director of the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors’ Bureau Diane Gillespie says she’s excited to see those tours resume, though for the first couple of months of the tour season the route will be “modified.”

Three of the four buildings that are being worked on are seen in this wide shot: Housing Unit 3 or McClung Hall at left, the four-story Housing Unit 4 or A-Hall to the right and Housing Unit 1 behind A-Hall. (Photo courtesy, Missouri Office of Administration)

“We will not have access to all four of the buildings,” explains Gillespie. “Currently Housing Unit 3 is going to need some additional work so that is going to take a little bit longer, but we will have access to Housing Unit 1 and Housing Unit 4 along with the gas chamber.”

She tells Missourinet the full tours and a full offering will open up after July 1.

“We’re filling up actually for August, September and October for the ghost tours,” Gillespie tells Missourinet. “At that time we’ll have full access to all four of the buildings, and actually we’ll be able to have maybe a little bit more access to some of the buildings than what we’ve had in the past.”

Schreiber, always the historian, notes there is a significant difference between the people working on those buildings now and those that would have worked on them during much of the prison’s use.

“Instead of the contractors that we have now it would have been inmates … offenders, which would have been called convicts back then,” says Schreiber. “We know that from even back in the 1920s when the roof burned off of A-Hall … we’ve got photographs that show the inmates putting the roof back on.”

See our earlier story on the agreement regarding use of the historic prison

Agreement announced between Jefferson City, State on use of historic prison

November 6, 2013 By Mike Lear

Governor Jay Nixon has announced an agreement between the State and Jefferson City that aims to reopen the historic Missouri State Penitentiary to tours by spring, and a potential long-term agreement between the city and state for use of the prison site.

Governor Jay Nixon (at podium) announces an agreement on the use of the Missouri State Penitentiary, joined by (from left to right) Office of Administration Commissioner Doug Nelson, Jefferson City Mayor Eric Struemph and State Senator Mike Kehoe.

Tours of the decommissioned prison were halted in September when excessive levels of mold were recorded. The agreement would cover renovations of four buildings deemed historic, Housing Units 1, 3, 4 and the Gas Chamber, to stop further mold development plus remediation of the mold that’s there, up to a cost of $2-millon split evenly between the City and the State.

Nixon anticipates a quick turnaround on the work.

“The goal is to begin tours once again in the spring,” Nixon said.

The State’s share comes from funds already budgeted for facilities maintenance and repair. The City would spend money out of a capital improvement half-cent sales tax passed several years ago intended for projects including development in and around the prison.

The Jefferson City Council must still vote to approve the expenditure. That vote will happen at a special meeting tomorrow night at 5:30 at City Hall.

Nixon says this use of state money is justified to bolster Missouri tourism.

“The Missouri State Penitentiary is an iconic Jefferson City landmark that attracts thousands of visitors each year. While they’re here these visitors eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores and explore the other outstanding attractions in the area creating jobs and generating economic activity throughout the region.”

He also defended having Jefferson City expend money on a state-owned property.

The agreement could allow the city to continue tours at (left to right) Housing Units 1, 3, 4 and (not pictured) the Gas Chamber for the next 25 years. (Photos courtesy: Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau)

“I think that with the economic benefit that the City will see and the clear marketing strategy that the City and the (Jefferson City Convention and) Visitor’s Bureau have already laid out, that this is one in which we wanted to be helpful with them … we just think this is the best way for us to be responsible stewards of the dollars but to work with the Capital City here.”

The Council will also vote on, and the Governor also announced, a 15-year use agreement governing the management of the site that could be extended twice for 5 years each.

That agreement would allow the City to continue tours of the historic prison, to establish a museum, gift shop and coffee bar in the 145-year-old Housing Unit 4, to hold social gatherings and events at the site and to allow film or video requests. The agreement states that “public tours shall emphasize and focus on the historic nature of MSP.”

Under the agreement the City will cover expenses with the proceeds from tours and other events at MSP and use the remaining income to make repairs and improvements to the site, as approved by the state’s Division of Facilities Management, Design & Construction.

See a copy of the proposed agreement between Jefferson City and the State of Missouri

Office of Administration Commissioner Doug Nelson explained that roof repair, window repair and then remediation of the site will begin quickly. He tells Missourinet, “We are in the process right now of finalizing our testing and we should have those results hopefully even this week, and then the plan is to go out to bid and move forward with the construction phase … once the buildings are encapsulated and the weather stays out of them, the final phase will be remediation and then we’ll be good to go.”

Visitor’s Bureau Director Diane Gillespie was visibly relieved by the announcement. She took in January her position at the Bureau, which has been conducting tours of the site since 2009.

She says, “It’s the first step. We still have a lot of process to go through … but we’re all talking. We’re all sitting down working together.”

She doesn’t know when the Bureau will begin booking more tours for 2014. She says, “The next step is to sit down and try to put a timeline together as to will we be ready to go in March, which is normally when our tour season starts. March is always kind of an iffy month for us because of the weather so if it’s April, then we’ll take April.”

Nixon credited Senator Mike Kehoe (R-Jefferson City) with persistence and hard work in bringing State and city officials together on the issue. Nixon said of Kehoe, “When a lot of folks point fingers in public service and find excuses to not get things done, Senator Kehoe is a fine example of somebody who likes to get things done.”

Representative Jay Barnes (R-Jefferson City) couldn’t be at the hearing while the committee on Medicaid that he chairs was meeting. He tells Missourinet, “I think it’s a great step forward for the City of Jefferson and the State of Missouri. I’m hopeful that we can get things fixed.” He called the pending agreement, “Good for the entire state.”

Tours of historic state prison ended for the year due to mold concerns

October 2, 2013 By Mike Lear

Tours of Missouri’s historic State Penitentiary have been called off for 2013 with two months left in the tour season. The Jefferson City Conventions and Visitors Bureau is in the process of notifying 2,500 guests that their tours have been cancelled.

The oldest building on the site, A-Hall, first held inmates in 1868. The last inmate to be moved from MSP to the Jefferson City Correctional Center walked out its front door in September, 2004.

The oldest building still standing on the site, A-Hall, first held inmates in 1868. The last inmate to be moved from MSP to the Jefferson City Correctional Center walked out its front door in September, 2004.

Communications Manager Ryan Burns says the Bureau decided to end the tours for the year when the state Office of Administration, who still owns the property, restricted access to the buildings due to the results of a site assessment. An initial request to do a modified tour for the remainder of the year was withdrawn.

“Because we didn’t have access to the buildings and we could not provide the type of tour that people were expecting, (we decided) it would be best to discontinue the tours for 2013.”

The assessment was done at the request of the Visitors Bureau over concerns about mold in the buildings.

Burns explains, “When we got back into the buildings this summer and the temperature started rising we noticed a bit more of a musty smell than we had noticed in years’ past … we were concerned whether the conditions inside the buildings had changed at all … we felt that it was our responsibility to our staff and to the public that were coming for tours to ensure that the conditions of the buildings were suitable for public access.”

The Bureau is optimistic that the closure will spur more discussions with the state about the long-term preservation of the site.

“We’re hopeful that we can resume tours in 2014. We’re not going to throw in the towel … we’re going to do everything in our ability to get back into that site and continue offering tours in the future.”

The State Penitentiary received its first inmate in March, 1836 and was the oldest operating prison west of the Mississippi River when it closed in September, 2004. Tours of the site began in 2009. The Bureau says more than 14,000 people had taken a tour this year and it was on pace to reach 20,000.

State halts tours to ‘assess site issues’ at historic prison

September 26, 2013 By Mike Lear

Tours of the historic Missouri State Penitentiary have been put on hold.

Missouri State Penitentiary was once the largest prison in the state, with more than 5,200 inmates in the 1930s. (Photo courtesy: Missouri Division of Tourism)

A statement from the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau says the “property owners are assessing some site issues.” The prison is owned by the state and overseen by the Office of Administration.

Tours scheduled through Wednesday have been cancelled and guests will be contacted for a refund or voucher for a future tour. The statement says that date could change.

The Penitentiary was the oldest operating prison west of the Mississippi when it closed nine years ago. Last year more than 19,000 people took one of the Bureau’s tours of the site.

More learned about 1,200 year old village site on National Guard property (AUDIO/PHOTOS)

September 9, 2013 By Mike Lear

Archaeologists have been back on the grounds of the Missouri National Guard’s training site at Jefferson City studying the site of a 1,200 year-old Native American village there. They were looking for signs that the site might not be a seasonal camp as been believed, but a more permanent site.

Archaeologists at the Ike Skelton Training Center at Jefferson City discovered three post holes, indicating a possible home or other permanent structure at a 1,200 year-old Native American village site. Two of them, which overlap, are pictured here.

Archaeologist Joe Harl with the Archaeological Research Center says they found some in the form of pit structures.

“Pits are features or remains of house structures or storage pits, cooking pits, fire hearths, those kinds of things. What we found are the remnants of three posts that probably are related to a house or some other activity.”

AUDIO: Harl explains how archaeologists find a post hole.

Harl says other findings on the site would also indicate that this site was used more than just seasonally.

Two post holes overlap in the upper-right of this plot. Archaeologists dug out a third post hole, at the left looking for evidence of earlier habitation.

“When you’re getting a number of pottery vessels for instance, you’re not going to be carrying those around with you. At a special processing site you may have some pottery vessels but not that quantity we’re finding, and then the number of tools we’re finding also suggest that it was a permanent village site.”

Harl says the site is well-preserved because it is under about two feet of sediment deposited by Missouri River flooding, and topsoil that was farmed for 150 years.

“It’s been cut a little bit but not too much because of all the flood deposits on top of it, and so this looks like it could have intact remains that you don’t see, and the bone preservation and the plant preservation was really good at this site as well.”

The bones he refers to are animals bones, that combined with the plant material, show what the people there were eating and raising.

AUDIO: What were the people at this site eating?

Harl says though none have been found, he believes there are “definitely” human burials at the site.

AUDIO: Harl discusses the possibility that human remains exist at the site.

The markings on these fragements of pottery are thought to have been left by cords use in their production. Numerous pottery fragments have been found at the National Guard training center site, and are among the evidence that it was more than a seasonal campsite.

The markings on these fragments of pottery are thought to have been left by cords use in their production. Numerous pottery fragments have been found at the National Guard training center site, and are among the evidence that it was more than a seasonal campsite.

The team also found several artifacts including pottery shards and projectile points.

“The points we’re finding we know dated after 700 A.D. when they developed the bow and arrow … The pottery, though, looks like it dates to about 1000 A.D.” The pottery fragments that have been found have either smooth sides, uneven marks made by cords used in their production, or even cord markings. Those markings, or lack thereof, help indicate their age.”When they smoothed the upper rim, they started doing that about 950 A.D. or after that time. After about 1050 or 1100 A.D. they actually would sometimes smooth the whole vessel and then put in size lines, like one of the ones that we found.”

No remains of ornately decorated pottery have been found, and that is also telling.

“Those really fancy pots with animal head effigies on them or fancy incisions or lines drawn in them … those usually occur at the bigger sites, the market centers, where at the common, everyday farming sites, they tend to keep using that cord marked pottery. That’s because those vessels work better at cooking foods in better than the big, rounded, flat-bottomed fancy pots that were more popular at the big market centers.”While people often think of Native Americans as being associated with specific tribes, Harl says it is very difficult in Missouri to tie a site to any specific group.

“The problem is, especially for the eastern half of the state, is that people left this area and it’s a real mystery because from right at the end of the Ice Age when people first came here until 1,400 A.D., this area had some of the highest populations in the country because of all the natural resources and the right deposits and food deposits that are here. This area always had a high population and the real mystery is why in 1,400 A.D. they abandoned most of eastern Missouri.”

AUDIO: Harl on the prehistoric exodus from Missouri.

Harl says some large projectile points found at the site might indicate that it was used as much as 4,000 years ago, but digging deeper into the soil for evidence of habitation that far back has so far yielded none. He says further investigation into that possibility is needed. He adds, large points can be deceiving. They are typically associated with spears and were phased out with the advent of the bow and arrow, but reemerged in later cultures for use as hafted knives.

Follow this link to a previous story on this site, including a set of photos of some more artifacts found there.

Opponent of health care bill impressed with McCaskill

August 26, 2009 By admin

An opponent of health care legislation being debated in Washington remains an opponent after Senator McCaskill’s Jefferson City forum, but leaves with a favorable impression of the senator.

Robert and Victoria Babin Waiting in line for the doors to open at Lewis and Clark Middle School, Robert Babin of Laurie said he opposed President Obama’s health care initiative.

"Well, we’d like to see reform, there’s no question about it," Babin told the Missourinet prior to the forum. "But we think a government option is the wrong way to go."

Babin and his wife, Victoria, waited patiently to get in, listened attentively during the one hour public forum and praised Senator McCaskill’s handling of the issue.

"I was impressed with what she said, but I’m disappointed that she still supports a government option," Babin told the Missourinet after the forum.

The crowd grew rowdy as times. At times, various members of the audience shouted at the senator. Yet, it didn’t get out of control.

"I’m proud to be an American and I’m proud to have this opportunity," Babin said. "And I’m proud of Senator McCaskill for continuing to hold these while all the other Congressmen are hiding," said Babin.

The Jefferson City forum attracted more people than could fit in the middle school cafeteria. The local fire marshal limited attendance to 400, including media and the Senator’s staff.

Download/listen Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)

Former Governor Hearnes praised during state funeral

August 19, 2009 By admin

State funeral services for former Gov. Warren Hearnes have concluded at the Capitol, with Gov. Nixon praising Hearnes as a governor who provided a steady hand during the stormy times of the 1960s. Hearnes served as Missouri governor from 1965 to 1973. He was the first to serve consecutive terms as governor after the state constitution was changed to allow it.

Nixon stated that it was his honor to help commemorate the life and leadership of Missouri’s 46th governor. Nixon noted that Hearnes accomplished much during his time as governor, but also in her personal life, such as marrying his childhood sweetheart Betty. The two were married more than 60 years.

Nixon stated that though many years have passed since Hearnes served as governor, his legacy of compassion, action and enlightened leadership continues and endures.

The casket was closed, covered by a state flag Hearnes took with him to Charleston. He had told his wife, Betty, that he wanted that flag to drape over his coffin.

The state funeral attracted former Governors Blunt, Holden, Wilson and Ashcroft. Former Senator Jean Carnahan represented her late husband, Mel Carnahan.

Hearnes was a member of the Missouri House, where he became the Majority Floor Leader. He was elected Secretary of State prior to winning election as governor. His public service spanned almost 70 years.

After the service, the hearse carrying the former governor circled to the north side of the Capitol for military honors, including a 19-gun salute and helicopter flyover. Hearnes will be returned to Charleston, in southeast Missouri, for a visitation tomorrow evening at the First Baptist Church. His funeral will be held Friday morning at the church.

State funerals at the Capitol are rare. The first was held in April, 1918 for former Governor William Joel Stone who was governor 1893-97 and died while serving his third term in the U. S. Senate. The most recent was for Governor Mel Carnahan, held outdoors in October, 2000.

Download/listen Gov. Nixon eulogizes former Gov. Hearnes (12:30 MP3)

Rail project in California, Mo., breaks ground

April 27, 2009 By admin

California, Missouri is where a joint project between The Missouri Department of Transportation, Union Pacific and Amtrack begins to improve passenger rail service.

Brian Weiler, multimodal operations director for MoDOT says this is the first of several projects to add sidings — a passing lane of sorts — to the track.

Federal stimulus funding and state money is going toward the $8.1 million project.

MoDOT reports the Kansas City to St. Louis rail corridor has experienced such a steady growth in freight rail traffic over the years, that the corridor has experienced capacity constraints.

In some parts of Missouri, Amtrak trains have to pull over to accomodate Union Pacific cargo traffic.

California, Missouri is one of the state’s worst bottlenecks, putting passenger trains behind schedule. Other identified bottlenecks are in Knob Noster and Strasburg.

MoDOT says once the California project is complete, allowing Amtrak trains to pass, the annual reduction in delays will be nearly 17 percent.

"As the State of Missouri, Union Pacific and Amtrak break ground together on this project, it further represents our commitment to making the St. Louis to Kansas City rail corridor a more viable option for Missourians," says Pete Rahn, director of MoDOT. "Improvements like this will ease congestion on the railroad tracks across Missouri and enhance our state’s quality of life by making passenger rail a more reliable option and increasing our global competitiveness as the flow of freight rail traffic improves."

"The Kansas City to St. Louis rail corridor has experienced such a steady growth in freight rail traffic over the years, that the corridor experienced capacity constraints. Union Pacific has invested more than $400 million since 1999 on this corridor in track capacity and maintenance projects," says Shane Keller, Union Pacific Railroad’s assistant vice president – operations – Northern Region. "All of us at Union Pacific look forward to not only the completion of this project, but also what we hope will be more public/private partnerships like this one which benefits everyone across Missouri."

Mike Franke, Amtrak Assistant Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development, agrees, saying, "This kind of targeted capacity improvement can make a real difference in improving the on-time performance of Amtrak Missouri River Runner trains and make our service even more attractive," said When finished in December 2009, the siding will accommodate the mile-and-a-half long Union Pacific coal trains that haul low-sulfur coal from Wyoming to electric utilities in the St. Louis area and eastern power generation facilities. MoDOT secured the funding for this project from state funds, complemented with a federal grant from the Federal Railroad Administration."

Jessica Machetta interviews Brian Weiler [Download/listen MP3]