Rolla's Sesquicentennial Committee plans for June 4, 2011 Celebration

The kick-off meeting held Thursday at Rolla City Hall for Rolla’s Sesquicentennial Planning Committee helped chart the course for both a historic and festive day-long celebration of Rolla’s 150th birthday.

The City of Rolla was originally chartered (incorporated) on Jan. 25, 1861, but members of the Sesquicentennial Planning Committee want to capitalize on both the large crowds and summer weather that are part of the annual Route 66 Summerfest festivities held the first weekend in June. Committee members unanimously agreed to hold the City’s Sesquicentennial Celebration on Saturday, June 4, 2011 in conjunction with Route 66 Summerfest festivities that will take place primarily in the City’s Downtown Festival Park where the downtown bandshell will be the hub of activity for this day-long celebration.

Following the initial meeting of the Sesquicentennial Planning Committee, plans are already underway and moving forward to kick-off the June 4, 2011 celebration with a Sesquicentennial parade that morning in downtown Rolla that will represent every decade from 1861 to 2011. Larry Stratman, who was the driving force behind the very successful Phelps County Sesquicentennial Celebration, has generously agreed to head up the organization and logistical aspects of the parade, and would like anyone interested in being part of the parade (floats, bands, vintage cars, vintage tractors, soldiers, cavalry, cowboys, covered wagons, etc.) to contact him at his office at the Phelps County Courthouse at 458-6121 or at Stratman@phelpscounty.org.

Also included among the plans for Rolla’s Sesquicentennial Celebration will be “A Walk Through History,” which will be displayed both in the downtown festival park and in City Hall; a “Written History” of Rolla; historical reenactments and interpretations at the Old Phelps County Courthouse. Plans are also underway with the committee to create and unveil a new City of Rolla flag, and to launch a community-wide contest for the creation of a Rolla Sesquicentennial logo that will be imprinted on banners that will be displayed in the downtown area to promote the celebration and on the Sesquicentennial Commemorative T-shirts. The deadline for logo entries is Dec. 2, and entries should be directed to the attention of Scott Grahl, the City’s Communications Coordinator, who can be reached at 426-6943 or sgrahl@rollacity.org or at Rolla City Hall (3rd floor), 901 N. Elm Street. The committee hopes to unveil the new Sesquicentennial banners in late January 2011 to commemorate Rolla’s 150th birthday on Jan. 25, 2011 and to kick off the festivities planned for the City’s Sesquicentennial Celebration on June 4, 2011.

A Sesquicentennial Ceremony that will take place after the parade on June 4, 2011 is in the planning stages as well, and will include many of the local and state leaders, and pioneers who have helped play a role in shaping the history and landscape of Rolla over the years.

I would like to personally thank the following individuals who have agreed to volunteer their time and talent to serve on the Sesquicentennial Planning Committee, and who will be meeting on a regular basis to plan, promote and organize Rolla’s Sesquicentennial Celebration. The members of the committee include: Larry Stratman, Phelps County Commissioner, and former Chairman of the Phelps County Sesquicentennial Planning Committee; Dr. Wayne Bledsoe, former Chairman of the Missouri S&T History Department and General Manager of KMST radio station (located on the Missouri S&T campus); Jaime Rinehart, Rolla Junior High School History teacher; Mark Stauter, member of the Phelps County Historical Society; Carolyn Tilford, President of the Phelps County Historical Society; Dan Henke, Phelps County Historical Society member and historical re-enactor; Dianne Henke, Curator of the Phelps County Historical Museum; Judy Jepsen, former Rolla City Council member and past president of the Ozark Actors Theater Board of Directors; John Petersen, the City’s Director of Community Development and Living History organizer; Aimee Campbell, Tourism Director, Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce. Ex-officio members of the committee include John Butz, Rolla City Administrator; Steve Hargis, the City’s Director of Public Works and Scott Grahl, Communications Coordinator.

In closing I’d like to remind everyone that Veterans Day is just around the corner on Thursday, Nov. 11. Rolla City Hall will be closed in observance of Veterans Day, but there will be several Veterans Day ceremonies celebrated throughout the community on Nov. 11 at various Rolla Public Schools (RMS, RJHS, and RHS) and at Veterans Memorial Park (located on Southview Drive) at 11 a.m. The ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park will be open to the public and everyone is invited to attend.