Sesquicentennial Kick-Off well attended

History was made in Rolla, Missouri on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011 when more than 300 members of the community attended Rolla’s Sesquicentennial Kick-Off and 150^th Birthday Celebration in Castelman Lounge at The Centre, Rolla’s health and recreation facility. 

Once in a life-time historic milestone events such as the City’s 150^th Birthday should not be forgotten or go unnoticed, and the City is thankful that so many individuals worked together to help make the event on Jan. 25, 2011 such an historic and memorable community event. A special thanks goes first and foremost to the residents of Rolla and the many individuals who make up our unique community; former and present members of the Rolla City Council; the employees at The Centre and Parks and Recreation Department who set up for and helped host the Sesquicentennial Kick-Off; the Rolla Sesquicentennial Planning Committee; Jeff Sandquist, Rolla Public Schools Choir Director and members of the Rolla High School Chamber Choir and Rolla Choral Arts Society Jazz Choir; Pastor Gary Teague, Apostolic Pentecostal Church; St. James Mayor Dennis Wilson; Phelps County Presiding Commissioner Randy Verkamp; key-note speaker, Dr. Donald B. Oster, Associate Professor Emeritus, Missouri University of Science & Technology; Angi Yowell, Graphic Design Instructor, Rolla Technical Institute, the winner of the Sesquicentennial Logo Contest; the Rolla Chamber Ambassadors; and members of the Rolla Police Department who provided traffic and crowd control for the event. I would also like to thank former Mayor Floyd Ferrell who shared his scrap book from his many years as Mayor of Rolla at the event. It was one of the highlights of the evening. 

Please don’t forget to mark your calendar for Rolla’s day-long Sesquicentennial Celebration that will be held on Saturday, June 4 in conjunction with Route 66 Summerfest in downtown Rolla. The members of the Rolla Sesquicentennial Planning Committee have been meeting monthly since November 2010 to plan numerous events, including a Sesquicentennial parade at 10 a.m. on Pine Street, official program at the bandshell, historic re-enactments, living history, a Walk Through History, numerous old-time crafters and a special ceremony to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the old Phelps County Courthouse.

In preparation for the Rolla Sesquicentennial Parade, the Rolla Sesquicentennial Planning Committee is looking for 15 community groups, service organizations, churches, etc., to help organize one decade of Rolla history.  Each group that organizes a decade of Rolla history will be responsible to help the Rolla Sesquicentennial Committee solicit parade entries that represent your particular decade.  For example, if you chose the decade of the 1950s you would be looking for 1950s cars and trucks, a hula hoop exhibition, an Elvis look alike, etc. Decades will be given out on a first come first serve basis, so please get your group together early to help on this very worthwhile project. To get involved, please contact Larry Stratman at 364-329 or Amy Campbell, Tourism Director at the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce, at 364-3577. For more information regarding Rolla’s Sesquicentennial Celebration on June 4, please visit the City of Rolla’s Website at www.rollacity.org.

   Have a safe week!