Webb City timeline: 1969-1985

1969 – Marion Perry remodeled the building at 9 S. Main St. and opened The Empress, named after the Empress Theatre that had occupied that building. It opened in November.

1969 – A celebration was held July 12 to dedicate King Jack Park.

1969 – Mayor Robert J. Baker recognized the unpopularity of his decision to purchase the mine land for King Jack Park was having a negative effect on other projects, such as building the new water tower. He resigned in November. Mayor Pro Tem Donald Scott completed the remaining months of the unexpired term.

1970 – Robert Patrick was elected mayor, serving until 1974.

1970 – A huge explosion at Ray’s Service Station in August caused a mushroom cloud of smoke. The station was at 1202 S. Madison St.

1971 – Construction of the new Webb City High School was begun at 621 N. Madison St.

1971 – A tornado on May 6 wiped out 37 blocks in Joplin. One person died and 31 were injured.

1972 – The Webb City High School Class of 1972 was the last to graduate from the old high school on Broadway.

1973 – Residents had little warning of a tornado that struck at 7 a.m. May 11. Three died. Hundreds were injured.

1973 – After 50 years of business, Lewis Burris retired and sold West End Pharmacy. He passed away in October.

1974 – Sterling Gant was elected to a term as mayor.

1974 – Jack Dawson’s Praying Hands statue on April 28 brought worldwide attention to Webb City.

1974 – The old high school on Broadway was torn down.

1975 – Three people were killed and three seriously injured when a tornado hit Neosho on April 24.

1975 – Ashley’s department store opened in March in the Kress Building on Main Street.

1976 – Webb City celebrated its centennial and America’s bi-centennial. Jack Dawson followed up the Praying Hands with his Kneeling Miner statue.

1977 – Norval Matthews passed away at age 82.

1978 – Don Roderique passed away.

1978 – The Connor Hotel, being prepared for implosion, collapsed prematurely on Nov. 11. The nation tuned in for the frantic search for trapped workers. Amazingly, one survived.

1979 – Bob Foos purchased the Webb City Sentinel, along with Marti Attoun, from William C. Myers. Longtime employee Merle Lortz became Foos’ partner in 1983.

1979 – Judge Ray E. Watson passed away in June.

1980 – The Cameron Estates high-rise apartment complex was completed at 324 N. Tom St. The Webb City Fire Department had to purchase a ladder truck to reach the upper floors.

1980 – Webb City got a Wal-Mart in April. That building now awaits a new tenant.

1980 – The first annual Mining Days Celebration was held in September. It was organized by Bill Lundstrum as a replacement for the annual Fall Festival. The goal, besides providing fun, was to raise money for a community center.

1980 – Webb City’s population was 7,309, according to the census.

1981 – Pillars of the Past, columns from the old high school building that were restored and erected in front of the new high school, were dedicated on May 10. The Student Council idea was funded by donations.

1981 – The new Merchants & Miners Bank opened on Webb Street. The Unity Building, where the bank had always been, was purchased by Don and Carolyn McGowan. They converted the upper floors to apartments and operated Pinocchio Pre School on the ground floor.

1982 – Construction of the Webb City Senior Citizen Center began.

1982 – The Southwest Missouri Electric Railway Company monument in King Jack Park was dedicated. Two large ornamental slabs from the famous Connor Hotel flank each side of the monument. The streetcars ran from 1889 to 1939. Fred “Fritz” Rogers was responsible for the monument, as well as the major force in restoring Streetcar No. 60 as a tourist attraction.

1982 – A December fire destroyed the historic Donehoo Block on Main Street. Businesses occupying the structures at the time were the Main Street Bar, Webb City Sentinel and Cardinal Scale. The former Empress building was lost, and the south wall of the Middlewest Building had to be replaced. There had been a fire in the same location 100 years before.

1982 – Ramey’s grocery opened in the old Foodtown building at Broadway and Madison Street.

1983 – The Webb City Senior Citizen Center opened. On its location, the northwest corner of Pennsylvania and Daugherty streets, had been the city’s first frame house, built by Granville Ashcraft.

1983 – A book about the natural environment of the George Washington Carver Monument written by Webb City’s Ernest J. Palmer was published. He had completed writing it in 1960.

1984 – A small private plane attempting to land at the airport crashed in a residential area south of Highway 171. Both men aboard the plane were killed.

1984 – Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn McGowan completed a portion of Mayor P.D. Crockett’s term from Oct to April 1985.

1985 – Kathryn Patten finished out the mayoral term until April 1986.

1985 – The circus came to town, thanks to Bill Lundstrum’s efforts as chairman of the Park Board.

1985 – Jeanne Newby opened Jeanne’s Sweet Shoppe at 10 ½ S. Main.