History takes center stage at Tuesday Night Talks

By Kirsten Stokes

A new season of a long-running historical series will kick off later this month.

The Pony Express Museum is hosting the 26th year of Tuesday Night Talks during January and February. Those in attendance hear from authors and historians on a wide range of topics.

The first talk this season is set for Tuesday, Jan. 16, and doors open between 6 and 6:15 p.m., with the lecture beginning at 7 at the museum, 914 Penn St.

“Ron Auxier is going to talk about the master builders and St. Joe’s early architecture. That one really excites me because they came from Germany,” said Cindy Daffron, executive director of the Pony Express Museum. “The early architecture in this city is incredible. People go up Hall Street just to go see it.”

Daffron said the lectures are free to the public, but attendees are asked for a donation that allows the museum to continue purchasing refreshments for the talks.

In addition to being educational, the talks also offer a sense of community.

“It’s a good meeting place for people. I always say they mark their spot where they want to sit. Then they go get the food and they eat, and then they come back. So, it’s really kind of nice,” Daffron said. “Sometimes families will meet somebody who maybe lives in Maryville, somebody in Kansas City, and they meet up here and have a good fellowship.”