Tea & Style Show

Nellie welcomed us in with lively piano selections, then we settled back to enjoy a great visit, wonderful tea and petit fours, and a brilliant style show featuring styles from days long past, and styles we sported yesterday...or what seems like yesterday. Check out more photos of the models, fashions, and candid shots from the Tea and Style Show on the slide show in the side bar. It takes a minute to load, but it's loaded with shots!

Crazy about Quilts!

Frank and Diane Adams graciously opened their beautiful Victorian home to us for the Quilt Show.

Later, at the Tea and Style Show, this beautiful quilt made by the Pappenfoht sisters was presented to the winner.

Sesqui Classic Car Show

The Classic Car Show was another big hit of the Sesqui Celebration. My fave was the yummy aqua-blue Thunderbird. I don't know anything about what was under the hood, but the chiffon scarf tied to the rear-view mirror was tres chic! I want that car. I NEED that car! But then again, every girl needs one. ~cg

Heritage Banner Parade

It takes a lot of names to fill a town! The Heritage Banner Parade gave us an opportunity to show the cultural diversity of our town. ~cg

Saturday Night Sparkle

The beautiful fireworks display on Sesqui Saturday Night was sponsored by Richard Compton (BHS Class of 1975) and his company, Compton Auction. ~cg

The Odd Fellows are gone, but the memories remain!

The Black Diamond building served as "home base" during the Sesquicentennial Celebration. The displays of memorabilia, photos and artwork were fabulous. I could have spent days reading all the wonderful stuff in there! There were fun things to buy, and I know the free coffee and cookies were very much appreciated by the out-of-town guests, especially during the cool (but perfect) evenings. Once again, hats off to Patty Cheever and the entire committee for giving us such a fabulous event! ~cg

A Tour of Historical Bevier

Those who boarded the tram for the historical tour of Bevier had the fortune to "meet" Dr. T.P. Gronoway in the home he used as a hospital in 1919...now meticulously restored and maintained by the Ricker family. ~cg

Cemetery Theatre - 1

I'm certain that the Cemetery Theatre at our Sesquicentennial celebration will be remembered for a long, long time. The presenters did a fabulous job and it was such a wonderful opportunity to hear about some of the people who have in some way touched the lives of everyone who has grown up or lived in Bevier. From the top:

Frank Chiarottino, the first Italian to settle in Bevier. He arrived in 1890 and his family has been growing strong ever since.

Robert (Bob) Lobmire, who will long be remembered as the guy who could remember...just about anything concerning Bevier!

Edi and Sita Pappenfoht...who came to this country to start a new life after WWII. The love and family spirit they brought to our community will live on for generations to come.

Hardie Smith, our "Mr. Fixit" who came to our rescue at all hours, in all weather. A true neighbor in every sense of the word.

Francis Dunn Jones, the Welsh immigrant who started the Bevier Appeal newspaper, a publication that not only chronicled our early history and family events, but also helped countless immigrants learn to read. ~cg

Cemetery Theatre - 2

The Cemetery Theatre continued...we heard from and about our beloved Bevier grocers Raymond "Pud" Weber and August Zuccarini, along with turn-of-the-century BHS Superintendent Mabel Richards.

The parents of the famous arealists The Flying Beckmans told us all about how their three boys (Ed, Will and Tom) got their start in show business. They entertained their Bevier friends in circus tents they made from gunny sacks, where match sticks were the price of admission. Later the toured the country with the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus!

The last stop on the tour was truly a highlight of the Sesquicentennial. Alex Rector, the man who discovered coal in Bevier, was portayed by his ggg-grandson Roger Rector...while his 4-g grandson, Seth Rector, became coal mining tycoon Thomas Wardell. FABULOUS!

The Colonel would have loved it!

What a wonderful surprise! Clarence Bevier, a 7th-generation descendant of Col. R.S. Bevier came from Florida to join our celebration! Clarence visited with many residents this past weekend, including our wonderful Sesquicentennial Chair, Patty Cheever (top) and the Pappenfoht girls (bottom). Clarence is not only a celebrity for descending from the Civil War hero after whom our town was named, but he has also set a Guiness Book World Record...for the fastest recitation of the alphabet...backwards! ~cg


Clarence Bevier during Saturday's events. What a treat to welcome our little city's namesake!


Mr. and Mrs. Bevier attended the style show and tea on Sunday afternoon.



On Friday evening Mr. Bevier recited the alphabet backwards... in what seemed like a fraction of a second. The citizens of Bevier truly appreciate the time and expense of such a long trip and would love to welcome the couple back again soon. --- gp

Black Diamond Re-do

Getting ready to welcome the Sesquicentennial Celebrations has been a lot of loving labor. Several community members have worked on the Black Diamond building. Here is a shot of Rick Tate, Patty Cheever, and Freddie Ricker doing some painting on the exterior. Many others worked on windows, interior, and scaping the building, including Nellie Skinner, Erica Pappenfoht, Anna Lowery, Cathy Ricker, Bonnie Patrick, Diana and Frank Adams, and.... I'll get back to ya if I left anyone out! Please let me know.. Thanks to everyone. -- gp

Sesquicentennial Schedule of Events

FRIDAY, October 3, 2008 - Events start at 5 p.m. at the City Park

• Welcome - Mayor Bonnie Harrington
• Music - Community Choir & Bevier School Band
• Guest Speaker - Frank Adams, Senior Class President of Centennial Year 1958
• Proclamation - State Representative Tom Shively
• Dedication of #3 School Bell
• Dinner - Catered by Nolan Catering. Adults $9 and Children $5
• 150th Bevier Birthday Party - Free Homemade Cake & Ice Cream & Birthday Balloon Release
• Heritage Banner Parade - Parade of Families of Different Nationalities, Recognizing the Many Different Heritages in Our Community
• 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. - BLACK DIAMOND JUBILEE - Music & Entertainment With Bill Lear and Friends

SATURDAY, October 4th, 2008 - Activities at Various Locations - Try to Visit Them All!

• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Music, Games & Food at City Park (Bubble Blowing, Hula Hoop, Do the Twist! Enjoy Root Beer Floats, Sandwiches, French Fries & Onion Rings too!)
• 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Kids Day at City Park (Games, Contests and Prizes for Ages 5-12 Years)
• 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Car Show "Rock & Roll Days" - A DJ will have music playing all afternoon. Come dressed in 50's and 60's attire - Win a Prize!
• 9 a.m. to Noon - Sesquicentennial Postal Stamp Cancellation at Bevier Post Office
• 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. - "Nauvoo on the Road" at the Black Diamond Building Lot. (Old time demonstrations of candle making, rope making, baked goods, etc.)
• 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Quilt Show - Frank & Diana Adams Home, 404 Shelby Street
• 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Historical Tour of Bevier - Meet at Bevier School. Transportation Provided.
• 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Cemetery Theatre - St. Charles Catholic, Oakwood and Richardsdale. Tours begin and Shoemaker Travel Trailers. $3 Per Person. Tram and Golf Cart Transportation Provided.
• 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Old Time Rock & Roll at City Park by "The Diamonds" and "Kenny T and the Weekenders." Bring your lawn chairs!
• 10:30 p.m. - Fireworks Display at Howard Burk Field - Sponsored by Richard Compton
  

SUNDAY, October 5, 2008

• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Tea & Style Show at Bevier School Auditorium. Adults $5, Children $3
• 5:30 p.m. - Closing Celebration - All-Community Church Service and Carry-In Dinner at Bevier Public School. Dinnerware, Drinks and Meat Provided - Bring a Covered Dish!

A Poetry Contest YOU Can Enter!

Pick up a pen and get your creative juices flowing! The Sesquicentennial Committee is looking for poems about Bevier! Anyone may enter, because prizes will be awarded in four age groups: Elementary (grades K-6), Junior High (grades 7-9), High School (grades 10-12) and Adults. First Place winners in each age group will see their poem published in the Bevier Sesquicentennial Book. Make sure to print out this entry form with all the details!

New Shots of Summer's Italian Festival

Thanks so much to Krista Julius, who sent us these shots of the Italian Festival in downtown Bevier this June. Krista says she cannot wait until the Bevier Homecoming. She lives in Kansas City, and we can't wait to see her!

Don't forget the Bevier Homecoming Web Site. Mark your calendars for August 6-9th.

Bevier Sesquicentennial Style Show & Tea Sunday, October 5

A great event is planned for Sesquicentennial Sunday! The style show will focus on fashions from the last 50 years (and include some from the past 150 years!).

The committee is working now to secure outfits for all of these categories: wedding dresses, military uniforms, jeans, special occasion outfits, Bevier Homecoming queen contestant dresses, BHS sports and band uniforms, Little Mr. and Miss Bevier outfits and more. Any clothing that is too delicate to model will be placed on display.

All stories or remembrances of the clothing will add to the narration. If you have clothing to lend, want to model or have family that wants to model, or would like to join the planning committee, please contact Becky (Hunter) Belt. Don't miss this! Plan to wear a style from the past!

Chocolate Heaven

"This must be what heaven is like," said one Bevier Sesquicentennial leader as she surveyed the bounty for sale Saturday in the group's highly successful Chocolate Fest. Donations and proceeds from this event netted over $500 to be used for the Sesquicentennial Celebration in October. Purchases ranged from chocolate cookies to pies, Black Forest rolls, fudge, and gourmet cakes and brownies.