Good to see ya! Like Uncle Jed might say, “Kick yer shoes off. Sit a spell.” Grab a cup of coffee off the woodstove over there if you want, and I’ll tell you a bit about Roosterville.
“What the heck is Roosterville?” you might ask. Like so many questions in life, there’s more than one answer to that. Let’s see….
According to the book Discovering Historic Clay County, Missouri published by the Clay County Archives and Historical Society “Roosterville is a crossroads community Located in Liberty Township. It was originally centered around thegeneral store owned by George W. Hudlemeyer, which sold liquor and groceries. The name originated around 1912.”
Geographically speaking, Roosterville is located just north of Liberty, Missouri. The airport bearings are latitude 39-17-23.4000 north and longitude 094-26-32.8000 west.
The old Roosterville Store sat on the southwest corner of what is now 112th Street & A Highway in Clay County, Missouri. It’s said that at least as far back as 1912, the old men (or roosters) would congregate there to catch up on news, swap stories, and just hang out. The area has been known as Roosterville for many years.
But Roosterville is something else as well. It’s an attitude from times past, when life moved a little slower. Things were simpler. People were perhaps a bit friendlier. It was a good time.
We moved back to the country in 1963. I was 8 years old. The farm with it’s fields. creek. and rocky hillside quickly became home to my family. For the next 12 years I grew up in this rural community. Here I learned some of the joy of life, the sadness of death, the longing for the world, and eventually the warmth of coming home.
In future posts I’ll share things that happened here, and perhaps recapture some of the feelings, the good and the bad, as times moved through the 60’s and 70’s, and life changed as it always does. I might also throw in some more current thoughts and ramblings on whatever topics may catch my interest from time to time.
Perhaps you, too, will enjoy this place called Roosterville. Maybe you’ll feel a little warming in your heart just for being here, and look forward to visiting again and again. I’ll do my best to make it so.
That’s how we rock ‘n roll in Roosterville.
Y’all come back now, ya hear?
lived on a farm about 3 miles northeast of Roosterville from 1951 to 1962. hung out at the store all i could from age 6 to 17. was a great place. cold soda in a water cooler. used to love fishing in the cold water for an orange soda and then buy a cherry mash to go with the soda. was great. also lots of interesting stories took place on the front porch. My earliest recollection of owner was Woody Thomas and t he last I remember was Howard Dillon. I knew Roy and Juanita Hudlemeyer but don’t think they were operating the store when I was young. thanks for your research on this great place.
Thanks Jon! Was your place over near Providence Church?