Zalma, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Zalma, once known as Bollinger's Mill, is a small river town quietly nestled on the banks of the winding Castor River
at a point where the river makes a horseshoe bend in southern Bollinger County
in Southeast Missouri
. When the railroad moved to town, the name Bollinger's Mill was changed to Zalma, named after a railroad worker named Zalma Block. Zalma used to be a busy town of 300 residents. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, it had a population of 93. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 94. Per the 2010 census, Zalma has a population of 122. Zalma was not officially recognized until January 25, 1910. Zalma is said to come from a Native American
word meaning "the end."
Zalma is part of the Cape Girardeau
–Jackson
, MO-IL
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Located along the Castor River, Zalma is home to a number of state parks where citizens can engage in a number of activities with deer hunting and fishing being the most popular. Bird watching, horseback riding, and hiking are also enjoyed by several people who live and visit here.
Blue Pond, the deepest natural pond in the state of Missouri, is located a couple miles outside of Zalma.
The late Ranzy Randolph has often been heard to say that the Asherbranner house sat across the street and to the north of the Henley (later Schrader) property, and an earthen mound which is thought to be the remains of a hearth are still visible at this location today.
The second house, and the oldest one still standing, was reportedly built by Kate Bollinger, a sister of Daniel Bollinger, the miller. It is often referred to by a number of names, including the McMinn House, the Brown House, the home of “Aunt Nora” (Eleanora) Bollinger, the old slave farm. The house used to be occupied by David Welch and his housekeeper, Mrs. Bertha Lawson.
Very few of these early homes had their own water supply, and therefore it was necessary to carry water from a spring located on the river bank, just downstream a few feet from the Mill Dam, and on the same side of the river as the village. A community kettle was kept at the nearby ford, and that was where the family wash was done. Those who were fortunate enough to have a cistern were always faced with the possibility of it going dry, especially in the summer months. The established practice was to run water into the cistern only during months with the letter R in their name, and therefore the gutter was taken down from May through August, the driest months of the year.
The Water Mill
It’s been said that the history of Zalma is the history of the mill from 1800 to about 1899. History records that in the year 1800, an Urban Asherbranner (or Asherbramer or Asherbrauner) settled on the upper portion of the Castor River, just where the river empties its waters into Mingo Bottom, and where the village of Zalma is now situated, built a log and brush dam and erected a water mill to grind corn. Philip Bollinger settled nearby.
In A History of Missouri (1908), Louis Houck states that the head rights to this mill were owned by Asherbranner himself, but were held instead by Philip Bollinger, a relative of Asherbranner’s wife, Barbara Bollinger Asherbranner, daughter of John and Catherine Fulbright Bollinger. John and Philip Bollinger were relatives of Major George Frederick Bollinger
, who settled on Whitewater
and founded Burfordville
in Cape Girardeau County
.
For reasons unknown, the mill was later transferred to the Davault Bollinger line. Davault’s third son, Daniel, the seventh of nine children of Davault and Catherine Whitener Bollinger, succeeded his father as miller. Daniel is thought to have come to Zalma about mid-century (1850) to assume operation of the mill. His sister, Catherine (Kate), came with him. They repaired the log and brush dam and operated the mill until the Civil War
. Daniel died about this time and his wife, Eleanora, operated the mill with hired help. One of the millers was James Duffey, but there may have been others. This mill burned sometime between 1863 and 1873 (conjecture) perhaps by Southern sympathizers
, but actual cause of the fire cannot be authenticated. However, Eleanora’s brother, Heinrich Fischover, wrote to his mother from Germany in 1862 or 1863:
At the time of Heinrich’s letter, Daniel was in his 40s and did not have long to live. A year after the death of Daniel Bollinger, his wife and children partitioned the estate.
Records show that the above partition was carried out, but they do not give a description of the land which each petitioner received. However, it is known that Louisa and her husband, David Cloninger, did receive the mill tract, among other acreages.
Legend has it that W.A. McMinn, who owned 1000 acres (4 km²) of river bottom land near Buchanan, had been trying for some time to buy the mill tract from David and Louisa Cloninger, but they could not agree on the price.
As it happened, John Henry Hoover lived a few miles south of what is now Zalma, and it was said that he made excellent corn whiskey. This was not a violation of the law, but for some reason he had failed to pay the required tax. The sheriff sent word on Monday morning that he was coming to collect the tax or take him in. Upon hearing this news, Hoover quickly traded a 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) farm for the Cloninger’s 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) tract where the mill stood, a 600-pound yoke of steers and an old wagon.
Justice of the Peace Thomas Eaker made the deed for the Cloningers and Hoover, who immediately deeded the land to W.A. McMinn for $300, departed for Texas that night, never returning to Missouri as far as it is known. Certainly the Cloningers profited from the transaction, the McMinns got the mill site they had wanted, and Mr. Hoover outwitted the sheriff.
Mr. McMinn built a new mill house and a new dam. He put in machinery to grind wheat and corn, as well as a carding mill to card and wash wool. This was Zalma’s first industry, and people brought their wool to this mill from distances of 100 miles (160.9 km) or more to be carded. The new mill was operated by W.A. McMinn and his sons, Samuel and Andrew.
It has been said that Rev. David Hall Sr. harvested nearly 2,000 bushels of corn in 1883, which Mr. McMinn tried to purchase for the mill, offering Mr. Hall 60 cents per bushel. Corn was selling for 50 cents per bushel among neighbors in exchange for labor, but Hall refused the offer saying, “I thank you for your offer, but my neighbors need the corn and many do not have the money to buy it. I could not sleep if I refused one of them, knowing their children were hungry.”
According to the Marble Hill Press (Oct. 28, 1897), the McMinn Mill had recently burned. The fire, thought to have been caused by a match being dropped into the wool, was so fierce for a time that it seemed the J.A. Slagle General Merchandise Store across the way would burn also. Quilts, blankets and other items were dipped into the nearby river and spread upon the roof to save it. The office of Dr. Cubbage and the Randolph James Store, both located to the south of the mill, were destroyed in the blaze. The mill was never rebuilt.
The dam remained intact for several years after the mill burned, before it suffered the same fate. It is said that a group of farmers upstream resented the dam being there, having claimed that it caused flooding of valuable farm land, especially when there was a rise in the river. Sometime after the turn of the 20th century, the dam was destroyed by fire, the blaze apparently was set by some of the farmers in the community. The fire was started under cover of darkness in order to avoid being seen. The next morning, William Nevins, who was a miller there, came to town and with others was surveying the ruins when they discovered the iron bands of a wooden barrel which was supposed to have contained the kerosene used in the fire.
Although it was never determined who started the fire, the distinction is usually given to a young man who lived on what is now known as the Lowry farm west of Zalma. There is also some question as to whether kerosene alone was used. Mrs. Ethel Slagle Pittman, who lived nearby, recalls several loud explosions, indicating that dynamite may also have been used.
Remains of the mill dam are still visible today (1976). The water creates a loud rippling effect as it rushes over what is left of the original rock base of the dam, an ideal spot for fishing and swimming.
The Bollinger County Milling Co.
B.H. Bollinger Sr. and his father-in-law, Laban Green, built a steam powered mill about 1898, approximately three blocks from the original mill site. This building was located at the northeast corner of Green and Nora streets, and north of the town cemetery. Their flour business was mostly local and many farmers brought in wheat for processing into flour on a toll basis. Livestock feed was also processed here.
This mill was later acquired by C.F. Hopkins, Dr. Wm. Lages and W.L. Rhodes, all brothers-in-law. After moving to Lutesville, Dr. Lages sold his interest in the mill to Daniel Fish, who in turn sold to Harvey Grant. Mr. Hopkins became the manager and Jake Simmerman (Simmon Jack) served as the miller for many years. It has been said that “if Simmon Jack couldn’t run the mill, then nobody could.”
Hopkins and his brothers-in-law enlarged the building and installed equipment to grind hard wheat and flour. They had a splendid business for awhile until the Interstate Commerce Commission
issued new rules on freight rates that almost doubled the rates they had been paying for the transportation of grain and flour, both of which had to be transported to and from the mill. Mr. Hopkins then traded the mill to Charles King, who operated it a short while before selling it to his brother, A.C. King. King operated the mill a few years and sold it to Guy D. Lingle and Harl Myers.
Each time the mill changed owners its output was reduced until finally it ground only feed. Its last owner was Lawrence James, who soon went into the general produce business and removed the building. Part of the material was used to construct a residence on the mill site, and the remainder was used to build an addition to a structure on the northwest corner of King and Nora streets, which for many years housed the Hobart James Store.
The Coming of the Railroad
On Dec. 21, 1880, Louis Houck completed a railroad between Cape Girardeau
and Delta
, but service did not begin until Jan. 1, 1881. It connected the old Cape Girardeau and State Line properties with the Iron Mountain Line at Delta. By August 1881 it had reached Lakeville in Stoddard County
. At that time the Brown Cooperage Company bought thousands of acres of timber in Bollinger and Stoddard counties and they induced Mr. Houck to build a line to Brownwood
, which was nearer to the center of their tract of timber. Houck completed the line to Brownwood in 1882 and the railroad became known as the Cape Girardeau & Southwestern Railway.
The Brown Cooperage Company then secured a right-of-way from the landowners to Bollinger’s Mill (Zalma) to build a tramway to haul the stave bolts from that area. The line was called the Brownwood and Northwestern and extended from Brownwood to Zalma (1884). Houck acquired this line by lease in 1886, and it then became a part of the Cape Girardeau & Southwestern. Around the turn of the 20th century, Houck’s various lines were consolidated under the name of St. Louis & Gulf Railroad Co. Later Mr. Houck sold out to a syndicate headed by Newman Erb, who in 1902 sold out to the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway Company.
The railroad crossed Castor River at Bollinger’s Mill just a few yards upstream from the present Highway 51 Bridge and ended rather abruptly at a log dump on the north bank of the river just south of the L.B. James property. The railroad bridge later burned, but some of the wooden supports can still be seen today (1976) protruding from the water a short distance above the Highway 51 bridge.
The train always backed up to Bollinger’s Mill from Brownwood as that was the only way it could get there. Its whistle blew loudly as it neared Castor River, the sound echoed over the distant hills, a signal to the mail carrier, the draymen and anyone else who might want to meet the train.
The depot stood on the east side of present day Highway 51 in what is now a roadside park. It was a two-story combination depot, telegraph office and residence. A Mr. Blomeyer was the stationmaster-telegrapher, described as a fine man, highly respected in the community.
During World War I
, approximately 50000 acres (202.3 km²) of timber were harvested and shipped from Zalma. After the war, the timber was depleted and shipping declined. The highway was built and farmers began shipping their livestock by truck. Sometime in the early 1930s the railroad was abandoned and removed.
The Timber Industry
The economy of the area remained somewhat sluggish until the timber industry moved in. The Brown Cooperage Company bought thousands of acres of timber, mostly white oak, for $1 per acre. It is said they wasted two-thirds of it in the way it was harvested. The cutters felled a tree and cut bolts up to the first limbs, then abandoned that tree and cut another. The factory did not want any bolts with knots in them. They did not cut any tree less than 30 inches (762 mm) in diameter and only about half of the oak trees on the property were cut.
In 1884, the Bell Messler Company located at Illmo
, placed a factory at Zalma to cut veneer and box laths. The Zalma factory was located just upstream from the mill dam, on the south side of the river, on land known as the Cora Carr property.
This factory provided work for women who stacked the box laths in long rows in the sun for drying. In damp weather the laths were placed in a dry shed and dried with heat from stoves. It is said that laths were stacked from the factory building westward, taking in all of an area now occupied by the P.T. Shirrell, Lizzie Simmerman and Mildred Fish residences. Men never stacked laths on the yard as this was considered “women’s work,” and beneath the dignity of a man. After the company suspended operation, the factory was used as a sawmill.
This company bought millions of feet of Poplar, many being from four to seven feet in diameter. The largest tree they had record of grew on the farm of Joseph H. Grant northwest of Zalma. The tree was seven feet three inches at the stump, and produced six, 10 feet (3 m) logs. The smallest log was 30 inches (762 mm) in diameter. Castor River flooded a few days after the tree was cut and floated these logs down onto the J.W. Wilkinson farm, where they remained for some time. No less than three wagons were destroyed in trying to move the two bottom logs to the factory. The company then sent to Illmo and got an ox wagon to do the job. The wheels were 40 inches (1,016 mm) high, made of solid black gum, with no spokes and six-inch (152 mm) tires. The company shipped the wagon by rail to Zalma, and it was used only once, to move these two logs. The wagon was later moved to Ira Gray’s barnyard in Zalma, and after many years rotted down.
Wilbert Abernathy can recall seeing the stump of this large tree several years later when the Abernathy family moved to the Grant farm from Burg about 1910 or 1911. The stump was enormous as cutters had scaled up a distance of seven or eight feet before cutting the tree. The tree stood approximately 200 feet (61 m) east from the base of the Scholl (or Shoal) Hill, out in the river bottom land, near a large A-frame house erected in 1970-71 by Claude and Virginia McBroom.
The Bell Messler Company floated thousands of logs down Castor River and confined them above a boom made of two hewn white oak logs about 16 to 24 inches (609.6 mm) in diameter. These were fastened together and connected at the ends with one-half inch chains. The logs were fastened together with “dog irons,” which consisted of two steel wedges one-half inch by six inches connected by eight inch pieces of chain. The logs were rolled in the river and joined together with dog chains, making rafts. These rafts were floated down the river, sometimes for miles. They were then drawn from the river with skidding tongs and a wire cable, drawn by a steam powered crosscut saw
. The blocks were then mounted on a mandrel block and turned against a solid knife that cut them into a 1/8 inch sheet of veneer stock about 30 inches wide. Some sheets were cut as much as 20 feet (6.1 m) long. They were then placed in a stamping mill that cut the veneer in blanks for berry boxes and crates. This industry remained in Zalma until about 1897.
A second box factory was located on the north side of Green Street near the Railroad Street intersection, a short distance west of the present Highway 51. An announcement taken from the county newspaper describes the operation as follows:
This factory likewise provided jobs for women to stack laths. They were arranged neatly in piles about four feet high and far enough apart for a wagon to drive between them for loading.
Zalma was quite a timber and tie center in its heyday. Everybody who wanted a job had one. Wages were low, but then it didn’t take much money to “get by” on. It was truly a fighting and drinking town as were most such places of that era.
The first sawmill to come to Zalma was owned by James Hartzel and Laban Green. They did not find an established market for the many kinds of lumber produced here, however, and the sawmill soon closed.
Before the steel bridge was built in 1900, all timber north of Zalma had to be transported to Lutesville, the only outlet to the railroad, for after the mill dam was built, the river could be forded in dry seasons only. After 1900, Zalma became the shipping center for an area about eight miles (13 km) west and south for most of the year as the Brownwood Station could be used only in dry weather.
After the Bell-Messler Company went out of business, the real estate was apparently leased by D.B. and W.F. Corbin, who moved a large sawmill from Buchanan to Zalma about 1904, and rafted logs down the river to the mill.
The W.F. (Frank) Corbin family lived atop the hill, west of the sawmill in a Victorian
house which they erected about the year 1904. A large barn was located on the corner, west of the house, and directly across the street in front of the Ira T. Gray residence. The D.B. (Dan) Corbins built a new home on the corner, southeast of the red brick school. A large barn was located across the street in front of the house, along the east side of the school.
The sawmill remained in the Corbin family until 1918, when its last owner, Charles E. Corbin, moved his family to Lutesville. After the sawmill had ceased operating, the old shed was used as an icehouse. During the winter months when Castor River froze over, large chunks of ice were cut from it, hauled from the shed and stored in large piles of sawdust. It was then sold for use in iceboxes and other items but was used primarily for cooling drinks and making ice cream at the Fourth of July Picnic.
Although Zalma began as a logging town where huge crews of men, mules and oxen labored to harvest virgin timber, the like of which will never be seen again. One of the poplar trees, brought into the mill in Zalma in the late 19th century, was seven feet, three inches (76 mm) in diameter and produced six logs, ten feet in length. Paul Corbin, writing of his grandfather's history in that area, reports that two wagons were broken down trying to haul the logs, which finally required a special-built wagon. Paul Corbin records his grandfather's experience:
"In one case," continues Corbin, "he bought a tract of timber consisting of over 1000 large, virgin poplar trees for one dollar per tree. Land records show that over the years he bought several tracts of land, most of which was bought just for the timber. After the timber was cut, he would sell the land for a very low price." In the early part of the 20th century, Zalma ranked fourth in the United States for cross tie production. Corbin remembers seeing stacks of cross ties six to eight feet high, 100 feet (30.5 m) wide, and a quarter of a mile long stacked along the railroad at Zalma in the late 1920s.
The area to the west of the sawmill came to be known as “Stringtown” as it developed after the sawmill was established and consisted of a row of rough box houses occupied by sawmill workers. It extended west along the old river road toward the J.W. Wilkinson farm. A slough, sometimes referred to as the Gaines Branch, formed the northern boundary, emptying into the nearby river. Only one of the original “string” houses remains in existence today (1976). A part of Miss Lizzie Simmerman’s house, the rear portion, was one such house. About 1913 her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Simmerman, moved to this house and hired Andrew Shirrell to erect a two-story addition to the front of the original house to form the structure as it is now.
For several years everything seemed to center around the railroad tie industry
. Zalma is said to have been one of the country’s largest tie centers, with tie buyers from as many as five different companies doing business in the area at any one time. Tie yards were full of wagons unloading, and more than 100 would be lined up on the road, waiting their turn to unload. Tie loading crews loaded cars for weeks at a time during peak seasons.
Zalma was at one point known as the logging capital of the world.
The Post Office
Zalma received its first post office in November 1876. Randolph James served as the first postmaster and the office was located in the James Store. It is not known how long he continued in office, but records indicate that in 1887, Green Fowler served as postmaster and that in 1893 the position was held by James Dickson.
The mail was carried on the back of a mule twice weekly if the river did not get out of banks. Mr. Feltenbarger had a lively stable which he operated until it burned, and ran a mail route from Zalma to Marble Hill.
About 1898, Randolph James was reappointed, with his son, Joseph James, serving as assistant postmaster, upon his return from the Spanish-American War. Lifus “Shorty” Jones also worked as assistant to James, who served until about 1904 when Marion Corbin became postmaster. After a short time Corbin vacated the office and B.H. Bollinger Sr. took it for a period of one year. He then persuaded Mrs. Effie Dennis to apply and she served until 1922 and retired. Mrs. Dennis operated the post office from a building on the north side of King Street, formerly the Zalma School. She also kept a military shop, at appropriate times, in the post office, which is presently the residence of Selice Inman Ray.
William Green was appointed acting postmaster until 1924, at which time W.A. (Bill) Pape was appointed and served until 1934. Cecil Gray served about two years before his father, Rev. Ira T. Gray, took the office and served for approximately 14 years, when due to failing health he resigned the office. W.A. (Bill) Pape was appointed for the second time in 1952 and served until March 31, 1963 when he retired. Mrs. Jeanette VanMatre then assumed the position and is postmaster at the present time. Mrs. VanMatre, now Mrs. L.B. Stephens, had the former bank building remodeled in the fall of 1975 and moved the post office into that structure Jan. 5, 1976.
Over the years, the post office has been located at various locations in town; among them are the Slinkard Store, the I.T. Gray Store and others. The current post office is located on Main Street next to the Zalma Volunteer Fire Department.
Businesses
James A. Slagle and L.B. (Baxter) James operated the first general merchandise store at Zalma. It was located a short distance south of the Bollinger-McMinn Mills on Castor River. They operated the store jointly until 1885, at which time they dissolved partnership. Mr. Slagle erected a store of his own, and Mr. James operated the original store until he sold it to his brother, Randolph, then he purchased the Frances Womack Store at the north end of Main Street. The store was operated by Randolph James until about the turn of the 20th century when it and the McMinn Mill were destroyed by fire.
L.B. (Baxter) James later rebuilt the store in approximately the same location, and was assisted in its operation by his sons, A.E. (Gus), Eric, Gard, Leland and Elbert. It was later operated by Leland James and finally by A.E. James, who continued in the business until the closing of the store in 1961.
P.T. (Phynnie) Shirrell was a clerk in the A.E. James Store for 45 years, beginning in 1917, and with the exception of two years spent in military service, he continued in this capacity until his retirement. A small man, he was bald on top and always wore a neatly trimmed mustache and dark rimmed glasses. A khaki shirt and pants were his customary attire, along with a topcoat
and hat. Quiet and soft-spoken, Phynnie is kindly remembered by one and all, for whoever it was a child with a penny or an adult with a large grocery order, they received the same smile and courteous service.
A large, widescreen door, which produced a quiet springing sound, greeted customers to the store. To the immediate left was a large array of material, thread and other items for the would-be homemaker. The dry goods were separated from the grocery section by a door marked “Ware Room.” In a side room at the rear of the store was Mr. James’s office, actually more of a den as it contained books, maps and other personal effects. Violin music could often be heard floating from within. The right, or north side of the store, was devoted primarily to wearing apparel
for the entire family and included such items as “Beaver” hats, “Star” and “Red Goose” shoes, works shirts and “Test” overalls.
The entrance to the store was at street level, but the rear portion was perhaps eight or 10 feet (3 m) off the ground, above the high water mark, and approximately 50 feet (15.2 m) from the river. Several large windows in the west end of the building provided a picturesque view of the water as it rushed over the old mill dam, creating a rippling, rushing sound. Near the windows was a large wood stove
for warmth, and several chairs placed in a roundabout manner for those who wished to sit and “gab.”
After Shirrell retired, A.E. James and his wife, Nora, operated the store a short while until its doors were closed for the last time in 1961. The stock was purchased by R.A. Lingle and the building was later sold to Mrs. Frankie Corbin Steward, and is now in private use.
After James and Slagle dissolved partnership, the latter erected the J.A. Slagle Store, a large, two-story frame building across the street on the slope of the hill overlooking the Castor River and the mill dam. The upstairs served as the family residence, while the first floor was occupied by a large store. A general merchandise store, it carried everything that would be needed for daily living or work. To name in part, ladies’ hats, wearing apparel
, shoes for the entire family, collars for horses and mules as well as harness
and other tack, dishes, wash tubs, food staples, beans, coffee, sugar, side meat, molasses
, tools, grindstones
, dress pins, percale
, bed ticking, work denim, ribbon, lace and elastic. Hinges and handles for caskets were always carried in stock. The caskets were made by local carpenters, with Dave Shell and Oscar Loyd being among the best known. Wagons were sold also, and one was usually kept in stock, primarily for display purposes. One Halloween
night, a new wagon was removed from its customary spot in front of the store by a group of pranksters. It was discovered the following morning in the middle of the Castor River.
Mr. Slagle operated this store for several years and was later assisted by his son, Oren. In 1927, Mrs. Ethel Slagle Clarkson acquired her brother’s share and she and her husband, Jabez, operated the store together until his death in 1947, at which time she continued alone until her marriage to Ed Pittman in 1950. The Pittmans operated the store until his death in February 1973 and at the present time Mrs. Pittman runs the store alone. Mrs. Elsie Williams has rented an apartment in the building since March 1974. This business has the distinction of being the oldest, continuously operated store in the town, having been in the Slagle family for approximately 91 years.
After W.A. McMinn bought the mill tract from the Bollinger heirs, he and J.V. Slinkard built a store north of the mill in 1884, which they operated a short while, until McMinn sold his interest to Slinkard. The store later burned and Slinkard replaced it with a large, two-story brick building, located at the corner of King and Main streets in the center of town. Erected about 1887, brick for this structure was manufactured locally at a kiln
southeast of the store. On the west side of the building near the top is a carved likeness of President Grover Cleveland
and Vice President Hendricks
, which may still be seen today.
The Slinkard Store was another general merchandise store and continued in the same family until the death of J.V. Slinkard’s son, Leo, in 1929. The business was then operated by the Ward Stores of Piedmont and managed by Guy D. Lingle and others. Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lingle later purchased the building from Mrs. Ida Lingle Slinkard, widow of Leo Slinkard’s son Ralph, and established the R.A. Lingle Store during the mid 1940s.
The Lingle Store was a popular gathering for people who came to town not only to do their trading
but to visit as well. A long bench was kept on the front porch, which in fair weather was used mostly by the men. It was not at all unusual for this bench to be filled, with several persons standing or milling about in front. This occurred not only on Saturdays but through the week when many older persons came down to await the mail each morning. Some of the men who occupied this bench were Harvey Lemons and his dog Wimpy, H.D. Nichols, Pinkney Berrong, Ranzy Randolph, Jim Looney, Ernest Pate and Charley Back. Mr. Back often brought a basket along containing barber supplies such as clippers and scissors and did haircutting
on the side at 25 cents per head. He usually rode into town each morning with Rev. and Mrs. Forrest Lowry and Mr. Lowry’s sister Etta. The Lowrys operated a dairy farm west of Zalma, and Mr. Back lived nearby. Rev. Lowry always came in the store for a root beer soda
, referred to as a “good ole frostie.”
In the rear of the store was a large coal
stove with several chairs located around it. This area was used mostly by the ladies, but sometimes by men also. A normal Saturday evening crowd consisted of Odes and Iona Jackson, Charley, Addie and Claude Fish, Ella Minnie Berrong, Henderson and Elsie Williams, Oral and Mildred Abernathy, Fred Schanks, Glen and Judy Schanks, Lois Thornburgh, Rev. and Mrs. Dolph Lacy, Bess and Henry Myers, Wilbert Abernathy and Annie and Hayden Holt. Hayden always brought his slingshot
along and would gladly demonstrate his marksmanship with the instrument to any would-be skeptics. It is said that he could stand on the front porch, and using his sling, light a match, which had been placed atop a fence post some 50 feet (15.2 m) away.
Usually everything went fairly smooth until the subject of politics was brought up, and then it was not at all unusual for one well-known matron to leave the store in a “huff.” She and her husband always kept separate accounts, and quite a bit of bickering was done between them, regarding who would by what, and how much. Nobody seemed to pay attention, however, and Roy Lingle seemed to enjoy it by carrying on with good-natured teasing and joking.
Mrs. Era Easley was employed to help with the work, especially on Saturdays and other busy days such as “check day” the first of each month. The Easleys moved to Tennessee
a short time before the store was closed in July 1967.
In 1884 when the railroad tie business began, the Moss Tie Company built a store beside the depot and it was operated by John W. King, who later bought it from the tie company. Mr. King served as both telegrapher and representative of the company. It is said that the Zalma bank had its origin here because King cashed checks for the tie workers. The store was later purchased by B.H. Bollinger Sr., who operated it until 1924 when he moved his business to Sturdivant.
Zalma was once home to many old small businesses. Among these included James A. Slagle General Store, which was later renamed to Pittman's General Store. Mr. Slagle and L.B. James operated the first general merchandising store in Zalma around the mid-19th century. Since then, Zalma has had several new businesses and organizations.
Pape's Grocery, which was first started by Noah and Isom Mouser, was owned by Tom and Linda Pape. They once owned The Barn, which was at one point in time the only restaurant in Zalma. The store was located at the corner of King and Main streets in town. The building mysteriously caught fire and burned to the ground. To this day, it has not been rebuilt and the cause of the fire is still unknown.
April Hills Farm, which was once known as the Benjamin Conder place, sold river lots for recreational homes. The Castor River Trailer Camp is a private recreational park for campers located not far upstream from the Mill Dam. The Jaycees were an old organization in Zalma who had their meetings in the old post office. The Zalma Senior Citizens once existed but today this organization is obsolete.
Lemons's Grocery, which was once Mel Gray's Gas Station, is still in business to this day. The store was owned by Bill and Sharon Lemons. After the death of Mr. Lemons, Mrs. Lemons continued to own the store for about 45 years. She married Milford Sturgeon and they continued to own and operate Lemons's Grocery. After Mr. Sturgeon died in July 2005, Mrs. Lemons-Sturgeon decided it was time to retire. In early August 2005, she handed over the keys and ownership to Brad Barrett. His daughter Jennifer worked the store but retained the name Lemons's Grocery. Recently, the store was sold again to the McGregors who are in the process of reopening the store under the name Riverside Grocery & Hardware.
51 Stop, once owned by Randy and Vickie Rhodes, was at one point in time Zalma's only convenience store
that sold groceries and movie rentals and was the only place in town that sold alcohol
. The store closed but the Rhodeses still reside in Zalma today. They are known for their popular scavenger hunt
that they hold every year around Halloween
.
The Home Plate Restaurant, located on Highway 51 in Zalma, was once owned by Jack and Kerry Kirk. After The Barn closed, the Home Plate served as Zalma's only other restaurant. It was famous for its home-cooked meals and smorgasbord buffet
of chicken and dumplings
, mashed potato
es, and frog legs
. Sometime after the restaurant closed, Monica Sneed bought the building and turned it into a grocery store. She eventually handed it over to her daughter, Maresia. The store is not in operation today.
The Cemetery
The Zalma Historical Cemetery is located on Nora Street. The cemetery is fenced in and overshadowed by the trees that surround it and also contains a canon from the U.S. Civil War. While hardly anyone in Zalma is buried there anymore, the cemetery maintains historical significance to the village and Bollinger County.
• Arab
, located at the intersection of State Highway 51, Route C and Route P, lies about four miles (6 km) south of Zalma. The tiny village has a population of 7, all members of the same family.
• April Hills is located approximately four miles on Bollinger County Road 710 that begins in the heart of Zalma by the new baseball field. The area is reminiscent of a Cajun
community with houses surrounded by trees and marshland.
• Buchanan, located on Route Y south of State Highway 51, lies about four miles (6 km) northwest of Zalma near Castor River. It was named after U.S. President James Buchanan
, the first person for whom Postmaster Washington A. McMinn voted.
• Burg is located somewhere between Zalma and Gipsy on Supplemental Route E. It is said that the Pioneer Cooperage Company operated a lumber mill
here from about 1906 to 1911, after which the company moved to Coldwater
in Wayne County
when the timber played out. The town died soon after.
• Castor Bridge is located on Castor River near the end of Bollinger County Road 615 southeast of Zalma. It is said that the historical area was where the Castor River crossed the Zalma Branch Railroad between Zalma and Greenbrier.
• Dongola, located on State Highway 51 just west of the State Highway 91 intersection, lies about seven miles (11 km) east of Zalma. Although the unincorporated community of Dongola was destroyed by a tornado
on May 30, 1917 and never recovered, there are a few houses in and around Dongola today.
• Gipsy
, the tiny hamlet
almost hidden among the hills, is located west of Zalma about three miles (5 km) on Supplemental Route E. A post office still exists and operates in Gipsy, with its own ZIP code of 63751. Old Gipsy Bridge is also historically known to the locals.
• Greenbrier, located at the end of Route W northeast of Arab, is a little unincorporated town that once had a station on the Zalma Branch Railroad.
• Hahn, previously known as North Zalma, is a small community located on Route H just south of the Route FF intersection about halfway between Zalma and Marble Hill. It was founded in 1875 by Jacob Hahn and Harmon Gray.
• Richardson, located at the end of Bollinger County Road 644 along the Diversion Channel, is a tiny historical area that lies just east of Greenbrier. There used to be a station here on the Zalma Branch Railroad between Greenbrier and Brownwood
in Stoddard
.
• Sank is located on Bollinger County Road 528 just north of State Highway 51 about four miles (6 km) east of Zalma.
• Schlatitz is located on State Highway 51 about five miles (8 km) east of Zalma, conveniently located just east of Sank and west of Dongola between the two communities.
• Sturdivant
, located on Route V near the Stoddard County line, is a tiny unincorporated community that lies about 10 miles (16.1 km) southwest of Zalma. It is said that there used to be a station here on the Cape Girardeau Southwestern Railroad Line between Brownwood
and Kinder in Stoddard County
. The community was possibly named for Colonel Robert Sturdivant, a prominent businessman and banker in Cape Girardeau.
• Trowel is a historical unincorporated area located somewhere north of Schlatitz, probably out in the woods.
• Zephyr is another historical unincorporated area located somewhere west of Hahn.
, and its colors are green and gold. The alma mater/school fighting song
is still sung at ballgames:
Activities at the school consist of FCCLA (Family, Career & Community Leaders of America), formerly known as FHA (Future Homemakers of America); Student Council
; Junior and Senior Beta Club; Pep Club; Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
; Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA); Speech Team; Smokebusters; and the ZHS Concert Choir
. Athletics at ZHS consist of boys' basketball
, girls' volleyball
, boys' baseball
, girls' softball
, and co-ed cheerleading
.
In 2002, the school built a regulation-size baseball field to be able to host home games. Construction of the baseball field, which required two gravel roads to be cut out, caused quite a controversy amongst some of the townspeople. It was ultimately decided to restructure the gravel roads around the new ball field.
The Zalma Bulldogs varsity basketball team won the Class 1A State Basketball Championship in 1939-1940, but since then has not won a state title in the sport. The early 1990s, however, were good years for the Zalma Lady Bulldogs varsity volleyball team as they won the Class 1A MSHSAA State Volleyball Championship in 1990-1991, defeating Osceola
for the title. They advanced to the state tournament again in 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 but lost in the championship match each year to New Haven
. Volleyball still remains the most popular sport at Zalma High School.
For adults aged 25 and older in Zalma, 72.9% possess a high school diploma
as their highest educational attainment, 22.8% have less than high school and 4.3% possess a bachelor's degree
or higher educational degree. None of the population possesses a post-graduate or professional degree
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all of it land.
The average annual humidity
in Zalma is highest in the mornings in mid-August, averaging near 90 percent. The average annual humidity in Zalma is lowest in the afternoons in April and October, averaging near 55 percent.
The average wind speed in Zalma is highest in March, averaging a little over 10 mi/h. The average wind speed in Zalma is lowest in August, averaging 6 mi/h which is below the national average of 6.5 mi/h.
The average snowfall in Zalma is generally lower than the national average annually in the United States. Snowfall in Zalma is highest in January with an average of just below four inches (102 mm) , which is lower than the national average of just above five inches (127 mm) .
The average sunshine in Zalma is highest in mid-July, averaging around 75 percent sunshine. The average sunshine in Zalma is lowest during the winter months of December to January, averaging just above 40 percent sunshine.
Historical tornado activity in the Zalma area is near the Missouri state average but is 91 percent greater than the national average.
• On April 24, 2002, an F4 tornado
(with maximum wind speeds of 207-260 mph) located 29.4 miles (47.3 km) away from the Zalma village center injured 16 people and caused $45 million in damages.
• On April 27, 2002, an F3 tornado
(with maximum wind speeds of 158-206 mph) located 5.2 miles (8.4 km) away from the Zalma village center killed one person and injured 16 people and caused $4 million in damages.
of 2000, there were 93 people, 38 households, and 27 families residing in the village. The population density
was 645.6 people per square mile (256.5/km²). There were 54 housing units at an average density of 374.9 per square mile (148.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.55% White, 2.15% Native American, and 4.30% from two or more races. The major ancestry groups in Zalma were 27% Irish
, 22% German
, 14% French Canadian
, 8% Norwegian
, 2% Cherokee
, and 2% specified Native American tribes.
There were 38 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples
living together, 26.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.85.
For people in the village aged 15 and over, 45.9% were married
, 24.7% were divorce
d, 18.8% were single, never married
, 10.6% were widow
ed, and none of the population was separated.
In the village the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 66.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 67.5 males. In the village there are 57 females (60%) and 38 males (40%).
At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, the median income for a household in the village was $21,250, and the median income for a family was $21,500. Estimates after 2007, however, showed the median income for a household in the village to be $26,907 and the median income for a family to be $26,146. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $10,842. There were 32.4% of families and 35.7% of the population living below the poverty line, including 53.3% of under eighteens and 18.2% of those over 64.
living in Zalma. The ratio of number of residents in Zalma to the number of sex offenders is 24:1. And although recreational drug use
is low in Zalma, a growing concern in the village (and in many rural areas in general) is the production and usage of methamphetamine
and underage drinking.
and woodland
s for avid hunters
. Some of the most prevalent species of fish at Maple Flats and Sweetgum include spotted
and largemouth bass
, channel
and flathead catfish
, and sunfish
. Some locals say that there have been 30- to 40-pound catfish caught in the Castor River. Zalma is surrounded by forests which make for ideal hunting expeditions, especially deer
. Castor River Campground, Inc. is a private campground located in the heart of Zalma on Green Street near the old Glasener house. Some residents in Zalma choose to camp along the Castor River at Arrowhead Campgrounds, Castor River Park and/or Twin Bridges Park, three public campgrounds located near the junction of State Highway 34 and Route Y close to Grassy
.
The Rustic Lodge (or simply known as The Rustic to the locals), located right outside the city limits of Zalma on State Highway 51 right before the Castor River Bridge, is a popular bar
not only to residents of Zalma but people from all over the area have been known to frequent it. It is owned by Vicky Slaughter, a native of Zalma. Like many other bars, there are pool tables
and dartboards
available at The Rustic Lodge. Local bands like the John D. Hale Band of Cape Girardeau occasionally have concerts at The Rustic Lodge and this generally tends to draw large crowds. It was said that nearly 1,000 people attended one of their concerts. Under normal circumstances, bargoers must be 18 years old to enter The Rustic and 21 to drink
, but during concerts or other special events like mud racing, exceptions are made to the 18-to-enter rule.
Horseback riding
is another popular activity amongst some of the residents of Zalma, where the scenic gravel roads that run through Zalma are ideal for this activity. Cruising the town
at night used to be a popular trend among teenagers during the 1990s, but due to the ever-rising gas prices it has become a rare activity among teenagers in Zalma nowadays.
. The nearest airport is Twin City Airpark in Marble Hill.
There are two Protestant
churches in Zalma—the Zalma General Baptist
Church and the Zalma Missionary Baptist
Church—serving the community’s spiritual needs, although there are several more churches on the outskirts. Zalma is a predominantly Protestant village, although there are a few Roman Catholics
. Because there are no banks in Zalma, many residents choose to do their banking at nearby institutions such as the Bank of Advance in Advance, Peoples Community Bank, U.S. Bank, Bank of Missouri and Security Trust & Fund all in Marble Hill, although these are not limited. Surrounding Zalma there are four public parks—two in Marble Hill, one in Advance and one in Puxico.
Castor River (Missouri)
The Castor River rises in southeastern Missouri near Fredericktown. The river flows south to Bollinger County and empties into the Headwater Diversion Channel, which flows into the Mississippi River just south of Cape Girardeau. The river below the Diversion Channel flows south until it reaches...
at a point where the river makes a horseshoe bend in southern Bollinger County
Bollinger County, Missouri
Bollinger County is a county located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county's population was 12,363; despite a 2009 estimate that showed the population to be 11,841. The county seat is Marble Hill, which is the only city in Bollinger County...
in Southeast Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. When the railroad moved to town, the name Bollinger's Mill was changed to Zalma, named after a railroad worker named Zalma Block. Zalma used to be a busy town of 300 residents. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, it had a population of 93. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 94. Per the 2010 census, Zalma has a population of 122. Zalma was not officially recognized until January 25, 1910. Zalma is said to come from a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
word meaning "the end."
Zalma is part of the Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
–Jackson
Jackson, Missouri
Jackson is a city in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,758 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cape Girardeau County. Jackson is named for U.S. President Andrew Jackson. It is a principal city of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan...
, MO-IL
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Located along the Castor River, Zalma is home to a number of state parks where citizens can engage in a number of activities with deer hunting and fishing being the most popular. Bird watching, horseback riding, and hiking are also enjoyed by several people who live and visit here.
Blue Pond, the deepest natural pond in the state of Missouri, is located a couple miles outside of Zalma.
History
The first house built in Bollinger's Mill seems to have been erected about the year 1800 by a German by the name of Asherbranner, who also erected the first water mill and dam. This house was situated about 50 yards (45.7 m) east of the mill place on Castor River. The DuVall History of Zalma in the Oct. 18, 1954 edition of the Southeast Missourian lists this site as being about where the E.A. Schrader home is now located. It is known that an old log house known as the Henley property was once at this location, but there is some question as to whether this is the site of the Asherbranner house.The late Ranzy Randolph has often been heard to say that the Asherbranner house sat across the street and to the north of the Henley (later Schrader) property, and an earthen mound which is thought to be the remains of a hearth are still visible at this location today.
The second house, and the oldest one still standing, was reportedly built by Kate Bollinger, a sister of Daniel Bollinger, the miller. It is often referred to by a number of names, including the McMinn House, the Brown House, the home of “Aunt Nora” (Eleanora) Bollinger, the old slave farm. The house used to be occupied by David Welch and his housekeeper, Mrs. Bertha Lawson.
Very few of these early homes had their own water supply, and therefore it was necessary to carry water from a spring located on the river bank, just downstream a few feet from the Mill Dam, and on the same side of the river as the village. A community kettle was kept at the nearby ford, and that was where the family wash was done. Those who were fortunate enough to have a cistern were always faced with the possibility of it going dry, especially in the summer months. The established practice was to run water into the cistern only during months with the letter R in their name, and therefore the gutter was taken down from May through August, the driest months of the year.
The Water Mill
It’s been said that the history of Zalma is the history of the mill from 1800 to about 1899. History records that in the year 1800, an Urban Asherbranner (or Asherbramer or Asherbrauner) settled on the upper portion of the Castor River, just where the river empties its waters into Mingo Bottom, and where the village of Zalma is now situated, built a log and brush dam and erected a water mill to grind corn. Philip Bollinger settled nearby.
In A History of Missouri (1908), Louis Houck states that the head rights to this mill were owned by Asherbranner himself, but were held instead by Philip Bollinger, a relative of Asherbranner’s wife, Barbara Bollinger Asherbranner, daughter of John and Catherine Fulbright Bollinger. John and Philip Bollinger were relatives of Major George Frederick Bollinger
George Frederick Bollinger
George Frederick Bollinger was born in Tryon County, North Carolina. Both Bollinger County, Missouri and Fredericktown, Missouri are named after him.He was the eleventh of the twelve children of Heinrich Bollinger...
, who settled on Whitewater
Whitewater, Missouri
Whitewater is a village in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. The population was 113 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town...
and founded Burfordville
Burfordville, Missouri
Burfordville is an unincorporated community in western Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. It is located five miles west of Jackson on Route 34. Bollinger Mill State Historic Site is located here, on the banks of the Whitewater River....
in Cape Girardeau County
Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
Cape Girardeau County is a county located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county's population was 75,764. While the largest city in the county is Cape Girardeau, the county seat is actually Jackson, which was the first city named in honor of President...
.
For reasons unknown, the mill was later transferred to the Davault Bollinger line. Davault’s third son, Daniel, the seventh of nine children of Davault and Catherine Whitener Bollinger, succeeded his father as miller. Daniel is thought to have come to Zalma about mid-century (1850) to assume operation of the mill. His sister, Catherine (Kate), came with him. They repaired the log and brush dam and operated the mill until the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Daniel died about this time and his wife, Eleanora, operated the mill with hired help. One of the millers was James Duffey, but there may have been others. This mill burned sometime between 1863 and 1873 (conjecture) perhaps by Southern sympathizers
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, but actual cause of the fire cannot be authenticated. However, Eleanora’s brother, Heinrich Fischover, wrote to his mother from Germany in 1862 or 1863:
“According to the newspapers, Missouri has been cleaned now of secessionists, except a few bands, and such bands could do a lot of harm, especially at your lonely site on the Castor. How is Nora (Eleanora) doing with the mill? According to your last letter Dan has left her quiet up till then, but not without sacrifices.”
At the time of Heinrich’s letter, Daniel was in his 40s and did not have long to live. A year after the death of Daniel Bollinger, his wife and children partitioned the estate.
Records show that the above partition was carried out, but they do not give a description of the land which each petitioner received. However, it is known that Louisa and her husband, David Cloninger, did receive the mill tract, among other acreages.
Legend has it that W.A. McMinn, who owned 1000 acres (4 km²) of river bottom land near Buchanan, had been trying for some time to buy the mill tract from David and Louisa Cloninger, but they could not agree on the price.
As it happened, John Henry Hoover lived a few miles south of what is now Zalma, and it was said that he made excellent corn whiskey. This was not a violation of the law, but for some reason he had failed to pay the required tax. The sheriff sent word on Monday morning that he was coming to collect the tax or take him in. Upon hearing this news, Hoover quickly traded a 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) farm for the Cloninger’s 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) tract where the mill stood, a 600-pound yoke of steers and an old wagon.
Justice of the Peace Thomas Eaker made the deed for the Cloningers and Hoover, who immediately deeded the land to W.A. McMinn for $300, departed for Texas that night, never returning to Missouri as far as it is known. Certainly the Cloningers profited from the transaction, the McMinns got the mill site they had wanted, and Mr. Hoover outwitted the sheriff.
Mr. McMinn built a new mill house and a new dam. He put in machinery to grind wheat and corn, as well as a carding mill to card and wash wool. This was Zalma’s first industry, and people brought their wool to this mill from distances of 100 miles (160.9 km) or more to be carded. The new mill was operated by W.A. McMinn and his sons, Samuel and Andrew.
It has been said that Rev. David Hall Sr. harvested nearly 2,000 bushels of corn in 1883, which Mr. McMinn tried to purchase for the mill, offering Mr. Hall 60 cents per bushel. Corn was selling for 50 cents per bushel among neighbors in exchange for labor, but Hall refused the offer saying, “I thank you for your offer, but my neighbors need the corn and many do not have the money to buy it. I could not sleep if I refused one of them, knowing their children were hungry.”
According to the Marble Hill Press (Oct. 28, 1897), the McMinn Mill had recently burned. The fire, thought to have been caused by a match being dropped into the wool, was so fierce for a time that it seemed the J.A. Slagle General Merchandise Store across the way would burn also. Quilts, blankets and other items were dipped into the nearby river and spread upon the roof to save it. The office of Dr. Cubbage and the Randolph James Store, both located to the south of the mill, were destroyed in the blaze. The mill was never rebuilt.
The dam remained intact for several years after the mill burned, before it suffered the same fate. It is said that a group of farmers upstream resented the dam being there, having claimed that it caused flooding of valuable farm land, especially when there was a rise in the river. Sometime after the turn of the 20th century, the dam was destroyed by fire, the blaze apparently was set by some of the farmers in the community. The fire was started under cover of darkness in order to avoid being seen. The next morning, William Nevins, who was a miller there, came to town and with others was surveying the ruins when they discovered the iron bands of a wooden barrel which was supposed to have contained the kerosene used in the fire.
Although it was never determined who started the fire, the distinction is usually given to a young man who lived on what is now known as the Lowry farm west of Zalma. There is also some question as to whether kerosene alone was used. Mrs. Ethel Slagle Pittman, who lived nearby, recalls several loud explosions, indicating that dynamite may also have been used.
Remains of the mill dam are still visible today (1976). The water creates a loud rippling effect as it rushes over what is left of the original rock base of the dam, an ideal spot for fishing and swimming.
The Bollinger County Milling Co.
B.H. Bollinger Sr. and his father-in-law, Laban Green, built a steam powered mill about 1898, approximately three blocks from the original mill site. This building was located at the northeast corner of Green and Nora streets, and north of the town cemetery. Their flour business was mostly local and many farmers brought in wheat for processing into flour on a toll basis. Livestock feed was also processed here.
This mill was later acquired by C.F. Hopkins, Dr. Wm. Lages and W.L. Rhodes, all brothers-in-law. After moving to Lutesville, Dr. Lages sold his interest in the mill to Daniel Fish, who in turn sold to Harvey Grant. Mr. Hopkins became the manager and Jake Simmerman (Simmon Jack) served as the miller for many years. It has been said that “if Simmon Jack couldn’t run the mill, then nobody could.”
Hopkins and his brothers-in-law enlarged the building and installed equipment to grind hard wheat and flour. They had a splendid business for awhile until the Interstate Commerce Commission
Interstate Commerce Commission
The Interstate Commerce Commission was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads to ensure fair rates, to eliminate rate discrimination, and to regulate other aspects of common carriers, including...
issued new rules on freight rates that almost doubled the rates they had been paying for the transportation of grain and flour, both of which had to be transported to and from the mill. Mr. Hopkins then traded the mill to Charles King, who operated it a short while before selling it to his brother, A.C. King. King operated the mill a few years and sold it to Guy D. Lingle and Harl Myers.
Each time the mill changed owners its output was reduced until finally it ground only feed. Its last owner was Lawrence James, who soon went into the general produce business and removed the building. Part of the material was used to construct a residence on the mill site, and the remainder was used to build an addition to a structure on the northwest corner of King and Nora streets, which for many years housed the Hobart James Store.
The Coming of the Railroad
On Dec. 21, 1880, Louis Houck completed a railroad between Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
and Delta
Delta, Missouri
Delta is a city in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. The population was 517 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Delta is located at ....
, but service did not begin until Jan. 1, 1881. It connected the old Cape Girardeau and State Line properties with the Iron Mountain Line at Delta. By August 1881 it had reached Lakeville in Stoddard County
Stoddard County, Missouri
Stoddard County is a county located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 29,705. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 29,537. The county seat is Bloomfield while the largest city in the county is Dexter...
. At that time the Brown Cooperage Company bought thousands of acres of timber in Bollinger and Stoddard counties and they induced Mr. Houck to build a line to Brownwood
Brownwood, Missouri
Brownwood is an unincorporated community in northern Stoddard County, Missouri, United States. It is located twenty miles north of Dexter....
, which was nearer to the center of their tract of timber. Houck completed the line to Brownwood in 1882 and the railroad became known as the Cape Girardeau & Southwestern Railway.
The Brown Cooperage Company then secured a right-of-way from the landowners to Bollinger’s Mill (Zalma) to build a tramway to haul the stave bolts from that area. The line was called the Brownwood and Northwestern and extended from Brownwood to Zalma (1884). Houck acquired this line by lease in 1886, and it then became a part of the Cape Girardeau & Southwestern. Around the turn of the 20th century, Houck’s various lines were consolidated under the name of St. Louis & Gulf Railroad Co. Later Mr. Houck sold out to a syndicate headed by Newman Erb, who in 1902 sold out to the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway Company.
The railroad crossed Castor River at Bollinger’s Mill just a few yards upstream from the present Highway 51 Bridge and ended rather abruptly at a log dump on the north bank of the river just south of the L.B. James property. The railroad bridge later burned, but some of the wooden supports can still be seen today (1976) protruding from the water a short distance above the Highway 51 bridge.
The train always backed up to Bollinger’s Mill from Brownwood as that was the only way it could get there. Its whistle blew loudly as it neared Castor River, the sound echoed over the distant hills, a signal to the mail carrier, the draymen and anyone else who might want to meet the train.
The depot stood on the east side of present day Highway 51 in what is now a roadside park. It was a two-story combination depot, telegraph office and residence. A Mr. Blomeyer was the stationmaster-telegrapher, described as a fine man, highly respected in the community.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, approximately 50000 acres (202.3 km²) of timber were harvested and shipped from Zalma. After the war, the timber was depleted and shipping declined. The highway was built and farmers began shipping their livestock by truck. Sometime in the early 1930s the railroad was abandoned and removed.
The Timber Industry
The economy of the area remained somewhat sluggish until the timber industry moved in. The Brown Cooperage Company bought thousands of acres of timber, mostly white oak, for $1 per acre. It is said they wasted two-thirds of it in the way it was harvested. The cutters felled a tree and cut bolts up to the first limbs, then abandoned that tree and cut another. The factory did not want any bolts with knots in them. They did not cut any tree less than 30 inches (762 mm) in diameter and only about half of the oak trees on the property were cut.
In 1884, the Bell Messler Company located at Illmo
Illmo, Missouri
Illmo is an unincorporated community in Scott County, Missouri. It is next to Scott City. Its post office has closed and its mail now comes from Scott City. The community was founded in 1905 and its name is a contraction of Illinois and Missouri as the community is near Illinois and in Missouri....
, placed a factory at Zalma to cut veneer and box laths. The Zalma factory was located just upstream from the mill dam, on the south side of the river, on land known as the Cora Carr property.
This factory provided work for women who stacked the box laths in long rows in the sun for drying. In damp weather the laths were placed in a dry shed and dried with heat from stoves. It is said that laths were stacked from the factory building westward, taking in all of an area now occupied by the P.T. Shirrell, Lizzie Simmerman and Mildred Fish residences. Men never stacked laths on the yard as this was considered “women’s work,” and beneath the dignity of a man. After the company suspended operation, the factory was used as a sawmill.
This company bought millions of feet of Poplar, many being from four to seven feet in diameter. The largest tree they had record of grew on the farm of Joseph H. Grant northwest of Zalma. The tree was seven feet three inches at the stump, and produced six, 10 feet (3 m) logs. The smallest log was 30 inches (762 mm) in diameter. Castor River flooded a few days after the tree was cut and floated these logs down onto the J.W. Wilkinson farm, where they remained for some time. No less than three wagons were destroyed in trying to move the two bottom logs to the factory. The company then sent to Illmo and got an ox wagon to do the job. The wheels were 40 inches (1,016 mm) high, made of solid black gum, with no spokes and six-inch (152 mm) tires. The company shipped the wagon by rail to Zalma, and it was used only once, to move these two logs. The wagon was later moved to Ira Gray’s barnyard in Zalma, and after many years rotted down.
Wilbert Abernathy can recall seeing the stump of this large tree several years later when the Abernathy family moved to the Grant farm from Burg about 1910 or 1911. The stump was enormous as cutters had scaled up a distance of seven or eight feet before cutting the tree. The tree stood approximately 200 feet (61 m) east from the base of the Scholl (or Shoal) Hill, out in the river bottom land, near a large A-frame house erected in 1970-71 by Claude and Virginia McBroom.
The Bell Messler Company floated thousands of logs down Castor River and confined them above a boom made of two hewn white oak logs about 16 to 24 inches (609.6 mm) in diameter. These were fastened together and connected at the ends with one-half inch chains. The logs were fastened together with “dog irons,” which consisted of two steel wedges one-half inch by six inches connected by eight inch pieces of chain. The logs were rolled in the river and joined together with dog chains, making rafts. These rafts were floated down the river, sometimes for miles. They were then drawn from the river with skidding tongs and a wire cable, drawn by a steam powered crosscut saw
Crosscut saw
A crosscut saw is a saw that is specially designed for making crosscuts. A crosscut is a cut made horizontally through the trunk of a standing tree, but the term also applies to cutting free lumber...
. The blocks were then mounted on a mandrel block and turned against a solid knife that cut them into a 1/8 inch sheet of veneer stock about 30 inches wide. Some sheets were cut as much as 20 feet (6.1 m) long. They were then placed in a stamping mill that cut the veneer in blanks for berry boxes and crates. This industry remained in Zalma until about 1897.
A second box factory was located on the north side of Green Street near the Railroad Street intersection, a short distance west of the present Highway 51. An announcement taken from the county newspaper describes the operation as follows:
“BOX FACTORY TO DO BUSINESS AT ZALMA”
Work on a big box factory building at Zalma is about completed, a part of the machinery is in place and timber is being sawed preparatory to the manufacture of all kinds of boxes and cases for strawberries and all kinds of fruits. The other machinery is being placed and the factory will soon be going at full blast.
About 25 people will be employed. An Illinois firm under the management of Mr. Gardner is the proprietors. This is a big institution for Zalma and the county, as it will utilize much timber and afford vessels for our heavy fruit crops at a cheaper price than foreign concerns can furnish them.”
—The Marble Hill Press
February 16, 1893
This factory likewise provided jobs for women to stack laths. They were arranged neatly in piles about four feet high and far enough apart for a wagon to drive between them for loading.
Zalma was quite a timber and tie center in its heyday. Everybody who wanted a job had one. Wages were low, but then it didn’t take much money to “get by” on. It was truly a fighting and drinking town as were most such places of that era.
The first sawmill to come to Zalma was owned by James Hartzel and Laban Green. They did not find an established market for the many kinds of lumber produced here, however, and the sawmill soon closed.
Before the steel bridge was built in 1900, all timber north of Zalma had to be transported to Lutesville, the only outlet to the railroad, for after the mill dam was built, the river could be forded in dry seasons only. After 1900, Zalma became the shipping center for an area about eight miles (13 km) west and south for most of the year as the Brownwood Station could be used only in dry weather.
After the Bell-Messler Company went out of business, the real estate was apparently leased by D.B. and W.F. Corbin, who moved a large sawmill from Buchanan to Zalma about 1904, and rafted logs down the river to the mill.
The W.F. (Frank) Corbin family lived atop the hill, west of the sawmill in a Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
house which they erected about the year 1904. A large barn was located on the corner, west of the house, and directly across the street in front of the Ira T. Gray residence. The D.B. (Dan) Corbins built a new home on the corner, southeast of the red brick school. A large barn was located across the street in front of the house, along the east side of the school.
The sawmill remained in the Corbin family until 1918, when its last owner, Charles E. Corbin, moved his family to Lutesville. After the sawmill had ceased operating, the old shed was used as an icehouse. During the winter months when Castor River froze over, large chunks of ice were cut from it, hauled from the shed and stored in large piles of sawdust. It was then sold for use in iceboxes and other items but was used primarily for cooling drinks and making ice cream at the Fourth of July Picnic.
Although Zalma began as a logging town where huge crews of men, mules and oxen labored to harvest virgin timber, the like of which will never be seen again. One of the poplar trees, brought into the mill in Zalma in the late 19th century, was seven feet, three inches (76 mm) in diameter and produced six logs, ten feet in length. Paul Corbin, writing of his grandfather's history in that area, reports that two wagons were broken down trying to haul the logs, which finally required a special-built wagon. Paul Corbin records his grandfather's experience:
"On Grandpa's first visit to Missouri (from Indiana) in 1877 he had been impressed with the magnificent growth of virgin timber along Castor River and had made a deal to cut 1000 acres (4 km²) of this timber on the McMinn plantation. Grandpa had planned to stay in Missouri for three years, as he thought this was the length of time it would take him to work out this tract of timber. This did not prove to be the case, as he never did move back to Indiana. One thing led to another, and by the time the three years was up, he had bought several tracts of timber in the Buchanan area.
"In one case," continues Corbin, "he bought a tract of timber consisting of over 1000 large, virgin poplar trees for one dollar per tree. Land records show that over the years he bought several tracts of land, most of which was bought just for the timber. After the timber was cut, he would sell the land for a very low price." In the early part of the 20th century, Zalma ranked fourth in the United States for cross tie production. Corbin remembers seeing stacks of cross ties six to eight feet high, 100 feet (30.5 m) wide, and a quarter of a mile long stacked along the railroad at Zalma in the late 1920s.
The area to the west of the sawmill came to be known as “Stringtown” as it developed after the sawmill was established and consisted of a row of rough box houses occupied by sawmill workers. It extended west along the old river road toward the J.W. Wilkinson farm. A slough, sometimes referred to as the Gaines Branch, formed the northern boundary, emptying into the nearby river. Only one of the original “string” houses remains in existence today (1976). A part of Miss Lizzie Simmerman’s house, the rear portion, was one such house. About 1913 her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Simmerman, moved to this house and hired Andrew Shirrell to erect a two-story addition to the front of the original house to form the structure as it is now.
For several years everything seemed to center around the railroad tie industry
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
. Zalma is said to have been one of the country’s largest tie centers, with tie buyers from as many as five different companies doing business in the area at any one time. Tie yards were full of wagons unloading, and more than 100 would be lined up on the road, waiting their turn to unload. Tie loading crews loaded cars for weeks at a time during peak seasons.
Zalma was at one point known as the logging capital of the world.
The Post Office
Zalma received its first post office in November 1876. Randolph James served as the first postmaster and the office was located in the James Store. It is not known how long he continued in office, but records indicate that in 1887, Green Fowler served as postmaster and that in 1893 the position was held by James Dickson.
The mail was carried on the back of a mule twice weekly if the river did not get out of banks. Mr. Feltenbarger had a lively stable which he operated until it burned, and ran a mail route from Zalma to Marble Hill.
About 1898, Randolph James was reappointed, with his son, Joseph James, serving as assistant postmaster, upon his return from the Spanish-American War. Lifus “Shorty” Jones also worked as assistant to James, who served until about 1904 when Marion Corbin became postmaster. After a short time Corbin vacated the office and B.H. Bollinger Sr. took it for a period of one year. He then persuaded Mrs. Effie Dennis to apply and she served until 1922 and retired. Mrs. Dennis operated the post office from a building on the north side of King Street, formerly the Zalma School. She also kept a military shop, at appropriate times, in the post office, which is presently the residence of Selice Inman Ray.
William Green was appointed acting postmaster until 1924, at which time W.A. (Bill) Pape was appointed and served until 1934. Cecil Gray served about two years before his father, Rev. Ira T. Gray, took the office and served for approximately 14 years, when due to failing health he resigned the office. W.A. (Bill) Pape was appointed for the second time in 1952 and served until March 31, 1963 when he retired. Mrs. Jeanette VanMatre then assumed the position and is postmaster at the present time. Mrs. VanMatre, now Mrs. L.B. Stephens, had the former bank building remodeled in the fall of 1975 and moved the post office into that structure Jan. 5, 1976.
Over the years, the post office has been located at various locations in town; among them are the Slinkard Store, the I.T. Gray Store and others. The current post office is located on Main Street next to the Zalma Volunteer Fire Department.
Businesses
James A. Slagle and L.B. (Baxter) James operated the first general merchandise store at Zalma. It was located a short distance south of the Bollinger-McMinn Mills on Castor River. They operated the store jointly until 1885, at which time they dissolved partnership. Mr. Slagle erected a store of his own, and Mr. James operated the original store until he sold it to his brother, Randolph, then he purchased the Frances Womack Store at the north end of Main Street. The store was operated by Randolph James until about the turn of the 20th century when it and the McMinn Mill were destroyed by fire.
L.B. (Baxter) James later rebuilt the store in approximately the same location, and was assisted in its operation by his sons, A.E. (Gus), Eric, Gard, Leland and Elbert. It was later operated by Leland James and finally by A.E. James, who continued in the business until the closing of the store in 1961.
P.T. (Phynnie) Shirrell was a clerk in the A.E. James Store for 45 years, beginning in 1917, and with the exception of two years spent in military service, he continued in this capacity until his retirement. A small man, he was bald on top and always wore a neatly trimmed mustache and dark rimmed glasses. A khaki shirt and pants were his customary attire, along with a topcoat
Overcoat
An overcoat is a type of long coat intended to be worn as the outermost garment. Overcoats usually extend below the knee, but are sometimes mistakenly referred to as topcoats, which are short coats that end at or above the knees. Topcoats and overcoats together are known as outercoats...
and hat. Quiet and soft-spoken, Phynnie is kindly remembered by one and all, for whoever it was a child with a penny or an adult with a large grocery order, they received the same smile and courteous service.
A large, widescreen door, which produced a quiet springing sound, greeted customers to the store. To the immediate left was a large array of material, thread and other items for the would-be homemaker. The dry goods were separated from the grocery section by a door marked “Ware Room.” In a side room at the rear of the store was Mr. James’s office, actually more of a den as it contained books, maps and other personal effects. Violin music could often be heard floating from within. The right, or north side of the store, was devoted primarily to wearing apparel
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
for the entire family and included such items as “Beaver” hats, “Star” and “Red Goose” shoes, works shirts and “Test” overalls.
The entrance to the store was at street level, but the rear portion was perhaps eight or 10 feet (3 m) off the ground, above the high water mark, and approximately 50 feet (15.2 m) from the river. Several large windows in the west end of the building provided a picturesque view of the water as it rushed over the old mill dam, creating a rippling, rushing sound. Near the windows was a large wood stove
Wood-burning stove
For a list of stove types see Stove .A wood-burning stove is a heating appliance capable of burning wood fuel and wood-derived biomass fuel. Generally the appliance consists of a solid metal closed fire chamber, a grate and an adjustable air control...
for warmth, and several chairs placed in a roundabout manner for those who wished to sit and “gab.”
After Shirrell retired, A.E. James and his wife, Nora, operated the store a short while until its doors were closed for the last time in 1961. The stock was purchased by R.A. Lingle and the building was later sold to Mrs. Frankie Corbin Steward, and is now in private use.
After James and Slagle dissolved partnership, the latter erected the J.A. Slagle Store, a large, two-story frame building across the street on the slope of the hill overlooking the Castor River and the mill dam. The upstairs served as the family residence, while the first floor was occupied by a large store. A general merchandise store, it carried everything that would be needed for daily living or work. To name in part, ladies’ hats, wearing apparel
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
, shoes for the entire family, collars for horses and mules as well as harness
Horse harness
A horse harness is a type of horse tack that allows a horse or other equine to pull various horse-drawn vehicles such as a carriage, wagon or sleigh. Harnesses may also be used to hitch animals to other loads such as a plow or canal boat....
and other tack, dishes, wash tubs, food staples, beans, coffee, sugar, side meat, molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
, tools, grindstones
Grindstone (tool)
A grindstone is a round sharpening stone used for grinding or sharpening ferrous tools. They are usually made from sandstone.Grindstone machines usually have pedals in which to speed and slow the stone to sharpen metal to the point of perfection....
, dress pins, percale
Percale
Percale or Percalcos is a closely woven plain-weave fabric often used for bed covers.The term describes the weave of the fabric, not its content, so percale could be a blend of 50% cotton and 50% polyester, 100% cotton, or a blend of other fabrics in any ratio...
, bed ticking, work denim, ribbon, lace and elastic. Hinges and handles for caskets were always carried in stock. The caskets were made by local carpenters, with Dave Shell and Oscar Loyd being among the best known. Wagons were sold also, and one was usually kept in stock, primarily for display purposes. One Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
night, a new wagon was removed from its customary spot in front of the store by a group of pranksters. It was discovered the following morning in the middle of the Castor River.
Mr. Slagle operated this store for several years and was later assisted by his son, Oren. In 1927, Mrs. Ethel Slagle Clarkson acquired her brother’s share and she and her husband, Jabez, operated the store together until his death in 1947, at which time she continued alone until her marriage to Ed Pittman in 1950. The Pittmans operated the store until his death in February 1973 and at the present time Mrs. Pittman runs the store alone. Mrs. Elsie Williams has rented an apartment in the building since March 1974. This business has the distinction of being the oldest, continuously operated store in the town, having been in the Slagle family for approximately 91 years.
After W.A. McMinn bought the mill tract from the Bollinger heirs, he and J.V. Slinkard built a store north of the mill in 1884, which they operated a short while, until McMinn sold his interest to Slinkard. The store later burned and Slinkard replaced it with a large, two-story brick building, located at the corner of King and Main streets in the center of town. Erected about 1887, brick for this structure was manufactured locally at a kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
southeast of the store. On the west side of the building near the top is a carved likeness of President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
and Vice President Hendricks
Thomas A. Hendricks
Thomas Andrews Hendricks was an American politician who served as a Representative and a Senator from Indiana, the 16th Governor of Indiana , and the 21st Vice President of the United States...
, which may still be seen today.
The Slinkard Store was another general merchandise store and continued in the same family until the death of J.V. Slinkard’s son, Leo, in 1929. The business was then operated by the Ward Stores of Piedmont and managed by Guy D. Lingle and others. Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lingle later purchased the building from Mrs. Ida Lingle Slinkard, widow of Leo Slinkard’s son Ralph, and established the R.A. Lingle Store during the mid 1940s.
The Lingle Store was a popular gathering for people who came to town not only to do their trading
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
but to visit as well. A long bench was kept on the front porch, which in fair weather was used mostly by the men. It was not at all unusual for this bench to be filled, with several persons standing or milling about in front. This occurred not only on Saturdays but through the week when many older persons came down to await the mail each morning. Some of the men who occupied this bench were Harvey Lemons and his dog Wimpy, H.D. Nichols, Pinkney Berrong, Ranzy Randolph, Jim Looney, Ernest Pate and Charley Back. Mr. Back often brought a basket along containing barber supplies such as clippers and scissors and did haircutting
Hairstyle
A hairstyle, hairdo, or haircut refers to the styling of hair, usually on the human head. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal grooming, fashion, and cosmetics, although practical, cultural, and popular considerations also influence some hairstyles.-History of...
on the side at 25 cents per head. He usually rode into town each morning with Rev. and Mrs. Forrest Lowry and Mr. Lowry’s sister Etta. The Lowrys operated a dairy farm west of Zalma, and Mr. Back lived nearby. Rev. Lowry always came in the store for a root beer soda
Root beer
Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
, referred to as a “good ole frostie.”
In the rear of the store was a large coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
stove with several chairs located around it. This area was used mostly by the ladies, but sometimes by men also. A normal Saturday evening crowd consisted of Odes and Iona Jackson, Charley, Addie and Claude Fish, Ella Minnie Berrong, Henderson and Elsie Williams, Oral and Mildred Abernathy, Fred Schanks, Glen and Judy Schanks, Lois Thornburgh, Rev. and Mrs. Dolph Lacy, Bess and Henry Myers, Wilbert Abernathy and Annie and Hayden Holt. Hayden always brought his slingshot
Slingshot
A slingshot, shanghai, flip, bean shooter or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame held in the off hand, with two rubber strips attached to the uprights. The other ends of the strips lead back to a pocket which holds the projectile...
along and would gladly demonstrate his marksmanship with the instrument to any would-be skeptics. It is said that he could stand on the front porch, and using his sling, light a match, which had been placed atop a fence post some 50 feet (15.2 m) away.
Usually everything went fairly smooth until the subject of politics was brought up, and then it was not at all unusual for one well-known matron to leave the store in a “huff.” She and her husband always kept separate accounts, and quite a bit of bickering was done between them, regarding who would by what, and how much. Nobody seemed to pay attention, however, and Roy Lingle seemed to enjoy it by carrying on with good-natured teasing and joking.
Mrs. Era Easley was employed to help with the work, especially on Saturdays and other busy days such as “check day” the first of each month. The Easleys moved to Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
a short time before the store was closed in July 1967.
In 1884 when the railroad tie business began, the Moss Tie Company built a store beside the depot and it was operated by John W. King, who later bought it from the tie company. Mr. King served as both telegrapher and representative of the company. It is said that the Zalma bank had its origin here because King cashed checks for the tie workers. The store was later purchased by B.H. Bollinger Sr., who operated it until 1924 when he moved his business to Sturdivant.
Zalma was once home to many old small businesses. Among these included James A. Slagle General Store, which was later renamed to Pittman's General Store. Mr. Slagle and L.B. James operated the first general merchandising store in Zalma around the mid-19th century. Since then, Zalma has had several new businesses and organizations.
Pape's Grocery, which was first started by Noah and Isom Mouser, was owned by Tom and Linda Pape. They once owned The Barn, which was at one point in time the only restaurant in Zalma. The store was located at the corner of King and Main streets in town. The building mysteriously caught fire and burned to the ground. To this day, it has not been rebuilt and the cause of the fire is still unknown.
April Hills Farm, which was once known as the Benjamin Conder place, sold river lots for recreational homes. The Castor River Trailer Camp is a private recreational park for campers located not far upstream from the Mill Dam. The Jaycees were an old organization in Zalma who had their meetings in the old post office. The Zalma Senior Citizens once existed but today this organization is obsolete.
Lemons's Grocery, which was once Mel Gray's Gas Station, is still in business to this day. The store was owned by Bill and Sharon Lemons. After the death of Mr. Lemons, Mrs. Lemons continued to own the store for about 45 years. She married Milford Sturgeon and they continued to own and operate Lemons's Grocery. After Mr. Sturgeon died in July 2005, Mrs. Lemons-Sturgeon decided it was time to retire. In early August 2005, she handed over the keys and ownership to Brad Barrett. His daughter Jennifer worked the store but retained the name Lemons's Grocery. Recently, the store was sold again to the McGregors who are in the process of reopening the store under the name Riverside Grocery & Hardware.
51 Stop, once owned by Randy and Vickie Rhodes, was at one point in time Zalma's only convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
that sold groceries and movie rentals and was the only place in town that sold alcohol
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
. The store closed but the Rhodeses still reside in Zalma today. They are known for their popular scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is a game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items, using which the participants — individuals or teams — seek to gather all items on the list — usually without purchasing them — or perform tasks or take photographs of the items, as specified...
that they hold every year around Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
.
The Home Plate Restaurant, located on Highway 51 in Zalma, was once owned by Jack and Kerry Kirk. After The Barn closed, the Home Plate served as Zalma's only other restaurant. It was famous for its home-cooked meals and smorgasbord buffet
Smörgåsbord
Smörgåsbord is a type of Scandinavian meal served buffet-style with multiple dishes of various foods on a table, originating in Sweden. In Norway it is called koldtbord, in Denmark it is called det kolde bord, in Finland seisova pöytä and in Estonia rootsi laud...
of chicken and dumplings
Chicken and dumplings
Chicken and dumplings is a popular comfort food dish, commonly found in the Southern and Midwestern United States, that is also attributed to being a French Canadian meal that originated during the Great Depression...
, mashed potato
Mashed potato
Mashed potato is made by mashing freshly boiled potatoes with a ricer, fork, potato masher, food mill, or whipping them with a hand beater. Dehydrated and frozen mashed potatoes are available in many places...
es, and frog legs
Frog legs
Frogs' legs are one of the better-known delicacies of French and Cantonese cuisine. They are also eaten in other regions, such as Thailand, Vietnam, the region of Alentejo in Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, northwest Greece, and the Piemonte region in Italy, as well as the Southern regions of the...
. Sometime after the restaurant closed, Monica Sneed bought the building and turned it into a grocery store. She eventually handed it over to her daughter, Maresia. The store is not in operation today.
The Cemetery
The Zalma Historical Cemetery is located on Nora Street. The cemetery is fenced in and overshadowed by the trees that surround it and also contains a canon from the U.S. Civil War. While hardly anyone in Zalma is buried there anymore, the cemetery maintains historical significance to the village and Bollinger County.
Historical Communities Near Zalma
Zalma is bounded in all directions by a number of smaller, unincorporated communities that still retain historical significance.• Arab
Arab, Missouri
Arab is an unincorporated community in southern Bollinger County, Missouri, United States. It is located about four miles south of Zalma and 12 miles north of Puxico on at the intersection of Highway 51 with Highway C and Highway P, twenty miles northwest of Dexter. The community was founded in...
, located at the intersection of State Highway 51, Route C and Route P, lies about four miles (6 km) south of Zalma. The tiny village has a population of 7, all members of the same family.
• April Hills is located approximately four miles on Bollinger County Road 710 that begins in the heart of Zalma by the new baseball field. The area is reminiscent of a Cajun
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
community with houses surrounded by trees and marshland.
• Buchanan, located on Route Y south of State Highway 51, lies about four miles (6 km) northwest of Zalma near Castor River. It was named after U.S. President James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
, the first person for whom Postmaster Washington A. McMinn voted.
• Burg is located somewhere between Zalma and Gipsy on Supplemental Route E. It is said that the Pioneer Cooperage Company operated a lumber mill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
here from about 1906 to 1911, after which the company moved to Coldwater
Coldwater, Missouri
Coldwater is an unincorporated community in northern Wayne County, Missouri, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 67 about seventeen miles south of Fredericktown. Its post office has closed, and mail now comes from Silva....
in Wayne County
Wayne County, Missouri
Wayne County is a county located in the Ozark Foothills Region of Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 13,259. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 12,652. The county seat is Greenville...
when the timber played out. The town died soon after.
• Castor Bridge is located on Castor River near the end of Bollinger County Road 615 southeast of Zalma. It is said that the historical area was where the Castor River crossed the Zalma Branch Railroad between Zalma and Greenbrier.
• Dongola, located on State Highway 51 just west of the State Highway 91 intersection, lies about seven miles (11 km) east of Zalma. Although the unincorporated community of Dongola was destroyed by a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
on May 30, 1917 and never recovered, there are a few houses in and around Dongola today.
• Gipsy
Gipsy, Missouri
Gipsy is an unincorporated community in western Bollinger County, Missouri, United States. It is located on Missouri Supplemental Route E fourteen miles southwest of Marble Hill on Licklog creek....
, the tiny hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
almost hidden among the hills, is located west of Zalma about three miles (5 km) on Supplemental Route E. A post office still exists and operates in Gipsy, with its own ZIP code of 63751. Old Gipsy Bridge is also historically known to the locals.
• Greenbrier, located at the end of Route W northeast of Arab, is a little unincorporated town that once had a station on the Zalma Branch Railroad.
• Hahn, previously known as North Zalma, is a small community located on Route H just south of the Route FF intersection about halfway between Zalma and Marble Hill. It was founded in 1875 by Jacob Hahn and Harmon Gray.
• Richardson, located at the end of Bollinger County Road 644 along the Diversion Channel, is a tiny historical area that lies just east of Greenbrier. There used to be a station here on the Zalma Branch Railroad between Greenbrier and Brownwood
Brownwood, Missouri
Brownwood is an unincorporated community in northern Stoddard County, Missouri, United States. It is located twenty miles north of Dexter....
in Stoddard
Stoddard County, Missouri
Stoddard County is a county located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 29,705. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 29,537. The county seat is Bloomfield while the largest city in the county is Dexter...
.
• Sank is located on Bollinger County Road 528 just north of State Highway 51 about four miles (6 km) east of Zalma.
• Schlatitz is located on State Highway 51 about five miles (8 km) east of Zalma, conveniently located just east of Sank and west of Dongola between the two communities.
• Sturdivant
Sturdivant, Missouri
Sturdivant is an unincorporated community in extreme southern Bollinger County, Missouri, United States. It is located about sixteen miles north of Dexter along State Highway V. The zip code is 63782...
, located on Route V near the Stoddard County line, is a tiny unincorporated community that lies about 10 miles (16.1 km) southwest of Zalma. It is said that there used to be a station here on the Cape Girardeau Southwestern Railroad Line between Brownwood
Brownwood, Missouri
Brownwood is an unincorporated community in northern Stoddard County, Missouri, United States. It is located twenty miles north of Dexter....
and Kinder in Stoddard County
Stoddard County, Missouri
Stoddard County is a county located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 29,705. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 29,537. The county seat is Bloomfield while the largest city in the county is Dexter...
. The community was possibly named for Colonel Robert Sturdivant, a prominent businessman and banker in Cape Girardeau.
• Trowel is a historical unincorporated area located somewhere north of Schlatitz, probably out in the woods.
• Zephyr is another historical unincorporated area located somewhere west of Hahn.
Education
The Zalma R-V School District runs throughout much of southern Bollinger County. With an average yearly enrollment of 250 students in K-12, the school is one of the smallest public schools in Southeast Missouri. The school's mascot is the bulldogBulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
, and its colors are green and gold. The alma mater/school fighting song
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
is still sung at ballgames:
"When those green daggers lead our yells today, and the team will stand in full array, for the dear ole school we love so well, for the green and gold we'll yell and yell and yell and yes we'll win, win, win, yes we will win, and when it's over we will all begin to join the mighty cheering for our team, for ZHS hey!"
Activities at the school consist of FCCLA (Family, Career & Community Leaders of America), formerly known as FHA (Future Homemakers of America); Student Council
Student council
Student council is a curricular or extra-curricular activity for students within elementary and secondary schools around the world. Present in most public and private K-12 school systems across the United States, Canada and Australia these bodies are alternatively entitled student council, student...
; Junior and Senior Beta Club; Pep Club; Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is a non-profit interdenominational Christian organization founded in 1954 and that has been based in Kansas City, Missouri since 1956. It falls within the tradition of Muscular Christianity. Although established by evangelical Protestants, the concept has...
; Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA); Speech Team; Smokebusters; and the ZHS Concert Choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. Athletics at ZHS consist of boys' basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, girls' volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, boys' baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, girls' softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, and co-ed cheerleading
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
.
In 2002, the school built a regulation-size baseball field to be able to host home games. Construction of the baseball field, which required two gravel roads to be cut out, caused quite a controversy amongst some of the townspeople. It was ultimately decided to restructure the gravel roads around the new ball field.
The Zalma Bulldogs varsity basketball team won the Class 1A State Basketball Championship in 1939-1940, but since then has not won a state title in the sport. The early 1990s, however, were good years for the Zalma Lady Bulldogs varsity volleyball team as they won the Class 1A MSHSAA State Volleyball Championship in 1990-1991, defeating Osceola
Osceola, Missouri
Osceola is a city in St. Clair County, Missouri, United States. The population was 835 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of St. Clair County.-History:...
for the title. They advanced to the state tournament again in 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 but lost in the championship match each year to New Haven
New Haven, Missouri
New Haven is a city in Franklin County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,867 at the 2000 census. The city was founded in 1856. It was originally called Miller's Landing after Philip Miller, an early settler....
. Volleyball still remains the most popular sport at Zalma High School.
For adults aged 25 and older in Zalma, 72.9% possess a high school diploma
High school diploma
A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.-Past diploma styles:...
as their highest educational attainment, 22.8% have less than high school and 4.3% possess a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
or higher educational degree. None of the population possesses a post-graduate or professional degree
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
.
Geography
Zalma is located at 37°9′N 90°5′W (37.144524, -90.078127).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), all of it land.
Climate
Average temperatures in Zalma range from 22 °F (-5.6 °C) in January to 89 °F (31.7 °C) in July. According to Weather.com, some weather facts about Zalma include the following:- On average, the warmest month in Zalma is July.
- The highest recorded temperature in Zalma was 108 °F (42.2 °C) in 1954.
- January is the average coolest month in Zalma.
- The lowest recorded temperature in Zalma was -27 °F in 1951.
- The maximum average precipitation in Zalma occurs in March (4.91 inches).
The average annual humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
in Zalma is highest in the mornings in mid-August, averaging near 90 percent. The average annual humidity in Zalma is lowest in the afternoons in April and October, averaging near 55 percent.
The average wind speed in Zalma is highest in March, averaging a little over 10 mi/h. The average wind speed in Zalma is lowest in August, averaging 6 mi/h which is below the national average of 6.5 mi/h.
The average snowfall in Zalma is generally lower than the national average annually in the United States. Snowfall in Zalma is highest in January with an average of just below four inches (102 mm) , which is lower than the national average of just above five inches (127 mm) .
The average sunshine in Zalma is highest in mid-July, averaging around 75 percent sunshine. The average sunshine in Zalma is lowest during the winter months of December to January, averaging just above 40 percent sunshine.
Historical tornado activity in the Zalma area is near the Missouri state average but is 91 percent greater than the national average.
• On April 24, 2002, an F4 tornado
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
(with maximum wind speeds of 207-260 mph) located 29.4 miles (47.3 km) away from the Zalma village center injured 16 people and caused $45 million in damages.
• On April 27, 2002, an F3 tornado
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
(with maximum wind speeds of 158-206 mph) located 5.2 miles (8.4 km) away from the Zalma village center killed one person and injured 16 people and caused $4 million in damages.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 93 people, 38 households, and 27 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 645.6 people per square mile (256.5/km²). There were 54 housing units at an average density of 374.9 per square mile (148.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 93.55% White, 2.15% Native American, and 4.30% from two or more races. The major ancestry groups in Zalma were 27% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 22% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 14% French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
, 8% Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, 2% Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, and 2% specified Native American tribes.
There were 38 households out of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 26.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.85.
For people in the village aged 15 and over, 45.9% were married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, 24.7% were divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d, 18.8% were single, never married
Bachelor
A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married . Unlike his female counterpart, the spinster, a bachelor may have had children...
, 10.6% were widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
ed, and none of the population was separated.
In the village the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 66.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 67.5 males. In the village there are 57 females (60%) and 38 males (40%).
At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, the median income for a household in the village was $21,250, and the median income for a family was $21,500. Estimates after 2007, however, showed the median income for a household in the village to be $26,907 and the median income for a family to be $26,146. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $10,842. There were 32.4% of families and 35.7% of the population living below the poverty line, including 53.3% of under eighteens and 18.2% of those over 64.
Crime
The total crime risk in Zalma is significantly lower (18) than the Missouri state average (107) and lower than the national average (100). According to the Bollinger County Sheriff’s Department’s Web site, there are four registered sex offendersSex offender
A sex offender is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and by legal jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions compile their laws into sections such as traffic, assault, sexual, etc. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crimes of a...
living in Zalma. The ratio of number of residents in Zalma to the number of sex offenders is 24:1. And although recreational drug use
Recreational drug use
Recreational drug use is the use of a drug, usually psychoactive, with the intention of creating or enhancing recreational experience. Such use is controversial, however, often being considered to be also drug abuse, and it is often illegal...
is low in Zalma, a growing concern in the village (and in many rural areas in general) is the production and usage of methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
and underage drinking.
Entertainment & Recreation
The Castor River, which flows through Zalma, is a popular attraction for locals as well as visitors from all walks of life. The Mill Dam is a popular swimming hole in Zalma with a conveniently placed tree and rope for swinging and jumping in. Some people choose to fish here, too. Maple Flats, owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation, is located less than a mile right outside of Zalma on State Highway 51 and is a popular fishing spot. Another popular fishing and hunting place is Sweetgum, located north of Zalma on Route H then about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west on Bollinger County Road 708, which contains 56 acres (226,624.2 m²) of forestForest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
and woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s for avid hunters
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
. Some of the most prevalent species of fish at Maple Flats and Sweetgum include spotted
Spotted bass
The Spotted Bass , also called "Spotty", "Leeman", or "Spots" in various fishing communities, is a species of freshwater fish sunfish family of order Perciformes. One of the black basses, it is native to the Mississippi River basin and across theGulf States, from central Texas through the Florida...
and largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, channel
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
and flathead catfish
Flathead catfish
The flathead catfish , also called the yellow cat, opelousas, and shovelhead cat, are large North American freshwater catfish. This is the only species of the genus Pylodictis...
, and sunfish
Centrarchidae
The sunfishes are a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes. The type genus is Centrarchus . The family's 27 species includes many fishes familiar to North Americans, including the rock bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and crappies...
. Some locals say that there have been 30- to 40-pound catfish caught in the Castor River. Zalma is surrounded by forests which make for ideal hunting expeditions, especially deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
. Castor River Campground, Inc. is a private campground located in the heart of Zalma on Green Street near the old Glasener house. Some residents in Zalma choose to camp along the Castor River at Arrowhead Campgrounds, Castor River Park and/or Twin Bridges Park, three public campgrounds located near the junction of State Highway 34 and Route Y close to Grassy
Grassy, Missouri
Grassy is an unincorporated community in western Bollinger County, Missouri, United States. It is located eight miles west of Marble Hill on Route 34.Grassy is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area....
.
The Rustic Lodge (or simply known as The Rustic to the locals), located right outside the city limits of Zalma on State Highway 51 right before the Castor River Bridge, is a popular bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
not only to residents of Zalma but people from all over the area have been known to frequent it. It is owned by Vicky Slaughter, a native of Zalma. Like many other bars, there are pool tables
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
and dartboards
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
available at The Rustic Lodge. Local bands like the John D. Hale Band of Cape Girardeau occasionally have concerts at The Rustic Lodge and this generally tends to draw large crowds. It was said that nearly 1,000 people attended one of their concerts. Under normal circumstances, bargoers must be 18 years old to enter The Rustic and 21 to drink
Drinking
Drinking is the act of consuming water or a beverage through the mouth. Water is required for many of life’s physiological processes. Both excessive and inadequate water intake are associated with health problems.-Physiology:...
, but during concerts or other special events like mud racing, exceptions are made to the 18-to-enter rule.
Horseback riding
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
is another popular activity amongst some of the residents of Zalma, where the scenic gravel roads that run through Zalma are ideal for this activity. Cruising the town
Cruising (driving)
Cruising is a social activity that primarily consists of driving a car. Cruising can be an expression of the perceived freedom of possessing a driver's license. Cruising is distinguished from regular driving by the social and recreational nature of the activity, which characterized by an...
at night used to be a popular trend among teenagers during the 1990s, but due to the ever-rising gas prices it has become a rare activity among teenagers in Zalma nowadays.
Miscellaneous
State Highway 51 runs directly through Zalma. Residents also utilize Missouri Highways C, H, P, 34 and 91 in the area, just to name a few. The closest four-lane highway is 40 miles (64.4 km) east in Cape Girardeau as is Interstate 55Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
. The nearest airport is Twin City Airpark in Marble Hill.
There are two Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
churches in Zalma—the Zalma General Baptist
General Baptist
General Baptists is a generic term for Baptists who hold the view of a general atonement, as well as a specific name of groups of Baptists within the broader category.General Baptists are distinguished from Particular or Reformed Baptists.-History:...
Church and the Zalma Missionary Baptist
Missionary Baptists
Missionary Baptists are a group of Baptists that grew out of the missionary / anti-missionary controversy that divided Baptists in the United States in the early part of the 19th century, with Missionary Baptists following the pro-missions movement position...
Church—serving the community’s spiritual needs, although there are several more churches on the outskirts. Zalma is a predominantly Protestant village, although there are a few Roman Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. Because there are no banks in Zalma, many residents choose to do their banking at nearby institutions such as the Bank of Advance in Advance, Peoples Community Bank, U.S. Bank, Bank of Missouri and Security Trust & Fund all in Marble Hill, although these are not limited. Surrounding Zalma there are four public parks—two in Marble Hill, one in Advance and one in Puxico.