One hundred and fifty years ago, in a wonderful patriotic coincidence, the first Frisco train arrived in downtown St. James, on newly laid tracks, precisely on July 4, 1860.
The event pre-dated photography, so our accounts of the day are sparse, but we are making history with our own celebration this year. The dedication of our newly restored St. James Depot will happen this year on the Fourth of July in downtown St. James.
We are making it the biggest all-community picnic in our history. The plaza will be marked off for vendors to set up grills, smokers and cookers to cook and sell any and all kinds of barbecue, salads, pies, and foods to what we hope will be a state-wide crowd celebrating the glorious Fourth.
At 3 p.m. on July 4 a dedication ceremony for the depot will be held. Speeches by the Mayor, a full gospel sing of patriotic songs, special recognitions, and the unveiling of the scale model of the depot and old downtown St. James, hand made by Pico Elgin.
A beer and wine tent will be set up on Saturday evening July 3 and re-open on the afternoon of July 4. The tent will be on East Springfield.
The Chamber of Commerce will host the plaza vendors, and will require application for space. For real barbecue, the cooking starts early, and vendors will be encouraged to set up on the evening of July 3 to get the smoking started. The booths will extend on both the east and west sections of Washington Street. Booth spaces will be 18’ x 12’ at a cost of $50. For vendors needing additional spaces, the second space will be an additional $25 (larger cookers will require two spaces).
The Chamber encourages individuals who want to sell food, or groups and organizations, to apply early and reserve their required space. There will also be a barbecue contest for best pork, beef, and chicken, as well as an overall award. The results will be announced during the dedication ceremony starting at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Those wishing to participate in the contest will pay a small entry fee with their registration for booth space.
Games for kids and adults will be ongoing through Sunday, culminating in a tug of war contest at the city property located at the south end of the MVH grounds. The grand finale of the event will be fireworks at the MVH viewed from the south lawn. We encourage everyone in St. James to find a place to participate in this once in a lifetime event.
Volunteers will be needed for traffic control, games organization, tourist information and a variety of other jobs. Everyone who wants to sell food, play music, sell crafts or merchandise, or participate, please contact the Chamber office at 111 South Jefferson, 573-265-6649 or log onto the website at www.stjameschamber.net. Chair person for the All-City Barbecue and Picnic is Myra Pierce. She can also be contacted through the Chamber.
