Harold Bell Wright Museum, Pierce City

Celebrate Pierce City History!

Pierce City Arts Festival

The Pierce City Arts Festival featuring fine artists, authors, live music and food vendors is scheduled for Saturday, June 13, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. around the historic bandstand on Walnut Street in downtown Pierce City, Missouri.

Artist and food vendor booths are available and applications are due by May 10, 2009. For more information go to our web page at www.piercecityartsfestival.webs.com or call Festival Coordinator Becky Golubski at 417-476-3077 or contact her via E-mail at beckygolubski39@yahoo.com.

 

Pierce City's museum survived the 2003 tornado!

HBW Museum in Pierce City Survived!
 
The museum building 'weathered' the May 4, 2003, tornado. It became a place to gather for social events and meetings in the year of recovery and rebuilding that followed.
 
As of June 2006, building renovations were completed to the extent that the museum had its official opening on June 3, 2006!
 
The museum is to be open to the public most Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. As always, the museum continues to be open for viewing by appointment. Contact Pierce City Hall to arrange a tour at (417) 476-2323.

Celebrate Pierce City History

The Mission of the Harold Bell Wright Museum is to "Celebrate Pierce City History!"

     Pierce City's Harold Bell Wright Museum is housed in the former First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), also known as the Pierce City Christian Church, and the "Harold Bell Wright Library and Museum" building located at 404 North Walnut Street (Pierce City, Missouri).
 
     While living in Mt. Vernon (Missouri) Wright was asked to preach in Pierce City and later became Pastor of the church (in 1896-7?).  He went on to lead churches in Pittsburg (KS), Lebanon (MO), and Kansas City (MO), before moving further west. He was a best selling author and his novels set in the Ozarks are often credited for Branson's first tourism boom.
 
     Our museum will house Harold Bell Wright memoriabilia and local history including notable Pierce Citians Ragtime composer Theron Bennett and artist Grace Tinker. The building was coverted to use as a public library in 1933. A very generous donation entrusted to Mayor Carol Hirsch by David H. Jones, Hirsch's persistent and dedicated drive to see the project made a reality, and many hours of volunteer labor by herself, husband Fred, retired Mayor Mark Peters and many others, yielded a new library built downtown.
 
     In March of 2000, again at Hirsch's urging, the Board of Aldermen voted to create the Harold Bell Wright Museum Board of Trustees to oversee the next phase of the site's history. The old church building, previously the city's library, is now the Harold Bell Wright Museum.  
 
     After countless hours of building renovations in the past few years by Betty and Jay Bierkortte and others, the museum board opened the museum JUNE 3, 2006! The HBW Museum is open Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. It also continues to be open by appointment. Contact Pierce City Hall to arrange a tour.

from the family of HBW

On May 4, 2003 an F-3 tornado destroyed much of downtown Pierce City. The HBW Museum in Pierce City was not badly damaged. On May 13, 2003 the museum president received the following message from the Family of Harold Bell Wright:
 
      "The Family of Harold Bell Wright is pleased to announce and endorse the Harold Bell Wright Museum in Pierce City, Missouri. They are currently adding to their museum inventory so if you have items you can donate to them, please contact the President of the Museum, Kristin Nama via her email address of kse1990@aol.com.
 
     You can learn more by visiting their museum website. Thankfully the museum was not damaged in the recent tornadoes; however the community does need your help and prayers.
 
     Best of luck for great success to those promoting and preserving the writings of Harold Bell Wright."

Have you seen my bell?

  Maybe you can help us solve a mystery!

There is a bell tower in this undated photograph of the former Pierce City Christian Church (aka Harold Bell Wright Church, aka First Christian Church) in Pierce City, Missouri. That building is now the Harold Bell Wright museum but the bell tower has vanished.  Do you know what happened to the tower or its bell? If you have any information, gossip, wild stories, etc. regarding the vanishing of the building's bell  and tower, please contact us by E-mail or regular mail.  Thank you!  

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Contact us

CONTACT US:
Harold Bell Wright Museum
404 N. Walnut Street, Pierce City, MO 65723

Betty Bierkortte  (417) 476-3531
Pierce City Hall  (417) 476-2323

E-Mail the Museum Board
President, David H. Jones
Vice President, Murray Bishoff
Betty Bierkortte
 
E-mail the web master