History Blog 

A group of supporters stood outside the Marion County Courthouse in Hannibal on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in order to encourage the Marion County Prosecutor, Luke Bryant, to seek the death penalty in a murder case against Gabriel Anthony Juarez. Juarez is charged in the death of Emily Traynor, 22, at the apartment they shared on North Sixth Street in October 2025. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 12, 2026, before Judge Jennifer Richardson in Associate Circuit

Gabriel Juarez Marion County Jail photo from their website. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY For the Courier-Post In mid October 2025, a  warrant was issued by the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri for the arrest of Gabriel Anthony Juarez, 28, of Hannibal, Mo. The warrant charged him with: A felony of domestic assault in the first degree; A felony of murder in the first degree; and Committed the foregoing felony of Murder in the First Degree, with and through, the knowing use, assi

Steve Chou took this photo of the long-time grocery store building on the northeast corner of Adams and Fourth, South Hannibal, circa 1995, prior to demolition. (Note: Fourth Street was renamed Sycamore circa 1912.) MARY LOU MONTGOMERY Horses were still very much a part of transport and business operation during the first decade of the 20th Century. The local newspapers carried mentions of every-day occurrences that may seem unusual today, but at the time were quite commonpla

The entrance to the historic Riverside Cemetery is now fully passable thanks to renovations made to the road in 2025. Efforts are ongoing to raise more money in order to continue the renovation and maintenance projects at the post-Civil War era cemetery. Photo by Meryle Martin Dexheimer.MARY LOU MONTGOMERY A select group of musicians with ties to Hannibal assembled at the Hannibal Arts Council on the evening of Dec. 21, 2025, for a dual purpose. First: To provide quality jazz

Evan Martinson, pictured in his band uniform at Hannibal High School. He is a senior and percussion band member at Hannibal High School. Photo contributed by EvanMartinson. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY The Hannibal High School Pirate Pride Marching Band is scheduled to be in St. Joseph Saturday morning, Dec. 6, for the Class 4 State Championship meet, during which time the Hannibal Pirates (11-2) will face off against Kearney (13-0) at Spratt Memorial Stadium, on the campus of Missour

Steve Chou took this photo of South Hannibal, after the Great Flood of 1993 and before the properties were torn down. Contributed photo. Any help to identify what street this is would be appreciated. Write to: montgomery.editor@yahoo.com MARY LOU MONTGOMERY In 1891, the Rev. Benjamin Stevens, 90, and his wife, Sarah, 86, were living contentedly at 416 Fourth, South Hannibal, comfortably supported by income from their real estate holdings, and buoyed by answered prayers for Go

Bob Gilstrap, McDonald’s franchise operator, started working for McDonald’s in 1975 - 50 years ago. Today, he and his family operate eight McDonald’s franchises. Contributed photo. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY Christmas is the one day of the year that Bob Gilstrap, McDonald’s franchise operator brews his coffee at home. Every other day, he starts his morning - like a myriad of others do - with a cup of coffee from McDonald’s. He started this personal custom 20 years ago, after McDonal

Members of the Hannibal Fire Department Co. # 1 mending toys to be given to the poor children for Christmas 1934. By the Emmette J. Shields Post No 55, American Legion, Hannibal, Mo. Frazer photo. Left to right, identified as Leland (Pott) Finks, Otto Schulten, Bill Lacy, "Shad" Mahoney, Bud Wilmoth, William Groves, chief, Oscar Shulse, Elmer Miller. Originally shared for the Hannibal Courier-Post Days Gone By column by Glenn Layne, city fireman.

Steven Stuenkel of the Hannibal Free Public Library’s staff inserts one of two replacement “slips” into place int the library’s historic Guthfan Conditionaire fixture. The slips were missing. Jenifer Barta of Hannibal was able to facilitate a transaction between the library and an Arkansas antique dealer to return the fixture to proper functionality. MARY LOU MONTGOMERY Hanging inside, near the Hannibal Free Public Library’s original main entrance - for both beauty and functi

Bob Allen painted this mural on the south side of the building at 308 N. Main St. Photo from the City of Hannibal website, “City of Murals.” This is the building where Phillip H. Kornder conducted a furrier shop for many years during the mid to late 1800s.  MARY LOU MONTGOMERY A mural painted on the south side of a building located at 308 North Main Street, Hannibal, in 2019, draws visitors’ attention back toward an era when a unique variety of commercial businesses  - includ