The Christian County Historical Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Christian County, Missouri. It operates the Christian County Museum on donations only.

The Museum is located at 100 E Elm St, Ozark, MO 65721 on the historic Ozark Square and is currently open Wednesday – Saturday from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

News

CHRISTIAN COUNTY BY-GONESPictured here are two significant Ozark businesses. The Johnson Motor Company, owned by Fray Johnson, sold Fords from 1924 through his death in 1943, weathering the hard years of the Great Depression when many businesses folded. Diversification may have helped, as by the fall of 1929 Johnson was also selling insurance out of the Ford dealership. Adjacent to it stood the filling station of the E. M. Wilhoit Oil Company. Headquartered in Springfield, Wilhoit had the business running in April 1924. Managed first by Dave McGinnis with C. H. Shelton as the local agent, it was only one of a chain of Wilhoit stations that eventually numbered sixty across southern Missouri. In 1929 Wilhoit sold all the filling stations to Phillips Petroleum. (Wilhoit also built the Wilhoit Building in downtown Springfield, MO, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.)(From Christian County Republican 1/4/1924, 9/23/1943, 10/3/1929, 12/14/1923, 4/25/1924, 12/23/1926, 8/12/1926, (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69929343/edward-morton-wilhoit); https://heritageindex.org/historic-places/l/…) See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Thank all of you who responded for your help!WE NEED HELP with an inquiry. Where was the Noel Cox sale barn? See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
CHRISTIAN COUNTY BY-GONESPhoto of the Independence Day parade in Ozark, July 3, 1909. Mary Garrison, the event’s Goddess of Liberty, holds the sign. Mary photographed the early twentieth century Ozark area and her photographs has been digitized by MSU Special Collections and Archives, available online at https://cdm17307.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/StJohn(Pegram Photo Collection, Christian County Museum) See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Today, on July 4, 2026 we created a new rotating exhibit at the Christian County Museum that details the birth of our nation on this year 250 years ago. It also describes the Louisiana Purchase that contained the future state of Missouri 223 years ago, the birth of the Missouri Territory that came about 214 years ago, the birth of the state of Missouri that occurred 205 years ago, and the creation of Christian County, Missouri 167 years ago. Happy Birthday to all of us Christian County residents! See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

Get Involved

Contact Us

Address: 100 E Elm St Ozark, MO 65721 on the south side of the Ozark Square

Hours: Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Admission is free.

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 442 Ozark, MO

Email: christiancohistorical@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristianCoHistorical/

Donations/Events

The Christian County Museum runs entirely on the generosity of donors and volunteers. Below are ways you can help:


Membership

Support local history and the Christian County Museum -- join the Christian County Historical Society today! All levels of membership receive the Christian County Historian, our quarterly publication with fascinating articles on county history and announcements of upcoming events.

Membership levels


(To pay by check, please contact us.)