Saturday afternoon, the Marion County Historical Museum & Archives opened its railroad exhibit. One of the special items on hand was not the exhibit, but who was there. Joan Harry of Columbia, who will be turning 99 years old in December, was also once a hostess on the train “Rebel,” which came through Marion County.
Harry was originally from Louisville, Miss. and she rode on the Rebel when she was 8 or 9 years old for the first time.
For one year, before moving to Columbia, Harry served as a hostess on the Rebel. The Rebel was a train that would travel from St. Louis to New Orleans and back. Both during the route going south and also back north, the train would make a stop in Marion County. She said the train would sometimes travel from St. Louis to Mobile, Ala. or from St. Louis to Chicago.
“It was a fun job. I loved it,” Harry said Saturday at the museum.
Unlike what the stewardesses go through today, Harry said they were always treated with respect. Reflecting on that time, she said she didn’t realize how great of a job it was. In order to work on the train, she had to have a college degree and have one year work experience.
After working for a year, she became ill and had to give up her job. Harry eventually married someone from East Columbia (back when Foxworth was known as West Columbia) and moved to Columbia herself. She worked as the office manager of the health department and was a secretary at Columbia High School.
Harry really enjoyed the exhibit and said it was wonderful to recall her youth.
“It brings back a lot of great people and memories,” she said.
A steady stream of visitors came through Saturday, including children squealing in delight as they watched the three trains travel along their tracks. Lloyd Thompson and Merle Porter helped set up the exhibit and provided some of the trains. Saturday night, David Burnett served as the conductor.
The exhibit will be open Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. On Dec. 2 and 3, the hours will also be 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. Dec. 4, it will be open from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. The next two weekends, Dec. 9 through Dec. 11 and Dec. 16 through Dec. 18, the hours will be from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. as well as Dec. 22 through Dec. 24. On Friday, Dec. 30, it will be from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. and Dec. 31 from 5 p.m. until midnight.
There is no cost to visit the museum.
