Platte County Historical Society marks nation’s 250th birthday
Program featured local Revolutionary War connections, student contest winners and a community band concert
By Lisa Wittmeyer·Community·Tuesday, October 27, 2026
On Sunday, Oct. 18, the Platte County Historical Society celebrated America’s 250th birthday at Platte City Middle School, with 90 guests in attendance. The society presented Ivan Foley with the Betty Soper Award, served a picnic-style dinner hosted by Becky Wenzel and presented a program on the Revolutionary War era’s ties to Platte County history.
Written by Lisa Wittmeyer, curator of the Ben Ferrel Platte County Museum, the presentation covered children who participated in the Revolutionary War and later came to the region as pioneers or enslaved people; patriot women whose gifts and talents helped the war effort; and the diverse group of soldiers at the Battle of Yorktown. The presentation also discussed Joseph Morgan, who is buried in Platte City and may have witnessed the battle.
Readers included Wittmeyer and people from throughout the county: Lucille Douglass, president of the Banneker School Foundation in Parkville; Margaret Engeman of Weston-Rushville; Jim Hunter and Timothy Thompson of south Platte County; historical society President Becky Bauer of New Market; Amanda Herman, regent of the Platte Purchase Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Platte City; and Sue VanAmburg and Robert Sefrit of Platte City. Some readers’ family histories were incorporated into the presentation.
The final speaker was Diane Pepper Pickman of Atchison, Kansas, who was joined at the podium by her grandson Weston Pepper. She spoke about his patriot ancestors who settled in Weston.
Special guests included Platte City Mayor Amber Brune; representatives of the White Alloe and Joseph Morgan chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the James Smith Talbot Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution; Dan Richardson and Lloyd Martin, descendants of Joseph Morgan; members of Platte City Friends of the Arts; and student winners of the America the Beautiful in Platte County Essay and Art Contest.
The contest, open to students in sixth through 12th grades, was co-sponsored by the historical society and Platte City Friends of the Arts, with financial assistance from the Platte Purchase Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The celebration continued later that afternoon in the school gymnasium with a concert sponsored by Platte City Friends of the Arts. The Platte City Community Band performed music by American composers, and contest winners received certificates and prizes. First- and second-place winners received cash prizes; third-place winners received gift cards provided by The Cove restaurant.
The winners were Carson Fattmann, third place in essay; Reese Hendee, first place in essay; Hannah Lalli, first place in essay; Ryan Lanier, third place in art; Grayson Leas, first place in art and second place in essay; and Darby Morgan, second place in art.
During the concert, Lalli and Leas read passages from their essays. Bauer read passages from the other winning essays and explained how they paired thematically with the music.
The historical society’s program on the Revolutionary War era’s ties to local history may be available for presentation to groups. For information about the full program or a condensed version, call 816-304-1627.
The historical society will continue celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026 by decorating the Ben Ferrel Platte County Museum for the holiday season.
