Residents and visitors flocked to Bruer Park and the MaryLou Center in Truesdale for the city’s annual Railroad Days Summerfest.
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Residents and visitors flocked to Bruer Park and the MaryLou Center in Truesdale for the city’s annual Railroad Days Summerfest.
City officials describe the event as the kick-off to summer and provide families with a variety of activities and entertainment options, for free.
“It’s to celebrate not just our history, but to celebrate our community and all the things that are going on here,” said Mayor Jerry Cannon.
Market Street in Truesdale was filled with booths and vendors where attendees could peruse local crafts and learn about community organizations like the Thomas Kennedy Chapter of the American Revolution and the No Time To Spare Animal Rescue.
Bruer Park and the MaryLou Center were filled with family-friendly attractions, many of which were provided for free by the city.
“That’s one of the things we pride ourselves on, is giving families an opportunity to spend the day just having some great things to do,” said City Clerk Elsa Smith-Fernandez. “You don’t have to worry about money.”
Bungee trampolines, barrel train rides, face painting and caricatures were just a few of the attractions offered to attendees for no cost.
As usual, the event also included musical performances throughout the day, and although Shotgun Creek was the headline act that evening, the Voyage Band including Alderman Mike Thomas on the saxophone, played earlier in the day as well.
Another special guest that day was Steve Williams, the grandson of Col. William Truesdale, the town’s founder.
Truesdale founded the city in 1857, and Williams was in attendance with a cohort from the Clinton County Illinois Historical Society.
Williams said the Truesdale family founded a hotel in Carlyle Il., where he lives, and after learning about his heritage in Missouri, he wanted to visit.
“It’s a celebration of our community and our history, our connection to the railroad and how that led to the very founding of this town by Colonel William Truesdale,” said Mayor Jerry Cannon.
Cannon also credited the event as a way to maintain the community’s small-town feel, even as Warren County continues to grow.
“I think it’s to keep us closer together,” said Cannon. “Because as we do grow, sometimes it’ll be easier to be like a bigger city, but being a smaller city like we are, I think it really helps keep us knowing each other and keeping involved with one another.”
Smith-Fernandez also pointed out that while the city has been hosting the event since 2017 and much of the planning is routine, there is still plenty of work that goes on behind the scenes to make it a reality.
She especially thanked members of the Railroad Days Committee like Utility Clerk Elise Morris and Treasurer Missy Bachamp for all their work organizing the event.
“It is really humbling to know there’s so many individuals who would like to pour back into the community with the sponsorships too, to help make things free for everybody else, that’s one of the things we pride ourselves on,” said Smith-Fernandez.
