Poplar Bluff on the Billboard 100

The Poplar Bluff Museum tells many unknown tales of our community. I want to tell you some of those hidden tales found within the museum walls.

“I never had a pair of shoes that weren’t of hand-me-downs, and daddy’s morning coffee came from ol’ left over grounds. My mama wore no jewelry or any store bought stuff, and home was on a hillside forty miles from Poplar Bluff.”

In 1970 Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton released an album that contained the single hit “Forty Miles from Poplar Bluff.” It peaked at number four of the Billboard top country albums chart.

“Our only family treasure was a beat up radio. But it took us to the places where we knew we’d never go. We never had much money but we always had enough, cause money never mattered forty miles from Poplar Bluff.”

Since Porter Wagoner was born in the nearby town of West Plains. Everyone thought the song was about there, only West Plains was 100 miles from Poplar Bluff. Other local towns like Doniphan, Grandin, Eastwood and Gatewood didn’t match up in distance either. It is assumed Wagoner was just writing about a rural home not near anywhere.

“Well, nearly every winter when the snow is on the ground. And the roads would all be closed and we couldn’t get to town. But if daddy had his tabaccer and grandma had her snuff, then the winters didn’t seem so long forty miles from Poplar Bluff.”

The song is playing on a continuous loop in the Butler County Historical Society Room of the Poplar Bluff Museum. Bring your tabaccer and snuff, sit a spell and relax to the music.

The museum is handicap accessible and open free of charge 1-4 p.m. Sunday at 1010 Main St. Tell them Mike sent you.

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.