Tall Tales: Scruffy Town

In case you didn’t know, there is a museum here in Poplar Bluff. It has tales of us, our family and our history. I want to tell you some of those tales found within the museum walls.
In 1949, Poplar Bluff was celebrating its 100th Centennial.
The Rotary Club decided to sponsor a beard growing contest. The mayor joined in and made a proclamation that “All He-Men unite” and grow beards to emulate the pioneer spirit.
In the post-war era of 1949, beards were out of style. Poplar Bluff was a clean cut town.
But the men responded.
Unshaven men popped up everywhere.
They even started to dress like old 49er prospectors. Businesses with dress codes relaxed their standards and allowed their employees to participate. Police, firemen and mailmen became scruffy.
The newspaper ran daily photos of “Men of Distinction” and their beards. Dogs were trimmed up to sport goatees. Several men insured their beards. A movie company in Colorado even recruited several men to play bearded extras.
Soon there were drawbacks.
Women didn’t like the new look. Police had difficulty identifying people. A hobo from the train tracks was heard to be confused when he stopped in town. Several townspeople were actually arrested for looking suspicious when they traveled out of state. Many barbers went on strike.
To promote the Centennial celebration, the Chamber of Commerce chartered a train bound for St. Louis and a Cardinals game. It was called the “Whisker Express.” There were over 100 beards on the train and a charter bus for the overflow. St. Louis was shocked.
The city passed a “Whisker Ordinance.” Any smooth-mouthed men had to have a permit. There was a whisker enforcement squad. A stockade was built on the courthouse lawn for those without a permit. Women were selling shaving permits to fight the beards.
During the Centennial celebration, there was even a “Brothers of the Brush” parade. All the bearded men marched through the streets. The ultimate winner of the contest was Oreste Sigillito.
Brad and Greg Baumgart made a scrapbook of the Centennial celebration. It is available for viewing in the Butler County Historical Society Room, located in the Poplar Bluff Museum. The museum is open every Sunday free of charge from 1-3 p.m. at 1010 Main St., Poplar Bluff (Formerly the Old Mark Twain School). Tell them Mike sent you!
Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.