Along Missouri’s Highway 66, between Clementine and Hooker, sat a once thriving community known as “Basketville”. During the Great Depression, basketmaking and woodworking became a dependable career in the Ozarks. This was especially true as automobile travel increased throughout the United States. With tourism on the rise, Missouri baskets and other wood items were in demand. In Basketville, basket weavers situated their family businesses along that eight-mile stretch of Route 66’s original path. Their locally sourced, handmade items were often displayed outside their shops to entice travelers looking for unique souvenirs and gifts. Basketville became so well-known that it was listed as a must-see attraction in 1930s travel guides. While the roadside souvenir industry lasted well into the 1970s, the creation of Interstate 44 essentially replaced Route 66, leaving Basketville behind.
The State Historical Society of Missouri houses several images of Basketville and basketmaking families including the Wells, Childers, and Bartrams. These images have been digitized and are available on our website.
For more information about Basketville or Route 66, visit the Springfield Research Center inside MSU’s Meyer Library or find us online at SHSMO.org.