One of the best ways to learn about the history of a place is to experience it. And this March you can learn about the history of the University of Central Missouri during a forty five minute walking tour of the campus. But that's not all, you'll also learn about the "Ghost Buildings of the Great Fire."

I'm not sure I'm telling anyone whose an alum or student of UCM, or a Warrensburg native, anything they don't already know about UCM's history. But early in the morning on March 6, 1915 much of Normal School No. 2 in Warrensburg burned down.

The fire, which was first discovered in the lab of the science hall quickly spread through the administration building, into the auditorium and then the domestic arts building. This according to a report in The Monett Times.

The loss was estimated at half a million dollars. Warrensburg, it's churches, citizens and community leaders rallied around the school, and President William J. Hawkins. And classes for the spring term began, Monday March 8. You can read more on this, including the Monett Times article, on the Show-Me The History Blog about Johnson County and West Central, Missouri here.

Now if that little blurb about UCM's past doesn't make you want to experience more of the school's history in person, I don't know what well.

The UCM Historic Tour and "Ghost Buildings of the Great Fire" is being billed as a spectacular, one time, free, open to the public event. It's scheduled for Thursday, March 25, at 6:45 PM CDT and will be lead by Amber Clifford-Napoleone, Director of the McClure Archives and University Museum, and Art Professor Mick Luehrman.

The tour includes a 45 minute walking tour of campus history and will end at the Quadrangle for the original media presentation "Ghost Buildings of the Great Fire." The tour will begin at the University Museum. Those interested in attending the event can get a ticket here. And you can learn more at their Facebook event page here.

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