Missouri Memo

Whats on Your List

Posted at August 18, 2006 09:32

The project we’ve undertaken in this issue is a big one for our little staff. We started with MU journalism graduate student Ali Ryan. First she researched options and methods for identifying a list like this. Then she composed a survey thatmany of you kindly answered. We thank you readers who helped us pick items. Ali compiled those results and then wrote about half the package.

Next, everyone on our staff here made lists and more lists that numbered way more than a hundred. We also asked Director of Tourism John Robinson for his thoughts, and he asked his staff for their thoughts. During this process, we learned that nobody knows the state like John, partly because of his position, but also because of his personal resolution to drive every mile of every state road. He knows everyone, everywhere. A special thanks to him for suggestions that we would have overlooked without his contributions — and also for getting so wrapped up with our project that he volunteered to write a few items.

Then, we came back and began what was indeed a painful process of cutting the list down to a measly one hundred. We argued some, but we on staff eventually compiled the entire list. We would think the list was final, and then someone would think of something that we all agreed belonged.

We even cheated. If you count the items in the Ultimate 100, you’ll actually find about 159. We excused ourselves from even more painful cutting by grouping some things together. For example, we grouped six world-class museums in St. Louis into one item. We listed three locations tied to Daniel Boone, but only counted him once. It hurt to cut the list. I kept trying to think of how to get MissouriLife’s headquarters at Fayette onto the list, but could never quite justify it, much to my dismay.

Next, Rebecca Smith in Columbia jumped in where Ali left off, and finished researching, writing, and checking the remaining items, as well as gathering photos. She remained unflappable when I kept changing the list.

I confess I still have about thirty on the list to visit myself and will use it to guide my summer jaunts around the state.

If you’re one of the rare people who can claim to have done or seen all hundred items, please let us know! And I’m ready; also tell me what you would have put on the list!

NEW COLUMNS

We introduce a few new columns in this issue. Note our new column on page 8 giving you background on Missouri symbols. There are eighteen Missouri symbols, so look for this column to continue for a couple of years. We’re also pleased to bring you a new column on Missouri wines on page 62. I occasionally encounter people who snicker when Missouri wines are mentioned. I delight in mentioning a Missouri wine that was featured as one of the best of its kind in Time magazine a few years ago. We’ll show them! Email danita@missourilife.com

-Danita Allen Wood

February 2006

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