Grant City in Worth County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Glenn Miller
John Mosbarger
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 15, 2021
1. Glenn Miller Marker
It was in this town of Grant City, MO. that world famous bandleader Glenn Miller acquired and learned to play his first horn.
That first musical instrument was an old trombone which was lying on a shelf in a back storeroom of a cleaning parlor.
The Miller family lived in Grant City during the years 1915/18. Young Miller worked as a shoeshine boy for John Mosbarger who owned the cleaning parlor. Mosbarger was also the town bandleader and it was he who taught Glenn Miller to play the trombone.
Erected 1989 by Worth County Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1915.
Location. 40° 29.143′ N, 94° 24.89′ W. Marker is in Grant City, Missouri, in Worth County. Marker is on West 4th Street just west of South Main Street, on the left when traveling east. Marker is located near the southeast corner of the Worth County Courthouse grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11 West 4th Street, Grant City MO 64456, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 2 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Water Tower Bell (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Worth County (approx. 0.6 miles away).
Related markers.
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Historical Tapestry for Gentry-Worth Counties.
You may be surprised to learn that Grant City, the county seat of the smallest county in Missouri — Worth County, is the boyhood home of famous bandleader Glenn Miller. Miller was a shoeshine boy in the cleaning parlor of Grant City bandmaster John Mosbarger. Miller acquired his first horn from Mosbarger and became a member of the local town band. The rest is history that lives on as each new generation is attracted to the Big Band Sound.(Submitted on December 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Remembering Glenn Miller. The View from This Seat website entry:
"Some of the people in the Grant City town band didn’t particularly like for young Glenn, who apparently looked sort of tacky, to march with them. In response to their grumbling, Mr. Mosbarger told them than if they didn’t want Glenn to march with them, then he could walk with him at the front of the band."(Submitted on December 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. Glenn Miller Birthplace Society. Website homepage (Submitted on December 15, 2021, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
via The View from This Seat, unknown
2. Glenn Miller
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 15, 2021
3. Glenn Miller Marker (north side)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 15, 2021
4. Glenn Miller Marker (south side)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 15, 2021
5. Glenn Miller Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 22, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 13, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 437 times since then and 62 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2. submitted on December 19, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
