Whistle Stops

Whistle Stops. . Railroad was a prominent mode of transportation in the first half of the 20th Century. Presidential nominees would come and stop in towns to give speeches and try to convince people to vote for them. These stops were known as “whistle stops.” There were 3 presidential candidates that stopped in Monett: Theodore Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Thomas E. Dewey. Roosevelt was the first one to make a presence in Monett on September 23, 1912. This stop was a whirlwind whistle stop and a highlight of the 1912 election. He gave a short talk advocating an eight-hour workday with one rest day a week for women and advocated for the end of child labor. When a group of men were seen on the side talking among themselves, he stopped, walked over to introduce himself, and told them people had come to listen to him, not them. He then proceeded to resume his speech to a crowd of 1,500 people in Monett. In 1948, candidates Harry S. Truman and Thomas Dewey stopped in Monett. Truman focused on persuading the American people to love a man with guts. Dewey campaigned against Truman and stopped in Monett, staying the night at the home of long-time friend V.B. Hall. Dewey's wife was a teacher in Monett before their marriage. With his persistence, Truman was rewarded with a tremendous victory on election day and is noted as, to date, the only president from Missouri. , Written by: Macey Flynt and Katherine Johnson , This sign was created by students under the direction of Monett High School Missouri Literature and Composition teacher Amy M. Sampson and was paid for via a grant she wrote and was awarded from Rural Schools Collaborative and their 2023 Celia B. Godsil Grants in Place Fellows Program.