You’ve come a long way, Truman!

1864 Pro-Confederate guerrilla leader William “Bloody Bill” Anderson orchestrated numerous attacks against Missouri and Kansas communities throughout the Civil War. In preparation for such an attack, an armed guard of Columbia citizens was formed. A blockhouse was constructed at the corner of Eighth Street and Broadway, and a wide trench was built around the old courthouse. The guards stood post day and night until the end of the war. The guerrillas never came. The celebrated guards were called the Columbia Tigers.