PHOTO GALLERY: Rural and urban communities form District 44

California High School Pintos players watch a football game against the Hallsville High School Indians on Friday in Hallsville. The Hallsville football team has been around for about 10 years, but it has been gaining support, according to Hallsville resident Terry Frazee. "There's a lot of enthusiasm for football," Frazee said. Football is an important part of life in most of District 44 that generally brings community members out to watch the games and support their high school.   |  Emma Kessinger

Fall colors soften the repeating patterns of duplexes along Rice Road in northeast Columbia.
  |  Connie McCollom

Marj Spiva and her grandson Tyler Spiva, 8, feed their horses. The Spiva family has nine horses and 80 acres of land. They live off East Spiva Crossing, named after Marj's father.   |  Connie McCollom

Principal Kim Presko takes a photo of the construction in Muriel Williams Battle High School. Presko visits the school every few weeks to monitor the school's construction progress, and she takes photos to email to incoming parents.   |  Connie McCollom

Chris Douglas drives a combine while working at The Wilson Farm about a mile from Hallsville on Friday. Both Douglas and his father Larry Douglas, who is driving the other combine, were farming soybeans in the afternoon. They own and rent a total of 3,000 acres in Boone County. Agriculture plays a big role in Missouri's 44th House District. Much of the district is rural, with only a small portion inside the Columbia city limits.   |  Emma Kessinger

LeeAllen Smith talks with Tom Fair at the Centralia Barber Shop on Friday. Smith has been a barber in Centralia for the past 30 years. He has been in the same shop on Singleton Street for the past 27 years after moving from the current dentist's office space. Fair stopped by to chat, and their conversation centered around their mutual love for running. "It could always be busier," Smith joked about his business, because most of the town was at the Centralia High School football game.   |  Emma Kessinger

Dale Smith waves to his mom while atop his stepfather Alan Orcutt's shoulders at the Centralia homecoming parade Friday. They were walking with day care program Centralia Headstart. The parade had varying ages of football teams, and the high school band and other community organizations participated, as well. Much of the town came out to see the parade, which shut down multiple streets in town.   |  Emma Kessinger