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Old 03-06-2007, 01:07 PM
 
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Can anyone please tell me waht Ava was called before it became Ava?
Thank you
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Old 03-06-2007, 03:12 PM
 
137 posts, read 608,272 times
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The name you are searching for is Militia Springs (called Ava since 1881) I hope this helps!
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Old 03-06-2007, 07:09 PM
 
137 posts, read 608,272 times
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I just found information that what is now Ava was a meeting place for early settlers to meet and form up wagon trains that were going to California to the gold rush in 1850. At that time it was called "California Springs" I hope this helps
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Old 03-06-2007, 07:57 PM
 
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See, I knew there was something about all these Californians moving back to the midwest and east. It's jsut everybody coming home . . . 150 years later.
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Old 03-06-2007, 08:28 PM
 
137 posts, read 608,272 times
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Actually it was the menfolk going to the gold digs while the women folk stayed behind and learned to deal with life on their own. Some of the men were gone for years. It was also stated that people came from as far away as 200 miles to meet at what is now Ava, grouping up to head for the gold fields. I have been mesmerized by the history of the central Ozarks, finding sites that go unnoticed because they reside on page 12 or 15 on the standard searches. I am surprised at the number of people coming to the Ozarks from so many other states. Soon it will be the same as anywhere else , but still more beautiful. I hope my little back road remains distant for the remainder of my life. the More I learn about Douglas county and it's place in the early development of the Ozarks the more I am glad to have stumbled upon my small piece of it. I also learned that the post office that was moved to what became Ava was originally called "California Barrens" the name "militia Springs was derived from a militia camp during the Civil War that was situated on a corner of what is now the Ava square. How Ava became the county seat is another very interesting tale but that is for another post.
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Old 03-06-2007, 10:54 PM
 
Location: Marshfield, Springfield
42 posts, read 215,961 times
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Also, perhaps you can tell us why the county is called...booger county?
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Old 03-07-2007, 09:27 AM
 
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Wink I've Been to Ava

Snowed there in April. Drove through the forest to get there, not on the highway. Thought I would fall in the ravine never to be found. My family lives there. Boring little place. Weird people too. Sorry that includes my family
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Old 03-07-2007, 12:38 PM
 
137 posts, read 608,272 times
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I have been to Ava several times. I am a complete stranger to anyone there. I walked into a business and struck up a conversation with the owner and we have visited several times and spoken on the phone. The problem I had was breaking off the conversation! I have met others in the area and been offered many leads on things that Iwill need when I move into the area. I just have not had the experience that is mentioned here. I must wonder if it is the person not fitting in that could be the issue and not the community. I am sorry but I see so much derision in some of these posts about small towns and slower paced communities. I have traveled extensively about this big ole country and I have seen many sides of the coin. I have lived in big cities and small towns. I have done everything from grassroots activist to small town hardware store manager. I have never had hair shorter than my shoulders for much of the last 4 decades and yet I have had small town farmers wait for me to wait on them when I ran the hardware and get along with old timers in Ava just by striking up a conversation. The things some don't like about Ava are just the things that I want in my life now that I am on the downward slope. When I want a mall I will go to Springfield, when I want a good conversation over a cup of coffee I will look no further than Ava, Missouri. There is talk about culture and entertainment in Springfield. It has been referred to as a big city with a small town feel. I have been there several times and it just feels like a city to me with all the things a city has, traffic, rude drivers, hustle and bustle and racing to nowhere in a hurry! Don't misunderstand me, I like Springfield! I am glad to be living so close. (sixty miles when I get moved). Acceptance and tolerance are in short supply these days and I need to remind myself to practice those things all the time, but what I see as a division in this entire country is a lack of understanding between the "blue" sates and the "red" states. There are millions of people out there in the rural areas all over this country that work at providing what those who seldom venture outside sprawling urban areas take for granted will be available at one of hundreds of box stores at their fingertips everyday. These folks who don't feel the need for a movie or a play once a month are no better or worse than those people who rush headlong daily to the same end as we all get to someday. "booger county" ? It doesn't take much imagination to see that it is plain meanness that makes any person anywhere talk down about a place simply because there are no big cities there or no major so-called "cultural" events there. It may surprise many of you to know that the Ava school system has a triple A rating by the state of Missouri. There are also private schools available: Ava Victory Academy and Mt. Zion Bible School. There are two rural elementary schools, Plainview and Skyline. Ava has an Alternative School for "at risk" students. The dropout rate of under 5 percent for two of the past three years is much lower than many large urban areas. Higher education is available from several major universities, (located in Springfield) through extension courses in the local high school. Ava City Park has a baseball diamond, soccer field, Olympic size swimming pool, tennis courts, multi-purpose trail, picnic pavilion, as well as picnic tables throughout the park. The Parks and Recreation Department hold both a complete Summer Baseball program and a Spring & Fall Soccer program.

The Ava Community Betterment Association, Inc., began in 1994 as a committee of the Ava Area Chamber of Commerce. A small group from Ava attended the Missouri Community Betterment Annual Conference & Awards Banquet and watched other communities receive recognition of their outstanding achievements in the area of community betterment. This small group vowed to get Ava involved in the program, which is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Economic Development. In 1995, Ava's first year participating, proved to be very successful. They were named second place city in their population category from all over the state. In 1996, 1997, and 1998 Ava received FIRST PLACE in their population category. Quite an honor for a small community only being in the program four years. Their youth group, OCAY (Organized Council of Ava Youth) took Second in their size category. Ava also received the Viola Blechle Good Neighbor Award in 1998 for helping Mansfield get started in Community Betterment. Only 8 of these awards have been awarded in the 35 years that Community Betterment has been a State Program.

Ava's Bill Martin Memorial Airport is located just a couple of miles west of the city. The 3600 foot paved runway is well situated to provide a spectacular view for landings and takeoffs. How many other small towns have a industrial park and an airport large enough for most smaller private aircraft.

The Ava Family Health Care Clinic is affiliated with the Cox Medical Center in Springfield. Advanced life support in emergency cases is provided by Ava paramedics a division of Cox Health Systems. Both ground and air transport to Springfield is only 40 miles away. Ava also has the Heart of the Ozarks Health Care Center which is a residential Nursing Home. St. John's Medical Center from Springfield has a Family Clinic located on Hwy 5.

Ava also has the Douglas County Museum (H.S. Wilson Home) , The Ava Fine Arts Gallery & Museum.

There is an Abby where Trappist monks make world renowned fruitcake and sell it world wide just outside of Ava.

There is the National location for the Missouri Fox trotters association in Ava. The country of Douglas is mostly Mark Twain National Forest. Beautiful drives are to be found everywhere. But don't take my word for it, I don't even live there yet. I am just a visitor for the moment. Go see Douglas county for yourself. Go visit Ava for yourself and remember to go with an open mind and no preconceived notions. Most times we get what we put out, My soapbox is gettin a tad saggy in the middle so I'll be a gettin off it fer a spell. One last thought, the world is what you make of it, life is not a destination, it is a wonderful journey through time and spaces. In my opinion Douglas county and Ava are beautiful spaces to journey through life. Good Luck where ever you decide to settle, just make it your decision and not the biased opinion of another
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Old 03-07-2007, 12:49 PM
 
138 posts, read 635,015 times
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Default Looking for softball for adults

Thanks for all your info Indy4570. Do you or does anyone else know if Ava has an adult softball recreational league?
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Old 03-07-2007, 01:37 PM
 
137 posts, read 608,272 times
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I do not know but with all the other sports events going on I am sure that there must be. This is the number for the Ava city hall is (417) 683-5516. It could be that somebody there has an answer to your question or at least a number for the parks dept. They would know for sure as the games must be played at the city park. good luck
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