What's Your Favorite...

A historical chat with John Sellars, Executive Director of the Springfield–Greene County History Museum

John E. Sellars says he feels like a kid in a candy store in his job as the Executive Director of the History Museum for Springfield–Greene County. In fact, he could tell you where the candy factories used to be in Springfield. Springfield had candy factories? Interesting. You probably weren’t aware of that. That is a common reaction when speaking with Sellars. Sellars is like an encyclopedia, a really enthusiastic encyclopedia.

Perhaps some history on Sellars is appropriate here. He grew up in Springfield, and his journey to the history museum started out with fascination of local history. That journey took a detour as Sellers worked for years across the country in the soft-drink industry. After returning to Springfield in 2000, he was serving on the board for the museum when the executive director position opened up. He adds that the office he acquired was originally the U.S. Marshall’s office. You probably didn’t know that, huh?

When he pries himself from history, Sellars is also very involved in local theater. Appropriately enough, Sellars says: “My first gig as an actor was playing Abraham Lincoln. I was the tallest kid in class. It was a short kid or me.” Sellars can be seen acting or directing at the Vandivort, Little Theatre or at Hickok’s Steakhouse doing dinner theatre. “I’m trying to get all the boxes checked for Renaissance man,” he says. Sellars pulls out a paper with notes and scribbles of math and says, “I figured out that Springfield has more theatres per capita than New York City.” Fascinating.

“We have such a rich and wonderful history here,” he says. “It’s a history that has both light and dark, and we need people to be aware of it.” To Sellars, history is something that is indeed relevant, and everyone is inherently a part of it. Intriguing, you probably hadn’t thought of it that way before.

What’s Your Favorite…

Springfield historical figure?
“John Polk Campbell. He started it all. He brought his family out here to the middle of nowhere.”

Building that still exists?
“Heer’s Building. If I think about the interior, then the Landers and the Gillioz.”

Lost gem of a building?
“Colonial Hotel and the old depot. Those are the worst to be gone.”

Local street name?
“St. Louis Street, because that’s where I grew up.”

Museum other than yours?
“Springfield Art Museum and the Military Museum.”

Little-known Springfield fact?
“We’ve got some great pictures of Teddy Roosevelt speaking here in 1914.”

Theatre production?
“The Music Man. I’ve been in it four times. I’ve been the mayor of River City more times than the mayor of River City has been.”

Musical instrument?
“Piano.”

Commercial?
“The Budweiser commercials. ‘I love you, man.’”

Soap?
“I have really sensitive skin. I use triple-milled soap. [...] I have to buy special soap. It’s usually goat milk soap.”

10th-grade memory?
“It’s all pretty blurry at this point. I was very popular because I got my driver’s license. That was the pinnacle of my high school career, but it didn’t secure me for the rest of my high school years.”

Thing to yell?
“My grandkids’ names. They come in the back of the house and start yelling, so I start yelling their names, and we find each other pretty quickly.”

Way to prepare chicken?
“I have my own little private deal. First, you marinate chicken in Italian dressing for three days. You get Ritz crackers and Parmesan cheese and bread it. Bake it in the oven. Just before it’s ready to come out, you put a slice of pear on it. Bake for a couple more minutes. Serve it with sauce and rice. Or Kentucky Fried Chicken is always good.”

Crayon color?
“Burnt umber.”

Rod Stewart song?
“Any of his ballad stuff.”

Singer?
“Eva Cassidy. She was one the most wonderful jazz singers ever.”

Thing about the future?
“Hopefully I get to see part of it. The years and years of contentious one-upmanship, win at all costs seem to be winding down. The future seems to be a much more evenhanded and thoughtful way of life. At least I hope so.”

Mystery Meets

Jeff Houghton will interview John Sellers Saturday, May 3 at 10:15 p.m. as part of The Mystery Hour, Jeff’s talk show presented by The Skinny Improv, 301 Park Central East. Visit theskinnyimprov.com or call 417-831-5233 for info and tickets.