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Gorham residents struggle to keep town alive

BY JOHN D. HOMAN, THE SOUTHERN

Sunday, September 7, 2008 11:12 PM CDT

GORHAM - The Tri-State Tornado of 1925 killed 34 residents in the small west Jackson County community of Gorham and virtually leveled the town. But those townsfolk who survived demonstrated a strong resolve by rebuilding a bigger and better town.

There were grocery stores and restaurants, a gas station and lumber yard, bank, pool hall, village hall with police and fire protection, schools and a post office.

Decades later in 1991, the school district closed for good, and with it went some of the business. Only the post office and village hall with police and fire departments are left.

Mayor Ralph Stone said many of the 256 citizens who remain still care enough about the town to volunteer their time to make improvements.

"Gorham's a good little town. If you like living out in the country, you would love living here," he said. "And I've never wanted to live in the city where the houses are right next to one another."

A retired natural gas power plant employee, Stone, 62, said he has lived in Gorham, situated about 10 miles southwest of Murphysboro, practically his entire life. He said the finances could be better, but the town's making do with what it has.

"Our infrastructure's in pretty good shape," he said. "We had a new water system put in about five years ago and changed our sewage lift station pumps. We're also trying to renovate a portion of the old grade school into a community center. With a little luck, maybe we can come up with some state grant money to help us pay for that."

Phyllis Verseman serves on the Public Improvement Committee. She said the group was formed eight years ago and has helped purchase new playground equipment for children.

Chili supper fundraisers have allowed the committee to place flower plants on Front Street and erect welcome signs to the town. A community center is the next big project.

"I really like living here," Verseman said. "We may not have much to offer anyone, but we would like to think things are getting better."

Before Gorham was incorporated in 1912, it was known as Fordyce, but the name didn't stick because a neighboring state already had a town by that name. The village will celebrate its centennial in four years.

"Gorham's always been a railroad town," said resident Sharazon Lindsey. "But in 1960, passenger trains no longer stopped here."

Lindsey said there is a beautiful scenic bluff (Fountain Bluff) with a waterfall and Indian caves within walking distance of the town.

"There are actually Indian drawings in the caves," she said. "At one time, the waterfall was blocked off and the upper part was used as a place to swim. There were steps that led up to the higher elevation. Today, most of that area has been cleared."

Lindsey's husband, Meyrl, is also a native of Gorham. Now 68, Meyrl said he can remember fonder days when he could be found at Slim's Pool and Recreation Hall or playing ball on the school baseball diamond.

"Time hasn't been especially kind to our little world," he said. "All of the business establishments have ceased to exist. Some of the owners died and nobody took over. Other businesses burned and were not rebuilt.

"With all of our problems, there are quite a few folks who refuse to quit. We have succeeded in getting the old dilapidated school building demolished and the area cleaned up and have made improvements to the old grade school. A memorial has also been placed by the entrance to the new community center honoring those past leaders of our school and community."

john.homan@thesouthern.com

351-5805

DETAILS

Built around the Missouri Pacific Railroad, Gorham will celebrate its centennial in 2012.

Today, Gorham's population stands at 256.

Gorham boasts two former Major League Baseball players in Joe Grace, an outfielder and catcher (1938 to 1947 with the St. Louis Browns and Washington Senators) and Gary Geiger, an outfielder (1958 to 1970 with Cleveland, Boston, Atlanta and Houston). Grace died in 1969, while Geiger died in 1996.