Preserving history

County and city officials, State Representative Barney Fisher, members of the Vernon County Historical Society, community members and Scott and Charlotte Buerge of Metz Bank, who helped make the plaque's creation and placement possible, gathered on the west side of the Square in Nevada Friday evening to dedicate a plaque commemorating the burning of Nevada, May 26, 1863. Vernon County Presiding Commissioner Bonnie McCord, Nevada Mayor Jayne Novak, Vernon County Southern Commissioner Kennon Shaw and Scott Buerge all spoke during the ceremony, then the Buerges assisted with the unveiling of the plaque. Scott Buerge said the Buerge family was proud to support the community in which they live and work, saying the community embodies the spirit of what this country should stand for. Look for more details on the significance of the plaque in history and to the community in a full story in a future edition of the Nevada Daily Mail. Above, Charlotte Buerge, Jayne Novak, Scott Buerge, Bushwhacker Museum Coordinator Terry Ramsey, Jim Badgley and Eldon Stewart admire the plaque moments after the ceremony ended. The plaque is sponsored by Metz Bank and Nevada Tourism and was placed by the Missouri Civil War Heritage Foundation. --Lynn A. Wade/Herald-Tribune