Missouri Military Academy,
The Missouri Military Academy traces its roots
way back in 1889, the Academy was founded in November 1889 when the citizens of Mexico, Missouri donated funds and 20 acres .
The original academy was situated on West Boulevard in Mexico.
Colonel Alexander Fleet, a US Civil War veteran, erected the first campus southwest of the city.On 26 September 1896, a fire
fire erupted in the middle of the night, destroying the entire Missouri Military Academy campus. Fortunately, there were no deaths and few injuries
but ravaged the school property and consequently, Colonel Fleet consolidated the school with Culver Military Academy (now known as Culver
Academies) |
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Sensing the opportunity to save Culver Military Academy H. H. Culver sent a telegram - "You have the boys, I have the buildings. Let's get
together." - giving Fleet the opportunity to bring his students, and faculty to Indiana. H. H. Culver had proposed an acceptable deal resulting in
Fleet's acceptance and H. H. Culver telegrammed back: "Veni, Vidi, Vici. The Academy is at your disposal. When will your party start? Answer
quick." Culver hired a private train for Fleet, his staff and the cadets to bring them from Mexico, Missouri to Culver .
found in the Culver City Herald of 2 Oct 1896:
CADETS WILL GO TO INDIANA.
New Home for the Students Burned Out at Mexico, Mo.
The Missouri Millitary Academy, which burned at Mexico, Mo., last week, will resume work in the
Culver Military Academy, Culver City, Ind.
Mr. Culver , the founder of Culver Academy, is a wealthy citizen of St. Louis and president of the
St. Louis Wrought Iron Range Company.
He will pay the railroad fare of the cadets to St. Louis and will send them by a special car to Culver
Academy Monday, Oct. 5.
Col. Fleet will be superintendent of the newlv consolidated academies and will take his old faculty with
him.
Culver Academy is absolutely fireproof and is situated
on one of the most beautiful lakes in northern lndiana.
The injured cadets are recovering. - - Chicago Herald.
0n the evening of October 5th Head master Col. Alexander F. Fleet arrived along with the
72 cadets and five faculty members among who were Hugh Greiner and Hugh Glasswork; from there they went to the lake
pier boarded the steamboats Peerless I and Aubeenaubee for the short trip to the Academy. |
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As a result it must be noted that tho the Academy was compelled to close its doors for a few short years. it was re-opened in
under the leadership of Colonel Alexander K Yancey, president of
Hardin College, Mexico, Missouri, and was re-established.
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The Businessmen's Association of Mexico petitioned to rebuild MMA. The City of Mexico assisted the project with a contribution of $10,000,
which was used to purchase the grounds on which the modern Academy is located and under Colonel Alexander K
Yancey direction, MMA was rebuilt and on September 20 of that year, the doors of the Academy opened once more on its present site at 204
North Grand Street on the eastern outskirts of the city and is still in existence today |
Colonel William D. Fonville who had in 1883 became the proprietor and superintendent of the Alabama Military Institute at Tuskegee Ala
where he lived and labored successfully untill it burnt in 1899; he moved in the spring of 1900 with his family to Missouri where he re-established
at the Missouri Miilitary Academy. In this enterprise Colonel Fonville was associated as owner with Colonel Yancey. The school flourished for two
years under their united management till February 4 1902 when Colonel Yancey died Colonel William D. Fonville by purchase became sole owner
of the academy, assumed the office of school superintendent and oversaw the construction of additional barracks.
The Missouri Military Academy (MMA) is a private, non-denominational Christian, university-preparatory military school located in 204 North Grand
Street Mexico, Missouri.
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The 111-year old Stribling Hall building is torn down in 2011 to make way for a new administration building that will keep the same name.
Foundation and other issues prevented the restoration of the building, so in March 2011 crews tore down the existing structure to make
way for a new admin building. The school reconstructed Stribling Hall in the likeness of the former building and dedicated it in May 2012.
The new building features a gold dome, one of few such landmarks in Missouri |
Alexander K Yancey ( 1835-1902) was the son of Jechonias and Julia (Winn) Yancey of Virginia |
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