Updated Feb 03, 2012 @ 11:33 AM
Robert Hill of San Diego, Calif., and formerly of Harrisburg has learned of the recent local interest in L.O. Trigg, founder of the Eldorado Daily Journal and leader of the Ozark Tours across the Shawnee Hills. Hill joined the tours in 1940 as one of the Red Caps, boys who acted as bearers for the men's camping gear. Hill shared some of his anecdotes in an e-mail message Thursday:
Greetings Brian: I am Robert B. Hill and I grew up in Harrisburg. My father, Dean Hill, was a car dealer (Hudson, Packard) in Harrisburg for 30 years. He was close friends with Mr. Trigg, and was on many of the annual Ozark Tours that Mr. Trigg held each summer. As I was a young boy at the time, children were not part of the Tour. However in 1940 Mr. Trigg let me be one of the Red Caps and from that time on until I left for college I was on the tour each year. The Red Caps were usually sons of the fathers that were on the tour. We helped load the camping gear on the trucks each day, and other chores that Mr. Trigg needed taken care of. L.O. (every one on the tour called him Captain) drove ahead of the trucks that carried the patrons, as we were always taking back roads. During the late summer, after the tour was completed, Mr. Trigg would start planning next years agenda. He would hike back trails looking for historical sites. Several times he would take me along for several days, just the two of us. I have many fond memories of the time I spent with him, even in some of the worst hotels I have ever been in. L.O. was a true frugal individual and all he required was a cot, a pallet, or a spring bed. So, I have been just about everywhere in the Shawnee forest.
The purpose of this is to inform the society or whomever is interested that I have several photos of the 1939 and 1940 tour, and I also have 16mm film of the 1939 and 1940 tours. I have attatched for you a picture of the 1939 tour of several individuals. One of the persons in the photo is Curt Small a past publisher of the Register I believe. Next to Mr. Small is a person that I know only as Buck. He was an astronomer from Northern Illinois and gave us talks each night as we camped out. The only other person I can identify is the gentlemen with the hat. His name is Jake Meyers, and he was from Harrisburg. The others I cannot name. I can convert my 16mm film to a DVD as it will require some edit work, which I will be glad to have done.
If you will give my name and address to anyone that has interest, I will be grateful, as I am happy that such an interest in Mr. Trigg can be preserved.
One final personal note, when Mr. Trigg passed away, I was in college in Champaign at the U of I and my father, who was a pilot was asked to fly to Champaign to have a plate made for the Eldorado Journal for its issue. We spent many happy times with L.O. and his wife at Resthaven. I know he would be so proud of the interest that now exists for the places he explored.
There will be a meeting 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Saline Creek Pioneer Village and Museum open to all with an interest in or something to share about L.O. Trigg. The ultimate goals are to preserve archival materials and to learn more about some special areas in the forest that have been forgotten.
