Scott City may be ready to mark centennial

You have to admire Scott City's town spirit if not its historical accuracy.

Councilman Norman Brant got so enthused about Scott City's formation that he plans to present a design for a Scott City centennial flag. It features a train with the admonition to "preserve the past" and "embrace the future."

But not everyone is sure that 2003 is Scott City's centennial. There are good reasons for the confusion.

Basically, Scott City is a collection of three towns. Ancell and Edna were both platted in 1903 and Illmo in 1904. However, pre-Ancell towns on the same land date back to 1888. And Edna eventually became Fornfelt because there was another Missouri town already named Edna.

The towns eventually picked Scott City as their combined name because they all were in Scott County. And the final consolidation -- the absorption of Illmo -- took place as recently as 1980.

The city council seems to have found a good way to recognize every town's role in the formation of Scott City with two years worth of centennial celebrations at the town's Summerfest.

But why not recognize every date involved in Scott City's formation? That way, residents can celebrate more than once the spirit of unity that brought them all together.