Tourism heating up in Marble Hill

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Last January, representatives of about 50 Bollinger County businesses, the county Chamber of Commerce and the city met to discuss how to increase tourism. A big idea was generated -- a large billboard on Interstate 55.

"We are really excited," said Eva Dunn, president of the Bollinger County Museum of Natural History board of directors.

Some businesses are sponsoring a billboard that would say: Bollinger County, Home of the Missouri Dinosaur. And the billboard will have a 1-800 tourism number that dials into the city, Dunn said.

The official state dinosaur is the Hypsibema Missouriensis, a large, duck-billed, plant-eating sauropod. By next summer Dunn hopes the museum will boast a full-size replica of the behemoth.

Currently at the museum are large dinosaurs on loan from a national collection. It will be there until Aug. 26.

Dunn said the billboard "will be eye-catching, and we are 25 miles from the interstate, and that bodes well for our overall economic outlook." She said the Missouri Department of Tourism says for every dollar spent at an attraction, $5 to $7 are spent in the local economy. Graphics for the billboard are being done in St. Louis and the billboard could be up by the end of the summer.

The museum already draws groups of students and other interested people from far and wide.

Dunn said the main intersection in Marble Hill -- Highways 34 and 51 -- is heavily traveled. About 11,000 vehicles pass through it daily. The museum is located on nearby Mayfield Road.

Bill Hopkins, president of the Bollinger County Chamber of Commerce, said he thinks the economic conditions of the county are steadily improving. He also said the county is becoming more diverse -- the owner of Jay's BBQ is from Thailand; the owner of Woodland Steak House is from Greece; and other residents who work in or near the county are from Laos, Germany and England.

"We have an outstanding business near Patton called Mouser Steel," said Hopkins, who owns Regional Title and Land Services, a licensing business with six locations and 25 employees. "Mouser sells Featherlight trailers. That place generates a lot of income for people."

Hopkins said Crader Distributing, a multi-state distributor of Stihl products, is a very successful business that has many employees. Also, Jer's a restaurant once located in Jackson, has moved to Marble Hill.

New businesses to the area includes The Chalet, an antiques store, Lane Furniture and Rent-To-Own. A McDonald's came to town several years ago and Country Mart, a large grocery store, anchors the busy Highway 34/51 intersection.

PIC --