Announcements
and Updates

About Us

Become a Member

Volunteer Opportunities

Support

Bonniebrook Historical Society

About Us

Bonniebrook was Rose’s “favorite place in the world.” In 1893, her parents homesteaded here in the Missouri Ozarks, and Bonniebrook is where Rose lived much of her life. She wrote and painted and made hundreds of drawings in her studio here. She, along with most of her family, are buried here. The Bonniebrook homestead was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Bonniebrook Historical Society (BHS) was founded in 1975. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, and make available for educational and historical purposes artifacts, documents, personal items, and any works or items directly relating to the history and life of Rose O’Neill. In addition, BHS accumulates research materials that document, authenticate, explain and provide detailed information about the character, personality, and accomplishments of the talented and generous Rose O’Neill.

BHS rebuilt and furnished Rose’s house, recovered two of her monumental sculptures, displaying them on the lawn as she did, and established the BHS Museum and Research Library. As Ralph McCanse stated in his book Titans and Kewpies - The Life and Art of Rose O’Neill, “Rose’s place in the story of our country should be enduring, not incidental and passing. Her life and art reveal a great historical era that is itself now fading out into the common background of time forever gone.” Our goal is to continue to perpetuate the legacy of Rose O’Neill through education, so the world will never forget the contribution she has made.