West Plains, MO. – A ceremony was held earlier this week in Oak Lawn Cemetery in West Plains. But it wasn’t for a funeral service. It was for the only inhabitant of the cemetery that wasn’t human. A parrot that arrived to the Ozarks in the late 1800’s.
This dedication ceremony took place around 10:15 on May 9th, and was made as a part of a new series of “Legends and Lore” markers. These markers are intended to preserve and make the public more aware of local stories, culture, and curiosities that are a part of the history of the area.
Polly the Parrot, as she was known, was owned by Marshfield Doctor Thomas Bradford. When he passed, Polly then went to his daughter who bore the family name Langston and lived in West Plains. The parrot became a local celebrity with its knowledge of hymns, prayers, and other words.
Polly the parrot lived for 53 years, with a majority of those years being in the Missouri Ozarks.
This particular marker was made possible through a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation, a New York based organization, a producer of roadside markers.
