You know them: small porcelain figurines in soft colors, large-headed childlike little people with teardrop-shaped dark eyes and sweet tiny-lipped smiles. Sweet, pious, and mawkish, Precious Moments figurines were a mainstay of life in the 1980s and 90s. What you might not know is that just a few miles outside the town of Carthage, Missouri, a 33-acre complex is home to a variety of Precious Moments-themed attractions, including a convention center, mini-mall, and 9,000 square-foot chapel.

Um, What Happened Here?

Listen along as Hannah unpacks the story of the Precious Moments Chapel and Museum. 

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Sources used for this episode:

1. Precious Moments Website:

https://preciousmomentschapel.org/

https://www.preciousmoments.com/butcher-story/

https://www.preciousmoments.com/blog/original-21-precious-moments-figurines/

https://www.preciousmoments.com/history

https://www.preciousmoments.com/blog/the-history-of-precious-moments-the-faithful-journey-to-the-precious-moments-chapel/

2. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Butcher

3. Roadside America: https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2139

4. Good Housekeeping: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/a34904/precious-moments-facts/

5. “Precious Moments and American Kitsch”: Nathan Rabin: https://www.nathanrabin.com/happy-place/2018/5/10/precious-moments-and-american-kitsch

6. Instastory by Carlos Whittaker: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTAzMTI4MzcyOTQ0NjE2?story_media_id=2583933348054772286&igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=