You all know that Wenwood Farm Winery is located in the beautiful Missouri Ozarks. But did you also know that we are located in the rural postal route of Bland, Missouri. Yep. Bland.

How, you ask, does a town anywhere get a name like Bland? So glad you inquired. You see, back in the mid to late 1800's, a gentleman named Richard P. Bland was a congressman (and presidential candidate) from Lebanon, Missouri, who was an advocate of retaining both a silver and gold standard in our monetary system, to protect "the common man" and silver miners. This stance earned him the nickname "Silver Dick." Yep. Silver Dick.
You can't make this stuff up. Here is the Wikipedia article.
Up until a few years ago, and I'm really not sure when they were removed, there were signs in Bland recognizing Silver Dick and welcoming travelers to our fair village, like this one in the photo.

There was another one (I can't find a picture of anywhere) that read "Welcome to Bland, Home of Richard P. 'Silver Dick' Bland" with a really cool old old timey picture of him, similar to this one. Aren't they awesome??? Such a kick, and honestly, just about the only way that a tiny town named Bland could make it on the map. There was even a summer festival called "Silver Dick Days." That's the kind of festival I'd make a quest to, just to see what the heck it was all about.
But alas for Silver Dick and the town, apparently (as rumor has it) someone clued in the good ladies of Bland as to the somewhat inappropriate nature of the name Silver Dick in the modern vernacular, and the signs came down and Silver Dick Days was renamed Bland Heritage Days. Yep. Bland Heritage.
I don't know if that story is true, and apologies to any good ladies of Bland who thought this was a good idea, but dang, I wish I knew what had happened to those signs. But the good news is that Wenwood Farm Winery has revived the "Silver Dick Days" festival at the winery. We named a delicious sweet wine after Silver Dick (I mean, I have to live in a town called Bland, I deserve to have a little fun with the name, right??), and celebrate it and the Congressman with music and food and fire performers and wine specials and just general silly fun.
Click here for all the details on Silver Dick Days!
So, now that you know the interesting and unique history of the town of Bland, Missouri, home of Wenwood Farm Winery, perhaps you'll have one more reason to head out our way - as if the awesome wine wasn't enough! Just be sure to check a map first; we are about eight miles from the actual town of Bland. Enjoy the scenic drive.
