Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series covering historian and author Mark Gardner’s presentation during the Fall on the Farm celebration at Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site and State Park. Part one highlights Gardner’s introduction, the historical ties between the Watkins and James families and the rare Civil War–era letters preserved at the site. Part two will detail Gardner’s discussion of how the James brothers’ wartime experiences led to their infamous years as outlaws, the Pinkerton raid that shook the county and ways Missouri’s frontier history continues to shape modern legend.Visitors to Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site and State Park stepped into the past during the annual Fall on the Farm celebration Oct. 11, where history came alive through the words of award-winning author and historian Mark Gardner. His presentation explored the deep connections between two storied families – t...