In 1873, musical instrument makers were flocking to Vienna for the World's Fair.

Some of the most innovative and finely crafted instruments from across the globe would be on display.

But that year, there were two big pieces of drama.

For one, Heinrich Steinveg, or Steinway, whose pianos took home the highest award at the exhibition a few years earlier, decided to just skip the whole event, which honestly kind of a power move. I respect it. But people were not

pleased. The festival's jury wrote in their report, quote, it is much to be deplored that the celebrated

path-breaking firm of Steinway and Sons, to whom, and this part was in all caps, the entire

Piano Forte Manufacture is so indebted, did not exhibit.

But we're here to talk about the second piece of drama, and this bit was likely even more

embarrassing to the Viennese than Steinway not showing up.

Because that year, the gold medal of progress, the highest award of the exhibition,

was hanging over a table with three small stringed instruments. Zithers.

If you've never heard of a zither, it's about a foot and a half long,

plays flat on your lap while you play it.

They're typically 30 to 40 strings or so,

and a fretboard under the strings closest to you.

Maybe it wouldn't seem so out of the ordinary

that the Zithers took home the gold medal of progress.

After all, Vienna at the time was considered the Zither capital of the world.

Except these Zithers came from a no-name underdog zither maker in America.

I'm Johanna Mayer, and this is Atlas Obscura, a celebration of the world's strange,

incredible, and wondrous musical instruments.

Today on the show, how a small town in Missouri became one of the Zither capitals of the world,

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