Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Landmarks of South County?

The editor of B.E.L.T. and I were recently discussing our lack of knowledge of major architectural landmarks in South County. Specifically, any great churches, relatively intact main streets or other noteworthy houses or businesses? We'd like to hear from you. By the way, I was knocked out with the flu the last couple of days, but I'm back to normal now.

6 comments:

  1. There is a "mansion" on the corner of Buckley and Sappington Barracks Rd. From what I have heard it used to be a brothel back in the day. You may also want to look into the Forder family. Their house is on Telegraph Rd. just north of St. Martin of Tours school (you may want to take a look at that school as well). Apparently, the Forder family used to own land that stretched from their home (on Telegraph) all the way to the river. Good luck!

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  2. The "Bauernhof" at Grant's Farm in Affton was built by the Busch family in 1913 and houses the old Budweiser carriages and the famous Clydesdale horses. Grant's Farm now functions as a free zoo operated by A-B. The fence on Gravois Road is noteworthy because it was built out of confederate war rifles.
    Part of the property was once owned by former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. Grant's Cabin was built by Grant in 1855 and is across the street from Grant's Farm.

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  3. There's a couple churches that I know of that are similar. Specifically St. Andrew's in Lemay which has an extensive history with my family (Our name is in a stain glass window) and a cousin of the church on Gravois by Heege called St. George. Both are beautiful. St. Martin of Tours on Telegraph at Forder is another good one. It is very old yet has very nice modern architecture. It's the parish I attended when I was in grade school.

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  4. Speaking of Grant's Farm, from what I remember, my father once told me when I was a child that the land across from grant's farm, where the stone wall is and the cannon, (or where the cannon used to be) were authentic to civil war era. How old is the Lindbergh Building? I know that not much changes in the South County area, or at least it seems that way, but things have changed in the last 20-30 years. I wish that South County Tilt stayed the way it was. I remember a giant indoor miniature golf course.

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  5. Wow, there is an amazing amount of history in South County! Try Jefferson Barracks Historic Site (an active Army post from 1826-1946). The oldest building date back to 1851 in the County park section of the old post. Also, Sylvan Spring Park has the beverage garden built by the 6th infantry in the 1930s. The Neff Mansion is in Bee Tree Park. Plenty to explore for all.

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  6. That should be Nims Mansion(in Bee Tree Park), after the owner and founder of Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., Eugene Nims.

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