Abandoned Delta Wing Gas Station, South Kansas City, Missouri

We think this gas station was still occupied but turned into a mechanic's shop.

South Morganford

I normally don't get this far south in the city, but the broad avenues and neatly kept houses and apartments of the area always impress me when I do.

The buildings are a mixture of 1930's and 1940's architecture, and in particular, that mainstay of many St. Louis neighborhoods, the four family flat, comes to the height of its power of design in this area.

What's interesting is that most four families have pretty much the same floor plan, but with different fronts put on them, creating variety.

This gas station also shows that these businesses don't have to be ugly or generic, like so many are nowadays.

Sinclair Dinosaur Sighting, Dutchtown

Just as I was about to snap a picture of a rare sighting of a Sinclair green dinosaur, the jerk in front of me had to go and turn in front, ruining my shot.

Delta Wing Gas Station, Peoria, Illinois

Fenton

When one first thinks of Fenton, the Chrysler Plant comes to mind, stretching across the valley floor of the Meramec River. But Fenton also has a small town side, separate from the miles of suburban tract housing built for autoworkers, or the huge McMansions rising in the post-industrial age of the far southwestern municipality.Downtown Fenton, located along old Gravois Road, also has a small town feel in its historic core. Take for example, this lovely church.
Below is what I think is now a banquet center, but I suspect was once a small hotel.
The bridge across the Meramec River was closed in the aftermath of the 35W collapse in Minneapolis. It is old, probably dates to the Depression, and could probably be saved. I don't know how much people care about the Endangered Meramec River Bridges of Missouri, but they are drastically dwindling.
Ironically, I wrote this post just a day before the announcement that Chrysler will soon be completely gone from Fenton. What the future holds for Fenton should embrace historic preservation and emphasis on a small historic river town setting such as this in the post heavy manufacturing age.

Central West End: Variety is the Spice of Life