All Entries in the "Architecture" Category
The Larimore House: NoCo’s very own plantation
When I was kid growing up near Spanish Lake, I remember seeing the Larimore House peeking out from behind a vast thicket of trees. A weathered old gem that seemed to hold some kind of secret, it always fired up my Nancy Drew fantasies and made me wonder, “What in the world IS that place?” [...]
Florissant’s Gittemeier House celebrates 150 years
In 1860, fresh from seven years of mining gold dust in California, Franz Gittemeier returned to St. Louis and built his wife, Gertrude, a stately home. The red brick two-story sat on 50 acres of rich Florissant farmland, and for decades it served as a comfortable residence for the German-born Gittemeiers, their 10 children and [...]
825 Carrico Road: Rich with History, not Bubbleheads
For people who love old houses, there’s nothing quite as magical as a house that time forgot. Decades may have passed but virtually nothing has changed, leaving behind a vivid snapshot of an earlier era and a curious mystery that must be peeled back layer by layer. It’s incredibly rare to find a house like [...]
Newer homes shine in upcoming Florissant House Tour
If you’re hoping to view some of Old Town Florissant’s historic gems during the Florissant Valley Historical Society House Tour, you might be a bit disappointed. The oldest home on this year’s tour dates from 1951. But don’t despair! Seven local homeowners are swinging open their doors, and from what I can tell, the tour [...]
Minoma: the lost treasure of Northwoods
For the thousands of drivers who speed down Highway 70 every day, the tiny city of Northwoods is but a blip on the landscape. Home to 4,600 residents, including St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, this charming community filled with 1930s & 40s bungalows is often lumped in as just another North County neighborhood past [...]
A Bargain Gem in Old Ferguson West: 429 Wesley
These days, I get a lot of emails from people asking my advice on North County real estate – what neighborhoods I recommend, which houses are true bargains, and where would I consider investing myself. I usually plug a handful of different areas in NoCo (because there are so many amazing houses out there!) but [...]
Hidden Jewels of the Riverview Bluff
In most cities, a house with a hilltop location and a beautiful water view would be considered real estate gold. But as we all know, St. Louis is…special. That’s why one of the area’s best-kept secrets remains just that, and why, if you told someone you were moving to Riverview, they would probably think you’re [...]
A vintage bargain for sale: 714 N. Florissant
One of the perks of the poor economy (if you choose to look at the bright side) is the opportunity to buy real estate for incredible prices. Sellers are often desperate. Banks are swimming in foreclosed properties. And lo and behold, treasures like this are bound to pop up… An amazing 1928 brick farmhouse sitting [...]
St. Stanislaus Museum: preserving NoCo’s frontier history
It’s a hard life to imagine these days – building your own home, growing all your own food, and doing so in a vast wilderness populated by natives who may or may not want you there. That was the life of early Jesuit missionaries who arrived in North County in 1823, intent on sharing Christianity [...]
It’s Holiday House Tour time in NoCo
If you’re like me, every time you drive through Old Town Florissant, you look at the beautiful old houses and think, “I wonder what that one looks like inside.” Now we all can find out. This Sunday, November 29, Historic Florissant Inc. is hosting its annual Christmas House Tour, and the tour is the biggest [...]
Bargain Victorian: 231 St. Louis Ave
UPDATED, 1:55pm: If you’ve ever looked with wonder at Ferguson’s gorgeous old houses, dreaming of the day when you can buy and restore a vintage property of your own, have I got a deal for you! The cute little Victorian that sits right next to the Ferguson post office is for sale, and the price [...]
History for Sale: the Henry Albers house
In a community as old as Florissant, finding the balance between historic preservation and modern progress is always a challenge. Land is sold, new buildings are erected, things change. But hopefully, a little slice of history can be maintained. That’s the case with the Henry Albers house, a circa-1860-70 National Register property that still radiates [...]
A Mid-century gem: Lewis and Clark library
Yesterday I wrote about St. Louis County Library’s efforts to modernize its North County branches, and I mentioned the fact that the Lewis and Clark branch has been recommended for demolition. Like many of you who emailed me in response, I was shocked to hear that the library would consider tearing down this one-of-a-kind architectural [...]
New zoning for Florissant Firehouse #2?
With the construction of a big, brand new firehouse at Pohlman and Derhake, Florissant is in the process of converting the old Firehouse #2 to another use. On October 12, the city held a public hearing to discuss re-zoning the property from residential to commercial, apparently to allow B&B Heating and Cooling to purchase it. [...]
Locations in Florissant,
Chesterfield & West Port
Sept 4 "R" Pizza Farm Grilled Pizza Demo 10am, Buy a Bag For the Hungry Day 8am - 12pm, to benefit Operation Food Search, a St. Louis food bank that distributes food to poor & hungry. While you're shopping, buy an extra bag for this worthy cause. Live Music - Dixie Rhythm Kings 9-11am. ALSO 45+ vendors!
Saturdays 8am-2pm in the 2500 block of Woodson Road