All Entries Tagged With: "Bellefontaine Neighbors"
Green Acres: a slice of Europe in North County
Built in 1928, this fairy tale cottage on Bellefontaine Road marks the entrance to Green Acres, one of North County's most enchanting neighborhoods.
Every once in a while, I wind up somewhere in North County that most St. Louisans would never guess is located in this part of town. If I showed them a photo, ten bucks says they’d guess West County or Clayton, maybe even Ladue. But nope, these amazing gems are right here in NoCo….unique examples of vintage architecture that still feel steeped in another era.
One of my all-time favorites is a subdivision in Bellefontaine Neighbors called Green Acres, which features old world European-style homes from the 1920s and 30s, as well as a nice mix of mid-century ranches. I drove through recently and was still charmed by the meandering streets and “village” feel, not to mention the handful of houses that look like they came straight out of the French countryside…
Subdivided in the 1920s, when the Bellefontaine Neighbors area was still rural and sparsely populated, Green Acres served as a convenient retreat for well-to-do residents from the city of St. Louis, who usually traveled Bellefontaine Road to get there. Named North Broadway within the city limits, Bellefontaine had once been a frontier-era military route used by Meriwether Lewis and Daniel Bissell, but by the early 20th century it was known more as a great place for a Sunday drive, especially for those visiting local cemeteries like New Bethlehem.
In the 20s & 30s, decades before Bellefontaine Neighbors was actually incorporated as a city, the area was home to an eclectic variety of people, including socialites Maude and Hattie Gibson, who frequently hosted grand parties at their Italianate mansion, Tanglewood (c.1866), which still stands near the corner of Chambers and Bellefontaine. A 1922 Post-Dispatch article references a dance they held for their cousins, who were visiting from the Ivy League colleges Smith and Princeton.
Around the same time, just up the road, police raided the farm of Mrs. Alma Wilhelmy, whose barn was found chock full of moonshine. Another local farmer, Charles Lengue, was also found with an active distillery in his barn.
So we had moonshiners, mourners and rich folks – that’s the atmosphere in which the whimsy of Green Acres came to life. And it wouldn’t be the first time this quirky subdivision had a brush with drama…
In 1950, gangster Leo Brothers, an associate of Al Capone, was shot to death in his home at #34 Green Acres. Then around 2005, another resident claimed that her neighbor – a gay Wiccan who liked to sweep his driveway in high heels – put a voodoo curse on her daughter. Seriously.
I’m not sure if that last bit is still going on (hope not), but overall, Green Acres remains a charming, unique enclave where residents are tight-knit and few houses ever go up for sale. Right now, one of the subdivision’s newer homes – a 1951 brick ranch – is on the market for a staggeringly low price. You can see it in the slideshow below, along with a few other photos from this lovely corner of North County…
NoCo resident wows with dramatic weight loss
Bellefontaine Neighbors resident Suzette Yates has shed more than 170 pounds since 2008, going from size 32 to 12. This "after" pic shows her in late 2010.
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, even just a few pounds, you know what an incredible challenge it is. Now just imagine the determination it takes to lose nearly 200 pounds, because that’s what one brave North County woman has achieved! NOCO contributor Thomas Nitzsche has her inspiring story…
Had I bumped into Suzette Yates before seeing her recently in the Post-Dispatch and on KTVI I would not have recognized her. Suzette and I worked together at the Western Union call center in Bridgeton for several years before it was shuttered in 2008. About that same time, she experienced several events that led her to consider lap band surgery to control her weight.
Suzette, 47, has lived in NoCo for nearly 25 years, becoming a homeowner in Bellefontaine Neighbors in 2005. Over the years her weight had reached 365 pounds, and at 5 foot, 2 inches tall, she had reached her breaking point. She feared for her health, and little things like fastening her seatbelt had become major challenges.
In November 2008, Suzette joined Weight Watchers through an employer-sponsored program that covered 75% of the cost. She shared with me that she initially joined just to lose the 25 pounds the doctor insisted she drop before conducting a lap band procedure. But as she shed the initial weight, she gained the confidence and motivation to handle it without going under the knife. Since then she has not missed a single Weight Watchers meeting, held right in her office.
Walking the parking garage on her lunch breaks and in her neighborhood and working out at the Florissant Gold’s Gym have been important components of her goal to lose 200 pounds without surgery. At this point she has lost 170!
So what is Suzette’s advice? “Get in the habit of being more active, even if it’s just a walk around the block.” She said the pounds started to shed much faster after she added regular exercise to her routine, about six months after starting the program. “If you hit a plateau change some things around, either the food or the exercise, and it will start dropping off again.”
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Thomas Nitzsche is a certified financial educator and consumer credit counselor for ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions in Florissant. He’s also a NoCo neighbor living in Pasadena Park.
Tornado leaves many feeling grateful in Ferguson
Nearly every street in my Ferguson neighborhood suffered extensive tree damage during Friday night's tornado, the worst St. Louis has seen in 43 years.
Wow, it sure has been a long, strange weekend. After a powerful tornado ripped through North County around 8pm on Friday, many areas of Bridgeton, Berkeley, Ferguson and Dellwood were left in complete disarray, with downed trees, sheared off roofs, blocked roadways and no electricity. Homes and buildings were also damaged in Bellefontaine Neighbors, Riverview and Glasgow Village.
Here at my house, the power went out during the storm and just returned after 60 hours of down time, but I’m certainly not complaining. Looking around my community, I feel extremely fortunate today because I know there are lots of people dealing with far worse than a power outage.
When the tornado hit on Friday, I barely heard anything from my basement. In fact, it seemed like such a non-event that I assumed Ferguson had missed the worst of it. Then I stepped outside….
The beams of my neighbors’ flashlights were already cutting through the darkness, revealing tree damage up and down the block. One neighbor lost a 100-foot spruce. Another had a large limb crash through his roof. Another lost a branch so huge that it was blocking the entire street.
Almost immediately, sirens started echoing from every direction…and they didn’t stop all night. Power lines were dangling. Trees were continuing to crack and fall over. Police cars were zipping through the neighborhood, obviously overwhelmed by the number of calls.
It was a scary scene in Old Ferguson West, and continued to be throughout the weekend, but we didn’t have nearly as much devastation as the poor folks along Royal Avenue and Hereford. My heart goes out to them. Clearly the storm went through Bridgeton and Lambert Airport and then followed the path of Airport Road/Hereford/Chambers, causing unbelievable damage pretty much the entire length.
But there is good news: no one was seriously injured.
So while many in Ferguson are still feeling stunned and sad, and countless residents are dealing with tremendous property damage, at least we can all be grateful that no lives were lost. I’m also thanking my lucky stars to live in such a strong, resilient community, where people truly care about one another and are always willing to help a neighbor in need…
Election Day brings new leadership to NoCo
Among yesterday's winners: new mayors Tom Schneider in Florissant (left) and James Knowles in Ferguson. Prop S, to fund a firehouse, also passed in Ferguson.
Amid relatively low turnout, thousands of North County voters cast a ballot in local elections yesterday, choosing a handful of incumbents but mostly fresh faces.
In Ferguson, councilman James Knowles III was elected mayor with 49% of the vote, defeating local realtor Pearce Neikirk and former Ferguson mayor Steve Wegert. At 31 years old, Knowles will become one of the youngest mayors in St. Louis County, if not the entire state.
Also in Ferguson, voters approved Prop S by an overwhelming 74% margin, giving the city the go-ahead to spend up to $8 million on the construction of a new firehouse.
Over in Florissant, a six-way race for mayor resulted in longtime councilman Tom Schneider winning with 37% of the vote. Candidates Susan Geerling and Mark Behlmann came in second and third place, respectively, earning around 23% each. Schneider will be Florissant’s third mayor in nearly 50 years, succeeding current mayor and former police chief Bob Lowery. Schneider was endorsed by Lowery.
In Bridgeton, longtime mayor Conrad Bowers retained his seat, with 48% of the vote, as did Black Jack mayor Norman McCourt, with 61%. In Dellwood, Loretta Johnson captured 59% in the mayor’s race, beating Donald Haynes for the position long held by Jack Agnew, who is retiring after more than 40 years in public service.
In the Ferguson-Florissant school board elections, it was not a good year for incumbents. James Clark lost his seat after more than 30 years in a crowded race. Doris Graham is also out after 23 years, as is Les Lentz after six years. The newly elected board members are Chris Martinez, Paul Morris and Rob Chabot.
In the Hazelwood School District, incumbent board members Ann Gibbons and Charles “Chuck” Woods bested Nina Curry by six points. They will join newcomer Brenda Youngblood for the upcoming term.
When it came to bond issues, Jennings successfully passed Prop J, allowing the school district to borrow up to $11 million for the purpose of renovating and improving school buildings. Also in Jennings, Mayor Ben Sutphin retained the post he has held since 1995, winning 43% of the vote in a close race with Yolanda Fountain Henderson.
The mayor’s race wasn’t nearly as tight in Bellefontaine Neighbors, where former alderman Robert Doerr defeated four candidates, including three sitting aldermen. He will succeed Marty Rudloff, who has served as mayor for the past 20 years.
Jim McLaughlin is out as mayor of Pasadena Hills, losing to Scott Livingston, who got 60% of the vote. In St. Ann, former state rep Michael Corcoran was selected as the new mayor, narrowly beating Shawn Short.
Finally, in Kinloch, Keith Conway will keep the mayoral job he has held since 1999. He ran unopposed and received 100% of the 14 votes cast.
To see a comprehensive list of local election results, visit the St. Louis County Election Board.
