All Entries Tagged With: "Florissant"
Think Pink: a FloTown landmark now for sale
You know you've seen it - the old pink farmhouse with a big ol' barn, just steps from North New Florissant Road. Here's the story on this unique local landmark...
In the early 1970s, Frank and Sandy Tricamo went looking for adventure. The parents of five children, they wanted to do something that involved the entire family, so they purchased a condemned house on New Florissant Road and proceeded to launch a major renovation.
Built around 1844 by Sidney Harris and later occupied by Joseph Stroer, one of Florissant’s early mayors, the home was originally just one room measuring 18 square feet. But over the years, it had grown to a seven-room, two-story structure, much of which was in very poor condition by the time the Tricamos got involved.
Frank and his sons replaced the rotting lumber, shored up the stone foundation and removed the old mud and straw insulation from behind the walls, but their plan was not to remodel. It was to restore the home’s historical integrity and capture a glimpse of life in early Florissant.
They used wood to heat the house and pumped water into large pots in the kitchen. They also installed a Charter Oak cast-iron stove, which runs on wood and natural gas, and has no temperature gauges. It took a while, but Sandy eventually learned to cook by sight, touch and instinct.
The Tricamos still love their rustic kitchen, adorned with numerous antiques.
Elsewhere in the house, Frank used materials salvaged from other buildings to complete the renovation – tin ceilings, wide-plank floors, colorful stained glass windows. At one point, he even installed an inground pool and laid huge stone slabs to create a tranquil patio space.
With most of the major work completed, the Tricamos continued to collect antique furniture and other items, sometimes hauling treasures home on their Harleys. Over time, that resulted in the incredible masterpiece you see today – a truly unique, artistic home that feels like a place lost in history.
Frank and Sandy have lived there nearly 40 years now, so it should come as no surprise that these brave pioneers are finally ready for a new adventure. They put their house on the market last week, and they’re hoping to find a new owner who loves it as much as they do.
Here’s a peek at their gorgeous yard and a pic of the house in its early days. Follow this link to see dozens of additional photos showing inside and out….
1089 North New Florissant is currently listed by Jane Quartuccio of Circa Properties for $286,500. It has 3 bedrooms & 2 baths in 2,050 square feet.
Another North County first: Jones vs. Mayer
What happened on this North County street in the 1960s changed the course of civil rights legislation for the entire United States.
Forty-four years ago this week, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated at a Memphis motel. Riots erupted. National Guard troops surrounded the Capitol building in Washington. And with much of the nation on edge, Congress decided to act quickly on a new civil rights bill, passing the Fair Housing Act, which outlawed discrimination in the sale or rental of a home.
This landmark legislation continues to have a major impact today, regulating the behavior of every single homeowner and real estate agent in the country. But what many Americans forget is that there was also a second “fair housing” milestone in 1968, solidifying anti-discrimination laws in the US Constitution, and it resulted from a Supreme Court case that started right here in North County.
In 1965, a social worker named Barbara Jones fell in love with a display home in Paddock Woods, a new subdivision being built by the Alfred H. Mayer Company in unincorporated NoCo. She and her husband, Joseph, who owned a bail bonds business, found their perfect lot on a street called Hyde Park (not far from Parker Road) and proceeded to make an offer of $28,195 – about $192,000 in today’s dollars.
Unfortunately, there was a hitch…
Joseph & Barbara Jones in 1968 (Photo by Buel White/Post-Dispatch)
Because Joseph was black, the Mayer Company refused to sell to the Joneses.
Eventually the couple purchased another home, three miles away in Florissant’s Las Lomas subdivision, but not before filing a lawsuit against Mayer with the help of a local activist group. Citing the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which guarantees the right of all citizens to inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold, and convey real and personal property, their lawyer argued that the statute applied not only to transactions with the government but also to private parties.
He initially lost that argument, first in the Eastern District Court of Missouri, then in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. But in April 1968, the case was finally heard by the US Supreme Court and the Joneses were vindicated. The court ruled in their favor and they settled for $2,000 from the Mayer Company, plus legal costs. But the story doesn’t end there.
For one, Joseph and Barbara divorced soon after. She moved to Nevada with their daughter, and he remained in the home at 2030 Valencia in Las Lomas, where sadly he was stabbed to death by his brother in 1974.
Alfred H. Mayer, on the other hand, lived until 2002, and it turns out he may not have been quite the villain he was made out to be. Although he never denied discriminating against the Joneses, recent interviews with his family members reveal that Mayer actually welcomed the lawsuit.
The builder of several North County subdivisions, including Paddock Forest, Paddock Estates and Wedgewood, he was one of the few St. Louis developers who would sell homes to black people in the 60s. But it came at a cost. As soon as he sold to a black family, white families would move out, and Mayer reportedly longed for the day when other builders could no longer discriminate.
Perhaps that’s why he did a curious thing in 1965. When the local activist group that helped Joseph & Barbara Jones sent out an appeal for funds, they received a $100 check from none other than Alfred H. Mayer. Attached was a simple, hand-written note: “I hope I will lose this case.”
He did lose, of course, but change was slow to come. In fact, a full 30 years after the Jones vs. Mayer decision, in 1998, one of St. Louis’ largest real estate firms, Gundaker, was sued by the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council and the city of Florissant for racial discrimination.
During an audit for the case, it was determined that five out of seven North County real estate offices (including two owned by Gundaker) were repeatedly “steering” African-Americans to certain neighborhoods. Ironically, one of those neighborhoods was Paddock Woods, where Joseph & Barbara Jones were turned away in 1965.
Thanks to Mira Tanna of the St. Louis EHOC for some of the information in this article.
Valley of Flowers Festival celebrates 50 years
Here's me and my Rambler in the 2010 Valley of Flowers parade, with Stonehenge on the roof. Just wait 'til you see what's in store for 2012!
Several readers have asked me if I plan to participate in the Valley of Flowers parade again this year, and my answer has always been the same: Let’s wait and see what the theme is. Well, the theme has been announced – Valley of Flowers Celebrates 50 Years of Festivals – and I can’t tell you how excited I am!
Why? Because the event committee is letting parade participants choose from all the previous themes of the past 39 years!
Valley of Flowers has actually been celebrated every year since 1963, making this the 50th anniversary, but themes weren’t introduced until 1973. So check out this list of gems to choose from. I have it narrowed down to two for my parade entry, but how about you? What creative masterpiece can you dream up?
- 1973 That Wonderful Year -
Remember? - 1974 Happiness Is…..
- 1975 Freedom
- 1976 1776, A Past to Remember, A Future to Mold
- 1977 Love is…..
- 1978 Florissant Sings
- 1979 A Child’s World
- 1980 Family Life in Florissant
- 1981 Friendship
- 1982 Festival of Nations
- 1983 Mother’s Day in Florissant
- 1984 Where Rivers Meet
- 1985 Florissant Salutes International Youth
- 1986 Florissant Celebrates 200 Years
- 1987 Silver Jubilee
- 1988 Mothers are Special
- 1989 Holidays in Florissant
- 1990 Wake Up to Missouri, Wake Up to Florissant
- 1991 My Favorite Book
- 1992 Florissant Travels Around the World
- 1993 Famous Mothers -
Real or Fiction - 1994 Florissant Salutes Competitive Sports
- 1995 America the Beautiful
- 1996 Florissant…Past, Present and Future
- 1997 Valley of Flowers…35 Years and Still Growing
- 1998 My Favorite Nursery Rhyme
- 1999 Florissant Salutes the 1900’s
- 2000 Valley of Flowers Celebrates 2000
- 2001 Favorite Cartoon Characters
- 2002 Valley of Flowers Festival Celebrates Its 40th Year
- 2003 Florissant Salutes America’s Heroes
- 2004 Valley of Flowers Celebrates the Lewis & Clark Expedition
- 2005 A Dream Vacation
- 2006 My Favorite Decade
- 2007 My Favorite State
- 2009 Florissant Goes to the Movies
- 2010 Florissant Salutes Landmarks of the World
- 2011 Valley of Flowers Mothers Love…..
If you want to register for the parade, which takes place Sunday, May 6, you have until April 6 to get your application in. The online form is right here. You can also call (314) 837-0033 for more info.
Personally, I’d love to see some really fun entries this year. With so many options, we have no excuses. And besides, happiness really is a motorized sofa, right?
NAC seeks entries for FloTown mural competition
Let this exquisite creation from Montreal inspire you. Old Town Florissant is seeking ideas for a new mural on rue St. Francois.
For at least ten years, I’ve been talking about commissioning a mural in downtown Ferguson, and I’m not the only one. We’ve kicked around lots of concepts – maybe a “ghost sign,” like an old advertisement, or perhaps something that commemorates local history. I honestly don’t care. I just know how striking a good mural can be, and that some communities even use murals to drive economic development and tourism.
That’s why I say BRAVO to Florissant Old Town Partners for teaming with the Northern Arts Council to sponsor a mural competition! Designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Valley of Flowers festival, this 12-foot x 30-foot installation will grace an exterior wall along rue St. Francois and “contribute to a lasting artistic presence on a public scale.”
All artists within a 50-mile radius of North County are invited to submit ideas, with the winner receiving a $500 prize. The general theme may be historical or contemporary but it must relate to the city of Florissant and/or the Valley of Flowers, with references to buildings, people and/or physical features.
For ideas, you may want to visit Historic Florissant. Or just think about all the great subject matter out there – the confluence, St. Ferdinand Shrine, Father DeSmet, Shoveltown, Casa Alvarez, Taille de Noyer, the old common fields, even Dick Weber!
A selection committee will judge mural submissions based upon theme, concept and overall design, and the winning design will be executed and painted by a muralist and may be modified or re-interpreted at the discretion of the selection committee. Designs become exclusive property of Old Town Partners and artists relinquish all rights to them. The tentative unveiling date is May 1, 2012, and there will be a reception honoring the designer and muralist.
If you want to submit a mural design, it should be in a scale of 1 inch to 1 foot (essentially 12″ high x 30″ wide) and saved as a JPEG, with a file size no larger than 4MB. Include a $10 entry fee per design, with a check made out to the Northern Arts Council. Also include your name and contact info.
Limit two entries per artist. DEADLINE: March 30, 2012 @ midnight. Mail submissions to: Northern Arts Council, P.O. Box 11015, Ferguson MO 63135.
By the way, check out this video of the Montreal mural being created. It should definitely provide some inspiration….
Are you getting ready for the big day? NOCO is a proud sponsor of the 3rd annual Live Well Ferguson 5K