The Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation recently listed two landmarks on Route 66 to its annual historic Places in Peril, and two more were placed on the group’s Watched list.
The Route 66 Meramec River Bridge near Eureka and the Old Phillipsburg General Store in Phillipsburg made the “Peril” list. The Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen and the Diamonds Cafe in Villa Ridge landed on the Watch list.
In a news release, the alliance explained why it issues an annual list of threatened historic properties in Missouri:
In 2000 as “Missouri’s Most Endangered Historic Places,” the program calls attention to endangered historic resources statewide that are threatened by deterioration, lack of maintenance, insufficient funds, imminent demolition and/or inappropriate development. The program was renamed in 2015 as ‘Places in Peril’. Once a historic resource is gone, it’s gone forever. By publicizing these places we hope to build support towards each property’s eventual preservation.
Here’s what the alliance wrote about the Route 66 Meramec River Bridge:
The Route 66 Bridge over the Meramec River in Southwest St. Louis County was constructed in 1932 and is known as a Warren deck truss bridge, of which only three other examples remain in Missouri. Route 66’s passage across the Meramec River was heavily promoted as a tourist attraction due to the river itself, as well as the adjacent working class resort community known as Times Beach. Although major highway traffic is now carried over the Meramec by the Interstate 44 Bridge, the Route 66 Bridge was incorporated into the boundaries of Route 66 State Park, which opened in 1999. A Route 66 Museum was opened in a former lodge and road house, which houses maps and memorabilia from “The Mother Road.” Most of the remaining acreage of the park, however, lies across the bridge in what was formerly Times Beach, leaving the interpretive center cut off from most of the remaining park space. Previously one of the most visited State Parks in Missouri at around 250,000 visitors per year, park attendance has dropped since the bridge’s closure in 2009. There is strong support from a number of local and statewide groups to preserve this bridge. Since this is a deck truss bridge, the biggest detriment to its structural integrity has been the heavy weight of the concrete surface above. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has used some of the money in its demolition budget to remove the deck and make the bridge easier to renovate. Missouri State Parks has agreed to assume ownership of the bridge if an endowment of $650,000.00 can be raised by local supporters by the end of calendar year 2016. A GoFundMe page has been established for fundraising at https://www.gofundme.com/Meramec-66-Bridge.
The Old Phillipsburg General Store also made the Places in Peril list last year.
According to the 2016 listing:
Few small town buildings are as iconic as the old general store. The Phillipsburg General Store was constructed in the last years of the 1800s. It survived for many years as one of Phillipsburg’s largest buildings and now has the distinction of being the only historic building remaining in the village. The building also sat next to the railroad tracks, and trains supplied the store with the many provisions needed for the villagers and local farmers. Sugar and flour, crackers and other needed items were bought in bulk and put in sacks to take come. Dolls and garden supplies, tools, as well as rabbits and chickens were purchased in the store and taken home in wagons pulled by horses. In later years the adjacent Route 66 brought many tourists to this tiny town. The upstairs served a variety of the community’s social needs, containing a small theater, an office where a lodge was located and where the Woodsmen of America met, as well as other groups like the American Legion. After the lodges were gone, ladies set up quilt blocks where they constructed quilts for many families in the community. During the 1990s some rehabilitation work was completed on the old store and part of the building was used again for quilting and antique sales. But in the meantime, a building that has been cut off from the railroad and its iconic roadway is in danger. A roof leak in the rear of the building has caused extensive damage to the rear masonry wall, which is in danger of collapsing. By listing here, the nominator hopes to rally local support for the old store building or to attract a buyer that is interested in renovation of this small town icon. Contact the owner: bcbender3@yahoo.com or 417.664.6520.
The rest of the Places in Peril:
- Emmaus Home, Marthasville
- Parsons House, Jefferson City
- Demerree House, House Springs
- 222 S. Fourth St., St. Joseph
- Kirksville High School building, Kirksville
- Buster Brown Blue Ribbon shoe factory building, St. Louis
- Nelsonhood, Kansas City
- Kansas City International Airport, Kansas City
- 8th and Center Street Baptist Church, Hannibal
- Jackson Street Low Water Bridge and McIndoe Park, near Joplin
- James Clemens House, St. Louis
- Phillip Kaes House, St. Louis County
- Bend Road Bridge, Pacific
The Gasconade River Bridge was on last year’s Places in Peril, but the Missouri Department of Transportation in recent weeks has indicated it would no longer tear down the bridge. What it plans to do with the now-closed bridge, however, remains up in the air.
At last report, the long-closed Diamonds Cafe, also known as the Tri-County Truck Stop, had been converted into an auction center. The building still is used occasionally for paranormal investigators, aka ghost hunters, although it’s needed some TLC for years.
Also on the watch list:
- St. Joseph Livestock Exchange, St. Joseph
- Old Calaboose/Jail, Elsberry, Lincoln County
- Superior Well Ticket Office, Excelsior Springs
- Henry Miller House, Bloomfield
- Frank L. Sommer “Cracker” House, St. Joseph
- Wheatley-Provident Hospital, Kansas City
- Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, Lexington
- Russell Hotel, Charleston
- Houston House, Newburg
(Images courtesy of Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation)