Several blocks of the Maplewood Historic Commercial District in Maplewood, Missouri, recently were added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The district includes portions of the 7100 and 7200 blocks of Manchester Road, which is the earliest alignment of Route 66 through that part of the St. Louis region. It also includes a portion of adjacent Lanham Avenue.
The National Register designation for those sections of Maplewood was officially Nov. 14, according to an email Friday from the National Park Service.
Another section of the city’s commercial district was added to the National Register in 2006. That one was roughly bounded by the streets of Manchester, Marietta, Marshall and Sutton.
Those blocks of Maplewood contain buildings from the late 19th and first half of the 20th century.
The city definitely does not ignore its Route 66 heritage. Here’s an excerpt from the city’s website about the historic commercial district:
Maplewood pays tribute to Route 66 on Manchester road with Hollywood strip styled memorials and plaques. The Maplewood businesses that were a part of the original Route 66 are memorialized on this legendary road. On the 7200 and 7300 blocks of Manchester, visitors can find sidewalk plaques telling the story of Maplewood businesses that were operating when the original route was constructed through the St. Louis area between 1926 and 1933.
Explore St. Louis put together a good two-minute video about what Maplewood has to offer from its multitude of mom-and-pop shops:
(Excerpted image of Manchester Road and Lanham Avenue in Maplewood, Missouri, from Google Street View)
The Orbit Pinball Lounge is closed, let yelp.