Maplewood Centennial Walking Tour A Stroll Through Time

{The Maplewood Centennial Walking Tour was made possible by: City Of Maplewood

Step a few feet into Maplewood and you’ll feel the strength of a growing community and an invigorated spirit that has propelled the city into a period of unique development. This outstanding enthusiasm for progress was cultivated within an existing bed of historic roots, community pride and neighborly love that has existed in Maplewood since 1908.

The Maplewood Centennial Walking Tour celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the City of Maplewood. During this tour, you will be guided throughout the city and learn about historic landmarks that have built the for this charming community. Discover over forty buildings that have enriched the neighborhood and made their mark in Maplewood history. In 1752, a hopeful Charles TheGratiot left hisHistory hometown of Lausanne, Swit- zerland to embark on a journey to America. Twenty-five years later, he had established himself as the principal merchant of Cahokia, now in Illinois. Soon after making his mark East of the Mississippi, Gratiot decided to travel across the river to St. Louis, which was then Spanish territory. Not only did Gratiot find new business, but he also found love. It was here that he met his future wife, Victorie Chouteau, daughter of Madame Marie Therese Chouteau, one of St. Louis’s founding families. Gratiot and his family thereafter lived at the northwest corner of First and Chestnut Streets. One of Gratiot’s ledgers is still in existence. With a goosequill pen and in beautiful hand, he wrote transactions that can still be read. The notes include sales of almost every type of merchandise, from sacks of flour to flagons of rum.

Even though he was doing well for himself, Gratiot was not content to be merely a merchant. In 1798, Gratiot successfully petitioned the Spanish MAP Lieutenant Governor to grant him a league square (three square miles), which extended from Kingshighway to Big Bend Road and from the middle of Forest Park almost to Arsenal Street, and thus includes much of our present day Maplewood. The original document of this exchange is still preserved at the Historical Society in Forest Park. Charles Gratiot died in 1817 leaving the real estate to his children.

Two years later, in 1819, a New Jersey man named James Sutton came to St. Louis to assist his brother, John Sutton, whom had a blacksmith’s shop established at Second and Spruce Street in St. Louis. The brothers were excellent iron manufacturers and introduced the St. Louis area to many iron innovations including: house fastening, iron wheels, iron plough- shares, harrow teeth, iron railings, iron locks, and many other helpful items that we now take for granted.

In 1826, James Sutton purchased 334 acres from the Gratiot heirs for $1.125 per acre. The land was in the southwestern part of the league square originally purchased by Gratiot. Sutton added 51 acres to this purchase in 1848 paying $7.50 per acre. Sutton began to settle into his new land by constructing a log cabin, storehouse and blacksmith shop on what was then the “Road to Jefferson City by way of Manchester.” Soon a road was opened from Sutton’s blacksmith shop to the big bend of the Meramec, hence its future name, Big Bend Boulevard. The early neighbors of Sutton included Charles S. Rannells, Henry Bartold and Jean Baptiste Bruno along with the Cartan and Gay families.

In 1876, the limits of the City of St. Louis were extended to their present location. When the new county was organized, a Maplewood man, Henry L. Sutton, son of James C., was chosen as its chief executive officer, or presid- ing justice of the county court. The first three meetings of this body were held at the Sutton home on Manchester. Then in 1877, the patriarch of the neighborhood, James C. Sutton died, and the land he left behind was divided amongst his nine children. In 1890, one of these divisions was sold to a company organized by Theophile Papin and Louis H. Tontrup, two St. Louis real estate men, and managed by Robert H. Cornell. They plotted the land into blocks and lots then named their subdivision Maplewood, after the maple trees they planted along their streets. These streets were also named for trees and shrubs: Maple, Elm, Myrtle, Hazel, Vine, Arbor and Flora. The street on the west line of the subdivision was named Marshall and the one on the East line Sutton. In some unexplained manner these names were later transposed and remain to this day.

Soon after this exchange other Sutton heirs began to distribute and de- velop their land creating Maple Lawn, Ellendale, Lohmeyer Heights and Greenwood. In 1896, an electric streetcar line reached Maplewood and the population increased tremendously. The same year, The St. Louis Meramec Railroad Company began to operate a trolley line that ran from downtown St. Louis to the Sutton Loop, known as the Manchester Line. Soon churches, stores, banks, a library and city hall were all constructed on Manchester Avenue. Devastation came to the prospering city in 1908 when This historic stroll through Maplewood is presented by the Maplewood the Banner Lumber Company caught fire, resulting in nine buildings being Centennial Committee to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the city of destroyed. Feeling that St. Louis City Fire Companies could not provide Maplewood. The Committee has organized events throughout the year to sufficient fire protection so the community decided to incorporate, doing educate the community about Maplewood’s rich history as well as a chance so in May 1908, primarily to provide fire protection and schools. Maple- to embrace and celebrate the city’s bright future. wood continued to develop rapidly throughout the next several decades, becoming a well-known shopping district bustling with commercial activity. Browne Building. 43. 7156-60(Est. Manchester 1922) Named for Theodore G. Browne, a floral artist, this building is split in half by the boundary of City of Cape-Harper Building St. Louis. The Browne’s archi- 1. 2816-18(Est. 1924-1927) Sutton tectural style (built around 1922) might be categorized as Whimsical Exuberance. The black and white Built between 1924 and 1927. tile checkerboard above the cen- At one time this building held tral arch works well with the buff Harper’s Pharmacy on the and terra cotta-colored brick. southern end and still has the The includes glazed original wood display cases. The terra cotta pilasters on each cor- northern end of this complex ner topped with what appear to be once contained Bettendorf’s four lit candlesticks. Flanking a 2. 2737-2747 Sutton Market, which allowed shoppers sort of reverse arched parapet are to shop in the basement and what look like bowls of fruit rest- Bell45. Telephone7216 Lanham Building. Dr.and Leander 7401-7403 W. Cape Hazel. Buildings. have their groceries, brought up ing at flat spots on the glazed terra (Est. 1898-1911) on a conveyor. cotta coping. Browne’s ads used Overall, glazed quoins and the slogan “Say It With Flowers.” stringcourses frame a field of These six adjacent buildings were He apparently wanted to, “Say It red brick inlaid with a diamond built between 1898 and 1911. With Terra Cotta” as well. He and pattern of buff-colored ones. They are all owned by Dr. Cape, his wife Emma lived upstairs. The Elements of what is arguably whose home directly on the Jones Commercial College was the best terra cotta entrance in other side of Sutton was razed to here and 7160 was once the Peo- Maplewood include two plain create parking for Bettendorf‘s ple’s State Bank. Browne sold the Doric columns supporting a Market. The northernmost building between 1932 and 1934, cartouche with the familiar building served as the first City but he left a timeless architectural bell symbol. Surrounding Hall. Adjacent and south was design that will be enjoyed gen- the cartouche, is a tangle the first Fire Dept. from 1908 erations to come. of scrollwork resembling a to 1922. These are listed in the Baroque bacchanalia. Beneath National Register of Historic it all is a band of egg and dart Places and are designated County molding, the ancient feminine Landmarks. and masculine architectural symbols. If that’s not enough, there is an Art Deco version of This44. building 7187 Manchester. features a tremen- the egg and dart just across the dous Art Deco façade with a great street. deal of terra cotta and a beautiful blue stain-glass . Distinctive Maplewood 4. 2717-19Style. Sutton Maplewood Mill complex. (1916) 3. 2725-31 Sutton. Located opposite and to the west end of Marietta Avenue, The Maplewood Planning Mill you will see an elaborate façade and Stair Co. constructed with fine terra cotta. these three buildings. The first building, built in 1916, 41. 7266-68 contained offices and show- Stertzing Building. rooms on the first floor and Manchester. an eight-lane bowling alley above. Saratoga Lanes is the One can easily imagine Mr. oldest surviving bowling alley Stertzing directing his architect in the county and a designated to leave no surface unglazed. County Landmark. Immedi- Every square inch of this stun- ately west is a former stable that Warring Building. ning façade is done in a white, 42. 2637 Roseland once housed the mules used to 5. 7420 Manchester. emerald, reddish-brown or an Ellendale Home Place. haul lumber from the railroad Originally constructed as a unusual glaze. The building Terrace. tracks to the mill. This stable furniture store, this striking, contains two storefronts with was coined the “Mule Palace” three-story building is visible apartments directly above. Each Lyman and Kate Thomas by jealous mill workers who for a good distance as you travel apartment has French doors (daughter of James Sutton) worked in a tarpaper covered east on Manchester. There is opening onto a small called their home, Ellendale frame building when the brick a magnificent façade largely with an iron railing. Above Home Place. The interior has stable was built. Just south of covered by terra cotta and a the doors are attractive arched been beautifully restored and these two buildings is the Mill wonderfully unique tin ceiling metal canopies supported by has an impressive central hall Building, recognized for de- complements the interior. very French-influenced brack- that is flanked by double par- cades by its large and ets. The canopies perfectly fit lors. Both parlors have retained cyclone dust collector. A recent within arches of the emerald- their pocket doors, which have renovation thoughtfully pre- glazed brick. a transom with sliding wooden serves the chimney keeping the panels. The front yard origi- historic touch in a progressing nally ran all the way down to neighborhood. Manchester. Lyman Thomas was the author of The History of St. Louis County, 1911. 7. 7539 MaplewoodManchester. High School. (1929) 39. 7329 The Maplewood High School was built in 1929 and designed Neoclassic Home. by architect William B. Ittner. Lohmeyer. The stunning brickwork along with the exquisitely designed This elegant and proportionate pool building is an architectur- Neoclassical home just recently al tour de force. The interior emerged from decades of hid- contains rooms with the origi- ing beneath layers of inappro- nal , wood paneling priate siding. Inside is an Arts and many more interesting and Crafts staircase with the original details. 38. 7320 original finish. ScheidtManchester. Hardware. (1910) Constructed to be the Maple- wood Lyric Theater in 1910. 6.Sutton 7453 Family Manchester. Home. (1832) The 1912 Directory lists it as the Maplewood Theater (W.B. The Sutton Family homestead Powhatan). Screw holes of the was built in 1832. The Suttons 8. 7562-7573 theatre seats are still visible in 40. 7270 once owned nearly all of what the floor. E.L. Scheidt remod- Porcelain & Steel. is modern day Maplewood east Manchester eled the theatre to create a Manchester. hardware store in 1916, and his of Big Bend. This building Former Valley School. Many Maplewoodians remem- was the birthplace of St. Louis 2700 Oakland. grandson, Bob Scheidt, car- ries on the family business to ber this building as once home County. (See Thomas’ 1911 to the popular Chopsticks History of St. Louis Co.) The This location, directly across this day. The parapet coping, the street from the City Hall, is bracketed cornice and panels House Restaurant. The Art home was demolished in the Deco façade is composed of 1950s. now the Douglas Manor Apart- depicting cornucopias are of a ments. Pay close attention to very high quality terra cotta that porcelain enameled steel panels the unique retaining walls. resembles marble. This build- like those seen on a Lustron These stone walls and stairs ing has been named a county house. surrounding the apartment landmark by the County His- complex once enclosed the toric Buildings Commission. earlier Valley School. 36. 2800 TheMarshall Maplewood Post OffAve.Ice

The Maplewood Post Office Distinctive consists of two rectangular vol- 37. 7291 10. Maplewood2601 Bredell. Style. umes intersecting perpendicu- Concordia Lutheran larly. The southernmost one SarahChurch. (1914)Ave. Pay detail to the southwest is smaller and projects past the corner at Lohmeyer, which has facade of the main. The asym- interesting stonework on the metrical blonde brick façade, The Concordia Lutheran front , representing one laid in common running bond, Church was founded in 1892 of the early styles of the Maple- consists of six and the at 7255 Southwest Avenue. A wood community. entry door with transom. The brick church was erected on the entry is flanked by two windows present site in 1914 but was re- on either side and all are re- placed in 1953 by the present cessed and separated by Indiana building. The architects, Fro- limestone columns, rectangular ese, Maack and Becker, special- in section and capped by slim ized in Lutheran churches and lintels. The interior is still a institutions, usually rooted in treasure. The lobby walls are North German architecture. clad with seven feet of light gray Here their design, probably in- to off white marbled streaked fluenced by junior partner Rex with veins of yellow ocher. Becker, is unusually bold – note 11. Bredell Three single weighted sash the pattern parabolic arches. 9.Former 2801 Valley Oakland. School New Deal InfLuence. windows for the clerks, origi- The symbols around the door Athletic Field. at Lohmeyer. nal post office box fronts, and represent the twelve apostles, Here you can notice the New decidedly Art Deco louvers high many referring to stories of This is now home to the ECC Deal Era influence in Maple- on the walls separating the pub- their martyrdoms. (Early Childhood Center), but wood lent by these stone retain- lic area from the business area the stone walls and stairs that ing walls. are all original to the build- border the center once sur- ing. The stamp licking tables rounded the Valley School Ath- are double octagonal pedestal letic Field. beauties made of white oak and still serviceable after nearly 70 years of use. 12. 7550 Lohmeyer.Maplewood Pool Building. (1938)

The Maplewood Pool Building, built in 1938 by the WPA, has Huntziker Home. been newly renovated to house 33. 7324 Vine. the Maplewood Library. This The home was built by beautiful Art Deco building is architects/builders, Klute- an architectural companion in 13. 2200 Bredell. Beche between 1890-1891 stone to the brick Maplewood for Adolph A. Huntziker. High School. The upper floor (Est. 1848-1850) Huntziker worked for Wood- 34. 7240 Anna was originally designed with re- Woodside Estate. ward & Kiernan Printing Co. and also invented a loose-leaf Italianate(fronting Ecclesiastical. Moller) movable windows transforming (1926) it into a sunny pavilion dur- This simple and elegant farm- ring binder. ing the summer. The original house, built between 1848 A beautiful example of Itali- stone now graces the and 1850, once belonged to anate ecclesiastical architecture library’s reading room. The Charles and Mary Rannells’s designed by Henry P. Hess. building is bracketed on both 2,000-acre farm. Charles The original church building ends by sinuous stone stair- Rannells, a prominent attor- for Immaculate Conception cases. Also on site is the stone ney, was elected to the Mis- Catholic Parish (founded in backdrop to the now vanished souri Senate for the first of two Moosylvania. (1894) 1904) was located along Mar- kiddy pool. A long stone wall terms in 1850. Rich in original 35. 7303 Marietta. shal and sits just north and west marks the eastern property line. fabric and history, Woodside is Built in 1894 (addition in of the current church building. a designated County Landmark 1925), this was originally the and is on the National Register home of the Maplewood Bap- of Historic Buildings. tist Church, but the building complex has recently undergone a complete renovation – a vivid example of a successful adap- tive reuse. It is now the home of Moosylvania Marketing. 31.Last 7305 Standing Maple. Barn. On the northwest corner of 14. 2824 Laclede Marshall is one of Maplewood‘s last remaining barns, which is StationGreek Revival. Rd. located behind the house. (Est. 1863) Here you will find a side- gabled Greek Revival house that was built around 1863 and later had a wing added to the rear. Lustron Home. The house still holds many of 16. 3035 Coleman. the original cornice brackets, (Est. 1949-1951) but the balcony and bay win- Koch Home. dows on the façade are later All Lustron homes were built 32.(Est. 7311 1903-1904) Vine. between 1949 and 1951 as an in- additions. dustrial answer to the post WWII This residence was built for housing shortage. They feature Margaret Koch between 1903 all steel construction with no 30.Boing 7330 Home. Maple. (1904) and 1904 and has preserved a exceptions. The exterior and mostly unaltered exterior. interior walls, ceilings, doors, Built in 1904, this home in- windows, cabinets, fixtures and cluded a chimney in the even the shingles are all made to warm the family’s Winton of steel. Limited factory color Flyer automobile, which was combinations were available difficult to start in cold weath- – one of the more flamboyant er. The Boing family home and 15. 2825 Laclede ones was chosen here. business are both constructed of the same buff-colored brick. StationUnique Victorian. Rd. The business was located in the building at 7400 Manchester. The cupola boasts the original finial, which is a ball-balanced on the point of a cone. 17. Lustron7632 Flora. Home. 18.Notable 7519 StoneFlora. Wall. (Est. 1949-1951) Located on the northwest This Lustron home was made corner of Big Bend, this stone of porcelain enameled steel wall was built with flagstones panels. A couple of the Lus- and once bordered the parking tron features that didn’t catch lot behind a restaurant called on are the heated ceilings and Ted’s Corner. The building 29.Bennett 7351 Home. Maple. (1904) a combination clothes and disappeared when Big Bend was 27. 2918-20 widened. Koester & Whiteney dishwasher. Sutton. This home on the wedge Building. between Hazel and Maple was built in 1904 for Fred Ben- William Koester’s office once nett, general manager of an occupied the southern half. insurance agency. Interior Whiteney Plumbing and Supply details described in the 1904 was in the northern half. Suburban Home Journal, “ mahogany mantel inlaid mother of pearl…Library…Bookcase oak Built by Wm. Koester, this inlaid with copper.” Weather building19. 7396 is thought Flora. to have been permitting the magnolia trees a stable based on the board- in front put on an impres- and-batten siding in the rear. sive show in the early spring and the very well maintained 28.Greenwood 7360 Maple. Home. stone wall adds texture to the (Est. 1891-1904) neighborhood. This residence was built for Halbert Greenwood between 1891 and 1904. It also served as the homestead of John Stark, music publisher of Scott Joplin. Koester Home. (1904) Powhatan Theatre. 20. 7395 Flora. 26. 3107 Sutton. Built by architect/contractor This building is listed as The William Koester in 1904. The Powhatan Theatre and Air winged roof finials are recog- Dome Building in the 1912 nizable to many generations of Maplewood Business Directo- Maplewoodians. The residence ry, presumably named for the remained in the family until owner, W.B.Powhatan. The 1980, and much of the origi- 25. 3200 Block of building is now Scheidt Hard- nal interior and exterior detail ware. Recently joist pockets in remains. Koester also built the Big StoneBend Home and Ave. Walter. the brick walls were uncovered Methodist Church across the (Est. 1910) that once supported the street in 1915. These Fifteen stone homes were sloping floor. built around 1910 and were nearly identical at the time of their construction. 3200 Big Bend is a mirror image plan of the others. Two more stone houses are located just north of Manchester on the east side (1904) of McCausland, within the 21. 7380 Flora. city limits of St. Louis. These James Speer, a machinist, historic stone homes have a purchased this lot in 1892. quirky asymmetrical exterior The home was built in 1904 design, which were built by the and the exterior remains owner of the Big Bend quarry mostly original. A landmark (now filled, directly beneath gingko tree in the front yard Sunnen’s Business Park). 3228 has a loyal following each fall Big Bend has the only origi- to watch its leaves change to a nal front porch (well, mostly) brilliant yellow. remaining. 3232 Big Bend has the only original rear porch intact, now screened. 24. 3518-32 NationalGreenwood. Register.

Just across the site of the MoPac Greenwood Freight Station are four interesting buildings that hold a great deal of commercial history. These four buildings are now on the National Register. Some of the business 23. Maple that occupied these buildings: 3518-20 Milligan’s Million andHistoric Arbor. Station Article Hardware Store Site. (1930) (Vertical ‘ghost’ sign still Ebbing Home. (1907) reads “HARDWARE”). 22. 7343 Flora. On the southwest corner, landmark stone walls and This Carpenter-Gothic home 3522-24 Simms Dry Goods beautiful curving stairs still (Lady’s and Men’s furnishings) was built in 1907 for William exist that once provided ac- Ebbing. Especially important, and Kroger Grocery & Baking cess to the Maplewood Train Company. this home wonderfully pre- Station, a passenger stop along serves its original exteriors. the Terminal Railroad Associa- 3526-28 Sutton Station Saloon One of the many interesting tion/Missouri Pacific (MoPac) exterior details are the tusk and Willey Brothers Grocery & Line. A freight station further Meats. tenons at the ends of the front west (at Sutton & Greenwood) porch handrails. Inside some of served as the passenger stop 3530-32 Brashear and Son the original gas/electric fixtures from the early 1900s until this remain. Saloon and John G. Fisler station was built in 1930. By Shoe Store. 1961, the eighteen trains per day had dwindled to one per day, and the Maplewood Sta- Note: 3528 has a wonderful intact façade tion was closed before year’s that includes original cast iron elements. end. The station building was removed shortly thereafter.