To be honest, I had always considered the Best-Western on Lindell in the Central West End to be a total dump. Little did I understand that the building had merely suffered under decades of poor maintenance and decor that masked the underlying beauty of the hotel.
Month: June 2009
Carondelet Highlights
Many people know that Carondelet was one of several small, established towns that was later annexed by the city of St. Louis. It really does retain some of its small town feel, such as the above street shown above. Below is a fascinating church; the older, more Greek Revival structure has been partially enveloped by…
New Push to Save the San Luis
Update: Looking back now as of January of 2021, I quite frankly don’t know why I was so worked up about the demolition of the San Luis. It really was not an attractive building–it was actually quite mediocre and dated–so I don’t blame the Archdiocese for tearing it down. In fact, I have a great…
Railroad Trestle, Kingshighway
It’s a little hard to read, but I think it might say “Scenic Railroad,” meaning that the trains on this trestle went out to Castlewood.
Sole Survivor, Kingshighway at Chippewa
Update: The Applebee’s has closed. This wonderful building on the northwest corner of Kingshighway and Chippewa is the remaining reminder that four buildings once graced this important intersection in South City. Instead, the other corners have become a wasteland of parking that detracts and diminishes the intersection. Perhaps in its next incarnation we can hope…
Avalon Rotting Away
Update: Apparently not, as the theater has since been torn down. Seriously, the City of St. Louis can’t even get one movie theater renovated in one of the most intact neighborhoods in St. Louis!?
Bellerive Park
Update: I revisited the park at sunset in December of 2014 in this post; see Sister Marie Charles Park down below this park in 2020. Ever wonder what that majestic bridge stretching over South Broadway in Carondelet is for? It is one section of what was to be a glorious “Kingshighway System” of dramatic boulevards…
Far North County Adventures
I recently had the opportunity to view some interesting sights in the far northern reaches of St. Louis County. Starting off above is a picture of the terminus of Bubblehead Road, a local legend among teenagers in North County. Below is Pelican Island, located in Sioux Passage County Park; when the water is low you…
San Luis Demolition Request Moving Ahead
Update: Looking back now as of January of 2021, I quite frankly don’t know why I was so worked up about the demolition of the San Luis. It really was not an attractive building–it was actually quite mediocre and dated–so I don’t blame the Archdiocese for tearing it down. In fact, I have a great…
An Interesting House in Dutchtown
Update: There are in fact many of these central hall plan Greek Revival houses throughout Dutchtown still in existence. See another example in this post, and also in this post. I’m intrigued by this house; it looks like it predates the rest of the houses nearby. Perhaps it originally was a farmhouse on the edge…