Let’s head two Frisco Railroad stops to the northeast and get off our imaginary train and get off at the Old Orchard stop. Sadly, the station is lost, but it was located at the dead end of Old Orchard Avenue, at the railroad tracks, obviously.
Old Orchard, not surprisingly, took its name from the large number of orchards in the area, and there were many large landowners, including Richard J. Lockwood.
As with Kirkwood, this area provided a healthy area outside of the central city, away from the “Smoke Zone” produced by the burning of coal. No doubt the fruit produced here was shipped down the railroad to markets in St. Louis.
I believe these apple sculptures are the work of the late Bob Cassilly.
As is typical of current and former suburban train stations, businesses grew up around them, providing passengers stores to shop at on their way to and from home. Interestingly, at the site of the former Selma Station one stop to the west, those storefronts still exist even though the depot is long gone.
The area was annexed by Webster Groves in 1897, itself a recent incorporation the year before and a creation of a railroad station.
As we move further to the east along Big Bend Road, the businesses transition to houses, which is logical.
