I looked at Missouri Avenue on the west side of Lafayette Square back in September of 2019, but I felt like it was such an interesting stretch of street that I’ve split it up into two posts. Up first is a house I looked at all the way back in April of 2008.; it was the house of John C. Nulsen and was damaged by the 1896 tornado, later receiving a more Baroque roof.

Adolphus Meier’s Second Addition by Julius Pitzman was platted on July 5, 1866, and makes up the lots for the first several houses of our journey. Meier was one of the founders and directors of the Missouri Pacific and Kansas Pacific railroads. And again, we see the Pitzman didn’t always just design fancy private places, but frequently (and mostly) surveyed “regular” streets and subdivisions. William Hamilton lived in No. 14 above, and is the only house I know of that has been demolished along this stretch, though I’m curious if the Second Empire house was altered or also torn down. As can be seen, by 1875 when the block was surveyed for Pictorial St. Louis, only three houses were built.

As can be seen, the blocks for today were completed built out by 1908; I suspect that 1625 was in fact torn down for a parking lot for the former funeral home at the corner.

Next up are these Italianate beauties, obviously built as a trio. The middle house was once home to a school teacher, Jennette Smith in 1902, perhaps reflecting when the neighborhood began to transition into rooming houses.

We now start to see houses in the Funkhauser Addition, which was filed in the Recorder of Deeds in July 24, 1875. While no surveyor was listed, it possibly was Julius Pitzman, as well, since he was working in the area. Dr. Robert M. Funkhouser was a well known physician and surgeon, and like so many others in St. Louis, apparently dabbled in real estate speculation.

The house above lists several working class inhabitants around 1900.

This house, however, has a very interesting history, having as its inhabitant Edward Anthony Faust, the son of Tony Faust, the restauranteur and friend of Adolphus Busch. Interestingly, Edward would ditch this house, apparently and move into 1 Portland Place. Yes, that house…

This next house, a great example of German Renaissance Revival, in one house that I’ve toured before during the Lafayette Square House Tour.

Below, this transitional house between the Italianate and Second Empire was the home of Edwin Holdoway.

The house below was owned by John Vogel, who also lived in Benton Place at one point.

The house, like so many others, also seems to have been turned into a rooming house for much of the Twentieth Century.

Finally, we have Lafayette Park Presbyterian Church, which has now been converted into condominiums.

As can be seen, it was severely damaged in the tornado of 1896. We’ll jump over Albion Place and head up Missouri Avenue some more tomorrow.