Proceeding south from the field surrounding the mansion, the original animal park that Edwin Lemp used to breed and keep exotic animals is largely intact, and the crags that gave the name to his estate still awe visitors along the ridge line, which looks out over the Meramec Valley. It drops down steeply to the…
Tag: Kirkwood
Cragwold, December 2015
Continuing a somewhat regular Christmas tradition, my father and I took a drive on the holiday out to look for more remnants of the Lemp estates out along the Meramec River. We returned to our search for more ruins or other structures left from Cragwold, Edwin Lemp’s estate, one of four beer baron estates in…
Cragwold, Revisited Christmas 2014
Seven years ago, I traveled to the southwestern corner of Kirkwood, where it abuts Sunset Hills to search for the home of Edwin Lemp, the last heir of William Lemp Sr. Edwin’s magnificent country house sits high above the Meramec River, but traces of his estate also lie east of I-270. But first, this barricade…
Kirkwood Churches
I’ve always been intrigued by the massive Modernist churches of downtown Kirkwood. It seems in the 1950s all of the major congregations decided to rebuilt, perhaps reflecting the burgeoning population of the suburb. The first church, First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, takes on a Modernist/Gothic Revival form, which seems common in the St. Louis area….
Around Downtown Kirkwood
It’s interesting; Kirkwood’s main street, Kirkwood Road, doesn’t have spectacular buildings, but they’re all occupied, well-maintained and serving a purpose. Perhaps that is the most important thing sometimes? Above is this cool Modernist office building. Below, this “mews” building is really neat. I shudder at the rents, though. And finally, this nice, stout Italianate row…
Kirkwood Junction
Along with various Webster Groves stations, the Kirkwood railroad station served generations of commuters to downtown and other locations. It still serves as an Amtrak station. The architecture is interesting, best described as influenced by Romanesque architecture with some Shingle Style elements, particularly on the tower. The surrounding buildings are all occupied; while they are…
Barretts Tunnel
The Barretts Tunnels, of which the western one is shown in these photographs, lie in West St. Louis County, just west of Kirkwood. The first tunnels west of the Mississippi, the tracks through here were part of the Pacific Railroad, and had the backing of leading Missouri politicians. Completed in 1853 with the use of…
Save 750 North Taylor!
Update: The house was demolished by September 2014, but probably much earlier. I know the house is expensive, but really, should we destroy what is otherwise a perfectly intact street wall that stretches for approximately a miles in the historic core of Kirkwood?
Meramec Highlands
I think I found one of the most interesting and hidden gems of West County, the former resort area of the Meramec Highlands. After taking a wrong turn, my traveling companions and I stumbled on this unique hamlet of cottages dating from the 1890s. Each cottage has its own name, which originally functioned as the…
Train Tracks, Meramec Highlands
These trains tracks once took thousands of people out to the resort communities of Sunset Hill, Meramec Highlands, Castlewood and Valley Park. They now carry Amtrak and freight.