It’s hard to keep track of all of the names of the hospital at the intersection of Dougherty Ferry and Des Peres roads, but it was born in 1974 as Normandy Hospital South. Nearby Interstate 270 was actually still known as 244 at the time, and the interchange was only half complete, with nearby Big…
Tag: Modernism
An Abandoned Factory and a Prison, Fort Madison, Iowa
On the way out of town we saw two landmarks. The first was the old Sheaffer Pen Plant, built in three stages: an office in 1931, a pen manufacturing plant in 1952 and a shipping depot in 1976. It closed in 2008 and the pens are now made in China after being sold to Bic….
Avenue G, Part Two, Fort Madison, Iowa
We make it back down to Avenue G where we again see more Italianate storefronts ling the thoroughfare. And as we have seen before in places such as Macon, Missouri, a Modernist bank building has been inserted into the street wall. There are some more interesting buildings, such as this bank above and below. But…
Avenue G, Part One, Fort Madison, Iowa
As part of our continued series of looking at Iowa river towns north up the Mississippi River from St. Louis at the end of the month this summer, we next head to Fort Madison, crossing over a massive bridge combining both rail and road. Fort Madison’s street grid is laid out with numbered streets starting…
After the Tornado: Skinker-DeBaliviere
The Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood, which is bounded by Forest Park on the south, the city limits on the west, Delmar Boulevard on the north and DeBaliviere Avenue on the east, also saw damage from the tornado. The tornado and high winds primarily struck the southeast corner of the neighborhood, and the wreckage ranged from the collapse…
Main Street, Downtown, Keokuk, Iowa
Main Street in downtown Keokuk is also U.S. Highway 218, which is usually not the best arrangement as it brings heavy traffic that does not want to stop at local businesses, but still brings the negative effects of automobiles, particularly tractor trailers and their pollution. Nonetheless, Main Street is overall in good condition and has…
Calvary Chapel, Former First Baptist Church, Maryland Heights
I spotted this interesting church on the way to the mansion I featured yesterday. While today it’s Calvary Chapel, originally it was the First Baptist Church of Maryland Heights, with a pastor named Milton McBride. Instead of a single dove, there were three stylized crucifixes in the clerestory window above the front portico.
Marycliffe, The Marianist Retreat, Wildwood
Just south of Glencoe on Missouri Highway 109 is Marycliffe, which is a Marianist retreat set along the bluffs of the Meramec River. I stumbled on the retreat center recently, and its 1967 building, which we’ll look at first. I couldn’t find any signs of anyone on the property. This was originally the land of…
Chapel, Maryville University
When the old Maryville College and its chapel was left behind, the new Maryville University in West County soon built replacements for those accoutrements of the past. Built in 1981, the Huttig Chapel reflect the architecture of the time. I like it. The Crown of Thorns forms the handles for the front doors. Inside, a…
Russell Boulevard Between Compton Hill Place and South Compton Avenue
I thought I’d look at some of the houses along the north side of Russell Boulevard just to the east of the reservoir in Compton Heights. The house above, by the way, used to have two or more floors. We’ve looked at the Magic Chef Mansion before, and the wall that was built along with…