I recently became fascinated with the phenomenon of “private” traffic signals, which are electric traffic control lights which serve only one user at a busy or dangerous intersection. The first one is where West Pine Boulevard sweeps around and terminates at Lindell Boulevard after coming out of Forest Park. The traffic light usually only serves…
Tag: West County
TopGolf and the District, Chesterfield
In case readers living outside of a metropolitan region where there is currently no TopGolf, I thought I would take a couple of photos to show what such facilities look like. This is the one out in Chesterfield. Perhaps the most prominent feature is the giant net which wraps around the field where players seek…
The Mysterious House, Revealed
We were shocked recently to discover that a wooded estate in the 17000 block of Wild Horse Creek Road had been cleared of its trees, revealing an extremely old house that according to satellite images once had multiple additions. It has now been stripped of those late encrustations, and while it is hard to tell…
Macy’s Closing at Chesterfield Mall
Back in May of 2020, I had predicted the shuttered Macy’s at Chesterfield Mall would never reopen after it closed at the beginning of the pandemic. It did in fact reopen, but now it is closing again, and reopening in a smaller version in the Chesterfield Valley. I would imagine that the remaining portion of…
John F. Kennedy High School, Interior and Today
Update: The development was largely complete by mid-2023. I dug up some old photos of John F. Kennedy High School from when it had just opened back in 1971. As I covered back in March of this year, it has been completely demolished for new houses named Celtic Meadows. As can be seen below, there…
Woods Mill Center, Facing Demolition
There doesn’t seem to be much research or scholarship done on the subject, but there should be more study of shopping centers “left behind,” sort of like the Bates Motel, when a major traffic artery is rerouted onto a new axis. Such is the case for many 1960s and 70s era shopping centers along the…
John F. Kennedy High School, Demolished
Update: See historic photos of the interior and the state of construction in August of 2022. Kennedy High School is no more. There are only long piles of rubble. The machines who did the deed are sitting around surveying their work, and other Caterpillar products are awaiting their turn to permanently alter the topography to…
Former John F. Kennedy Catholic High School, Under Demolition
Update: Completely demolished by March of 2022. See historic photos and the state of construction in August of 2022. The development was largely complete by mid-2023. My prediction that the old John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Manchester would be sold to a developer for houses has come to pass. McBride Berra is demolishing it…
Stratford Inn, Abandoned
The Stratford Inn recently suffered a fire that was probably caused by squatters. It had been abandoned for years, after a long run as an extended stay hotel. I think many Americans don’t realize that there is a huge demand for accommodations for people who can’t afford or don’t have the credit to rent traditional…
Cragwold, January 2022
Oops, I didn’t see that tree branch in the way when I took this photo of Cragwold, Edwin Lemp‘s estate on the bluffs overlooking the Meramec River. The large windows overlooking the valley must have provided stunning views for the reclusive bachelor who took his million dollars and retired from brewing at an early age….