You’re looking at the intersection of two famous roads: Highway 40, which started as the National Road, and Highway 61, immortalized for its role in world music. Of course, this is no longer that intersection, as Highway 61 is now on a viaduct high above the ground, and Highway 40 now shares its names with Interstate 70 to the south where the interchange now is.

But for decades, this intersection would have seen thousands of travelers, and the roadhouse on the southwest corner would eventually come the Southern Air, owned by Chuck Berry, who lived on a farm nearby. I’ve featured some of the other landmarks related to the world influential musician in St. Louis before. The restaurant actually had a long and fascinating history long before he owned it.

The building is now used by a local university for evening programs. I suspect the Colonial Revival house to the west may very well have been the owner’s residence originally.

On the northwest corner is a cemetery monument company, which has been here for decades. The intersection still generates some traffic, as the massive General Motors plant is nearby.