The Ladd Brothers operated a service station at Bellevue and Manchester. This I know for certain. I don’t know for how long. They must have been successful for they built a modern four-bay building that survives until this day.
I first ran a blog post featuring these photographs in 2012. Thanks to our Community Development Director, Laura Miller, for reminding me of it. I’m happy that it was still drifting around somewhere in the ether.
At that time I was posting my blog on the Patch website that was owned by AOL. I wasn’t very happy with that website. I try to arrange the images in a somewhat logical order. They scrambled them so that many of my posts must have been confusing to the readers.
Editor Doug Miner (the other Doug) and I are both refugees from the Patch. When he fired up 40 South News, I went with him. That was in October of 2013. I’ve been there ever since. This is my 394th Maplewood History post on 40 South News.
I hope you enjoy these images of the Ladd Brothers Service Station. They are courtesy of Jay Hardy.
I’m guessing that this is the earliest of the Ladd Bros. photographs. The cars look like they are from the 1930s.But try to reconcile this image with the previous one. Look at the tops of the pumps. This one had the date written on the back. July 15, 1947.In this image, also dated 1947, the tops of the pumps are the same as in the previous image. I guess the brick building in the background must be the same one. I speculate that the white facade bricks (on the left) must be just out of view in the previous image.That appears to be the Deaconess Hospital in the background of this image. It was once located directly across Highway 40 from the Zoo. It has since been demolished. Some of the statuary was relocated to the National Building Arts Center in Sauget.A closer look reveals that another longtime Maplewood business, Citizen’s National Bank, was not about to let the Ladd Brothers assault on the soapbox title go unchallenged.Judging by the vehicles this image is from the early 1950s. The sign on the left may be an indication that their new building has just opened.The building today houses the home and garden shop, Intaglia. Check out their website. This place is loaded with cool stuff!
Thanks to everyone for your continued interest and support.
Doug Houser August 22, 2022
11 COMMENTS
I believe my Uncle (Dick Renz) ran an auto body shop out of the basement of this building in the 1950’s in to the 1960’s before relocating farther down Manchester across from Scullin Steel.
Hey John, I don’t have any information regarding your uncle’s shop. Perhaps one of the other readers will remember him? Thanks for adding to the discussion.
One of the sisters/cousin of these boys, a Ladd, was a neighbor when I lived in the house on the corner of Sarah and Limit. She often recalled to folks that her family owned the gas station there. She is now over 20 years gone. Many lived in this town who had businesses here …back in the Not so long ago day. (for some of us😉)
those soap box derby cars look like Dad helped build the thing. I never saw one that nice that we kids built. Of course ours were much more “junky” with wheels from an old Radio Flyer wagon, maybe some boards that we scrounged up somewhere and I seem to remember a couple of pieces of rope tied to the axels to use to steer the thing.
I believe my Uncle (Dick Renz) ran an auto body shop out of the basement of this building in the 1950’s in to the 1960’s before relocating farther down Manchester across from Scullin Steel.
Hey John, I don’t have any information regarding your uncle’s shop. Perhaps one of the other readers will remember him? Thanks for adding to the discussion.
I don’t date back as far as these pictures, but wasn’t the first building on the West side of Bellevue? There is a tiny park there now.
I sure don’t know, Wanda. I don’t have any more information on this.
P.S. To my earlier reply. I think it was on Manchester on the East side of Bellevue on the corner.
That seems to be correct from the images. Thanks, Pickett.
One of the sisters/cousin of these boys, a Ladd, was a neighbor when I lived in the house on the corner of Sarah and Limit. She often recalled to folks that her family owned the gas station there. She is now over 20 years gone. Many lived in this town who had businesses here …back in the Not so long ago day. (for some of us😉)
Thanks for providing and filling in details on these historic photos. I love hearing about local buildings and how they might have changed.
Michael, You are very welcome. Thanks for your support.
those soap box derby cars look like Dad helped build the thing. I never saw one that nice that we kids built. Of course ours were much more “junky” with wheels from an old Radio Flyer wagon, maybe some boards that we scrounged up somewhere and I seem to remember a couple of pieces of rope tied to the axels to use to steer the thing.
Hey Mark, Your description perfectly fits a couple of my own gravity powered vehicles. Thanks for reminiscing.