Sane with this one. I don't know how I got it. May have been on EBay.
I’m sure no one would be surprised to hear that the rediscovery of the history of our small inner ring suburb involves keeping track of very many different bits of info gotten from a wide variety of sources. Roughly three times a month I attempt to gather in a single post many of these randomly acquired bits that are somehow related to one another.
In my mind, and in my computer, these bits are floating around waiting to be drawn together by some common theme. My computer is much better at keeping track of these things than my mind is. Truth is this blog would not be possible without the record storing abilities of the computer. I was terrible at keeping track of pages of information back in the analog days of filing cabinets. I can’t tell you how many times I searched for that certain piece of paper that I just saw a moment ago but now is nowhere to be found.
These days I often am looking for information online. The bits I find, first, go into my Documents folder – the plan being to file them in separate more specific folders later. Some are cross filed in a few different folders. There are a few hundred of these folders.
Put simply what happens is out of sight, out of mind. Regularly in my own files I stumble across a very interesting bit of information that I had completely forgotten about discovering. Obviously my readers are being short changed, so to speak (not really. This is a free service).
This post and maybe a few others will contain these random, unrelated bits that I hope you will find of interest.
I found this postcard on EBay and I bought it. 10 bucks including shipping. I already have this image but this is a much better version of it. This will go to the Maplewood Public Library, courtesy of the Houser Foundation, NARF. (Not A Real Foundation). This is the Valley School named after the Bartold valley where the post office was once located. The school was directly across Manchester from our present city hall. The front building was the original with later additions behind it. The high school was located here until one was built later at what is now Ryan Hummert Park, formerly known as Junior High Park. Read more.I love the postcards that have the cancellation dates. Like shooting fish in a barrel.I found this one on EBay as well. I didn’t buy it. Read more about the Citizen’s Bank drive-up window.
Now here is a weird one. This is from EBay, too. I don’t know what to think about it. I didn’t buy it either. It was ridiculously expensive. Seems like they wanted $350.00 for it.From EBay as well. I didn’t buy it either. I already have this image. It’s a post card with nothing written on the back. They wanted too much for it. $15 bucks. The location is wrong. This wasn’t actually at Marshall and Manchester. It was north of Manchester on Oakview Terrace. The church burned. The site is now the home of the Crossroads Presbyterian Church. The home next up the hill was demolished for parking. The twin gabled home was moved by the City of Maplewood to the middle of the 7400 block of Flora, south side. Thus saving a fine building and freeing up more space for the church parking.Someone sent this to me, I think. I don’t remember how I got it. It may have been emailed by Editor Miner but I don’t know anymore. Please forgive me if you sent it.Same with this one. I don’t know how I got it. May have been on EBay.That’s a lot of information right there.Either I found this after I had finished with the Fennell posts or I just forgot to run it. Here’s a link to Sam Bland’s journal where he has recorded Floyd’s untimely death.This is another one I must have forgotten to include in the Fennell posts. This ran in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on January 8,1874. No record of who won. Darn. I wonder if Edward may have been related to Frank Butler of the Big Cinch? They both were probably blowhards.I got really lucky finding this blurb when I was searching for John Blase who built the first commercial building on our “Wedge”. Old Manchester Road is called Southwest today. $1250.00 in 1891 would be the equivalent of $35,331.00 today. I have done many posts on the Wedge over the years. The first two are highlighted, here’s the third.John and Matilda got married.Trouble for John. Selling liquor with no license!He apparently learned his lesson. Happy ending there.In 1899, he had the place for rent? What is going on?Just a few months after I was born in 1949, they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. You sure can learn a lot from Newspapers.com.
I think I probably have enough leftover and previously ignored bits of flotsam and jetsam for another post like this one. Look for that in a week or so.
Meanwhile the days continue to get longer. Amazing how you can notice it already. I am not even going to mention the weather since this is winter. We all know what could be happening now.
Stay warm.
Doug Houser January 9, 2020.
14 COMMENTS
Doug, The names on the National Bank Note are R.T. Townsend and (Mr.) Holekamp.
I remember my Dad had a few of those Notes. I remember him always talking about “Doc”
Townsend and Mr. Holekamp. He was the owner of Holekamp Lumber Co. in the 7400 block of Manchester, on the South side of the street. In those days, the banks were run for businesses, and, at that time, my grandfather was on the board as a business owner, and later on, Emil C. Scheidt was on the Board of Directors. Those businessmen kept Citizens National Bank and Maplewood Bank and Trust solvent during the depression.
Also, on the picture of the American Legion baseball team, going to Yakima, WA was a really big event. I knew 3 of the people in that photo. Later on, Pete Palumbo was also my baseball coach at M-RH and Legion ball. Three of those players, Bob Sadowski, Charlie James and Hank Kuhlman were signed by the Cardinals. Sadowski and James played in the Majors, and Kuhlman was in the minors, then became a prominent football coach.
Doug, do you know if anyone from Citizen’s National Bank reads these articles. Someone there might have some thoughts on the bill with their name on it. Maybe some sort of promotional item, a giveaway from way back when. Not sure how many of their employees have been around for years and years.
National Bank Notes were United States currency banknotes issued by National banks chartered by the United States Government. Citizens Bank is a National Bank.
See the Wikipedia. article “National Bank Note”
I have seen pictures of the twin-gabled house now at 7430 Flora being moved, but never one of its original location. The postcard showing the house in its original spot on Oakview Terrace is the kind of evidence that historians rarely find. The early Christian Church in the same view is also interesting because of its design, apparently intended to fit in with the residential street, although the people in the little bungalow below it might not have thought so.
Hey Esley, some of those pictures you saw of the house being moved may have been mine. I photographed that move and included some of those images in my first book which, by the way, is still selling well. The move was in July of 1997. It was accomplished by our enlightened members of the city council and the city staff. They deserve a big hand for it. It filled in a vacant lot where a home had burned.
My first book, The First Hundred Years, Maplewood MO, Second Printing Volume One is just about to sell out again. They had just a few copies left at Scheidt (True Value) Hardware when I was there the other day. The Chamber has none. If you’re interested you better act fast.
The Citizens Bank postcard is pretty odd! Who authorized that photograph to be sent out to the customers? (I suppose if chain link fencing and asphalt are enticing to the viewer, they might have a different opinion).
Peter, Rarely will I edit an opinion expressed by one of my readers so if the Society for the Preservation of Chain Link Fencing and Asphalt Parking Lots gets wind of your comment, you are on your own.
Doug, The names on the National Bank Note are R.T. Townsend and (Mr.) Holekamp.
I remember my Dad had a few of those Notes. I remember him always talking about “Doc”
Townsend and Mr. Holekamp. He was the owner of Holekamp Lumber Co. in the 7400 block of Manchester, on the South side of the street. In those days, the banks were run for businesses, and, at that time, my grandfather was on the board as a business owner, and later on, Emil C. Scheidt was on the Board of Directors. Those businessmen kept Citizens National Bank and Maplewood Bank and Trust solvent during the depression.
Also, on the picture of the American Legion baseball team, going to Yakima, WA was a really big event. I knew 3 of the people in that photo. Later on, Pete Palumbo was also my baseball coach at M-RH and Legion ball. Three of those players, Bob Sadowski, Charlie James and Hank Kuhlman were signed by the Cardinals. Sadowski and James played in the Majors, and Kuhlman was in the minors, then became a prominent football coach.
Fascinating, Jim. Much thanks for filling us in.
Doug, do you know if anyone from Citizen’s National Bank reads these articles. Someone there might have some thoughts on the bill with their name on it. Maybe some sort of promotional item, a giveaway from way back when. Not sure how many of their employees have been around for years and years.
National Bank Notes were United States currency banknotes issued by National banks chartered by the United States Government. Citizens Bank is a National Bank.
See the Wikipedia. article “National Bank Note”
Way to go, Tom! I had nothing on that one. Thanks for your input. It’s good to hear from you.
I have seen pictures of the twin-gabled house now at 7430 Flora being moved, but never one of its original location. The postcard showing the house in its original spot on Oakview Terrace is the kind of evidence that historians rarely find. The early Christian Church in the same view is also interesting because of its design, apparently intended to fit in with the residential street, although the people in the little bungalow below it might not have thought so.
Hey Esley, some of those pictures you saw of the house being moved may have been mine. I photographed that move and included some of those images in my first book which, by the way, is still selling well. The move was in July of 1997. It was accomplished by our enlightened members of the city council and the city staff. They deserve a big hand for it. It filled in a vacant lot where a home had burned.
My first book, The First Hundred Years, Maplewood MO, Second Printing Volume One is just about to sell out again. They had just a few copies left at Scheidt (True Value) Hardware when I was there the other day. The Chamber has none. If you’re interested you better act fast.
This is a fun post, and you left me laughing, too!
Thank you, Patty. I appreciate your response. It is very nice to know that you and Dan (and probably a few others) are having a good time.
Pete Palumbo! Good to see the name of a person I knew and admired in a historical record. Had his son Mike in class, if memory serves. Good folks.
The Citizens Bank postcard is pretty odd! Who authorized that photograph to be sent out to the customers? (I suppose if chain link fencing and asphalt are enticing to the viewer, they might have a different opinion).
Peter, Rarely will I edit an opinion expressed by one of my readers so if the Society for the Preservation of Chain Link Fencing and Asphalt Parking Lots gets wind of your comment, you are on your own.
Your reply actually made me laugh out loud, Doug. Thanks for that!
You’re welcome, Dan. Now and then I get one in there.