Route 66 is such an integral part of the City of St. Louis and surrounding areas as lifestyles changed throughout the 20th Century. There are amazing remnants of the colorful bygone days of Route 66 around us. You just have to find them!
Route 66 relocated several times on its journey from Chicago, Illinois, out to Santa Monica, California. This somewhat explains why pieces of the historic route can be found at numerous disjointed locations throughout St.Louis and surrounding areas.
There are numerous Route 66 historic sites that can still be found in the St. Louis area, many of which are located along Chippewa and Watson Roads and heading west generally along Interstate 44. However, there was also at one time an “alignment” of Route 66 that followed Old Manchester Road (Route 100) out of St. Louis City all the way out to Gray Summit. *
We followed the segment of Route 66 along old Manchester Road, zigzagging in broken segments along the newer stretch of Route 100 and that’s where we found this special multi-site!
Kern Service Station Information provided by Ron McQuerry (framed artwork and caption located inside the office):
The Kern Service Station was constructed circa 1925. Historical records indicate that Charles and Mary Koch sold this corner property to John A. Kern in 1893. Initially, Mr. Kern established a blacksmith and wagon shop at this location. However, with the advent of the automobile, his business decreased and by 1930 the present building was an antique store named Haenni Antiques. The Kern Service Station property has been catalogued both by the St. Louis County Department of Parks and Recreation’s Historian (1989) and updated by the City of Wildwood’s Historic Preservation Commission in 1999. … This property at 17301 Manchester Road was placed on the historic registry May 24, 2008. The property is now home to McQuerry’s One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning owned by Ron and Cheryl McQuerry.
The cache is placed with the permission of Ron McQuerry, owner of the property and business currently located in the Kern Service Station.
ADDITIONAL POINTS OF INTEREST found at the intersection of Pond Road and Old Manchester Road:
Pond Hotel (1840) - located directly across the road. The old Pond Hotel, currently unoccupied and boarded up, is reportedly in danger of being destroyed soon. Its fate is in the hands of Wildwood’s Historic Preservation Commissioners. There had been plans for renovation and establishment of a new business in the 1990s which, unfortunately, were not realized. As with many historic properties, renovation costs for buildings not continuously maintained can be prohibitive.
In 1835 there was a store located here. In 1878 it became the local post office. By 1911 it had been converted into the Pond Hotel, which was a very popular rural inn and restaurant.
Bicycle clubs from St. Louis used the restaurant as a meeting place after cycling to West County. A monument in the front yard of the hotel honors one of the cyclists. The hotel/restaurant operated until the 1950s.
St. Louis Cycling Club Monument (1923) - located across the road toward the west end of the Pond Hotel road frontage. This is one of several monuments placed by the St. Louis Cycling Club (STLCC) around the 1920s. Although there has been talk of moving this marker, currently located near the old Pond Hotel, it still stands here. This 1923 marker is dedicated to William M. Butler, who probably was one of the club’s more socially prominent members. Members consisted of both socially prominent St. Louisans and working class people who worked in steel mills. All enjoyed the camaraderie they found in cycling.
The STLCC membership was once by referral and invitation only and limited to 100 men. A ladies’ auxiliary financed the markers and probably made the lunches enjoyed at each marker’s site. Women joined the club as active members in 1972 and now can be counted among the 13 members who have raced on U.S. Olympic teams.
According to the Missouri Historical Society, the STLCC was founded in 1887 and is the oldest consistently active cycling club in the country.
Pond Tavern (1875) and Pond Hall (1910) - located diagonally across the intersection from Kern Service Station. We were unable to find any interesting background information about these two buildings. Just a reference to the years they were established. And an “underground” website posted a warning that the back parking lot is currently used by local police to monitor traffic at the intersection and probably to keep an eye on the sadly abandoned buildings to be sure there is no unlawful trespassing.
Presumably, during the height of the travelers along Route 66, these sites were also flourishing businesses.
Additional information about Historic Route 66 in Missouri can be found on numerous websites.
Just search for "Route 66 Missouri".
* Reference: "The oldest Route 66 website: Where the Mother Road meets the Internet";
http://www.historic66.com/missouri/det-mo1.html
Please note: Be sure to put cache container back exactly as found. Cache is on private property with owner's permission - parking near cache.
Congratulations to 87preludea20a3
for being First to Find
