How Did The Average Homeowner Discover the Age Of A House in St. Louis

After last Wednesday’s article on historical reasons St. Louis houses might collapse, I was talking to a friend and local businessman about the contradictory sources of information that can be used to determine the year of construction.

Although St. Louis celebrated its 250 th anniversary in 2014, no other house in the city is even close. The Baron deHodiamont House is the architect of the city’s oldest house. It was built in 1829 in the West End neighborhood, just a few hundred yards from the county boundary. Depending on the historian you speak to, semantics also play a role. The Bissell House is the oldest brick house in St. Louis dating back to 1831. These are just a few of the many superlatives found in St. Louis house dates with extensive documentation.

How does a homeowner find out the age of a house?

First, homeowners need to know the date their neighborhood was established or settled. Although it isn’t always so easy and there are obvious exceptions to this rule, the city was barely developed beyond Jefferson Avenue during the Civil War. This led to being located along the line of fortifications.

Neben den then-independent cities like Baden and Carondelet, neighborhoods such as Lafayette Square and Benton Park, Old North, and Hyde Park quickly developed after the Civil War. By the World’s Fair of 1904, the city had just expanded to Forest Park. Between Kingshighway and the city boundaries, neighborhoods developed during the decade between 1920 and World’s Fair. Most of St. Louis was completed by the 1930s. The St. Louis Hills, with its distinctive gingerbread homes, is a notable exception. It was still being constructed in the 1940s and ’50s.

Once you have a rough idea of the date of construction, homeowners should consult Geo St. Louis to get more information about each property. The date of construction can be found in the city’s database by clicking on the tab “Building Information”.

Now is the right time to be cautious! The more dated a building is, the more likely it will be. Take, for example, the Hodiamont House. Although the original home was built in 1829 it received an extensive second-story Carpenter Gothic-style addition, which was completed in 1890. Accordingly, Geo St. Louis lists the first date. Many houses also had indoor plumbing and other additions installed in the 1950s. Therefore, later dates of construction may be listed. I suspect that, because building permits weren’t common in this area before the Civil War, city employees simply gave an 1883-1887 construction date for buildings with unknown construction dates.

What makes me suspect this? Compton and Dry’s 1876 view of St. Louis, is another valuable resource for homeowners who live east of Jefferson Avenue. The plates can be examined carefully by homeowners to determine if their homes were built before 1875 when Compton and Dry surveyed the city to make a bird’s eye view of St. Louis. Many of the houses found in Dry and Compton have dates that list construction in the 1880s. I also know that many dates listed online for construction are wrong. You can locate your house on Dry and Compton. This is a rare opportunity to own a special house. Most buildings in St. Louis were built after 1875 and many of those houses are gone. Keep in mind that many streets have had their names changed since 1875. Use landmarks to help you find your way.

It is important to note, however, that Geo St. Louis’ block number should always be correct. Take the block number and take it to Room One at City Hall. The staff will pull microfiche containing records of any building permits for your block. Although it might take some time and you will need to pay a small fee for a copy, if there is a record of your building permits, it should be there. You can find the building permit record online and get a clear answer as to when your house was constructed. If you are lucky, the record will include the name of the original building contractor. You might be lucky if your house is located in the Central West End.

Homeowners should also visit the Missouri History Museum’s Library and Research Center at Skinker. There, staff can look up your address and determine if it has been photographed in the past. William Swekosky was a photographer who captured much of the city around the turn of the 20th century. His work has been a great help to me. (Note: You can search for your address in Google Books, and then click on “St. You can also search for Louis in Google Books to get helpful results.

You’ll be more likely to find interesting information about historic St. Louis if you have more prominent former residents.

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