Final Report: Architectural/Historical Survey of the Lindenwood Neighborhood, St. Charles, Missouri

Thurmer, Brenda

From introduction: "The City of St. Charles was awarded a FFY 2015 Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Grant to survey the Lindenwood Neighborhood. The City’s 40% matching share was the personnel cost for City staff who conducted the survey. The survey area is an early twentieth century neighborhood that is about one mile northwest of the Missouri River and the oldest part of town, which is along Main Street. The seven-block, L-shaped, 25.9-acre survey area is part of a larger area that was identified as potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 by Maureen Jones during a reconnaissance-level survey that was jointly funded by the State Historic Preservation Office and the City of St. Charles. A smaller area than recommended by Ms. Jones was surveyed because it is a distinct neighborhood that was subdivided between 1902 and 1905 as Glosier’s Subdivision #1 and #2 and Lindenwood Heights. Its architectural character is different from the adjacent area to the northeast of Elm Street, where the houses are generally smaller and less elaborately detailed, with many being simple vernacular designs. Also, the Lindenwood Neighborhood was developed later... The City’s ultimate goal is to prepare a National Register nomination for any potential historic district identified. The neighborhood is located in the locally-designated Extended Historic Preservation District, but no properties have been listed on the National Register. No inventory forms were prepared for any of the buildings in the neighborhood during the previous reconnaissance-level survey, so this survey will provide an important addition to the Missouri Cultural Resources Inventory at the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). It will also help city planning efforts and should have a positive impact on local historic preservation efforts. At present, the public’s awareness of the significance of the historic buildings in the neighborhood is limited. The survey and subsequent listing of a district on the National Register will be an excellent opportunity to educate the public and the locally-elected officials and increase their appreciation of the City’s history and historic resources. Although it is a long-term goal, it is hoped that as a result of the survey the design standards for the Extended Historic Preservation District, which are very vague, can be updated, strengthened to be more protective of the historic resources, and rewritten so as to be more helpful to property owners. Another long-term goal would be the development of walking/ driving tours and travel itineraries to promote heritage tourism in the area." Funding was provided in part by a 2015 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the City of St. Charles (project number MO-15-016) administered by the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office (grant number P15AF00028) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. St. Charles, Missouri is a Certified Local Government.

Final Report: Architectural/Historical Survey of the Lindenwood Neighborhood, St. Charles, Missouri

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