November 2008

Upcoming events

Now—Dec ‘09From Southwest to Midwest:A story of Germans who Be-came Missourians.Exhibit at the Missouri StateCapitol Museum

December 5Living Windows— 6-9pmDowntown Jefferson City

December 5-6Mansion Candlelight tours 7-9pm Friday, 4-6pm Saturday

December 6Kristkendelfest,Old Munichberg

December 6Christmas Parade, 2 pmDowntown Jefferson City

January 7-31, 2009A City Within a City; Mis-souri State Penitentiary 1836-2004- Exhibit, Missouri StateCapitol Museum

March 20, 2009HCJ Annual Dinner meeting,Central United Church ofChrist, Washington St.

The small country church off Route C inCole county was built in 1906 but theLutheran congregation that it houseddated back to 1845. The congregation ofZion Chapel disbanded in 1977 and the oldchurch was restored by Joe and Liz Page.It’s current owner, June Netta Nevinsopened up the church for the Historic Cityof Jefferson and re-enactor, David Clifton,on Sept. 28 for a trip back in time. Cliftonportrayed the “unpredictable” Rev. PeterCartwright, a legendary revival preacherof the 1800’s. The River Ridge StringBand played some sing-along gospel musicto a “congregation” of around 80. Areception following the “service” featuredhomemade pies baked by Nevins.

Some attendees shared stories of relativesburied in the church cemetery. JanetMaurer tells how her Grandfather, amusician, would drive his old Ford to thechapel to play for weddings and funerals.He had to drive up the hill to the churchbackwards because gas would run backinto the gas tank and stall out the car!

It is interesting to note that at one timeCatholics and Lutherans shared thechapel, alternating Saturday and Sundayservices.

We want to thank sponsors, Kent, Christyand Kyle Trimble, Dulle-Trimble FuneralHome; Darryl and Connie Hubble,Whaley’s East End Pharmacy; and ChezMonet.

Zion Chapel Ole’Time Gospel Meetin’Blends History and Entertainment

established 1983

Yesterday

and TodayHISTORIC CITY of JEFFERSON

Celebrating 25 years

Visit our web site at www.historiccityofjefferson.org

Above: Re-enactor David Clifton portraysthe unpredictable Rev. Peter Cartwright atZion Chapel. The River Ridge String Bandis in the background.

Helen Walker (left) and Mary Ann Hall(right) pose in their “Sunday-go-ta-meetin”best in front of Zion Chapel.

To me, it was like meeting Abraham Lincolnor Thomas Jefferson. There I was in New Harmony,Indiana, one of the great preservation success storiesin this country, having afternoon tea with Mrs. JaneB. Owen, the 93 year old woman who took a sleepylittle town and turned it into a heritage tourism desti-nation par excellence.

My wife, Kay, and I have visited New Har-mony several times over the last 30 years. Locatedjust across the Illinois border in southwest Indiana, itwas a town that time seemed to have forgotten. Butin the 1940s, Mrs. Owen decided the course of historyhad to be changed. New Harmony was not going towither and die, it was too historically important forthat. She took the bull by the horns and not only pre-served some of the most historically significant build-ings in the town, but built new ones to compliment theold. Her formula for success merged historic preserva-tion, modern architecture, art, and even theology, tocreate a most remarkable place.

She founded the New Harmony Inn (slogan:“Find your way back to quiet”) and the Red Geraniumrestaurant, where we met for breakfast the morningafter our tea last July. I asked her then, “Did youhave a grand plan?” Her answer: “Of course not.”

Grand plan or not, NewHarmony is a grand placeto visit thanks to thistruly grand lady.

Mrs. Owen washonored at an awardsceremony on Oct. 23 at theannual meeting of the Na-tional Trust for Historic Preservation. I was honoredto be in attendance at that event. If ever a person de-served a national award like this, it is she.

If you want to know more about Mrs. Owenand the town she reinvented, I suggest you visit thisWeb site: www.usi.edu/hnh And, if you get thechance, go to New Harmony and see for yourself. Theslogan is not just a slogan. In New Harmony youreally can find your way back to quiet.

InTouch With an American Icon

Of Preservation, HeritageTourism

PAGE 2 YESTERDAY AND TODAY NOVEMBER 2008

Historic City of Jefferson 2008 Board of Directors

OfficersPresident—Steve Veile 635-8667

Vice-President—Laura Ward 632-2818

Treasurer—Debbie Goldammer 635-2972

Secretary—Janet Maurer 636-9211

Past President—Mary Ann Hall 635-8512

Board Members

Cathy Bordner Deedie Bedowsky

Jim Weber Lois Heldenbrand

Betty Weber Sam Bushman

D.J. Nash Henry Gensky

Historic City of Jefferson, Inc. P.O. Box 105056 Jefferson City, MO 65110www.historiccityofjefferson.org

By Steve Veile

Photo right: HCJ President Steve Veile and wife, Kay met with Mrs.Jane B. Owen, (center) the founder of Historic New Harmony, theorganization she started many years ago that has led to the revitali-zation of New Harmony, Indiana. At 93 years young, Mrs. Owenstill actively provides leadership and personally tends to the many

gardens that can be found there.

Historic City of Jefferson concluded its inauguralyear for the Golden Hammer awards in October.Six homes were recognized May through October fortasteful rehabilitation of their older homes, contrib-uting to the revitalization of their neighborhoods,adding aesthetically to the city’s streetscape andpreserving our historic architecture. All of thehomes reside in older neighborhoods, some inblighted areas, and will hopefully serve as a cata-lyst for neighborhood renewal.

The Golden Hammer awards will resume nextyear in April or May.

Golden Hammer AwardsAugust, September and October winners

RIGHT: 301 E. Ashley—October

The renovation of this Munichberg homeis a dramatic transformation. It wasvacant and in a state of decay for 10years before Lisa Castillo and DonGalbreath saw investment potential init. It was a total make-over. “We juststarted knocking things down and gotcarried away,” say Castillo. The 1700square foot house had been split into 4apartments, the front porch was goneand had a rotten back porch. The own-ers plan to sell the property and investin another distressed older property.

PAGE 3YESTERDAY AND TODAYNOVEMBER 2008

ABOVE: 1031 West Main—August

The home of Brian Donnelly was built circa1903. It has been returned to a single familydwelling after many years split up into 4 apart-ments. The beautiful exterior colors and land-scaping is a drive-by eye-catcher while the in-side captures the creative and eclectic decorat-ing talents of Mr. Donnelly.

LEFT: 114 E. Atchison—September

This 1910 home in the Munichberg district is aHabitat for Humanity success story. OwnerErin Geick contributed many hours of labortoward its rejuvenation. An interesting note:Habitat volunteer David Schwaller discoveredit was built by his great grandfather. TheSchwaller family lived at the home until the1950s.

Many Jefferson City residents are asking thequestion, “What are they going to do with that oldprison?” Area residents wonder if anyone has given muchthought to what to do about the Missouri State Peniten-tiary (MSP). The answers to those questions are: there isa plan in place to redevelop the MSP site, and a lot ofthought has gone into the future of the 142 acres thatformerly housed some of the worst criminals in the state.

The state of Missouri, under the Office ofAdministration (OA), began the process of developing amaster plan for the MSP site in 1999. Public meetingswere held to get input from the public about what peoplein this community and in the state wanted to see happenat the MSP site.

In 2001, Section 217.900 of the Missouri Revised

Statutes (RSMo) established the Missouri StatePenitentiary Redevelopment Commission. This commis-sion is made up of ten commissioners. Three commission-ers are from Jefferson City, appointed by the mayor withthe consent of the City Council. Three commissioners arefrom Cole County, appointed by the county commission.The remaining four commissioners are appointed by thegovernor. This commission has many powers and duties,including acquiring title to the property and leasing orselling property to developers.

The MSP Redevelopment Master Plan wasfinalized in November 2002. This plan divides the 142acres site into seven areas:

The Historic Area

The Judicial Center Area

The Community Area

The Office Area

The Landing Area

The Entertainment Area and

The Natural Resources Area.

The plan also identified the Top 10 buildingswith historic value:

Housing Unit 4

Housing Unit 1

Housing Unit 3A And 3B

The Wall and Towers (Upper Yard)

Gas Chamber

Centennial Cells

I-Hall

The Wall and Towers (Lower Yard)

Shoe Factory and

Potato House.

Since the MSP Redevelopment Master Planwas adopted by the MSP Redevelopment Commissiontwo state office buildings have been constructed on thesite: the Lewis and Clark Office Building, whichhouses Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources,and the new State Health Lab. In the next few monthsground will be broken for the new federal courthousewhich will be constructed on the western edge of thesite. The MSP Redevelopment Commission is in theprocess of hiring a master developer to overseedevelopment of MSP. A group representing Navalveterans has expressed interest in putting a retirednaval ship on the Missouri River at the MSP site. Theship would be a Naval war museum.

(Continued on page 5)

Prison Redevelopment UpdateWhat happens next?

PAGE 4 YESTERDAY AND TODAY NOVEMBER 2008

“A group representing Naval veterans has expressedinterest in putting a retired naval ship on the Missouri River at the

MSP site. The ship would be a Naval war museum.”

By Cathy Bordner

A 1910 circa postcard photo of the MSP administration building

Many central Missouri residents remembervisiting MSP when it was still a prison for concerts put onby the inmates, to play baseball (the field was rumored tobe the best baseball field in Jefferson City) and otherevents. Some of our older citizens recall concerts thatinmates gave on the lawn of the Marmaduke House. The1954 riot illustrated serious problems that were takingplace in the prison, overcrowding, violence against staffand other inmates, drugs and other dangerous situations.

Today, the MSP site is a reminder of good andbad things in our community’s history. The MSPRedevelopment Master Plan envisions preserving themost significant historical structures and at the sametime developing the site as a economically thriving areathat will stimulate our area and provide necessary officeand meeting space as well as touristattractions and entertainment venues.

In the 1950s Jefferson Citiansfrequently read about crimes taking placeon the prison grounds in the localnewspaper. Yet this city was surprisedwhen the 1954 prison riot broke out. If weas a community continue to be complacentabout the redevelopment of the MSP site,and only concern ourselves with it by

(Continued from page 4)

asking “What are they going to do with that oldprison?” we may have some unpleasant surprises inour future.

We should be taking an active role in the MSPsite by attending the MSP Redevelopment Commis-sion’s monthly meetings and contacting city councilrepresentatives to discuss the redevelopment of thisarea.

As noted above, the MSP wall and guardtowers were identified as part of the most historicstructures on the site. However, the walls are at risk ofcollapsing. Before the prisoners were moved to the newprison part of the wall on East Capitol did collapse.The state legislature has not allocated money tostabilize the wall. One proactive thing that HistoricCity of Jefferson members can do is contact your statelegislator to ask that the Missouri Assembly budgetmoney for this purpose in the next legislative session.As one of the MSP commissioners stated at a recentmeeting, “Without the wall, it’s just a bunch of oldbuildings no different than any other old buildings.”

Missouri’s Rep. Ike Skelton and Sen. Kit Bond as well asGov. Matt Blunt were on hand at the official groundbreaking for the construction of the new federal court-house in Jefferson City. The $70 million structure will belocated on the northwestern edge of the MSP prison rede-velopment site.

The Western District courthouse is currently in the topfloors of the Jefferson City U.S. Post office at 133 W.High St. Construction of the new courthouse is expectedto start by mid November and ready to occupy by 2011.

PAGE 5YESTERDAY AND TODAYNOVEMBER 2008

Ground-breaking Ceremony for Federal Courthouse—Oct 24Construction to Begin Soon.

In the meantime, planners will grapple with the prob-lem of providing easy assess to the site from U.S. high-way 50. Draft plans involve a Lafayette Street inter-change and a modification of the Clark Avenue inter-change. A proposal to widen existing streets is ex-pected.

Preservationists will probably need to brace themselvesfor tough loses of older architecture in this area. Therewill be public hearings next year, before any plans areimplemented.

“…...the MSP wall and guard towers were identified as part of

the most historic structures on the site. However, the walls are at

risk of collapsing…..”

Right: The shell of a burnt out buildinginside the wall after the 1954 prison riot.,looking north from the corner of E. Capitaland Chestnut streets. The guard towers,since replaced once matched towers at theWarden’s house (Marmaduke house).

Visit our Web site at www.historiccityofjefferson.org

Looking back Moving forward

Web Master—Tony Smith

Newsletter Editor—Jenny Smith

Membership—Sam Bushman

Programs—Laura Ward

Special Events—Mary Ann Hall

Oral History—D.J. Nash

Golden Hammer Awards—Deedie Bedowsky

Development—Lois Heldenbrand

German Emigration in Missouri,Exhibit at Missouri State

Capitol Museum

Yesterday and Today is the official newsletter of theHistoric City of Jefferson, published quarterly.

Send articles, announcements, inquiries to:

Jenny Smith—Editor1211 Elmerine,Jefferson City, MO. 65101573-635-9064email: tpsmithster@earthlink.net

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

To proactively preserve our historic

resources and create an environment

that makes preservation a central focus

for the future development

in the City of Jefferson.

…. and another exhibit worth catching:A City Within a City: MSP 1836—2004

The exhibit: A City Within a City: Missouri State Peniten-tiary, 1836—2004 will be displayed in the State CapitolMuseum for only a limited time, January 7—31, 2009.As you may have guessed, our fellow member, MarkSchreiber, a former Corrections official and author of“Somewhere in Time” has had a hand in the developmentof this exhibit. Many artifacts and memorabilia will beon display.

Scenes from Zion Chapel

If you come from Central Missouri German stock youmight find this temporary exhibit at the Missouri StateCapitol Museum interesting; From Southwest to Midwest:A story of Germans who became Missourians. In the early1800s during social unrest and political upheaval in theirhomeland, many Germans came to the United States.From the 1830s to 1910, Germans from the Baden-Wurttemberg area of southwest Germany settled alongthe Missouri river from Jefferson City to St. Louis andsouth down the Mississippi river to Ste. Genevieve. Theybrought with them their culture; music, art, food andcraftsmanship.

The exhibit will run through December 2009.

HCJ HAS POSTCARD BOOKS FOR SALE

This special collection is available at Samuel’s Tuxedo,236 E. High St. and at a discount to HCJ members.These would make perfect gifts for your children’s

teachers, your employees or employer. Proceeds will

benefit various HCJ programs.