The home of Arch McCard at 121 N. West Blvd., made the news on ConnectMidMissouri.com on Dec. 2, 2010. The house, according to this report, has been for sale for some months. The asking price is $175,000. The home was occupied by Herb Brown,, who died in September 2010, and his wife Betty Brown, who died in 2007….
Author: diannaobrien
History blogger. Writer. Traveler. Curiosity drives me. I share what I learn at CoMoHistoricPlaces.com. My newest book, Historic Movie Theaters of Columbia, came out in October 2021. My 2017 book, From Melon Fields to Moon Rocks highlighted the life of Columbia resident Charles W. Gehrke, 1917-2009, a scientist and entrepreneur who founded ABC Labs, now Eurofins.
1601 Stoney Brook Place
Accuracy counts, even in small things. I am a journalist and recently learned the correct address for the home at 1601 Stoney Brook Place. Other accounts listed the house at 1601 Stoney Brook Ave., Drive and other designation. So why update it? Because the purpose of this website is to provide accurate information on historic…
Annie Fisher home at 2911 Old Highway 63 South demolished
The 1920-era Annie Fisher house at 2911 Old Highway 63 South has been demolished, according to this Nov. 29, 2011 Columbia Daily Tribune article. The house was a concrete reminder of black history. Annie Fisher built the house for a restaurant and catering service she operated. Born in 1867, Fisher had only a third-grade education, yet…
Historic home economics
This article mentions that historic homes are not available for economic support for renovations. The article is from a daily business magazine in Minnesota, but many of the same debates come up here in Columbia, Missouri, as well. Many people don’t realize the historic building movement is a fairly new movement, stemming for the 1960s….
Update on the historic Heibel-March Building
In October, the Columbia Tribune updated readers on the development — or rather the lack of development of — the Heibel-March Building. Built in 1927, once again the brick structure faces an uncertain future. The building was named to Columbia’s Notable Properties list in 2005. Could the problem be no one has tried to put…
Brick streets save money, add something priceless
Brick streets made their appearance in Columbia around the turn of the century, according to this Nov. 7, 2011 article in the Columbia Missourian. The article further notes sources say that repaving and repair the city’s brick streets could save money. While brick paving and repair costs more, brick streets last roughly 85-90 years, while…
Historic window replacement guide
The City of Columbia offers free energy audits, but as this article notes, replacing windows does not have to be automatic response to energy improvements, especially in historic homes. This Arlington Heights, Illinois, article cites a Historic Preservation Commission guide which suggests alternatives to window replacements, noting that historic window frames may be made from…
Dec. 4 concert for historic home of John W. “Blind” Boone
When I mentioned to a friend I wanted to write a book about historic homes, she suggested a title for it: If these walls could talk. Well, on Dec. 4, 2011, in a way, the walls of one historic home will talk, and it will be the language of music. A fund-raising concert will be…
Historic Preservation Commission new member
Columbia historic homes now have a new person on the board designed to preserve and highlight historic properties. Paul Prevo was named to the Historic Preservation Commission of Columbia’s City Council on Oct. 17, according to this article in the Columbia Daily Tribune.
See inside 315 N. Tenth St., a 1882 Italianate historic home
Everyone loves to take a peek inside someone’s house. Here’s your opportunity to take a look inside an 1882 Italianate-style home in Columbia, Missouri. This house at 315 N. Tenth St., was once the home of Samuel H. and Isabel Smith Elkins. Today, it houses Village Glass works. That’s why you can get this online peek…
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