J.W. “Blind” Boone started out life as the child of a run away slave and a bugler in the Missouri Militia. Before his death in 1927, he was one of the most famous Missourians — black or white — and one of the wealthiest, income from a touring schedule that took him all over the…
Category: Historical Homes
Party set for April 1 to celebrate historic properties
Columbia’s celebration of 2014’s additions to the Notable Properties is scheduled for 7 p.m. on April 1 in City Hall at 701 E. Broadway. The event was postponed from Feb. 4 due to a snow storm. This year’s event will feature 15 years of images of the historic properties and introductions by Columbia’s Historic Preservation…
Columbia Historic Homes site gets nearly 7,000 visitors in 2013
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 6,900 times in 2013. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people. Click here to…
Hansel and Gretel house changes hands
The historic home at 121 N. West Blvd., has changed hands once again. Often called the Gingerbread house or the Hansel and Gretel house for its fairy tale like appearance, the house has been purchased by Sean and Leigh Spence, according to this Dec. 7, 2013 article in the Columbia Daily Tribune by Jacob Barker….
Could the student-housing boom help this motor inn?
This Columbia Missourian article outlines beautifully the history of the Arrow Head Motel, what Deb Sheals says in the story is one of the last remaining old tourist camps. The present owner, Mohammad Eldeib, no longer rent rooms there, instead using the location to rent trucks and trailers. But in the article, he notes he’d…
Great opportunity to own a historic home and schoolhouse
Here are two great ways to get a peek inside a historic home and a historic school-house. At 10 a.m. Saturday, August 17 2013, this former one-room school at 4713 Brown Station Road, Columbia, will go up for auction. Named the Keene School, the United Country’s website outlines its history as a former school-house and includes…
Great ways to hit the road and find historic homes on the way
A friend of mine is like me, a devotee of historic homes, AND an avid traveler. She’s heading to Washington, D.C. in a few weeks and she asked me if there were any historic homes she should to see there. What a great question! I’d never thought of looking at taking my obsession on the…
Learn how to uncover history
Have you ever wondered about the history of your home, neighborhood or one you drive by or see often? Here’s your chance to learn how to uncover the history all around you. Deb Sheals, an architectural historian and historic preservation consultant will be giving a free talk at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18, 2013…
J.W. “Blind” Boone historic home makes Columbia standout, boosts economy
Completing the renovation of the J.W. “Blind” Boone home at 10 N. Fourth St., got unanimous approval by the Columbia City Council on Monday, June 3, 2013. The shell of the house was preserved, painted red and saved from termites and demolition by the purchase of the city in 2000 and subsequent work, but until…
Take a historic tour of Columbia’s highlights
There’s no time limit on taking this historic tour. Here’s a link to a PowerPoint presentation that basically offers a tour of Columbia’s historic highlights. This presentation was presented by Deb Sheals, a historic preservation consultant, in May 2011 at a public meeting of the Columbia Historic Preservation Commission. I love taking these kinds of…
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