When a house is demolished, it always seems sudden. When it happens in your neighborhood or on our regular route, it can seem surprising or disorienting. That’s what happened to Curtis Stafford, who has been working on the house at 303 St. Joseph for months. When 400 St. Joseph, in his neighborhood, was demolished, he…
Tag: Dianna Borsi O’Brien
Historic buildings uses, owners change
The Missouri Theatre opened in 1928 and initially performances included music, a newsreel, cartoon, dancing and a feature film. Then, over the years, the theatre’s functions changed, featuring only films for a time, then it nearly faced destruction in the 1980s. This Sept. 11, 2011 article in the Columbia Daily Tribune outlines the many changes…
You can nominate a home for historic status: Deadline Nov. 1, 2011
You can nominate your home or a home you admire for consideration for Columbia’s Notable Properties designation. The deadline is Nov. 1, 2011. Having sat in on Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission consideration of such nominations, the nomination itself need not be elaborate. Nor does the designation hamper a home owner from doing as he or she…
Roots N Blues, ragtime and historic homes
It is no wonder Columbia is once again hosting the Roots N Blues N BBQ festival. This city has a long history with music. Until 1927, J.W. “Blind” Boone lived at 10 N. Fourth Street. At the time, Boone was one of the world’s most famous musicians, according to the website of the J.W. “Blind”…
Two homes saved, others in danger?
An article in the Columbia Missourian’s August 11, 2011 issue of Vox magazine highlighted two historic homes that were saved. One of the houses featured is the John W. “Blind” Boone House at 10 N. Fourth St., set to become a museum. The other is the Taylor House at 716 W. Broadway. Today it is…
Missouri Theatre to be leased by University of Missouri-Columbia
Deb Sheals, a historic preservation consultant, said it best: Saving a historic building requires putting it to work. Now, the Missouri Theatre will be put to work by the University of Missouri. This article by the Columbia Daily Tribune notes that the manager of MU’s Jesse Hall plans to put the Missouri Theatre to work….
Annie Fisher home slated for demolition
In a way, a piece of history is about to meet its demise, this time a landmark of black history. The Annie Fisher Home at 2911 Old Highway 63 South is now slated for demolition. Yet, in some ways, the history of Annie Fisher and her accomplishments will live on. For now, the former location…
Crystal Lovett and Brent Garner named to Columbia Historic Preservation Commission
Crystal Lovett was named the Historic Preservation Commission by the Columbia City Council on August 15, 2011, according to a report in the Columbia Daily Tribune. Brent Gardner was renamed to the Commission at the same meeting. The Historic Preservation Commission is charged with identifying historically significant structures, helping in various ways to preserve historic…
Brick streets in Columbia, Missouri
History comes in all shapes and sizes — including streets. This Columbia Missourian article highlights the brick streets of Columbia with a map of their locations. http://www.columbiamissourian.com/multimedia/graphic/2011/06/14/columbias-brick-streets-resurface/
Teachers: There’s history in bricks and mortar
One of the things I love about learning about Columbia and Boone County’s historic places is finding new ways to use this information. This article notes that teachers can use historic places such as those in Columbia and Boone County to teach history. A walk through downtown Columbia would allow teachers to discuss the importance…
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