Early forecasts suggest we’re not in for a White Christmas in 2020. Nonetheless, these snow-covered photos from Dutchtown past got us in the holiday spirit! These old photos are of two prominent estates once located in Downtown Dutchtown near Meramec Street and Virginia Avenue.
At the top is the Barnard Mansion, formerly near the corner of Meramec Street and Virginia Avenue. Below is the John Withnell Dunn House which once stood on the 3400 block of Meramec.
The historic photos were colorized by Mark Loehrer. Mark is a local historian who runs the Arch City History Instagram account that features thousands of colorized images from neighborhoods across St. Louis. There is an Arch City History online shop where you can purchase prints of many of the photos at modest prices.
Mark’s collection includesdozens of Dutchtownphotos worthy of their own post someday. For now though, while admiring the winter wonderland surrounding these stately homes, we’ll take a closer look at the influential figures who lived in these houses and were a couple of Dutchtown’s earliest citizens.
John Withnell Dunn
The John Withnell Dunn House was built in 1873 at 3418 Meramec Street. Dunn was the nephew of John Dunn, a contractor and stone mason who built both the Old Cathedral and the Missouri State Capitol. The uncle also donated a small building in Dutchtown that was used as St. Anthony of Padua’s first gathering space.
John Withnell Dunn was a three term member of the Missouri House of Delegates who made a small fortune in real estate. He was an active parishioner at St. Thomas of Aquin Catholic Church. The parish is no longer in operation, but the church and school still stand just north of Laclede Park at Iowa and Osage.
Dunn was also a prolific amateur photographer and a member of the St. Louis Camera Club during the rise of photography in the late 1800s. His son, J. W. Dunn, Jr., seemed to revel in sharing his father’s photography collection after the elder had passed away.
Photos by John Withnell Dunn appearing in the St. Louis Star and Times.
Dunn passed in 1931 at the age of 86. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery after a funeral at St. Thomas of Aquin. The home was demolished in the 1940s to make way for a supermarket. The replacement building is now home to Resalat Community Center.
William D. W. Barnard
Dr. William D. W. Barnard was a wholesale druggist who built his estate in Dutchtown prior to the Civil War. The mansion at 3316 Meramec Street sat on a vast plot of land. Later the home was moved around the corner to 4227 Virginia Avenue. The home was demolished in 1962 to make way for the current low-rise apartment building.
Barnard was related to the Dent family and a cousin to Julia Dent, wife of General Ulysses S. Grant. The Barnards once hosted the Grants at their South Side home. When Grant was just a lieutenant in the Army, Barnard offered him financial assistance in a time of need. Later, President Grant would return the favor when Barnard faced business troubles.
Barnard passed at the City Hospital in 1902 at the age of 74.
We took a walk through the Mount Pleasant neighborhood on a frosty December morning. The City of St. Louis designates Mount Pleasant as one of its 79 distinct neighborhoods. But especially west of Interstate 55, the neighborhood maintains much of the same character as the broader Dutchtown area.
Mount Pleasant makes up the southeastern portion of the Greater Dutchtown neighborhood. They have their own neighborhood association (which meets in Dutchtown proper at the Neighborhood Innovation Center). The neighborhood is home to Dutchtown landmarks such as St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church and the Original Crusoe’s restaurant. While there are official boundaries between Dutchtown and Mount Pleasant (namely Meramec Street and Compton Avenue), the neighborhood and its residents are Dutchtown through and through.
Our recent jaunt through the neighborhood focused on the southwestern portion of the neighborhood. In the future, we’ll explore the other side of the neighborhood across Interstate 55. That part of the neighborhood, through which South Broadway runs, features an outstanding variety of architecture that takes advantage of the views along the bluffs of the Mississippi River. We’ll also visit the northern portion of the neighborhood along Meramec, once home to Maryville College.
Development in Mount Pleasant
Being located closer to the Mississippi River, the Mount Pleasant portion of the neighborhood started to develop early. Growth began in our corner of the South Side along South Broadway, long ago known as Carondelet Road, and spread west from there. Mount Pleasant is home to many pre-1900 buildings, both brick and frame.
Growth in Mount Pleasant was haphazard, with buildings often going up one at a time, rather than as parts of carefully plotted subdivisions organized by builders and real estate developers. You’ll see a variety of styles, sizes, and shapes mixed together along the streets of Mount Pleasant. Varying heights, setbacks, and materials give the neighborhood an eclectic and historic feel, with architecture that’s as diverse as the neighbors.
A new wave of development happened in the middle of the 20th century. The construction of Interstate 55 plowed through the middle of Mount Pleasant, destroying untold numbers of old homes and businesses and largely cutting off one side of the neighborhood from the other. The Delor Street overpass is the only connection that crosses the highway in Mount Pleasant.
But after the wholesale clearance of the area, large swaths of vacant, graded land became available to builders. Additionally, a number of nearby quarries were filled in. Residents seeking to stay in the neighborhood, but who desired the modern amenities of the new homes being built in the suburbs, now had options on the South Side. Scores of modest mid-century homes line the blocks surrounding the highway.
Churches in Mount Pleasant
The neighborhood saw some institutional development in the mid 20th century as well. Built as Wurdack Memorial Presbyterian in 1962, the mid-century modern church featuring brightly colored tiles has hosted a number of congregations since then. The church faces Interstate 55, tucked away on Minnesota Avenue between a row of 1950s homes and low-rise multi-family housing built in the 1960s.
Residents of Polish descent founded St. Hedwig Catholic Church at Compton Avenue and Pulaski Street in 1904. The parish built a new house of worship in 1957, currently occupied by Diverse City Church. The simple, modern architectural style stands in stark contrast to its northern parochial neighbor, St. Anthony of Padua, whose towering steeples can be seen from all over the Mount Pleasant neighborhood.
Mount Pleasant is also home to a pair of Baptist churches, the South Side Free Will Baptist Church and Jewel Baptist Church. Jewel has been around the Dutchtown neighborhood since at least the 1920s, taking up residence at a handful of other locations prior to its current location on Minnesota Avenue.
Parks in Mount Pleasant
The neighborhood’s namesake park, Mount Pleasant Park, sits at the center of an oddly arranged break in the street grid where Dakota Street and Michigan Avenue would otherwise intersect. The layout is a mirror image of Laclede Park, just a few blocks to the north. The City of St. Louis established both parks by ordinance in 1812, when very little else existed in the area.
Mount Pleasant park contains a small set of playground equipment and some nice benches. It is particularly unique with the presence of a roller hockey rink.
Less of a park and more of an empty field, Minnesota and Hill Park doesn’t bring much in the way of recreation. But it does offer a broad, beautiful view of the Dutchtown neighborhood. The park itself and the vast vacant field down the hill were once the site of stone quarries. Rumor has it that Anheuser-Busch filled in the quarries with byproducts from the brewery. A-B owns the adjacent land to this day.
Residential, Commercial, and Other Uses
The neighborhood is overwhelmingly residential, but commercial and mixed use buildings also dot the corners. You’ll find many of these commercial buildings along Mount Pleasant Street.
Mount Pleasant hosted a number of parochial schools, but it was also home to the public Mount Pleasant School. The school, originally built in 1896, started as only a single story. The second and third floors were added shortly thereafter, followed by another addition in 1913. St. Louis School Board architect A. H. Kirchner designed this building, as well as Froebel School in Gravois Park and a number of other St. Louis public schools. Mount Pleasant School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been renovated into apartments.
The Mount Pleasant neighborhood, at least in this southwestern section of the neighborhood, leans heavily towards single family housing. But plenty of duplexes and four family flats are found throughout the neighborhood as well.
Lots of smaller single story cottages and bungalows line the streets of Mount Pleasant. But there’s no shortage of larger homes, both simple and stunning. As noted before, the neighborhood grew in a piecemeal fashion. All of these architectural styles are intermingled throughout the neighborhood.
You can find larger versions of these photos as well as a ton of photos from throughout the Greater Dutchtown neighborhood on the DutchtownSTL Flickr page. We also share photos from around the neighborhood on our Instagram page, along with news, meeting notices, and lots more.
In 2020, Dutchtown non-profits faced unprecedented challenges and provided unparalleled responses to a nationwide pandemic that continues nine months after it began. Though our neighborhood organizations have come through for Dutchtown and its residents, resources have been stretched to their limits. This Giving Tuesday, we ask that you offer whatever support you can to keep our community organizations on track to help keep our community strong and united.
The Neighborhood Innovation Center
The recently opened community center in Dutchtown, otherwise known as the NIC, has been at the center of our efforts to maintain and grow our ongoing efforts to develop a better Dutchtown for all. But the NIC needs your help to raise $3,000 for real estate taxes as the end of the year approaches.
The NIC is not just the place where we hold our neighborhood meetings—though having a big, clean space to let us gather safely and conduct neighborhood business has been invaluable. But the NIC’s parking lot has hosted numerous outdoor socially distanced gatherings and events that brought our neighbors together throughout the year in spite of the ongoing pandemic.
Neighborhood Meetings
The wide open space at the Neighborhood Innovation Center has allowed neighborhood organizations such as DT2 • Downtown Dutchtown, the Dutchtown Community Improvement District, and the Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Association to have small meetings and manage other business in person safely. The NIC also has technology resources that have allowed us to broadcast and share these meetings with everyone in the neighborhood.
Developing an Outdoor Public Space
Renderings of an outdoor multi-purpose space at the NIC.
Recently, the NIC received a Community Resiliency grant from Missouri Main Street Connection and AARP to make improvements to the site with a focus on developing the parking lot into a flexible multi-purpose outdoor space for neighbors to come together. You may have noticed the building is in the process of getting a nice new paint job—that’s just a part of developing a welcoming, open, accessible space for Dutchtown neighbors to utilize.
Events at the NIC
Neighbors masked up and gathered for Cuban food in April for DT2 After Hours, with people lining up six feet apart in the rain to enjoy a delicious dinner with their friends and fellow Dutchtownies.
The NIC has also co-hosted other events that span across multiple locations along Meramec in Downtown Dutchtown, like July’s Shades of Summer event that introduced new street furniture at Meramec Street shops.. The NIC acted as the home base for neighbors looking to find out more about ongoing community organization efforts, with volunteers offering information and opportunities (along with some cold beverages).
The Dutchtown Justice Alliance has organized marches, protests, and voter registration drives from the NIC. June’s 8:46 @ 8:46 march started and ended at the NIC, and the Justice Alliance holds their monthly Final Friday solidarity events in front of the NIC.
And the Dutchtown CID held their 10-10-1000 event at the NIC in October. 1,000 tulip and daffodil bulbs were distributed for planting in public spaces throughout Dutchtown.
Helping Small Businesses
In June, volunteers from DT2 • Downtown Dutchtown were at the Neighborhood Innovation Center helping small business owners navigate the application process for CARES Act grants from the City of St. Louis, bringing needed funds for our neighborhood businesses to continue operating through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, part of the NIC’s long term mission (hindered by the pandemic) is to act as a business support center for Dutchtown businesses both established and new. The NIC plans to create a labor pool to help businesses keep staff while putting neighbors in jobs. They will also offer coworking space for small startups and businesses needing a place to work from.
Cure Violence, a program aimed at reducing crime and gun violence in Dutchtown, held a backpack giveaway and open house at the end of the summer in the NIC’s parking lot. Employment Connection operates the Cure Violence program in Dutchtown and chose the Neighborhood Innovation Center as their local headquarters, placing our community gathering place at the center of efforts to make Dutchtown a safer neighborhood.
25th Ward Polling Place
25th Ward voters east of Grand have seen their polling place bounce around to several different sites over the last few years, each presenting challenges with location and accessibility. But the NIC has offered up its space as a polling place since it was established, bringing a centrally located and accessible polling place to more 25th Ward residents. The 2020 presidential election delivered unusually high turnout in the neighborhood, even during a pandemic. Along with outstanding and committed election workers, the NIC provided a safe, orderly, efficient place to cast your ballot.
The Neighborhood Innovation Center needs your assistance as we approach the end of the year. The NIC is operated as a standalone non-profit, however the building is currently owned by Midwest Bank Centre. Because the building is owned by a for-profit entity, the building is still subject to real estate taxes, for which the NIC is responsible as the tenant. This year’s tax bill is thousands of dollars, and the tax is due on December 31st.
Without help, Dutchtown could lose what has become an integral part of our efforts to bring and keep our community together.
In recent years, DT2 • Downtown Dutchtown has been laying the foundation for community-driven change. While our community’s vulnerabilities were brought into focus and exacerbated by the virus, our collective vision for a more equitable Dutchtown prepared us to fight back together.
When the shutdown occurred in March, Downtown Dutchtown worked diligently through DutchtownSTL.org and other media to promote available aid and resources to neighbors and businesses. Our Dutchtown Proud signs were provided to anyone based on a “pay what you can” model so that anyone could be Dutchtown Proud in a time when feeling part of a community was even more important.
We will be pivoting into many new and exciting opportunities during this decade in Dutchtown. Investment is increasing, interest in the neighborhood is high, and we have a fantastic foundation and partners to build a vibrant and equitable community in Dutchtown in the years to come.
Please consider supporting DT2 and the momentum we’ve built with a recurring or one-time donation.
Dutchtown South Community Corporation has been committed to the improvement of Dutchtown for over 40 years. Their work is guided by the community and focuses on issues that matter to our neighbors. Your gift to DSCC helps them to continue their mission of advancing neighborhood vitality through community empowerment, housing stabilization, and real estate development.
The pandemic has put a damper on some of the services offered by Thomas Dunn Learning Center, but rest assured they’ll be back in full force soon. Even through the pandemic, they have continued to offer food assistance, tutoring and HiSET classes, financial education, field trips for the South Side Youth Council, and other online events. Thomas Dunn Learning Center’s mission is essential to building a better Dutchtown.
We have so many great non-profits doing outstanding work in Dutchtown during the pandemic and beyond. Everyone could use your help on Giving Tuesday or any day you’re able to spare a contribution big or small. We hope you’ll be able to donate to some or all of these organizations to help Dutchtown continue to grow and thrive.
Welcome to the Dutchtown Business Showcase! In this video series, we’ll be introducing you to some of the businesses throughout Dutchtown. Our first episode takes us to Logan’s Kids Resale at 3141 Meramec Street. Owner Cassandra Logan is well known throughout the Dutchtown neighborhood. Among other community activities, Cassandra sits on the DT2 • Downtown Dutchtown Board of Directors, helps to organize Marquette Community Day, and is a part of the current Adopt a Family program in Dutchtown.
Cassandra opened Logan’s Kids Resale six years ago. In addition to clothes for kids of all ages and sizes, she also carries car seats, cribs, bassinets, and other household essentials for new parents. Logan’s Kids Resale also carries adult clothing for men and women and a constantly rotating stock of other special finds both used and new.
While she strives to keep prices affordable for everyone in the community, Cassandra and Logan’s Kids Resale also offer a rewards program for additional savings, as well as revolving sales and a monthly basket sale—fill a laundry basket and stock up at a flat, friendly price. And if you watch our Dutchtown Business Showcase video, there’s a special deal in there for you too.
Virtual Shopping
For those concerned about shopping in person during a pandemic, you can call Logan’s Kids Resale at (314) 495-8828 to schedule a Virtual Shopping session. Tell Cassandra what you need and she’ll show you what she currently has for sale. Pick your items, pay via CashApp, and come to the Meramec Street storefront where she’ll deliver your merchandise to you curbside.
A Mission To Serve
Cassandra views her business as not just a store, but also as a mission. Beyond offering essentials to families at very reasonable prices, Cassandra is always willing to offer a helping hand to those in need. She works with a number of organizations in Dutchtown and throughout St. Louis to help less fortunate neighbors get clothing, food, housing, and jobs. She’s even opened her Gravois Park home to provide housing for unhoused individuals and families.
Support Dutchtown Businesses
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit small businesses hard, and Logan’s Kids Resale is no exception. Now more than ever, Dutchtown businesses need your support to hang on through this unprecedented situation. Our neighborhood businesses are an invaluable part of our community, and we as neighbors must do our best to preserve the fabric of our neighborhood.
As we enter the holiday season, please consider shopping at not only Logan’s Kids Resale, but all of the shops in Dutchtown. Many shops are offering virtual or online shopping. Several of our restaurants also offer curbside pickup or delivery. Please patronize Dutchtown businesses whenever you can.
DT2 and DutchtownSTL.org are developing resources to help support our neighborhood businesses. If you’re a new or established business owner, visit dutchtownstl.org/business to see what we have to offer. And if you’d like to have your business featured in the Dutchtown Business Showcase, get in touch with us.
The City of St. Louis has established another Small Business Grant Fund to help local businesses impacted by COVID-19. $1.25 million in funding from the CARES act will be distributed as grants of $5,000.
Starting on Monday, November 16th, businesses can apply for grants. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The grants will be issued until the funds have run out. St. Louis Development Corporation will administer the grants. You can file your grant application starting on Monday at 10am.
Half of the funds are set aside for businesses within Opportunity Zones, Promise Zones, or Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Areas. Much of the Greater Dutchtown neighborhood lies within these designated zones—the entirety of Dutchtown proper, Gravois Park, and Mount Pleasant are all included in the Southeast NRSA.
Additionally, 200 of the grants are allocated for hospitality businesses—restaurants, bars, cafes, caterers, wedding planners, and photographers, and others. Food truck operators can also apply if they have a commissary or other physical space located in the City.
Grant Eligibility
To be eligible for a grant, businesses must meet all of the following criteria:
25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees
Closed or otherwise significantly impacted due to COVID-19
Valid City of St. Louis Business License
Current on all payments to the City of St. Louis Collector of Revenue (property taxes, earnings taxes, water bill, etc.)
Will not use the funds to cover expenses already paid by funds from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), or other federal relief benefits
Have no conflicts of interest, i.e. no City of St. Louis employees, elected or appointed officials, or their immediate family
Does not discriminate per City of St. Louis ordinances
Ineligible Businesses
The following types of businesses are ineligible to apply for the grants:
Nonprofit organizations, churches, or religious organizations
Banks and other financial institutions
Accounting or CPA firms
Law firms or attorneys
Physicians, dentists, surgeons, optometrists, chiropractors, or veterinarians
Insurance brokers or agents
Real estate brokers or agents
Property management services
Architects, engineers, or land surveyors
Nursing homes or daycare facilities
Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, or short-term rentals
Preparing to Apply
You will be required to have your business license number when applying for your grant. The license must be valid for the period June 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021. Previous years’ license numbers will not be accepted. Call (314) 622-4528 or visit the License Collector’s website to verify the status of your business license.
It’s recommended that you contact the Collector of Revenue to verify that your earnings taxes, personal property, and business property taxes are currently paid in full. Call (314) 622-3291 to check the status of your earnings taxes, and call (314) 622-4111 to verify your property taxes are paid. You can find additional information at the Collector of Revenue website. If your application is rejected due to any delinquencies with the Collector, you will have to reapply after making the necessary filings and payments.
To document the number of people your business employs, you can provide the following:
2019 Federal IRS W-3 Form—Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements
Form 941 for 2020—Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return (quarter ending 6/30/2020 or 9/30/2020)
St. Louis Collector of Revenue Form W-10—Quarterly Earnings Tax Return (quarter ending 3/31/2020, 6/20/2020, or 9/30/2020)
Ready To Apply?
Once you’ve verified your eligibility and gathered your documentation, you can file your application starting at 10am on Monday, November 16th.
