Theodore Street House | Abandoned

Historic Home in Park Hills, Missouri, taken by Jennie Moore

        To be completely honest, I know nearly nothing about this seemingly abandoned home that sits on the corner of Theodore and Berry in Park Hills, Missouri. It does not have a notable story or famous resident like most homes I cover. However, it has had my heart for the past several years, and I've decided to share it anyway. As a historical writer, it is quite often that my searches for information yield little results. Many projects sit collecting dust, because they do not meet the content criteria I have set for myself. Recently, I've decided that that is absolutely silly. We should not withhold our interests from one another based on what we do or do not discover about them. From now on, you will see many more, yet shorter articles on the blog, because it is time to shed light on these landmarks even if there is no tall tale, because the story did belong to someone, a someone who matters. I am the type so shout "wow!" out the car window when seeing a place that catches my eye, and that alone is worth sharing.

        What I do know about this home, is that records show it was built in 1920. I had initially guessed it to be older, as stacked stone foundations, like the one this house rests on, were phasing out at the time. This makes me think it was build by a lower class family, using the most cost effective methods for their home. It is a quaint 780 square feet, with two bedrooms and one bathroom. It's location places it in historical town, Flat River, annexed by Park Hills in 1994. That is where the facts end, but where my imagination starts. 

Side view of Theodore Street House taken by Jennie Moore

        I feel it is likely the home was built by a blue collar family, perhaps employed by one of the many local mines and quarries. It is common for mining families to construct or be provided with a home of this size, and design. I'm sure fire blazed in the winter, and every window rest open in the summer. I wonder who walked the floors, and rested their heads within. This I may never know, but it surely doesn't hurt to try. 

        Do you have any information on this home? I encourage you to comment or contact me via email. I would love to make an update in the future. Realtor websites read that a recent sale has been made on the home. Does this mean a restoration could be on the table? I sure hope so. Let me know if you have any favorite sites I should see, and again, thank you for supporting the blog.

 

Aunt Beck May House | Landmark Landing

 

Aunt Beck May House, taken by Jennie Moore

        In the rural town of Piedmont, Missouri sits a relic that once belonged to a beloved citizen. Rebecca (Payne) May was born on April 10th, 1848 near Sandborn, Indiana. She spent her childhood in Greene County, and on November 22nd, 1866, married William A. May there. The couple remained in their home town until c. 1876-1883, when the couple moved to Wayne County, Missouri, where they would raise 10 children.

        The two story log cabin seen above was originally built c. 1885-1890 on the western side of Mingo Swamp by John Albert Wilfong. In 1894, Wilfong would wed the daughter of William and Rebecca, Laura. Unfortunately, the marriage would be cut short, when Laura passes away during childbirth the same year. During this time, details are unclear about John's whereabouts, but the cabin he had built would be passed into the possession of his in laws, William and Rebecca May. Also around this time, the cabin would be moved to a spread of 43 acres 7 miles north of Wappapello. This land was gifted to William May for his time serving in the American Civil War. In this location, the pair raised their children, and orphaned grandchildren.

Side view of Aunt Beck May House, taken by Jennie Moore

        William and Rebecca were loved by their community. Rebecca in particular was considered a local treasure, thanks to her work as a midwife. She delivered many of the area children, and was lovingly gifted the nickname, "Aunt Beck". The two would spend the rest of their days in this cabin, with William dying on January 12th, 1906, and Rebecca dying on September 23rd, 1923. The community mourned the loss of their heroic midwife, who would leave a permanent footprint in Wayne County history. Though over the years as new generations came, Aunt Beck's memory began to fade. That was until a remarkable discovery decades later.

Rebecca "Aunt Beck" (Payne) May posted outside of her cabin

        In 1994, Earl and Ruth Carver were preparing to remove a building on their farm with intentions to construct a new barn. Though upon initial dismantling, they would quickly discover that beneath the façade, sat a log structure. This would quickly be confirmed to be Aunt Beck's lost cabin. The Carvers would reach out to locals Bob and Evelyn (May) Wilson, as Evelyn happens to be the great granddaughter of William and Rebecca "Aunt Beck" May. They immediately hopped into action, taking on the project alongside the Carvers of dismantling, restoration, and finding a new location for the cabin. Bob Wilson also created numerous graphs to number each cabin piece, and how it was to be reconstructed. The cabin was donated by the Wilson's to the Wayne County Historical Society. The organization then settled on the new location, on Route 34 in the city of Piedmont. By October of 1995, the reconstruction was complete, and could not have been done without the determination of the Carvers, the Wilsons, the Wayne County Historical Society, and group of volunteers. Now the memory of Aunt Beck can be shared for generations to come.

Aunt Beck May House signage, taken by Jennie Moore

    

    If you would like to visit the Aunt Beck May House, I encourage you to do so. It is easy to access, and requires minimal walking. The cabin also serves as a museum, so keep your eyes open for when it may be open to the public. You are able to walk the exterior at any time. Thank you all for tuning into the blog once again, I hope you will join me for our next stop! It is thanks to readers like you I am able to document these places.