Home » History/Preservation »Midtown »Walkability » Currently Reading:

When Paved Sidewalks Were a Big Deal

July 7, 2011 History/Preservation, Midtown, Walkability 6 Comments

A few weeks ago I noticed the above marker on an old sidewalk on the north side of  Olive at Ewing.  This old sidewalk is a “Granitoid” sidewalk, once a commonplace replacement for brick pavers. The blog Exploring St. Louis noted this same marker in January 2010 with a post called St. Louis Sidewalk Company (recommended reading).

– Steve Patterson

 

 

Currently there are "6 comments" on this Article:

  1. Anonymous says:

    These kinds of markers are pretty common in other cities, as well – something about pride in craftsmanship.  Today, in the world of low bid / get what you pay for, it’s not surprising that some contractors no longer want to be known for the work they produce . . . .

     
  2. JZ71 says:

    These kinds of markers are pretty common in other cities, as well – something about pride in craftsmanship.  Today, in the world of low bid / get what you pay for, it’s not surprising that some contractors no longer want to be known for the work they produce . . . .

     
  3. Christian says:

    St. Louis retains historic concrete residential structures, including some constructed of the popular “Granitoid” compound. This innovation was popularized at the World’s Fair in 1904 and a number of distinctive structures followed. Among the ones no one has yet got around to demolishing are an apartment building at Waterman and Skinker Boulevards, several single-family structures on Raymond Avenue near the Cabanne District and a mansion at 35 Westmoreland Place in the CWE. Perhaps the most distinctive and unusual concrete house was famous architect Tom Barnett’s personal residence, once at 65 Maryland Plaza in the CWE. It was demolished in ’73, a tragic loss of a singular building. Photos show a very experimental design and construction, almost like Frank Lloyd Wright collided with a classy Taco Bell somewhere in California. 

     
  4. Christian says:

    St. Louis retains historic concrete residential structures, including some constructed of the popular “Granitoid” compound. This innovation was popularized at the World’s Fair in 1904 and a number of distinctive structures followed. Among the ones no one has yet got around to demolishing are an apartment building at Waterman and Skinker Boulevards, several single-family structures on Raymond Avenue near the Cabanne District and a mansion at 35 Westmoreland Place in the CWE. Perhaps the most distinctive and unusual concrete house was famous architect Tom Barnett’s personal residence, once at 65 Maryland Plaza in the CWE. It was demolished in ’73, a tragic loss of a singular building. Photos show a very experimental design and construction, almost like Frank Lloyd Wright collided with a classy Taco Bell somewhere in California. 

     
  5. Thanks for the link!  Michael Allen did a great article that included another one of my favorite local sidewalk markers that is certainly worth a look too.  http://preservationresearch.com/2011/02/st-louis-place-sidewalk-plaques-and-brick-alleys/

     
  6. Thanks for the link!  Michael Allen did a great article that included another one of my favorite local sidewalk markers that is certainly worth a look too.  http://preservationresearch.com/2011/02/st-louis-place-sidewalk-plaques-and-brick-alleys/

     

Comment on this Article:

Advertisement



[custom-facebook-feed]

Archives

Categories

Advertisement


Subscribe