John B. Myers House and Farm

This historic house was built in 1867 in the Classical Revival architectural style that was popular during the Victorian Era. It has remained relatively unaltered since its completion. After the death of Adelaide Myers in 1926, the house was eventually purchased by John and Hazel Inacich who opened the house as a restaurant. The house was due for demolition before 1974 in order to make way for the Interbelt Highway 725 in St. Louis county but the highway was redesigned to avoid the house after heavy opposition to its demolition. This agreement was reached through a guarantee that the house would be preserved. It is considered important for its architectural style, being one of the few Classical Revival-style houses still remaining in the area. At one point it was home to Durty Nelly's Tavern in the barn and Helen's Hen house, which was a decorative supplies store. The house continued to face threats of demolition and was placed on the "places in peril" list by the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation in 2015. It was put up for auction and in the same year, it was purchased by Terry Tuner for $210,000. Turner was one of few bidders interested in preserving the house, and made an apartment for himself on the second floor. It also houses a store owned by Nancy Quade called The Weaving Dept. which sells yarns and provides weaving, spinning, and knitting classes.

The house was originally built by John B. and Adelaide Motten Myers. John was a landowner from Pottstown, Pennsylvania who also had substantial landholdings in Calhoun County, Illinois. In St. Louis, John accumulated his wealth through land speculation. He purchased the land less than a miles south of Florissant in 1867 and began construction on the house and barn. The couple had three kids: John Jr., Salena, and Zelda. John Sr. died of pneumonia in 1869 at the age of 48 and Adelaide ran the estate until her death in 1926. She had the house completed the way John intended.

National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, MO State Parks. Accessed November 10th, 2022. https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Myers%2C%20John%20B.%2C%20House%20and%20Barn.pdf.

Wince, Ymani. "Historic Florissant mansion up for auction." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis) August 2nd, 2015. .B5.

Butz, Tony. "Florissant's Historic Myers Home." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis) December 11th, 1991. .10.

Duffy, Robert. Rescued at auction: The John Myers House in Florissant goes to the man in the cape, St. Louis npr. November 28th, 2015. Accessed November 10th, 2022. https://news.stlpublicradio.org/arts/2015-11-28/rescued-at-auction-the-john-myers-house-in-florissant-goes-to-the-man-in-the-cape.