Downtown retailers

I just found this great article on the history of downtown retailers in my hometown, Columbia, Missouri. While it is enjoyable reading and the photographs are intriguing, the article doesn’t contain a single citation of the source of the information. The article, “There & Gone,” was published on pages 30 and 31 in Veterinary Medical Review,…

Industrial development redux

It is interesting to see how history repeats itself. Once again, those in charge of Columbia’s economic development are casting their eyes toward ways to bring more industrial development to the city. That’s old news. “In 1873 the city government believed that Columbia ‘should give every possible encouragement toward fostering a spirit of manufacturing industris,…

610 W. Broadway correction

Sometimes even journalists like myself get it wrong. That’s when a correction is in order, even when it is a mistake easily corrected such as on a website. A page on my site gave the incorrect name for the owners of this 1917 house at 610 W. Broadway, which was named to the Columbia Most Notable…

See the 2011 Historic Properties

Here’s a link to a PowerPoint with photographs of this year’s Most Notable Properties. Each year, the City of Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission names several properties to its Most Notable Properties List. The purpose of the list is to acknowledge Columbia’s outstanding historic features. This year five properties were named to the list: 901 E….

Berry Building Receives State Honor

On Wednesday, Missouri Preservation will present the Preserve Missouri Award to John Ott for his renovation of the Berry Building, a former warehouse and grocery at 1025-33 Walnut Street. Once nearly derelict, today the 33,000-square-foot building gleams with PS Gallery and Independent Staves, a firm that manufactures and sells wine and whiskey barrels all over…