Tag Archives: Missouri

Studio:art Grand Opening Saturday December 19, 2015

Studio:art co-op grand opening

Studio:art Grand Opening this Saturday!

New artists co-op and retail store in Maplewood!

I’ve joined a new artists co-op in Maplewood Missouri and I am excited to invite you to our grand opening! It takes place Saturday, December 19 from 10am – 6pm. The address is 740 Manchester Road, Maplewood, MO 63143.

Local art and crafts (including some of mine) will be for sale, plus refreshments and a chance to win a $50 store gift card! It’s not necessary to RSVP, but if you’re a Facebook user you can RSVP at the event page or invite any of your friends that might be interested.

If you can’t make it on Saturday, the store retail hours are:
SUN: 11AM-7PM
MON: Closed
TUE: Closed
WED: Noon-8PM
THURS: Noon-8PM
FRI: Noon-8PM
SAT: 11AM-8PM

I hope to see you there!

Fit and Healthy on Route 66 – Castlewood State Park

Castlewood State Park in St. Louis County, Missouri
View from bluff at Castlewood State Park in two different seasons

Castlewood State Park is located along the Meramec River in the southwest portion of St. Louis County between the Manchester and I-44 alignments of Route 66. Parts of the park lay on either side of the Meramec River. The part that lies north of the Meramec River is accessible by car south of the Manchester alignment of Route 66 and includes one of the most scenic views in all of St. Louis County. The photos above were taken from the River Scene Trail.

In the days before air conditioning, one way people used to cope with the heat was by visiting swimming beaches at the numerous rivers in the region. Caves were popular too. Route 66 fans will recognize the names of the fun places “Times Beach”, “Sylvan Beach”, Meramec Caverns”, “Stonydell” and Joplin’s “Lakeside Park”. Fort Bellefontaine County Park was formerly such a destination – the area that is now Castlewood State Park was another.

According to the book “Walks & Rambles in and around St. Louis” by Robert Rubright, the heyday of Castlewood as a resort was from 1915-1950. The swimming beach was washed away by the river in 1945. Some other amenities such as clubhouses, nightclubs and taverns persisted a bit longer. The state of Missouri converted the land to a park in 1979. Signs at the park indicate that while swimming in the Meramec River is not forbidden, it’s not encouraged either and is something to undertake at one’s own risk. Drownings do occur here so be careful.

The River Scene trail is so nice that I have explored very few other areas of the park despite many visits. I need to correct that oversight! There is a steep climb to the top of the bluff but after that the trail is not too difficult because it is mostly flat or downhill. You will have to watch your footing because the trail is rocky in spots and it’s possible to trip on tree roots. Sturdy hiking boots and a walking stick are helpful for safety and comfort. There are multiple scenic overlooks, historic ruins from the resort days and a well-traveled railroad corridor to see along the way. Rail fans will normally get a chance to see a train or two while hiking here and a portion of the trail even goes under the railroad bed in a cool tunnel.

Map of Castlewood State Park in St. Louis County, Missouri

As you can see from this map, the portion of the park that is South of the Meramec River is accessible only by hiking, biking or by horseback. You can take a trail to Castlewood from either West Tyson County Park or Lone Elk County Park.

It’s not shown on this map how it connects but if you take the Stinging Nettle Loop at the base of the bluff, you can follow that trail westward to a portion of the Meramec Greenway, Sherman Beach County Park and the Al Foster Trail which begins in Glencoe. You can also take a side trip on the Rock Hollow Trail, also known as the “Zombie Road”. The Stinging Nettle Loop is great for mountain bikers like me who are pretty much at the beginner level. There are some hills but they are not too high and if you fall you’ll probably land on dirt most of the time. I took a minor fall and didn’t get hurt. More challenging trails that I have not worked up to trying on a bike yet are in the area if you’re up for it. If you are getting the impression that you can spend days or weeks here exploring all the trails that connect near here you are probably right! Bring maps because it can get confusing!

Castlewood State Park official web site

My photos of Castlewood State Park and the nearby Wildlife Rescue Center

Interview with Maplewood Gardener Rich Reed

Rich Reed is a resident of Maplewood, Missouri, a neighboring community just to the East of my home in Brentwood. I met Rich through Freecyle, a service we both use to give away our extra plants and acquire new ones. Not only have we traded plants directly many times, we have found ourselves showing up at the same giveaway sites more than once! That’s not all we have in common. I have special challenges gardening where I do because I live in a condo and Rich has similar issues because he gardens in an apartment setting. I know I and my readers can learn some things from his experiences. I conducted this interview after Rich had moved into a new apartment complex where he was allowed to garden outside and also place some of his plants in the shared spaces inside the building. In his old apartment he had been confined just to his own apartment – his new liberation flourished into a lush indoor and outdoor environment that I’m certain must be good for the mental and physical health of the other human residents not to mention local animal life. I was impressed!

Apartment gardening!
Apartment gardening by Rich Reed

CH: How did you first get interested in plants?

RR: My interest in plants had to have started when I was a little kid. My Dad would take my sister and I to summer camp down in Pevely, Missouri every year from the time I was 8 years old up until I was 13 (oh, the memories!). The summer camp had two-week sessions, and there were nature classes five of the seven days each week. The nature instructors would have all of the kids go on ‘nature walks’ around the camp grounds, teaching us how to identify all of the different trees and flowers and plants….. I was instantly fascinated! I guess when you’re a kid, everything is fascinating, isn’t it? The first trees that I was able to identify from memory were the persimmon, sassafrass and sugar maple.

I also remember vividly how I was so obsessed with identifying poision ivy so that I wouldn’t catch it! So every day off summer camp, it seemed I was always trying to see if there was some posion ivy growing somewhere so I could say to myself, “Hey, I found some poision ivy!” I’m surprised I never caught poison ivy any of those years of summer camp, and to this day, I still haven’t ever caught it–nor posion oak or posion oak or anything from a poision plant, for that matter. The camp’s director one year had acknowledged my posion ivy obsession so much that I was given the ‘Poision Ivy Award’ (it was a certificate, and I can’t remember if it had a picture of the posion ivy on it or not). It gained a lot of laughs from all of the other kids and parents in attendance on the final day of camp.

Summer camp was also the place where I learned to identify my very first two flowers: the trumpet creeper (also known as hummingbird vine) and the Queen Anne’s Lace (also known as wild carrot). I remember being thrilled by the trumpet creeper’s bright red-orange trumpet-shaped flowers so much that I never forgot it! And as for the Queen Anne’s Lace–well, firstly, the name just sounded cool! Plus, I liked how the little white flowers looked like cotton balls from a distance. Except when I was a kid, I always spelled it wrong: ‘Queen Anslays’. So anytime I see these two flowers on the side of a fence or along a highway somewhere, it always brings back so many warm memories of summer camp. To this day, the Queen Anne’s Lace remains as my #5 favorite flower (yes, I have a ranking) behind the lavender, hyacinth, lilac (I favor the purple flowers!) and forget-me-nots.

During those summer camp years, my interest in plants had increased again while I was in 6th grade at Ladue Junior High School. My then science teacher, Ms. Perrin, assigned the class to do a leaf project. Basically, all we had to do was find about 20 leaves, attach them to a poster board using plastic wrap or clear contact paper (I chose the latter because it was easier 🙂 and write a description under each leaf identifying what it was. I remember overdoing it somewhat, as I had more leaves than the poster board could handle. I’m pretty sure there was a sugar maple in the group.

So yeah, summer camp and science class laid the foundation for my future gardening 🙂

CH: Where do you get your plant material?

RR: From everywhere! The main source of my plants, seeds, gardening equipment and what have you came from this wonderful phenomenon called Freecycle! People giving stuff away for free to others who can reuse them instead of throwing them away and filling up earth’s landfills–it’s an awesome thing! I have to thank my good friend Star for introducing me to Freecycle about a few months after I moved into my first apartment back in 2012. Once I realized that a lot of the members on Freecycle were gardeners and often were generous plant givers, I became hooked and have been using it as a source for other gardening material ever since.

Of course, I do my fair share of shopping in the gardening departments at places like Lowe’s and Home Depot or additional supplies. You can only get so much free stuff from Freecycle 🙂

CH: What is it like having so much more space to garden in now? You have a considerable amount of outdoor space to work with plus the apartment building has nice big atria with room for plants indoors. Your new apartment has a nice big window too.

RR: It is soooooooooo great having a lot of space to work with in my new apartment! My old apartment on Bellevue had almost no outdoor space, except for the empty patches of green in front of the property and the green space bordering the back parking lot. I wouldn’t have been able to do any serious outdoor gardening there if I wanted to, although I did try to raise some tomatoes, eggplant and strawberries in pots near my designated parking spot. Nope–wasn’t working. And something kept eating my eggplant! I was so disappointed. So I basically restricted myself to trying to grow everything indoors, but with very little success.

But thankfully, my landlord here at my new place has given me the freedom to basically fill the stairway landings indoors with whatever plants I want! So most of those plants from my old apartment that weren’t getting enough sunlight? Well, they moved in with me and they’re much happier now. The inside of the building has practically become my own little greenhouse!

As for my apartment unit itself: yes, the big window in my living room area is perfect for growing things as well because, as it faces at a bit of an angle, it gets great exposure from the sun as it rises in the east in the morning and sets in the west during the afternoon to early evening. And since the area is much wider than it was in my old apartment, I have many more options for growing things besides just common houseplants.

Though the absolute BEST thing about my new place is having the freedom to finally be able to plant outdoors! I feel liberated and free, like I can do anything I want! Having so much land to work with is an exciting thing, and I want to plant everything I can possibly get my hands on! It’s like a playground for me, or a big science lab where I can play with stuff to see what works, and if it doesn’t, I can always try something else. It’s like, I can finally express myself in gardening the way I really want to.

CH: What are the challenges of gardening in an apartment setting?

RR: There are so many challenges! The main thing would be trying to garden within the rules and regulations of the property itself. Like certain plants that may be harmful if touched or may prove to be too invasive (like English ivy or mints) may not be allowed. Thankfully, my landlord allows me to plant the mints. Some landlords may have their own landscapers who take care of all the gardening, in which case, everything would be restricted to just raising houseplants indoors. And of course, one has to consider the safety and health of the other tenants. So leaving gardening equipment laying around, which could potentially lead to an accident, or tracking water and dirt and bugs into the building are a couple of potential dangers.

The other challenges come with gardening inside of an apartment unit itself. There’s the confined space to deal with–usually near any windows that get sufficient sunlight. But there’s often not enough sunlight, so that eliminates just about all of the exotic sun-loving plants and fruits and veggies. Can you imagine I was actually trying to grow pumpkins inside of my old apartment in a tiny 4-inch clay pot? Not happening. Even tried a little indoor pond (it was actually a fish tank filled with tap water) with some water hyacinth floating atop it, but that didn’t work either. Goldenrod? Didn’t make it a week. Cannas? Well, they grew, but no blooms. And why did I even have a banana plant in my bedroom when the shades were down almost half the time? I even thought a couple of evergreen shrubs would look good in my old living room. Yep—they too ended up in a friend’s compost bin. So with an apartment with no outdoor space available, you have to think small and simple: a few herbs, a few mints, a couple of nice houseplants or two….. I always say if I could grow every fruit, vegetable, plant and flower in the world, I would, but that’s simply not possible in an apartment setting.

The other challenge is more of a mental one. It’s like, you know that you love plants and flowers, yet every time you get up in the morning or come home from work, you see this small amount of greenery growing out of little containers, deep down wishing you could be doing a whole lot more with it. It plays on your mind some, and honestly, you sometimes might even get jealous of other gardeners who do have all of the outdoor space in the world to work with. So it almost forces you to find a different avenue to flex your gardening muscles, so to speak: a church community garden, a relative’s backyard….. Or to just move into a different home altogether, which I eventually did, but for more reasons than just for gardening 😉

CH: How do your neighbors react to your efforts?

RR: There are mixed reactions I get from my neighbors—both the tenants inside of my apartment building and the people living up and down the street. Most of my neighbors are in awe and in love with what they see. A few think that the way I have the flowers arranged look a little junky. Some seem to be indifferent and show no reaction at all when I see them walking past me to get into their car or to get something from their mailbox. My landlord is very happy with what I’ve done, and has even pitched in to help get the gardens looking more professional. But in general, I believe everyone who sees what the property has become since I started gardening in April are pleased that there is actual greenery of some kind taking shape when there was absolutely nothing there (except for a few boring yew bushes in front of the property and some old walnut trees in the back of the property) for years and years prior to my arrival.

CH: I imagine the fact that you are out there a lot working makes it easier to meet neighbors. Have you formed some good new relationships through the garden?

RR: Oh yes! Me being outside with a shovel in one hand and a water hose in the other has given me lots of opportunities to interact with my neighbors, and as a result, I’ve formed a few new relationships with others who are not only gardening enthusiasts, but also have an appreciation for organic living, which is another interest of mine in addition to gardening and freecycling. A very good neighbor of mine who lives right across the hall from me, who coincidentally is also named Carolyn, encourages me all the time to keep adding beautiful plants to the building, and has also generously shared some organic produce from her church’s garden with me. I even have a little helper occasionally named Brian who’s only 8 years old, but sometimes helps me water the plants and get rid of weeds. And there’s at least three other neighbors who have already expressed interest in helping me plant some things in my vegetable garden either this fall before the first frost comes, or when spring rolls around again next year.

CH: Although you don’t have as much produce as you’d like yet, you mentioned sharing some of your produce with neighbors. Do they share things with you because of the garden, such as plants, recipes, tips, etc.?

RR: Absolutely! As I mentioned, there’s my neighbor Carolyn, who shares her organic produce from her church’s garden. And she also has given me some extra planters and plant stands. But I also get plants and produce from other neighbors as well. Someone gave me some hot peppers recently and a while ago, another donated some aloe vera, even though I already had plenty! And I get a never-ending supply of gardening tips and recipes for things on an almost daily basis—even some from the landlord himself! It’s great!

CH: Have you noticed any change in the wildlife around the apartment since you started the garden? For example are there more or fewer insects, birds, etc.?

RR: That’s an interesting question. I do see a lot more squirrels, rabbits, bees, dragonflies and wasps, yet it seems nobody else sees these things at all. Supposedly, there’s an owl near the property, but I haven’t seen him yet. I do see raccoons occasionally, but not very often. And despite some of the neighbors’ fears that my raspberry plants will attract snakes, I haven’t seen any of those either. I will say that, for the most part, my gardens haven’t been attacked by insects and other critters, although I suspect there are some slugs chewing holes in the coleus in the front of the building and something snacking on the tomatoes in the vegetable garden. Maybe there’s just not that much wildlife in this part of Maplewood.

CH: What personal goals does the garden help you work toward?

RR: Ah, another good question. All of this gardening is giving me a whole lot of experience, so I am now looking to get into landscaping of some kind professionally. I didn’t realize how much I would love actual gardening living in that old apartment for a couple of years, but as I learn more and more and my passion for it grows and grows, I feel like it’s time I’ve taken that passion to a whole new level.

I’m also wanting to become more self-sufficient. Growing my own produce and not having to go to the grocery store anytime I want some kale for my stews or some parsley for my Eggplant Parmesan….. I think vegetable gardening is a lot more challenging than regular flower gardening, because what has to be taken into consideration is that you’ll be consuming what you grow, so care has to be taken on minimizing or doing away with altogether those pesticides and herbicides, knowing when to harvest—there’s so much to learn!

Most importantly, I just want to live a healthier lifestyle, and that’s where my interest in organic living comes in. Of course, one is only able to do so much when you’re on a budget, but I try to do the best I can. Good health starts with good eating, I’d say, and growing organic produce is a nice way to promote that while being able to reduce the number of trips to the produce department at the grocery store.

I look at plants and trees and insects and animals so much more differently now than I have in the past. It’s no longer something just to look at because they look interesting; it’s something to really embrace and to take care of. So additionally, gardening helps me to get out more to enjoy and appreciate the environment!

CH: What benefits do you think the garden and plants have for the people and animals that share your environment?

RR: Of course, there are the many physical health benefits that come with plants: food, natural medicines and remedies, oxygen….. But then there are the many mental health benefits for people as well. Seeing all of the bright and interesting colors and shapes and designs—observing something beautiful has a way of lifting one’s spirits and inspiring the mind. And gardens have a way of introducing a sense of peace and tranquility to the landscape–a kind of paradise to get lost inside of.

CH: Do you belong to any gardening or plant organizations or do you have close friends or family that you can share your interest with?

RR: Presently, I’m not a member of any official plant/gardening organizations, but I would someday like to fit that into my already busy schedule. However, I do have many friends and relatives to share my gardening interest with, namely my Aunt Vera, who has been my #1 inspiration to garden from the beginning, my best friend Jerry, my friend Matt, plus the many fellow gardening enthusiasts I’ve connected with through past Freecycle transactions.

CH: Where do you get your gardening knowledge from? Books, internet, trial and error, word of mouth, gardening clubs, visiting gardens, all of the above?

RR: ALL of the above! Though I would say I get the most knowledge from simple trial and error. Actual hands-on learning is the best way to learn anything, I think. Seeing what works and what doesn’t….. I do a good deal of Internet surfing and read lots and lots of articles on how to grow certain plants; I don’t do too much in the way of books, with everything being so digital nowadays. Learning from other fellow seasoned gardeners is always a great help. And sometimes, I like to take little drives to different parts of St. Louis to observe other people’s gardens and to get ideas for what to do with my own. So all of these are good learning tools.

CH: Do you have other hobbies?

RR: Too many, in fact! When I’m not outside gardening, I like writing (mysteries are my thing, but nothing published yet), computer gaming and traveling (when I can find the time). I also happen to be quite the eclectic music lover and CD collector, so I can go from listening to jazz, blues and New Age music one minute to 80’s hair band rock, country, techno and disco the next; there’s always something different playing in my car when I’m out on the road.

CH: Will it be hard for you to leave your garden if you ever decide to move or will you enjoy starting the whole process again?

RR: I’ve thought about this a lot since I started outdoor gardening for the first time in my life this year. I really would eventually like to move into a house with my own yards someday, once I’ve gotten some things in order, though much of that would bank on my career direction. Though at the moment, I’m content in my tiny spot right here in Maplewood. But should there be a drastic change in my life—for better or for worse—I believe it would initially be hard for me to leave everything behind because I’ve already put so much of my time into the gardens that have been created. Maybe harder if I had to move into another space with no outdoor gardening space whatsoever. But perhaps just as hard knowing that I’d be leaving behind the people whom I’ve bonded with through my gardening. With a new house, though, I could at least begin again from the ground up, and that was part of the fun and excitement that I had when I first broke ground in my vegetable garden way back in April.

CH: Thanks Rich for taking the time for such thoughtful and helpful answers!

PS: I conducted a second interview with Rich in 2017 for a new article. Read it here! Adventures in Indoor Horticulture With Rich Reed

Route 66 Gasconade Bridge

Route 66 Gasconade Bridge
Here is a press release about an endangered historic bridge on Route 66 in Missouri:

“Hazelgreen, MO: Route 66 enthusiasts from all over the world will gather at 3:00 p.m. at the west end of the Gasconade River Bridge near Hazelgreen, MO on Saturday, March 14 to voice their support for a Missouri Route 66 and Ozarks icon, that being the bridge across the Gasconade River in Laclede County, Missouri. This ever-growing group of organizations and concerned individuals has worked tirelessly to save this bridge, including, at this point, seeking to have the bridge placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Over 200 people are expected to attend the rally. Having recently received notification that the bridge is indeed eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, the Lebanon-Laclede County Route 66 Society (LL66), a 501(c)3 nonprofit, has come forward as this group’s supporting organization moving forward.

Following the 3:00 p.m. rally, attendees will meet with other activists, historic preservationists, members of the Route 66 Association of Missouri, Laclede County Government Officials and officials from the state to discuss the Gasconade River Bridge and what can be done to save this historic structure. This meeting will be held at 5:00 p.m. at the Lebanon-Laclede County Library, located at 915 S. Jefferson St. Everyone with questions, specific interests, or desired involvement in the bridge is welcome to attend. The intent of the meeting is to discuss plans of action, forming of a committee, and discussion of any developments or findings since the last rally in December 2014.

View video on YouTube: Help Save a Route 66 Landmark! MoDOT closed the Gasconade Bridge in Missouri

Despite the fact that it was relatively short-lived as a highway, US Highway 66 (Route 66) is, without a doubt, the most famous road in America. It is important in the history of US transportation as the first national highway linking Chicago and Los Angeles, but its significance in American history is much more far-reaching. Route 66 is symbolic of the major changes in American life during the first half of the 20th Century. These changes included the proliferation of automobiles, the development of roadside culture, and the westward migration of Americans during the depression and post-war years. However, more than anything else, Route 66, the Main Street of America, the Mother Road, has become an icon of progress, hope, opportunity and adventure in America.

One of the reasons Route 66 is such a strong visual and physical experience is because of the way it was designed and engineered. Unlike new interstate highways, which are more efficient and meant to handle thousands of cars at high speeds, Route 66 has a more human scale, and as a result, people feel more physically connected to it. It is narrower, tends to have grassy shoulders (which means less pavement) and motorists can drive it more slowly without slowing the flow of traffic. As a result, the landscape unfolds instead of whisks past.

Scenic Byway Routes like Missouri Route 66 have value not only for aesthetics and preservation, but also as a way to promote desirable forms of tourism and increase income in regions. Foreign and domestic tourists alike are interested in visiting the various points of interest, and the natural wonders of the physical and cultural environment offered along the Missouri Route 66 Corridor. Economic development opportunities in the Laclede County Route 66 Corridor are greatly based on corridor travel experience, as well as land uses and infill opportunities in the various communities.

Intact bridges may be contributing features of large historic landscapes, or may be considered as individual resources. Intact bridges and individual sections of roadway may be representative of early engineering, workmanship and changes in road-building techniques during the period of significance, and of common patterns of use. These resources are important as tangible links with specific events and emerging technologies, such as completion of the first stretch of 4-lane highway Route 66 in Missouri, as well as for their overall role in the development of the highway system. The presence of intact historic roadways and bridges can also serve to strengthen connections between other types of resources, such as landscapes and groups of buildings.

The Gasconade River Bridge is significant because of its actual experience of the road, the kinesthetic experience that is dependent upon a sense of place created by intact landscapes as a contributing property along Route 66.

The Gasconade River Bridge has the ability to evoke a sense of place and experience. This historic structure, dating to 1924, is fully intact and reflects its period of significance, making it a perfect candidate for the National Register of Historic Places. The goal of this group of concerned citizens, passionate Route 66 enthusiasts/preservationists is to ensure the restoration and preservation of this historic Route 66 Bridge.

“This bridge personifies Route 66 through the Ozark region,” states Roamin’ Rich Dinkela. “Even if you’ve never heard of Route 66 you know when you see this bridge that you’re seeing a living part of history. Much like the Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis, this structure reels in people from all over the world. I know it sounds crazy, but people young and old have a hunger for history. What will they learn about if this bridge and others like it are replaced with homogenized, sterilized, lifeless concrete structures? Nothing! They’ll see it in a book and wish they could have experienced it. As they thirst for more knowledge about our historical byways, they will gravitate toward the regions that make preservation a priority. We can do this; we can save this bridge.”

Tens of thousands of tourists, mostly traveling abroad from other continents, descend upon the Mother Road ANNUALLY to live and experience the past. To these tourists, it’s the dream of a lifetime. Replacing the bridge with a modern structure would alter the canvas of Route 66 through the Ozarks, consequently interrupting that dream. According to a Rutgers University study released in 2012, more than 5 million people live and work along Route 66, more than 85% of Route 66 tourists visit historic places and spend over $38 million a year in Route 66 communities! Route 66 tourism boasts annual gains of $262 million in overall output. Our historic landmarks and pieces of infrastructure such as the Gasconade River Bridge should be kept available for tourists to experience.

Samples of testimony from around the world:

Anja and Wolfgang Werz (Germany): “Several thousand tourists from Germany traveled each year the Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica. An important reason for them is to ride on the trail of American history, including historic bridges such as the Gasconade River near Hazelgreen, MO. If all the historic attractions of Route 66 are gradually removed, it is for the tourists no longer interesting to come to the U.S. and travel The Route 66.”

Monique and Willem Bor (Netherlands): “Many tourists from the Netherlands like to drive the Route 66 and see all the old buildings, bridges and stretches off Route 66. Please be careful with the remaining attractions because else tourist will no longer be interested in Route 66. Lately many old motels are disappearing, they were demolished or they burned down. Preservation is very important so… preserve the historic Gasconade Bridge!! Be proud of what’s still there!”

Publicity is the most instrument force we can ask for. We want to make sure our community is seen and heard. Missouri’s historic infrastructure is important, and right now it’s in the most critical condition. Our leaders need to recognize the need for maintenance and preservation of our aging highway system. While we still have these historical structures around, it’s imperative we preserve them for the sake of our growing communities. It’s not just a bridge, it’s not just a road, it’s a landmark. People tell stories about it, pay thousands of dollars, fly thousands of miles to see it, and they marvel over it. What will we leave behind for our children? Help us fix our historic structures. Help us get the attention of Jefferson City and Washington DC. We look forward to seeing you at the rally!

Concerned parties are also encouraged to sign a petition to save the bridge.”

New Recycling Guide for St. Louis County, Missouri

recycling_guide_web_graphic

For the last several months I’ve been working part time at Schnarr’s Hardware in Ladue, MO. Part of the work I do there is helping with marketing. In order to attract potential customers to our web site and social media outlets, I wrote up a Recycling Guide and created the graphic above to make links to it easier to share in social media. I also made a short url and QR code for those on the go or who only see the graphic and can’t click it.

This project is an example of content marketing. Content marketing is a way to build a relationship with potential customers by providing information that is relevant to them. I tried to make the content of the Recycling Guide relevant by including information on how to recycle items we sell in the store or items that are closely related.

Content marketing can be effective when other forms of advertising are getting overlooked. If you think about what your customers need to make their lives easier it can help you think of ideas for content marketing.

Fit and Healthy on Route 66: Carondelet Park

I belong to a Meetup group called Let’s Hike and recently we went for a group walk at Carondelet Park, the third largest park in the City of St. Louis. The Village of Carondelet was founded in 1767 and was incorporated into the city of St. Louis in 1870. Carondelet Park was dedicated on July 4, 1876. To get to the Park from Route 66 if you are traveling East to West, take Gravois through the South St. Louis area. Shortly after turning onto Chippewa, make a left turn on Morganford then another left on Holly Hills Blvd. On the way you’ll pass through the Bevo neighborhood with the famous and historic Bevo Mill and across the street from the park you’ll see some really unique and beautiful homes. This Route will take you a little bit off of Route 66 but you’ll get a look at some really authentic living neighborhoods that you won’t see anywhere else.

The most iconic feature in Carondelet Park is the Boathouse overlooking a popular fishing lake. There is another lake plus interesting walls and other stone constructions here and there. There are recreational amenities such as horseshoe pits, ball fields, a playground and nicely paved trail for pedestrians and cyclists circles all. It took our group one hour to circle the park twice on foot. Apparently this is also a great spot for birdwatching – check out these photos! If you walk toward the recreation center on the East side of the park and cross the railroad tracks, you will see a very attractive bridge to the north.

Carondelet Park is being linked to the Great Rivers Greenway system via the new River des Peres: Carondelet Connector. This should be complete very soon and when it’s done you’ll be able to get on your bike at Carondelet Park and take the the River Des Peres Greenway all the way to Route 66 at the intersection of Watson Road and River des Peres Blvd. – the round trip would be formidable but doable for experienced riders.

There are plans for improvements at Carondelet Park that sound very interesting, including something very intriguing to me personally, bird habitat development. Get news about what’s going on the park from the Friends of Carondelet Park Facebook page.