There are sure a lot of lessons here. Having said that I would have loved to have seen the inside back in it's day.

I live almost 5 to 6 blocks from where that house was built. I live in a condo in the St. Louis no. 1 Hospital. This is the first I have heard of this mansion home. Thanks for the history.

@rogerrendzak8055

2 жыл бұрын

You live in a condo, in a St. Louis, 'hospital'🤨?

@danharris3791

2 жыл бұрын

@@rogerrendzak8055 the original St Louis Hospital is an enormous brick building that was converted into luxury condos. My father and mother were both born there (1940&1942)

“Lacked a fundamental understanding of physics!” Lol I love it!

So many of these antique homes and gardens are so difficult if not near-impossible to keep up. What ones are not donated to trusts are eventually abandoned and torn down. I am glad we have this channel to see the history of what once was.

What a sad story. But we need to know, even when its sad. Thank you for educating us on small bit of St. Louis history.

The fact that it only took a year to build that huge castle was a big red flag that many corners were cut in the construction.

@jebise1126

2 жыл бұрын

nah not really... brick building with wood floor can be build fast and safe. or maybe it was all wood.. either way its not so big that it would need 10 year construction time

@jimrogers7460

2 жыл бұрын

@@jebise1126 I don't believe that building could go from design to completion in one year in St Loius in 1863 - not a credible story

@cliffthatcher4574

2 жыл бұрын

@@jebise1126 According to the narrative, ALL of his buildings either collapsed or were torn down because they were unstable

@MeMeDaVinci

2 жыл бұрын

It took a year to build Disneyland.

@josephambrose2852

2 жыл бұрын

They built the Empire State Building in a year, and that's not going anywhere

Great episode. At the end I was left wondering what now stands on that corner. A site visit would have been an awesome way to end the segment.

My great grandparents lived there at that time I wonder if they saw it

Your videos about St Louis are really cool. Thank you!🤩

@ThisHouse

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you are enjoying them!

Anyone back then could say they were anything and nobody questioned it. So him saying he was an architect. Doesn't mean he was one. My dad was a contractor, builder, carpenter. Many was a time he would get plans from architects and study them. Then find a bunch of faults with them. Usually structural. And would go back to the architect and show them their mistakes. My dad could draw up better plans than most of the architects in town and surrounding cities. He got so well known that if he brought his own plans to the board. They would pass them right away. My dad passed away in 1989 at the age of 53. I still pass by the buildings that my dad built.

@cameronr7223

2 жыл бұрын

What is your dads name? I would love to search up some of the buildings even if they are nothing fancy

@loritanner4478

2 жыл бұрын

@@cameronr7223 we live in a small town. Barely a speck 50 miles past the end of the earth. But people here all knew my dad. And I have missed him every minute that he's been gone.

@cameronr7223

2 жыл бұрын

@@loritanner4478 do you live in an alternate universe?

@loritanner4478

2 жыл бұрын

@@cameronr7223 no just a small town that is like on the end of the earth. Hard to find stuff. Crappy roads out. No industry anymore. Dumb people have been running things for decades. You know, the good old boys. That kind of thing. They don't let anything come into our town for good paying jobs. Pretty much retail only anymore. Kids get out as soon as they can. Was a great place to grow up in, in the 60's and early 70's. Then it went to hell. So sad to see the decline.

@jebise1126

2 жыл бұрын

yes yes... there are always civilian engineers that need to check architect work thats the norm now.

Awesome video of a house I never heard of in St. Louis.

Thanks for making this video. The history behind some of these old buildings is fascinating.

Interesting. I was born and raised in U.City. St.Louis has always had a lot of interesting architecture of just about all types. Much of it gone now, sadly. I agree with another comment, only a year to build that place is a major Red Flag 🚩❗️ Thanks for the video. 📻🙂

Nice to see the old architecture and how they were built and sometimes lost because of disasters.

How does an architect not know anything about load bearing walls?

@ThisHouse

2 жыл бұрын

We couldn't find any records of Clarke having obtained a degree from any university in New York.

@molliwilson5639

2 жыл бұрын

or physics

@molliwilson5639

2 жыл бұрын

@@ThisHouse .. great .. no degree.. scary

@moonraker30

2 жыл бұрын

@@ThisHouse This generation is the reason we have SO many laws and regulations, they truly did ALOT

He paid the equivalent of $2 million to build this but it would likely cost at least $20 million to build today. And finding the high quality of wood used would be almost impossible. It's really a shame it had to be demolished.

@ezragonzalez8936

2 жыл бұрын

Material cost inflation is not taken into account exotic wood and quality hardware marble labor etc. was much cheaper even taken inflation into account.

The house was truly magnificent! It’s so sad that it doesn’t still stand today.

@johnerwin9024

2 жыл бұрын

Helluva lot more interesting/better looking than today's post modern architecture, i.m.o. ✔

@grandcrappy

2 жыл бұрын

They built monuments to yhemselves they're dead and gone baby.

MY great grandfather lost his home and life in the 1896 tornado His place was in Lafayette square

@jonhohensee3258

2 жыл бұрын

No he didn't.

"So sad" thanks for sharing. Can't wait for the next one

I wish these were longer

That is a sad record for an architect when his buildings either collapse on their own or must be demolished because they are structurally unsound. Thanks for this bit of history, I am glad that I found this channel.

I would enjoy if you got some pictures of what stands on the old location. it would be neat to see what has become of that area.

I’ve driven through LaFayette Square dozens of times from boarded up to regentrification . That tornado was very destructive to St Louis, damaging the bridge & continuing across the river. Thank you for the interesting story. Very cool👍

Fascinating historical building!

What a lovely channel! I just happened upon it and so glad I did. I am learning so much. I can't wait to share it.

I think the building is interesting and I like that he tried to make it unique. Too bad it wasn't more solid but any building can collapse in a tornado.

What a sad story, Ken! I’m glad you shared it. What became of the architect (I use the term loosely in this case!) once his buildings starting coming apart at the seams? Going to have to have a look to see what I can find.

@ThisHouse

2 жыл бұрын

There isn't much known about his later life. Our GUESS is that he kept a low profile in his later years.

That was a sad ending. You really have a great presentation and way of presenting the story. 👍🏻👍🏻

So the third owner paid only a few hundred dollars more than the first owner paid for the lot, essentially getting the house for free. There were many such mansions around the country, built before 1880 and therefore never wired for electricity that depended on platoons of servants to keep them going. No central heating, no insulation and high ceilings made them impossible to heat. By 1900 they were out of date, obsolete, and mostly abandoned. It was these abandoned mansions commonly called haunted houses that inspired cartoonist Charles Addams to create the Addams Family as he speculated about what sort of people might live in them.

George Harrison had a song entitled "Crackerbox Palace".

What ever happened to the mahogany front door?

@ThisHouse

2 жыл бұрын

We wish we knew! Hopefully someone saved it.

I can imagine how beautiful the inside looks

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing this 👌

Have visited St. Louis. What is left is impressive, but as with so many cities, so much has been lost like the home used in Meet Me In Saint Louis. It has been a while since I have been there but the grand houses of Central West End are surviving as well as close by charming business district. Whitakers was always a treat.

@rick0e295

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for responding. I am just getting used to the internet. Not sure which is your house. If so inclined, tell me more.

Good story. Thanks for sharing.

@ThisHouse

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Such an interesting home with such a sad story. I can not imagine how at that time something so large and extravagant was completed in a year. Thank you for sharing the story of this long gone mansion Ken.

I love everything history from law enforcement history to military history and historical homes and places.

Love this and all of your videos!

What a great looking house that was

Thank you!

Been to st louis a few times . Love the old buildings there! One that was really cool was the old train station with the whispering arch!

Damn.. I was born and raised in St Louis Mo lol didn't even know that. Wow! Great job

West side of Chouteau? How does that work? Sorry for the bluntness of a quick reaction. From the map Im guessing the SW corner of Dillon and Chouteau. I worked at 18th and Chouteau in the 80s as a teen when Lafayette Park was being restored. Enjoying the channel much thanks.

Love this channel.How did it take me so long to find it?Love from new sub!

I would like to see interior photos of the house. No details are given here about anything in the house's interior.

Liked the video, great past need to be told.

Interesting. Thanks.

What a great story!

Back then folks could really pass themselves off as being a architect very easily. People were also far more trusting

Thank You

Fascinating

Thank you for telling us about this house.

Hi, I enjoy your videos. However, they need to be louder. My phone is volume is turned off up all the way but video volume is low. Thanks.

@ThisHouse

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip!

Loving your channel but...it's pronounced Show Toe (Chouteau). Yes, that's not correct but it is how the natives pronounce it. Keep bringing it!

@SandfordSmythe

2 жыл бұрын

Some of the local natives still use the correct old French pronunciations for many of their streets and landmarks. [ per Chair of Romance Languages, SLU]. I'm not sure about Chouteau, the man.

@ThisHouse

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

Love this channel

cracker castle is nice name

..i welcome you to cracker box palace......neat vid and in my birth city! :)

I love st Louis 💕🤩 my home City

Gosh I wonder if there were injuries or loss of life in the buildings he built! Be thankful he hadn't imagined himself as a surgeon!

I love your videos

I still would liked to see it!

I love the design, it is so striking. Shame the engineering didn't match the stunning looks.

I would be curious to know if this architect also designed the house in Kansas City known as the castle ?My father grew up in that home.

@ThisHouse

2 жыл бұрын

The Sauer Castle?

please make a video of the garrison mansion in elberon, NJ. there are several photos of it online.

The foundation didn’t even look safe it’s was pretty but at least the 2nd owner got to live out his years in it.

nice video

He was the perfect architect for people with more money than brains--there are still a lot of people like that today.

Ironically…. This title is perfect for my day….

Wow! Great story! What was the address?

great

It was bigger than the J J Hill mansion in St. Paul, MN. At least the J J Hill house is still standing. J J Hill was a railroad baron.

So sad. Very cool "house!"

Can't believe they paid that much for the lot....didnt realize land was so expensive back then.

Geez how depressing.

I bet it was beautiful

It was beautiful yet very odd looking proportions are all wrong the oversize soffits extend way to much on the towers no wonder the wind knocked them down! Cheers From Salt Lake City

There is a VERY SIMILAR Italian Gingerbread Victorian in Eureka, CA., still standing.

I had those crackers before I think they were called sailor biscuits they were hard but they were good

I thought Joseph Garneau owned the Cracker Castle for a time. He was known for setting a new world baking record in the form of hard-tack crackers for Union forces during the civil war.

I can imagine the neighbors were shocked.

A lesson in the importance of due diligence.

Would be interesting to see a video like this of my house, place is brick and tall Dutch town house/ plantation style I'd say, with even older stone Spanish looking barn. Complex takes up a 3rd of the little valley, and is enclosed by high rail mounds and bridges on 2 sides. Guy burned down the village and they built this place to be everything but a residence. I don't think work ever stopped or finished in all its time.

@Moose803

2 жыл бұрын

Why don't you make one for us to watch.

@alphonsobutlakiv789

2 жыл бұрын

@@Moose803 good idea, I have been filming my renovation for 3 years, and still haven't made a video of it yet

@Moose803

2 жыл бұрын

@@alphonsobutlakiv789 where is this place you speak of?

@alphonsobutlakiv789

2 жыл бұрын

@@Moose803 Farnham New York. It was partly built to be the village government building of the village

Wow

Interesting vulufing

That is a crazy looking crib. Lol

It's never good when a designer doesn't understand the gravity of the situation.

Love his ideas, too bad apparently not feasible :(

There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Yet, we still complain about building codes and inspection.

Mab add satellite views of the property?

I don't know what the Cracker castle was all about but l do know a human cracker when I see one🤭❤️🖤💚

Very Good!... #154 🐄🦉🏴‍☠✝{4-30-2022}

That sucks, they were some nice looking buildings

This is why form over function is a bad thing but too often practiced today.

If an architect designed that many of us could do much better thank goodness for the storm just my opinion

Legal

Too much of history is being torn down. It’s there so we can learn and erasing it only removes it from memory which makes it easier to repeat.

People complain about time consuming building codes and restrictions but if that architect's houses were built by today's standards they would probably still be standing today.

One might thing that if the architect did not have a working understanding of basic physics, that the builders would have and seen that in his plans. ?

i''ve watched too many of these, it's amazing what gree does, all the time