Mad in Pursuit Notebook
Historic Castlewood, Missouri
Old Castlewood is one of those enchanted places that exists now mostly in the memories of Baby Boomers. Every weekend we watched our hard-working parents kick back for beer and barbecue, while we kids got to roam unsupervised through oak-tree woods and along the cliffs overlooking the Meramec River. The video below was captured from old 8mm film and shows my family at our clubhouse on East Hill Drive, about 1947.
It started out as a Meramec River resort community back in the early 20th century, an antidote to St. Louis summer heat. Its geology is unusual -- the river and train tracks were separated from the clubhouses [summer cottages] by towering cliffs. This kept the clubs safe from Meramec flooding and gave them a woodsy seclusion perfect for bootlegging and gambling.
Today neat cottages still line the old back roads and a state park preserves the cliff views and wild riverside. But the old landmarks are gone — the icy sulphur springs swimming pool, Lincoln Lodge, the Lone Wolf Club, Nig's, Dickinsons, St. Elizabeth Church, Breit's.
Not much official history exists on Castlewood. But, as I've written about it here, many people have come forward with their own memories. I'm trying to assemble them all here, putting together history as I go.
General memories received from emails
Places
- East Hill Drive including All-Inn
- Meramec River/Lincoln Beach, including Lincoln Lodge
- New Ballwin Rd including the Lone Wolf, St. Elizabeth's Church, Crossroads, Bill Breits, Dickinson's
- Sontag Rd including the swimming pool
Google map below:
***
THE SUDDEN SILENCE: A Tale of Suspense and Found Treasure (2015) Thailand: lovers of ancient treasure tangle with international black markets. Delia Rivera pulls Martin Moon back into the game and their quest turns deadly. In paperback and Kindle editions.
TRIBE OF THE BREAKAWAY BEADS: Book of Exits and Fresh Starts (2011) Time after time, Mary asks herself: Do I go or do I stay? She finds her power in her ancestors: Smart women turn discontent into action. An illustrated memoir in paperback and Kindle editions.
PASSION AND PERIL ON THE SILK ROAD: A Thriller in Pakistan and China (2008) The twin forces of revenge and redemption drive Nellie MacKenzie and Taylor Jackson on a crazed adventure into the heart of Central Asia. They grapple with issues of ethics, trust, rage, and bitter heartbreak -- as well as the intrigue of the international antiquities trade. In paperback and Kindle editions.
Connect:
All pages in this website by Susan Barrett Price are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. [The snowstorm image at the top of this page came from Wikipedia, under a Creative Commons license.]