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 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)
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.
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
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 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 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.
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. 📻🙂
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👍
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Material cost inflation is not taken into account exotic wood and quality hardware marble labor etc. was much cheaper even taken inflation into account.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
It's NOT for you to claim his houses were not well built and collapsed or so on. The fact his houses stood firm until a natural disaster damaged it (wasn't flattened by a tornado was it) and the owners did NOT do their part in the upkeep of such a large house considering the materials used at the time. If the owners would have it would be still standing today. So it wasn't the construction or plan it was the owners lack 9f upkeep and nature's fury that broke this house down.
Hard to believe an architect with no understanding of physics, but considering con men have always been around in one form or the other I understand how it could have come to pass.
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.
You live in a condo, in a St. Louis, 'hospital'🤨?
@@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)
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.
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.
“Lacked a fundamental understanding of physics!” Lol I love it!
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.
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.
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.
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
@@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
@@jebise1126 According to the narrative, ALL of his buildings either collapsed or were torn down because they were unstable
It took a year to build Disneyland.
They built the Empire State Building in a year, and that's not going anywhere
Your videos about St Louis are really cool. Thank you!🤩
Glad you are enjoying them!
Thanks for making this video. The history behind some of these old buildings is fascinating.
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.
What is your dads name? I would love to search up some of the buildings even if they are nothing fancy
@@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.
@@loritanner4478 do you live in an alternate universe?
@@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.
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.
My great grandparents lived there at that time I wonder if they saw it
Nice to see the old architecture and how they were built and sometimes lost because of disasters.
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.
"So sad" thanks for sharing. Can't wait for the next one
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.
📻🙂
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👍
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.
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.
How does an architect not know anything about load bearing walls?
We couldn't find any records of Clarke having obtained a degree from any university in New York.
or physics
@@ThisHouse .. great .. no degree.. scary
@@ThisHouse This generation is the reason we have SO many laws and regulations, they truly did ALOT
That was a sad ending. You really have a great presentation and way of presenting the story. 👍🏻👍🏻
I wish these were longer
MY great grandfather lost his home and life in the 1896 tornado
His place was in Lafayette square
No he didn't.
Fascinating historical building!
I can imagine how beautiful the inside looks
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.
There isn't much known about his later life. Our GUESS is that he kept a low profile in his later years.
The house was truly magnificent! It’s so sad that it doesn’t still stand today.
Helluva lot more interesting/better looking than today's post modern architecture, i.m.o. ✔
They built monuments to yhemselves they're dead and gone baby.
Good story. Thanks for sharing.
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.
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing this 👌
What a great looking house that was
Thank you!
Love this channel.How did it take me so long to find it?Love from new sub!
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.
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.
Thanks for responding. I am just getting used to the internet. Not sure which is your house. If so inclined, tell me more.
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.
Damn.. I was born and raised in St Louis Mo lol didn't even know that.
Wow! Great job
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!
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.
Material cost inflation is not taken into account exotic wood and quality hardware marble labor etc. was much cheaper even taken inflation into account.
Love this and all of your videos!
What ever happened to the mahogany front door?
We wish we knew! Hopefully someone saved it.
I love everything history from law enforcement history to military history and historical homes and places.
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.
Liked the video, great past need to be told.
What a great story!
Thank you for telling us about this house.
George Harrison had a song entitled "Crackerbox Palace".
Fascinating
Thank You
Interesting. Thanks.
I would like to see interior photos of the house. No details are given here about anything in the house's interior.
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!
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.
Thank you!!
Love this channel
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.
Thanks for the tip!
Back then folks could really pass themselves off as being a architect very easily. People were also far more trusting
I love st Louis 💕🤩 my home City
please make a video of the garrison mansion in elberon, NJ. there are several photos of it online.
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.
The Sauer Castle?
I still would liked to see it!
..i welcome you to cracker box palace......neat vid and in my birth city! :)
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….
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
This is why form over function is a bad thing but too often practiced today.
So sad. Very cool "house!"
I love your videos
I love the design, it is so striking. Shame the engineering didn't match the stunning looks.
I bet it was beautiful
Wow! Great story! What was the address?
cracker castle is nice name
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!
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.
Geez how depressing.
nice video
It's never good when a designer doesn't understand the gravity of the situation.
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.
great
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.
i''ve watched too many of these, it's amazing what gree does, all the time
Mab add satellite views of the property?
I had those crackers before I think they were called sailor biscuits they were hard but they were good
Can't believe they paid that much for the lot....didnt realize land was so expensive back then.
I can imagine the neighbors were shocked.
Clark designed and built that castle all in one year. LOL. It looks pretty stable in all the pictures. Any construction photos? Who built it? 🤔
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.
Why don't you make one for us to watch.
@@Moose803 good idea, I have been filming my renovation for 3 years, and still haven't made a video of it yet
@@alphonsobutlakiv789 where is this place you speak of?
@@Moose803 Farnham New York. It was partly built to be the village government building of the village
There is a VERY SIMILAR Italian Gingerbread Victorian in Eureka, CA., still standing.
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.
Love his ideas, too bad apparently not feasible :(
Wow
That is a crazy looking crib. Lol
That sucks, they were some nice looking buildings
Interesting vulufing
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.
2:03
It's NOT for you to claim his houses were not well built and collapsed or so on. The fact his houses stood firm until a natural disaster damaged it (wasn't flattened by a tornado was it) and the owners did NOT do their part in the upkeep of such a large house considering the materials used at the time. If the owners would have it would be still standing today. So it wasn't the construction or plan it was the owners lack 9f upkeep and nature's fury that broke this house down.
Very Good!... #154 🐄🦉🏴☠✝{4-30-2022}
I don't know what the Cracker castle was all about but l do know a human cracker when I see one🤭❤️🖤💚
Yet, we still complain about building codes and inspection.
Hard to believe an architect with no understanding of physics, but considering con men have always been around in one form or the other I understand how it could have come to pass.
He was not actually trained as an architect.
@@69eddieD Interesting. Just wondering where you got this info?
@@CLCIII The video.
@@69eddieD Watch again @ 15 seconds.
@@69eddieD You may be right though. 👍🏻