'Taj Mahal of McDonald's,' built in 1976, demolished in Springfield

The McDonald's outside Battlefield Mall — the largest in the country when it opened in Springfield in 1976 — has been demolished to make way for a new set of Golden Arches.

The store at 1607 E. Battlefield Road had been razed as of Thursday afternoon, with final debris being tossed into trash receptacles.

That's quite a different spectacle than what was seen in March 1976, when the restaurant opened. McDonald's executive Ray Kroc dubbed it the "Taj Mahal of McDonald's," according to News-Leader archives.

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The next year the restaurant, which was owned at the time by Joseph M. Post, won a national decor award in the "best new store" category.

The News-Leader was unable to contact the current owners Thursday. The new store is scheduled to open in August, according to a billboard at the site.

The original theme for the restaurant resembled old farmhouses and had a total seating capacity of 225. It had four dining rooms, three of which had fireplaces, a large planter and a fountain.

"The newest McDonald's is a first in many respects," News-Leader archives article states. "A French country atmosphere and the latest in equipment have been maintained."

The "kitchen" dining room had a wooden pegged floor, a 10-foot oak table with individual dining chairs and a fireplace wall complete with authentic relics, including a copper chestnut warmer, French milk can and a wooden bread paddle. The room also boasted an early 19th century German porcelain stove.

Then there was the 18th century "public room." A pair of stained glass windows separated this room from the "kitchen" dining room. The fireplace was adorned with pewter mugs, a pewter-handled pistol with a powder horn and a medieval water clock.

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The "library" had a carpeted area encircled with a leaded glass railing and another fireplace. It was adorned with cottage curtains and sets of books in a bay window. Guests could look out the bay window to the park with a bubbling stream flowing underneath a small curved bridge and ending in a lily pond.

Additionally, there was a garden room, where water falls cascaded from a brick and copper fountain and joined with an abundance of greenery.