Springfield has a rich and beautiful history. Many historical landmarks still stand today, showing us a glimpse of what life was like for Ozarkers before us. Others have been replaced with newer buildings and homes. We spoke to a local historian about some of the sites that are no longer in Springfield and found some amazing places from our city’s past. Here are 9 things we wish still existed in Springfield!

The Colonial Hotel

The beautiful stone columns that once graced the entrance to The Colonial Hotel at St Louis & Jefferson (1907-1997 razed) were put in storage by the owner when they widen Jefferson. They were later used to flank the entrance to Phelps Grove Park. They were later move to open air stage just west of the Springfield Art Museum. The columns are the only thing still standing from this grand hotel. Incidentally in this photo taken in the mid 1920’s (courtesy Springfield Greene County Library) the view is looking South down Jefferson Avenue towards the YMCA Photo

The Metropolitan Hotel

Built in 1870 by Col. F.S. Jones at a cost of $26,500. At one time John O’Day owned the hotel. It was located on 306-316 W College (approx. 348 W Park Central today) Next to Mr. Biggs across from Springfield Business Journal – It’s a lovely parking lot today. (courtesy Springfield Greene County Library)

The Normal School

The next time you are over by Cherry and Pickwick and you find yourself having a bite to eat and or drink at Tea Bar & Bites Bakery and Café, B + B Boulangerie & Fair-Weather Cafe and or Cherry Picker Package x Fare, look across the street where Imo’s Pizza is and all the houses are down to Monroe street are located and try to envision that the beginnings of Missouri State University was across the street.

In 1890 when the Greene County Poor Farm was moved from the area, Pickwick Place was developed. The developers also founded the a Street Car Line called the Kickapoo Transit Company which ran from Grand and Pickwick to downtown. In 1894 J.A. Taylor started Normal School and Business College ~ bound by Cherry, Pickwick, Monroe and Weller.

Although it was a beautiful building, financially it was not very successful. By 1905 it had been acquired and call State Normal School No.4. Soon thereafter a new building was constructed where Carrington Hall is today. The old school was was disassembled in 1916 and the bricks were used to build some of the homes in the area.

the Ozarks Hotel

Here is the story of the Ozarks Hotel. The hotel was built on the NE corner of Benton and Commercial Street – just across the street from where Eurasia Coffee & Tea is today (the home of Frisco Opera House.) There had been older wooden version that burned in the early 1870 right after the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad came to town. In 1879 this grand structure was built as the gateway to Springfield. Situated just SE of the Frisco Depot it was the first building you would see after leaving the depot. Naturally this was ideal location for the Frisco Offices as well.

So from 1879-1910 the Frisco Offices were located there till they moved to their new office at Jefferson and Olive. It was also around this time the Frisco Depot at Mill & Main would become the main station.

In the late 1910s and early 1920s the hotel was home to Kings 6 and 1 Tent Company. By 1927 the historic building (48 years old) was in bad shape and not insured. And in true Springfield fashion it caught fire as so many wonderful buildings have in this town.

The owner of the building tried to salvage the building, but by 1931 the building was finally raised.

Today there is an empty lot and an old gas station in its place.

Perkins Grand Opera House

located at 867-71 N Boonville (pre-48 address)

P. B. Perkins, the builder and owner of the Perkins Grand Opera House, the builder of the Springfield Water Works and the Perkins Foundry. Col. Fellows, a man of boundless public spirit, whose building enterprises in the last seven years cover close to half a million dollars, says: Only unity, enterprise and public spirit are needed to make Springfield one of the foremost cities in the West.

THE PERKINS GRAND OPERA HOUSE, a theatre, two music halls, and half a dozen private halls and pleasure resorts, afford the amplest opportunity for social, intellectual, musical and dramatic entertainment. The Perkins Grand Opera House, completed and furnished in the spring of 1888 by P. B. Perkins at a cost of $75,000, has a seating capacity of 1400 and for the completeness, elegance and perfection of its finish and appointments ranks with the finest opera houses in the West. It is modern in every detail and a complement to its public spirited builder and the city.

R.L. McElhany – President, Charles Brooks – Treasure, F.S. Heffernan – Manager. (courtesy Springfield Greene County Library)

Phelps Grove Lake

As many us were never were alive to see the beautiful lake at Phelps Grove Park – Here a photo of the lake in the 1920’s looking from the middle of the Springfield Art Museum parking lot towards S. Pennsylvania. The lake was there from 1914-1928, it was drained due to raw sewage seeping into it from subdivision to the north.

The Pickwick School

In 1908, Architects Reed & Heckenlively were hired by Normal School (now MSU) and Springfield School Board to build a “model school.” It would be used to help develop class work for rural schools. $7,000 in bond money was set aside for the project. It was to be the first public building in Springfield that was built using concrete blocks. The building was 49′ x 49′ and a story and half high. It was divided into three classrooms and a reception hall. Normal School would supply the teachers at no cost to the school. The school opened on October 5, 1908 with 87 students.

The school was a great success! So much so the enrollment was exceeding the school’s capacity. In 1916, the school board voted to build a new school in the playground area of the old Pickwick School. O.L Brettner of Drury was named to be the architect. The school would be constructed at a cost of $40,000 and would hold 600 students. In August, the board decided to change the name of the new school from Pickwick to N.M. Rountree.

The school was set to open around August and September, but due to shipping delays of materials the opening was delayed all the way to Christmas of 1917 with grand opening taking place the 3rd week of January 1918. In the summer of 1918, Henry Proserpi purchased the Pickwick School for $250. He disassembled the building to use the cement blocks in other houses and buildings in Springfield.

Fairbanks Hall on Drury Campus

Fairbanks Hall was built in 1876 with a $15,000 gift from Charles Fairbanks in memory of his son Walter. It was the boys dorm at first and by the time of the photo it became the women’s dorm.

What is so very sad is 1978 when the building was just 102 years old they school did not wish to renovate the building for $180,000. Instead they spent $18,000 to make a green space.

The Hughes House

Here is the home of Harry H Hughes at 1355 N. Benton Ave. Mr Hughes was a mine operator with mines in Southwest Missouri and Mexico. He was very successful and had several patents for processing zinc ores.

In Fall of 1903 Mr. Hughes hired G. M. Shumaker & Sons to build his new mansion at 1355 Benton ( later 1451) at a cost of $20,000. See Springfield Republican NP art 11/22/1903.

He needed this larger home for his growing family! When he had this built he was 37, his wife Anna 26 (2nd wife), Daughter Ada 11, Daughter Ada 11, Daughter Ethel 6, Son Harry, Son George 1, and one on the way.

The house had the best mill work that money could buy all from Springfield Mill & Lumber. What a house!

A special thank you to Murney Agent Richard Crabtree for the use of these photos and the research on each of these historic places.