Lost Valley

[silverstreak]

Originally homesteaded in the 1800s by various groups of settlers including a group led by Francis Howell. The villages of Hamburg and Howell were thriving in the early 1900s in the southeastern part of St. Charles County along the banks of the Missouri River. Then, as the United States prepared to enter World War II, the Department of the Army, under a state of emergency, acquired 17,232 acres of land which permanently displaced the villages and surrounding farms. Many of the homesteads were razed, and paths were made along existing roads for army vehicles to pass. After coming across this old powered tracker (the ruins of it) I proceeded, and followed the power lines to a creek crossing where the barbed wire fences have obviously been in place for nearly 60 years as seen in the overgrowth. (I love seeing nature reclaim fences like this) Then I found a frame to an old Model T off in a creek half submerged. Several stone foundations later, I came across the awesome remains of a house. All that was left was this stone fireplace just sitting in the woods right off the path.

[ropingk]

I went to school at francis Howell but never knew anything about this great pictures

[Beatlepants]

Those are some great pics! The fireplace is the one you pass out on the Lost Valley bike trail. I've always wondered as I pass it what story is behind that fireplace. Lost Valley is a great place to get out and explore. 1)A great bike trail. 2) Wonder around the woods and you're very close to the old Equadome site, Mechanical City, Public Works, Etc!

[SubLunar]

Those are some great pics! The fireplace is the one you pass out on the Lost Valley bike trail. I've always wondered as I pass it what story is behind that fireplace. Lost Valley is a great place to get out and explore. 1)A great bike trail. 2) Wonder around the woods and you're very close to the old Equadome site, Mechanical City, Public Works, Etc!

Ah, thanks for that information! I'll be hitting up that bike trail as soon as it's warm enough out. Sounds awesome.

[archinstl]

Great photos!
But - it's not a Model T frame.
This is an area we tried to sneak away and explore when out there in the '60s on Guard training; as a Plt Sgt, I had a jeep - but never made it.

[DerSchnickelfritz]

Those are great photos! There is so much in the way of hidden gems out in the Weldon Springs/Lost Valley/Busch Wildlife area, just out in the woods.

[shigno]

This is the fireplace & chimney located on the Lost Valley trail, Weldon Springs Conservation area. Source for picture and Info: tntstory.blogspot.com





Owners: O. P. and Kate G.Hampton
Hampton was clothing department manager at the Scruggs-Vandervoort-Barney Department Store in St. Louis.
Location: 693334 4284001
Acreage: 59.04
Contract price: $2,750
Property condemned on April 14, 1941
Condemnation price: $800
Today: Other government records refer to the structure pictured below as a "vacant club house." The standing chimney is clearly visible on the left of the house. The photographer walked off the road, in back of the house, in order to take a front view of the structure.

The photo stapled to the inventory is not covering any further information.

[Beatlepants]

Wow, incredible find!

[shigno]

This has seen by many who hike or bike on the Lost Valley trail.
Originally built by the Kaut family, turn into a Officers club (Weldon Springs Ordnance works), then a Boys & Girls scout camp.
History on this spot is from: thetntstory.blogspot.com





















Owners: William and Grayce Kaut
1940 Census: Willliam Kaut, age 56, superintendent - shoe factory
Grayce J. Kaut, age 46

Arch Turpin, age 29, caretaker
Clara Turpin, age 39, caretaker
Location: 693547 4283952
Acreage: 73.86
Contract price: $42,288.86
Property sold on January 6, 1941
Today: stone grill still stands and top two feet of rock wall behind gas pump are still visible.

This home was nearly new in 1940. It was owned by William and Grayce Kaut. Kaut was the general manager of the Brown Shoe Company in St. Louis and the inventor of two shoe production machines. Their home indicated a level of wealth uncommon in the area. There was even a caretaker's home on the property. The Kauts had their own gas pump with an underground storage tank.

In testimony in United States Circuit Court in 1942, William Kaut described this property as follows: "[It was] a park, not a farm. We worked that [acreage] for seven years to put it in shape. The residence was a ranch type house of logs, ten rooms, air-conditioned, had three baths, very fine baths; lavatory and toilet off the game room; slab floor all . . . a ten-room house. Also a barn one hundred feet long and twenty-seven feet wide. It was all rock. The water-works there was also a rock building, with built-in laundry and shower, and also an underground room 14 by 16 for storage, with a two thousand gallon oil tank and filling station and water pipe."


For many years after World War II, the former Kaut home was used as a Boy Scout lodge. The buildings were finally destroyed in the early 1980's. This painting was done in 1980 by a former scout, J. T. Foster, who had attended many scout gatherings there.

[archinstl]

As I've mentioned in another thread, being a Boy Scout ca. 1950 +/- and having visited Weldon Springs many times in that era, I'd never heard of a Scout camp/lodge there.
This is all news to me.
I wonder - since my troop was based in Kirkwood and the County and City troops belonged to the "St. Louis Council," if this camp was for the use of St. Charles County troops only, which is why I've never heard of it?
My Dad stayed in the BSA for many years after I did (prob at least 20) and never mentioned this Weldon Springs camp.

Thanks for the photos and info!

[shigno]

[quote]As I've mentioned in another thread, being a Boy Scout ca. 1950 +/- and having visited Weldon Springs many times in that era, I'd never heard of a Scout camp/lodge there.
This is all news to me.
I wonder - since my troop was based in Kirkwood and the County and City troops belonged to the "St. Louis Council," if this camp was for the use of St. Charles County troops only, which is why I've never heard of it?
My Dad stayed in the BSA for many years after I did (prob at least 20) and never mentioned this Weldon Springs camp.

Two different areas mentioned.

The Boy/Girl scout camp mention above is located in the Southwest quadrant of Weldon Springs Conservation area. 2 miles Northwest of the Lost Valley trail Parking lot. I read this 1950's scout troop may have been comprise from the employees of the Ordnance Plant.

In another thread, I posted a 1930's Boys camp or some type of company lodge (swimming pool picture), not sure which, yet. It is located on the Southeast area of Weldon springs conservation area.

[Meester Beeg]

As a Boy Scout in the late 60s/early 70s I camped in Lost Valley many times. The Lodge was beautiful. Slept in the bunkhouse a few times and our troop had our own campsite on the upper areas of the property along the fence separating LV from the Army Reserve site. Woke up one morning to tanks along the fence.
There is also a dry lake appropriately called Dry lake on the area and an abandoned farm housewhich has chains with restraining rings in the walls in the cellar. I would imagine this is gone by now. legend had it this was the home of "Mad Myrtle" and the "Headless Horseman" roamed the cemetery there.

I had maps to the entire area at one time which showed all the roads and trails but gave them to the Scout troop.

The St. Louis area Council of BSA comprised of troops from the City, STL County, ST. Charles, Jefferson, Warren, Lincoln and Franklin counties in MO and the surrounding counties in IL. If your troop was in Kirkwood, you should have been going there.

As I recall the lodge burned in the late 70s or 80s and then the Conservation Dept bought the site.
I keep saying I will go back but never have.

[archinstl]

The only places my troop, #323 (1925) of St. Peters in Kirkwood went were "day visits" to Weldon Springs Wildlife (name?) as mentioned and Irondale for summer camp. As I was getting out in 1953+, Beaumont was just starting. I think we camped there only a couple of times for weekends only - it was pretty primitive.

I called a public school buddy of mine who belonged to #17 (1917) of Ladue Presbyterian church, and he does not recall a Weldon camp either - he was a little later than me, belonging in late '50s.

From your description and the photos of the place it sounded pretty neat.

The next time i get together with some of my GS buddies I will have to ask them about Weldon - can't believe I never heard of it (nor did Dad ever mention it) - but it's true.

[Meester Beeg]

I imagine when you were a Scout Lost Valley wasn't a Scout area yet.

[wwolf]

Has anyone tried metal detecting the Weldon springs area? My troop 325 also in Kirkwood made a day trip there a few years back too. It seems like you could find some pretty cool stuff there.