Sauer Castle.

Urban exploration in Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas
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Scout
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RE: Sauer Castle.

Post by Scout »

I went by there last night. Unfortunately, it was dark, so many details were hard to see. For the legitimate historical viewer it is very sad that the place is so closed off. Certainly the neighborhood is decrepit, but it didn't look too dangerous. The place looked accessible but had ominous "Beware of Dog" signs. It looked very hard from the front to access without being seen, except at night and I didn't get a look at the back. I may go back again today. I'd like to see it in daylight.

The house itself is certainly impressive. So is the location if no longer the setting. Spectacular views of the metroplex must be available from that tower in every direction. I'm sure it's awesome.
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Re: Sauer Castle.

Post by Scout »

We went back today and saw it in the daylight. It is an awesome structure and there are some other interesting houses in the vicinity. The views of KC Metro and the Kaw are not as impressive during the day, but at night during the Christmas season...WOW!

Special shout-out and thanx to N8LO for the great directions there. And now the surreal part...I did some of my growing up in KC. My Dad worked for Sinclair-later ARCO oil company. The tank farm he pretty much took care of is only a hop, skip and jump from the castle. You basically just go down the hill and into the bottoms. I spent many hours growing up down at Dad's work doing various things and also in the Argentine district, which is where it was. You could walk all over the Argentine in those days. Though we moved out to Overland Park pretty quick, we lived for a year just north of the Argentine on Maple Hill-before the houses fell into the mines right by the school I was to attend.

Sometimes things are kinda weird.

Oh, and I agree, in daytime especially, I wouldn't try getting into the Castle. Too many risks involved.
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Re: Sauer Castle.

Post by hearse driver »

were you on kcurbex, scout? i seem to remember that screen name...... wasnt very friendly.
the're only homeless at night , during the day, there just outside....
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RE: Sauer Castle.

Post by Scout »

No. I am certainly not a regular there, nor have I ever been. I expect "Scout" is a pretty common moniker for Kansas City websites. I use it on several forums myself, but it is relatively hard to get because it seems semi-popular across the web for a handle.

Just looked it up in my little black book of handles and passwords. I am registered on KC Urbex. My handle there is The Last Boy Scout as opposed to just Scout. It looks like I tried to get Scout but it was already taken. At any rate, I can't even recall having posted there so the likelihood that I am your villain is about 1%. lol
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hearse driver
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Re: Sauer Castle.

Post by hearse driver »

ok cool just checking.......
the're only homeless at night , during the day, there just outside....
''thats what happens , light out there , dark in here''- Slim Jim
''yes for the last time, i just put my fucking wheel on with a hammer....''
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Re: Sauer Castle.

Post by redox »

So scout, who is that avatar? A photo of you taken in Branson?
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RE: Sauer Castle.

Post by Scout »

Confederate General Jo Shelby of Waverly, Missouri. He was famous in his time, but is little heard of overall in this day. He and his Brigade rode off into Mexico rather than surrender.
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RE: Sauer Castle.

Post by j walsh »

This is especially to pryrate.. in your desire to enter Sauer castle, you do not stand alone. I was raised 1/2 mile down the streetknew them When Mrl Berry owened it I met him once when I was a child. He protected the house fiercely do to his love of it. I was about 23 when he died in 1986-87 and went to the family auction. There were huge ammounts of pricless antique furinture, china, 1912 Harley Davidson...it was so cool. I sat on the castle front porch that afternoon and remembered the 1000 of times driving by the castle as a child and what its future would hold. Sauer's great grand child, Carl Lopp still owns and as I'm sure you have read about his many years of struggle to restore the home I would love KC residents to protect and support Mr. Lopp in his venture. The house may hold many mysteries and some creepiness. but if you were on the porch that day, with me, maybe you would feel the same as I do..to see this home restored to it's originial grandness. Please stop encouraging people to trespass the more damage done to this beautiful property the less chance any of us have of getting close to it. The care taker now sometimes passes out candy on Halloween. Or perhaps contacting Mr. Lopp MAY get you an invitation. I don't believe the place is haunted. I should know I grew up there. There is also no underground tunnel there, and the shack in the back was not for slaves. By that time slaves were free and Kansas was always netural. Thanks for your time Sincerely Janet of KCKS. :
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Re: Sauer Castle.

Post by Scout »

J Walsh, thank you very much for your post. I did a lot of my growing up in Overland Park-yet I'd never seen the castle, that I can remember, until the other night. I'm about your age.

I note that you've been a member since '05, yet you haven't posted. I apologize in advance if any of this is already known to you. After having lurked here some and then joined, one thing that stands out about this site is that the explorers or trespassers, if you will, are nearly fanatical about "leaving nothing behind but tracks and taking nothing but pics". Any stealing or vandalism spoken of on these pages is met with the utmost scorn. I don't know what the mods would do, but the members would literally drive somebody out who was doing anything bad to an old landmark, such as the Sauer. Heck, I've seen them flame people mercillessly just for tagging in an old sewage tunnel! Imagine the uproar over any stealing or vandalism of a historic structure that is private property.

I agree that there are many urban legends surrounding the place. The view from the whole neighborhood is breathtaking. Wish I'd known about it back in the day. I'd liked to have attended that auction, though I was impoverished at the time.

I love posts like yours. Thanks for sharing.
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Re: Sauer Castle.

Post by Nicotti »

Scout wrote:Heck, I've seen them flame people mercillessly just for tagging in an old sewage tunnel!
We're like a pack of rabid hyenas waiting to pounce, when it comes to that stuff. :D
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RE: Sauer Castle.

Post by Willard »

Hey Scout, I think you read J Walsh's join date. It's actually Jan. 5, 2008. WR just has the date posted differently then what we're used to seeing
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RE: Sauer Castle.

Post by j walsh »

Thank you so much for your reply. I think I boowsed a min. on this site a couple years ago, then found you again the other day when I was looking for updates on sauer. I read what everyone had to say and had to join. I love the fact that so many people are intrested in the property and If ANY of you get a chance to go in please include me. I have tried to contact the owner also but with no luck. It's nice to find ozark, apperantly it has good people with good topics. Talk to ya soon. Sincerely JW
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Re: Sauer Castle.

Post by Scout »

You're right, I mistook the day for the year. And FWIW I wasn't dissing anybody for being immaculate in their trespass. I think it's a good idea to not mark stuff up or break or take things. I'm sure that's why I didn't get to look at Menninger's on the inside-it's been heavily vandalized.
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Re: RE: Sauer Castle.

Post by Lost and Found »

j walsh wrote:This is especially to pryrate.. in your desire to enter Sauer castle, you do not stand alone. I was raised 1/2 mile down the streetknew them When Mrl Berry owened it I met him once when I was a child. He protected the house fiercely do to his love of it. I was about 23 when he died in 1986-87 and went to the family auction. There were huge ammounts of pricless antique furinture, china, 1912 Harley Davidson...it was so cool. I sat on the castle front porch that afternoon and remembered the 1000 of times driving by the castle as a child and what its future would hold. Sauer's great grand child, Carl Lopp still owns and as I'm sure you have read about his many years of struggle to restore the home I would love KC residents to protect and support Mr. Lopp in his venture. The house may hold many mysteries and some creepiness. but if you were on the porch that day, with me, maybe you would feel the same as I do..to see this home restored to it's originial grandness. Please stop encouraging people to trespass the more damage done to this beautiful property the less chance any of us have of getting close to it. The care taker now sometimes passes out candy on Halloween. Or perhaps contacting Mr. Lopp MAY get you an invitation. I don't believe the place is haunted. I should know I grew up there. There is also no underground tunnel there, and the shack in the back was not for slaves. By that time slaves were free and Kansas was always netural. Thanks for your time Sincerely Janet of KCKS. :
i also grew up in the area, and i was there at that auction as a kid too. i remember going inside with a group of people and making our way to the top of the tower to get a look from up there. i looked directly north and the view was beautiful even as a little kid, i wish i would have looked east and seen what downtown looked like.

if i remember correctly they had a celebration or something of the sorts there when i was a kid also, im guessing it was when they put it on the national register of historic places maybe, maybe im wrong. but i do remember being there in the front of it with alot of people around. if you could chime in here and possibly let me know what it exactly was...i'd greatly appreciate it.
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Re: RE: Sauer Castle.

Post by redox »

Scout wrote:Confederate General Jo Shelby of Waverly, Missouri. He was famous in his time, but is little heard of overall in this day. He and his Brigade rode off into Mexico rather than surrender.
I think you're pulling my leg. But I must admit, that's one nice beard...
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