The city of Crestwood is taking bids to see what it could cost to move a 200-year-old historic log cabin from Affton to the Historic Sappington House in Crestwood, doubling the number of Sappington houses at the site.
The nonprofit Sappington Foundation has raised nearly $100,000 to move the house, but no one really knows what it could cost since a similar log cabin move has not been done that often.
In March, aldermen approved a nonbinding letter of intent 5-0 to move the cabin after new owner Jim Freund offered to donate it if the city covered relocation. John Sappington was a cousin of Thomas Sappington, whose 1808 brick home is the centerpiece of Sappington House Museum.Freund has given the city until Aug. 1 to move the cabin or has threatened to sell it to a buyer outside St. Louis County.
With no historic preservation ordinance in St. Louis County and a wave of developers looking for sites to build, unincorporated South County is losing some historic structures as three separate structures are under threat of being torn down and one is already gone.
The oldest house in Oakville, a stone farmhouse off Fine and Telegraph roads known as the Fine-Eiler House, was torn down by its owner earlier this year a fact that was revealed when the property came up for zoning for a new McBride Homes subdivision. Two other historic buildings known as the Kassebaum Building or Sessions Building could follow, since QuikTrip proposes tearing them down to construct a gas station at 5040 Lemay Ferry Road. The Concord Farmers Club has been purchased by Lindbergh Schools, although there are currently no plans made for the historic building that stands on the property.
Two outdoor concert fundraisers will raise money for two Sappington Houses callnewspapers.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from callnewspapers.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A 200-year-old cabin is one step closer to possibly making the move to Crestwood after the Board of Aldermen approved an ordinance last week for an engineering firm to study what it would require to transport the cabin from Affton.
The 1816 cabin once owned by Joseph Sappington at 10734 Clearwater Drive is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Aldermen voted 6-2 April 20 to contract with consultant Case Engineering to review what would be involved in transporting and moving the house.
The study does not commit the city to actually moving the cabin to the Historic Sappington House Museum, 105 S. Sappington Road. The nonprofit Sappington House Foundation will cover the consultant fees which are not to exceed $26,000 using private donations the foundation has deposited with the city.
Plans to move a historic log cabin from Affton to Crestwood moved ahead as the Crestwood Board of Aldermen approved a letter of intent for the $200,000 relocation plan at a special meeting last week.
The board voted 5-0 with two abstentions March 30 to move forward with possibly moving a historic log cabin to Sappington House.
Ward 1 Alderman Richard Breeding, Ward 2 Alderman Mary Stadter, Ward 4 Alderman Tony Kennedy and Ward 3 Aldermen Greg Hall and Scott Shipley voted in favor. Ward 1 Alderman Mimi Duncan and Ward 2 Alderman Justin Charboneau abstained. Ward 4 Alderman Ismaine Ayouaz was absent.
The letter of intent is nonbinding, but shows the city is still interested in the project. Crestwood has until May 25 to make a final decision whether or