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Florissant Featured in ‘This Place Matters’ . . .
MO Mainstreet Connection Roadshow
Photos and story by Nichole Richardson
Florissant Old Town Partners, Historic Florissant Inc., and Old Saint Ferdinand Shrine were included in the “This Place Matters” Missouri Main Street Connection statewide roadshow on Sunday afternoon, May 19. Many local Missouri communities held special events to highlight historic sites in their area, and MMSC staff, local Main Street executive director members, and preservation representatives were on tour with the road show to visit the selected sites. From buildings and battlefields to Main Street and mansions, Missouri’s historic treasures tell the story of a diverse heritage.
Missouri Main Street Connection’s May 2019 theme was “Celebrate Preservation Month!” and the featured historic sites in the area were Painted Effects Contracting in Ferguson and the Gittemeier House and Old St. Ferdinand Shrine, both located in Florissant.
At 10 a.m. Sunday, Painted Effects Contracting hosted a “Historical Wood Window Repair and Restoration” class, where guests learned the parts of a window, why original windows are more sustainable than new windows, and how to restore double hung windows that are rotted or need new insulation. Bob McCarty, a historical window preservation contractor demonstrated techniques.
At noon, there was a high tea held at the Gittemier House. Patrons also enjoyed sandwiches and local company while learning about the rich history behind the home. Franz Gittemeier, of Germany, and his wife Gertrude Gerling, of Prussia, built the two-story brick house after Franz returned from the California gold mines with enough gold dust to buy fifty acres of farmland. Together they raised ten children in the now historic home.
In 1938, Mrs. Mae Pondrom purchased the property in 1938 and her family remained there until Shell Oil Company bought it in 1990. The 1860s farmhouse was scheduled for demolition but because the community expressed its desire to preserve the house, Shell asked Historic Florissant, Inc. to assume the responsibility of restoring and maintaining the house. The restoration was directed by architect, Philip Cotton, Jr. and Albert Gettemeier, a great-grandson of Franz was the restoration contractor. Currently the office, bookstore, and Resource Center of Historic Florissant Inc. are located in the Gittemeier House and the remaining space is used as a house museum.
To round out the day, the Old St. Ferdinand Shrine hosted 2 p.m. tours to celebrate its 200th year. Old St. Ferdinand Shrine and Historical Site is owned, preserved, maintained, and protected by Friends of Old St. Ferdinand. Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 1959.
