Chatillon–DeMenil House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chatillon–DeMenil House
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The Chatillon–DeMenil House in 1936
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 Location in Missouri
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| Location | 3352 DeMenil Place (13th Street) St. Louis, Missouri |
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| Built | 1848-1863 |
| Architect | Henry Pitcher |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001673 |
| Added to NRHP | June 9, 1978 |
The Chatillon–DeMenil Mansion is a famous historic house in St. Louis, Missouri. It's located at 3352 DeMenil Place in the Benton Park area. The house began as a smaller home in 1848 for a pioneer named Henry Chatillon. Later, a well-known St. Louis businessman, Nicolas DeMenil, bought it. He greatly expanded and changed the house between 1855 and 1863.
Today, the mansion is a house museum. It's considered one of the best examples of Greek Revival architecture in the entire Midwest. This means it looks like ancient Greek temples with columns and grand designs.
Contents
Building a Historic St. Louis Home
The land where the house stands was once part of a large property. It belonged to Odile Delor Lux, whose family helped found Carondelet, Missouri. In 1848, Odile married Henry Chatillon. Henry was quite famous because he led an expedition for Francis Parkman. Parkman wrote about his adventures in a book called The Oregon Trail.
By 1849, a simple house was built on the property. It was a two-story brick farmhouse with four rooms. It had a basic, one-slope roof.
The DeMenil Family Moves In
Even though Henry Chatillon was well-known, he sold parts of the land in 1850. In 1855, he sold the rest of the property, including the farmhouse. The new owner was Nicolas DeMenil. He was a French doctor who had married Emilie Sophie Chouteau in 1836. Emilie's family were among the founders of St. Louis.
The DeMenils first bought the house with another family in 1856. By the start of the Civil War, they decided to live there all year. They bought out the other family's share. The DeMenils then hired Henry Pitcher, a skilled builder. He helped them remodel and expand the house in the grand Greek Revival style.
The Chatillon–DeMenil House is surrounded by many other historic buildings. Nearby are the former Lemp Brewery and the still-working Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The famous Lemp Mansion is also very close, just north of the house. The area is part of the Cherokee Street Antique Row.
Renovations and Grand Expansion
Nicolas DeMenil made big changes to the house. The western side of the house was made 12 feet (about 3.7 meters) wider. This new part had three stories and two porches. It might have also included a carriage house, where horse-drawn carriages were kept. All these renovations were finished by 1863.
Over time, more buildings were built around the house. Nicolas DeMenil himself helped finance some of this development. Because of the new buildings, the view of the river from the house was blocked. So, the main front entrance was moved to face 13th Street. In 1879, beautiful railings and a porch were added to make the new entrance look even better.
Nicolas DeMenil passed away shortly after the new entrance was completed. His son, Alexander DeMenil, inherited the home. Alexander lived there until he died in 1928. A third generation of the DeMenil family moved into the house. However, the quiet countryside around the house had become a busy city neighborhood. So, they moved out in 1940.
Caves, Decline, and Restoration
In 1940, a local medicine maker named Lee Hess bought the house. He turned it into apartments, keeping one for himself and his wife. Hess was especially interested in the large system of caves under the property. He opened these caves as a tourist attraction. He named them "Cherokee Cave." These caves were open to visitors until their entrance was removed when Interstate 55 was built.
Prehistoric Discoveries
Inside the caves, the remains of a prehistoric animal called a peccary were found. This was a type of wild pig. A famous paleontologist (a scientist who studies fossils) named George Gaylord Simpson moved into the house. He used it as a base to study the ancient animal remains in the caves. These cave systems had also been used in the 1800s by the nearby Lemp Brewery to store beer.
By the 1950s, the house was in bad shape. There were even plans to tear it down to make way for Interstate 55. However, in 1961, the highway route was changed. This allowed the house to be saved by the Landmarks Association of St. Louis. The Union Electric Company helped buy the house and supported its renovation. The Missouri Department of Transportation also agreed to the plan.
In the summer of 1964, renovations began. Architect Gerhardt Kramer oversaw the work. The house was officially opened again the next year. The Landmarks Association created the Chatillon–DeMenil House Foundation. This foundation now owns the house and continues to run it as a museum.
