Phenix, Missouri facts for kids
Phenix is a small, quiet place in northwest Greene County, Missouri. It's not a city or town with its own government. Instead, it's an unincorporated community, which means it's a group of homes and buildings without a formal town council. Phenix is located right by Sugar Creek. It's about 2.5 miles south of Walnut Grove. It's also about 1.5 miles west of Harold and Missouri Route 123.
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The Story of Phenix
The history of Phenix is closely tied to its amazing rocks. In the late 1800s, a railroad company was building tracks. They were blasting with dynamite between Ash Grove and Walnut Grove. In 1884, these blasts uncovered large amounts of high-quality limestone. This discovery changed the area forever.
Early Days of the Quarry
A post office named Phenix opened in 1886. It served the growing community until 1942. The discovery of limestone quickly attracted attention. In 1888, an investor from Kansas City, C.R. Hunt, started a small limestone mining business. He called it the Phenix Stone and Lime Company.
For almost 20 years, Hunt ran this company. Then, in 1905, W.J. Grant joined the business. He was a marble finisher from Milwaukee. Grant saw how special the Phenix limestone was. He bought a share of Hunt's company.
Growth of Phenix Marble Company
The mining operation grew much larger over time. By 1913, it was renamed the Phenix Marble Co. This company became famous for its Phenix Napoleon Gray Marble. This stone looked a lot like a special French marble from the time of Napoleon.
With this valuable limestone, the small community of Phenix grew. It became a "company town." This was common back then. The company owned the town hall, the city park, and even all the homes. In 1902, a general store opened. A two-room school house was built in 1905.
Life in a Company Town
Workers at the quarry often received "script" instead of regular money. This script could only be used to buy things at the company store. This system meant that the company controlled many parts of the workers' lives. By 1904, the Missouri Bureau of Geology called Phenix the biggest and best-equipped quarry in Missouri. It had about 500 employees.
Challenges and Changes
During the early 1900s, Phenix Marble Company was a huge success. It was one of the largest producers of cut limestone and marble west of the Mississippi River. They produced over 250,000 cubic feet of stone each year.
However, things changed during the Great Depression. Production at the quarry stopped. The railroad tracks used for transport were no longer needed. Then, during World War II, much of the quarry's iron equipment was taken. It was melted down to help with the war effort.
Phenix Today
After the war, the Phenix quarry reopened. It was managed by the Vermont Marble Co. But it never became as big as it once was. By the 1970s, Phenix was mostly a "ghost town." Most people had left.
In 1988, David Richter bought the quarry land. He mainly used it for a gravel hauling business. Then, in June 2016, another quarry company called Conco bought Phenix from Richter. They created the newest version of the Phenix Marble Company.
