Historic Northeast Mansions - Volume 11 - Herman F. Schmelzer Home

This home was built by Herman F. Schmelzer at the turn of the last century.   Originally standing at 3218 Gladstone Boulevard, this home was moved diagonally across the street by R.A. Long- one of three he relocated to clear the land for his own home's construction.  The R.A. Long Home later became the Kansas City Museum.  The address now is 3401 Gladstone Boulevard.

The Schmelzer home is second from the left in this picture.  Both of the houses on the left were moved to make way for the R.A. Long mansion.  Another was also moved but does not appear in this picture.

Herman F. Schmelzer was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1866.  His father had established an arms business in 1857 and Herman, when grown, joined the firm.  The Schmelzer Arms Company moved to Kansas City in 1886 and expanded into sporting goods. Herman was vice-president and secretary of the company.

When I say the home was "moved" across the street... it means exactly that.   Jack up, placed on huge wooden beams and pulled by mule teams.   The job was done by Grant Renne and Sons... a company that is still in business today, although they no longer move homes.   Below was the crew during the process.

The home is now on the market.  Someone had purchased it, gutted a lot of it and then was unable to complete the job.  Below are pictures of it as it is today.  A lot of original features remain.

 The picture above shows where the original address, "3218", was chiseled into the rock.  The "3" and "2" are most easily made out.

 Front rooms, the entryway is on the right in the above image.  Below, all pocket doors are still in place.

                                                                   Above, the kitchen.

                                Above, stairs to second floor.  Below, rooms on the second floor.

                                   Above, third floor landing.  Below rooms on the third floor. 

                                         The roof is at least 15 feet higher than the ceiling.

               Third floor was most likely servants quarters.   It was an apartment for years.

                   For information on this home contact Dylan VanGerpen:  dylanvangerpen@kw.com

                                                    Above and below, the front entryway.

Along The Indian Mound Trail

This shows the abundant springs along the Cliff Drive Scenic Byway in Northeast Kansas City.   All are located along the Indian Mound Trail which runs below Gladstone Boulevard from the East Entrance to Cliff Drive all the way to White Avenue.     Take a break from Winter :)

North Terrace Lake In Winter

                                  These shots were taken two years ago after a light snow.

Merry Christmas

                              Concourse Fountain in Historic Northeast Kansas City Missouri.

Stalagmites

Concourse Fountain, Historic Northeast Kansas City

Historic Northeast Mini-Mansions Volume 5

Built in 1903 for the President of the Cherokee and Arkansas Lumber Company this home now belongs to Josiah, Mickie, and their new daughter Kathryn.   As with many of the larger homes in Northeast it had been sub-divided into apartments after the war.  Josiah and Mickie, in many cases, had to take rooms down to the studs to restore them completely.   Many of the furnishings in the home are treasured family heirlooms .

Above, the entryway had to be completely redone due to extensive alterations when it was converted to apartments... the leaded glass windows in the house are original.

 The leaded glass pocket door on the right is original.  The doors on the left were obtained from Architectural Salvage.

                  The light fixture in the dining room came from Josiah's grandmother's house.

 The kitchen was one of the rooms that had to be taken down to the studs... the cabinets are from the house next door...

                         Play room/family room.... the small blur at the round table is Kathryn.

 The second floor.   Once a bedroom this space is now a family room... Mickie's library is in the small area on the right.

                                 Above and below Kathryn's room which is very well used.

 The second floor hallway looking into the bathroom which, shown below, was created out of another bedroom and what was the original tiny space.

                                   The bathroom also has a door onto a second floor porch.

 Above, the master bedroom and, below, the stairway to the first floor.   The third floor is a work in
                                          progress and is only used for storage now.

The home sits on Gladstone Boulevard in the Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood.