Hi, I'm currently researching the history of a building I recently purchased on 1451 E Cherry St, Springfield, MO. The building was built in 1917 and used by the D. W. Lumber Co. and later the Howell Coal Company. The lumber company owned a railroad spur. Below is a link to an article describing the building and spur, headline "Prepares for Coming Prosperity". I'd be curious to find any railroad history regarding this stop. For example, when was the line constructed? Was it even a part of Frisco at that time? What are the chances there are photos of this spur? In the link it states: "May 25, 1882, 25 miles southeast of Springfield completed." I'm wondering if this is referring to this line. (https://thelibrary.org/lochist/frisco/history/1962history.cfm) Thanks in advance for your time. Link to article describing property and railroad spur. https://books.google.com/books?id=s981AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA5-PA49&lpg=RA5-A49&dq=D.W.+Robertson+Lumber+Company+springfield+mo&source=bl&ots=zu9SMl6zKK&sig=AM_iq7Dys13IXcgC2F_t3pqWdE4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjNr4Wr6vHQAhXByVQKHRFSBz8Q6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=D.W. Robertson Lumber Company springfield mo&f=false History of the property: 1980 Cherry St Lumber Company 1970 Cherry St Lumber Company and also Central Door & Sash 1959 Cherry St Lumber Company 1948 Burgner Bowman Matthews Lumber Company, and a vacant building in the triangular lot at 1471. Prior to 1948 the street address was 1235 E Cherry St. 1946 Burgner Bowman Matthews Lumber Company, and a vacant building in the triangular lot at 1241. 1936 Burgner Bowman Matthews Lumber Company, and Gustave Widmeyer’s filling station at 1241. 1926 T.K. Gardner Lumber Company, and Howell Coal Company at 1241. Prior to 1926 the city directories don’t have a street guide, so the tax books have to be used. The land in question is Chamberlain’s Addition Block 2 Lot 24. Here are some past years and owners: 1920 D.W. Robinson, or Robberson, Lumber Company 1918 Missouri Normal & Business College with a building on it 1917 Missouri Normal & Business College without a building 1901 Missouri Normal & Business College 1893 Chamberlain Land Company
Yes, this was on the Chadwick Branch, later after the 1930s, the Ozark Branch. The Springfield Terminal Industrial track diagrams list the location you are talking about as Cherry Street Lumber No 1. There was also a Cherry Street Lumber No 2 located on the south side of Grand Avenue. It was right across the street from Hermann Lumber Company's rail served lumber yard. There is now a small shopping center on that lot.
At one time that lumber company was called the B-B-M Lumber Company. And just went by the initials. It was a white frame building and the company initials were in very large black letters. Those were the initials of Burgner Bowman Matthews. Tom G.
Is this the building that used to be Kokomo Tanning? My wife’s uncle has some interest in that and I would have never imagined that being a lumber yard. It’s wild how things will change with time.
