Rolla/Newburg/Dixon

I've seen a few threads on this topic around here, and rather than restart an old thread, I thought I would ask in a new one. I'm currently a student at MS&T, and I'm wondering what sights to see in the area. Specifically, I would like to model this area set in the 40's at some point down the road when I'm done with the degree and have a place to build. So my question for all the MSM, UMR, and S&T alumni, and anyone else familiar with the area, what areas should I get pictures of, and what should I try to visit before I leave? I've seen people say Houston House, but I don't know if its still open or who to contact.

 

One item that I would add, just kinda neat, the WPA came in during the "Depression Era" and laid brick in some of the "cut's" north of Rolla. In places that looked like it might fall, brick, just like a "brick wall" was added in between the limestone rock to stabilize the layers of rock.
Its one item that's unique to the area, I haven't seen that anywhere, and I've seen a lot of railroad.
I am just thinking, up by Sullivan or St. James.
Really neat area, good luck.

 

Finished the EE and CPE degrees a couple of years ago. I was dumb enough to stick around for a direct Ph.D. in ME, so I'll be around for a couple of years. I did start another thread around here a while ago about the Salem, Winnoa, and Southern, which I also plan to model (going to be a big project eventually). I've studied the history for a few years, and I've been over to Newburg and Dixon a couple of times. I'm trying to figure out what to absolutely make sure not to miss. I saw the Newburg historical society signs, but haven't made it there yet. I plan to take the canoe down the Little Piney and get some pictures in that area. I know about the furnace, but I couldn't figure out who owns the property now to get to it. I haven't read up much yet on Dixon Hill, but I've read everything I can find on Rolla. I know it was double track through there, and from the old pictures I can find and track in the weeds, there were other industries. Anyone know who to talk to in town for that kind of stuff?

 

Jim, a person can only see that from the track. I went up through their with the Jorden Ditcher, got called by every official on the railroad, "Don't touch the bricks"
It is such a neat place, imagine layers of limestone, dug out by hand and then brick in mortered to hold in place.
Most of what can be seen, is from the bottom of the ditch about four feet high, a layer of natural rock, then maybe two feet of brick and soforth. The cut is maybe twenty feet high. Some thought must be given to the WPA work crews who installed it, my grandpa said he worked through the Depression for 50 cents a day for the Frisco. I would venture to say "no one has touched it" what a prize.

 

Ken covered things pretty well with his list. I have not been back to Rolla since 1995, so not sure what is gone now. I believe the wooden overpass south of downtown is gone, correct? Along the lines of "have to be on the track to see" like the brickwork in the cuts north of Rolla, there is a cut south of the Bow Wow dog food plant (still there? rr location was called "Sills"), this cut being full of MSM-UMR alumni intitials and grad years back to the early 1900's. Back in 1990 or so, rail traffic was sparse enough that a couple of us walked the right-of-way from Sills to Newburg behind westbound train #171, waited for eastbound #172 to pass Newburg, then hiked back up to Sills. The Frisco depot was torn down summer 1987...I saw it in March that year and figured I would extensively photograph it when I returned to start UMR in August. (Wrong.) The team track pad next to the 10th St bridge dates to summer 1989, it was a summer job project for my CE college buddy working for BN. I cannot think of much in terms of historical significance that still exists other than the railroad bridges and the iron furnace remains. UMR did have a lot of Frisco info in the Western Historical Manuscript Collection, and the library had an extensive collection of Frisco company magazines.

Ted Ferkenhoff
BS-MetE UMR '93

 

Daniel,

Most of the must see places close to Rolla have been covered, unfortunately not a whole lot of unique structures or industry left from Frisco times. I would recommend exploring the Army branch all but two of the original timber trestles have been replaced, but Bunkhouse trestle and the trestle below Devils Elbow still exist, but at some point in the future they will be replaced as well. Newburg, the old Dixon Hill grade are both interesting to explore, there are a number of stone arch bridges on the old grade below Franks Switch. They are deep inside private property, but I have post a number of photos of these in a prior thread. A little further east is Cuba with the old Lead line, it has been embargoed though and will probably never see traffic again it is an interesting field trip none the less. As far as non Frisco stuff, a little further east and south of Sullivan is the Pea Ridge Mine on a MoPac branch that runs to Cadet. Again it has not seen traffic in years with little chance of ever seeing it again, but it's neat to see how impressive our industrial might once was. To the north is the long dormant Rock Island line between StL & KC. It's almost invisible during the Summer and like everything else not much left, but there are some very impressive bridges at various locations and if the state has it's way it will eventually been another Katy trail. I live in Dixon if you need directions or anything shoot me a private message and I can give you further details.

Brad Slone

 

The dog food plant is still here and operating. I may take the liberty of having the railroad service it when I finally get to building. Its going to be interesting as there are going to be some modern buildings since I'm here now, not in the 40's, but I like the 40's because there were more trains, and steam. I guess kind of thinking what if some things changed, but not all. The other interesting thing no one has mentioned is Bray Conservation area. I don't think its existed more than maybe 15 years, but its out on Bridge School road. Its an old farm that backs up the the ROW. One of the trails leads to a very large concrete culvert marked 1932. Also a lot of telegraph poles still there. I'll try to get pictures the next time I'm out there. Looking at some more pictures has lead me to some more questions
First, I can find pictures of Rolla when the Depot was still here and after the 10th street bridge was built, but they all seem to be looking west. They show two tracks, with a third leading to the grain elevator. The elevator closest to 10th is still there. The other I can see in the background is gone now, and seems to have been replaced by meeks hardware. What I'm wondering is, how far did the double track go in both directions? How was it set up before it became single track through Rolla? Also, over where Walnut/18th crosses the tracks, you can see the remnants of track in some bushes. There's a large drainage hole at the end of them now, but was this part of the double track through town, or was there a business there? I haven't been able to find any pictures of that end of town yet.
Secondly, is there a map anywhere of the yard at Newburg before it was torn up? Looking at satellite images, its easy to see the turntable pit and roundhouse outline, but I haven't figured out how the small yard was set up, and how engines go to the table. I've seen the pictures in some other threads, but I'm having trouble since the picture looks like the roundhouse is perpendicular to Newburg and the Little Piney, but google maps image seems to have it with the back toward Newbug, and the table in front between the roundhouse and the Little Piney. Thanks

 

Regarding "double-track" in Rolla, there were never two main tracks in the Rolla area. Rolla used to have a long, CTC-controlled passing siding, which started at 7th Street and stretched east to the present east siding switch way north of 18th Street. In 1991 or 1992 (would have to go through slides to determine exact date), BN cut back the siding to east of 18th St, allowing just enough of a runaround for the local to use when switching the feed mill. This was part of a program all along the Cuba Sub to remove passing sidings located in the middle of towns, BN favoring remote sidings such as Rook and Dillon for meets.

Bow Wow dog food used to be located downtown at 7th St. You can see the elevator (as well as the other buildings) in many of Mike Condren's early 1970's photos on his website.

Ted Ferkenhoff
BS-MetE UMR '93

 

Much of the reason for remote sidings, cost of maintainigs street crossings. Cabooseless operation, no need to cut the crossing for a back up pickup move. No need to pickup orders, at the depot, its via radio. Lost to the future

 

I didn't realize the dog food factory use to be in downtown. Its now off on the edge of town on Bridge School Road. I don't know if its the same company or not. I would guess it is (or the newer one grew out of the older one). I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the explanation. I've been sick for a few weeks, so I had a chance to track down the fire insurance maps. The ones from about 1910 are interesting. Unfortunately, they don't show anything past about 12th street heading east. I didn't realize there use to be a track running up behind the depot as well. I guess that explains why the bandstand area of town is set up as oddly as it is. Thanks for all the useful information. I'll try to post pictures when I get a change to go take some.

 

William Jackson, thank you for the history on the brick retainment walls. In August, 1980, I was on 32 from Springfield to Lindenwood and that brick work caught my eye. I had wondered if it may have dated back to original construction. You solved a question from many years ago.

 

Daniel, as I see it there are two major things you have the opportunity to learn while you are in Rolla that will be more difficult to learn later on. I grew up in Rolla and wish I'd had the good sense to do these things back then. Now that I'm a twelve hour drive away, research is a good bit harder.

First, you can get a spatial sense of the place. Driving the existing rail lines, taking lots of pictures of the places (preferably in multiple seasons), and seeing abandoned things like Newburg Yard and the old Dixon Hill alignment. Your pictures (and memories) will help you create a model of it that "looks right."

Second, you can discover what was or wasn't there in the '40s. This is where you have to be prepared to do a little digging in the Library. Get yourself down to G-3 of the MS&T Library and meet the people from the State Historical Society. They can be your guides on this quest for photos and records. Not only do they possess the Frisco corporate records, they probably also know everywhere else in town you can find photos for your period. Getting copies of those photos will be invaluable in creating believable towns that aren't full of anachronisms.

If you were EE a few years ago you might know my dad, he was chair of EE then. Also, good luck with the degree! Just remember, the difference between ABD and PhD is not intelligence or ability, but persistence!