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Sappington House Museum
DESCRIPTION: Sappington House, built as a private residence, is a rare example of federal architecture in the Midwest. It is furnished with items made before 1835 and decorated as if the Sappingtons were still living in the house.
ADDRESS: 1015 S. Sappington Road, Crestwood, MO
LOCATION: In the southwest St. Louis County community of Crestwood, 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis.
PHONE NUMBER: 314-822-8171
GETTING THERE: From downtown, take I-44 West. Exit at Big Bend and go east on Big Bend about a half mile to Sappington Road. Turn south (right) on Sappington Road and go about a half mile. Sappington House is on the right just past the railroad tracks. The sign says, "Sappington Barn and Restaurant Parking" but you can park there for the museum as well.
HOURS: Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, noon-3 p.m.; last tour is at 2:30 p.m. Closed, Sunday and Monday. Closed January and holidays and the Saturday before holidays.
ADMISSION: $2.50, adults; 50 cents, children ages 6-11. Not recommended for toddlers.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The table in the dining room is set with pistol handle flatware and Staffordshire china pieces.
- No nails were used to build the house; instead wooden pegs hold its framework together.
- The bricks were handmade on the site and hexagonal hearth tiles were used in several rooms.
- A reference Library of Americana and decorative arts, located on the two and two-tenths acre Sappington site, is open the same hours as the house and can be used free of charge by anyone wanting to do historical research.
- A smoke house, necessary house, well house and small pond complete the setting.
WHAT'S FUN FOR KIDS: A child's room upstairs features antique dolls and toys of the era including jack straws, a game similar to pickup sticks but played with hand-carved wooden pieces shaped like farm instruments.
SPECIAL EVENTS: Special events take place throughout the year. Call for dates.
HISTORY: The Sappingtons were friends of Daniel Boone in Kentucky and followed him to the St. Louis area in 1804, the same year Lewis and Clark set out on their exploration of the Louisiana Purchase. When Thomas Sappington married Mary Ann Kinkead in 1808, he went to Kentucky for plans for the house. The house was built in 1808 using slave labor. It is thought to be the oldest brick house in St. Louis County. After the last Sappington left the house in 1877, a number of people owned it, but in 1884 a family named Nickles bought it. Their daughter Lily lived in the house until 1961 when the city of Crestwood purchased it.
GIFT SHOP: A gift shop in the barn carries a variety of small antiques, kitchen items, cookbooks, cloth paperback book covers, handmade jewelry and decorative items. The shop also carries a metal polish for antique silver, brass and chrome used in the museum which is made in Germany and hard to find here. Many items for sale are uniquely displayed -- on an antique bathroom heating stove, on an old clothes washing machine and on gate leg tables.
WHERE TO GET LUNCH: An excellent restaurant is located in the Sappington Barn. Lunch is served 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Saturday. The menu includes bison burgers, salads and quiche among other fare. The Barn's chicken salad is extraordinary. The facility is available for showers, weddings and private parties.
WHAT'S NEARBY: Historic Hawken House, Laumeier Sculpture Park, Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, Grant's Farm, the U.S. Grant Historic Site and Westfield Shoppingtown Crestwood are nearby.
PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: 314-822-8171
Readers should call 1-800-916-0040 to request a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitor Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com
