Station G National Register of Historic Places Application

NPS Form 10-900 OMB NO.
10024-0018
(Oct. 1990)
United States Department of the Interior

National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places

Registration Form
II.Name of Property
historic name Laclede Gas Liqht Company Pumping Station G
other nameslsite number Laclede Gas Company Pumping Station G
12. Location - - - - - --
street & number 4401 Chouteau Avenue - [ nla ] not for publication
city or town St. Louis [nla] vicinity
state Missouri code MO county St. Louis [Independent City1 code 510 zip code 63108
13. StatelFederal Agency Certification I

As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this [ x ] nomination [ ] request for
determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the
procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property [ x ] meets [ ] does not meet the National
Register criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant [ ] nationally [ ] statewide [ x ] locally. ( See continuation sheet for
additional comments [ I.)
S~gnatureof cert~fy~ng
offlc~allI ~tle Mark A. M~lesI Deputy SHPO Date
Missouri Department of Natural Resources

State or Federal agency and bureau
In my opinion, the property [ ] meets [ ] does not meet the National Register criteria.
(See continuation sheet for additional comments [ I.)
Signature of certifying officialrritle
State or Federal agency and bureau

14. National Park Service Certification
Signature of the Keeper Date of Action
I hereby cerlify that the property is:
[ ] entered in the National Register

See continuation sheet [ 1.
[ ] determined eligible for the National Register
See continuation sheet [ 1.
[ ] determined not eligible for the National Register.
[ ] removed from the National Register
[ ] other, explain see continuation sheet [ 1.
USDllNPS NRHP Registration Form
Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G
St. Louis (Independent City), MO
15.~1assification 1
Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property
contributing noncontributing
[x] private [x] building(s)
2 1 building
[ ] public-local [ I district
[ ] public-state [ ] site
[ ] public-Federal [ ] structi~re 0 0 sites
[ ] object
1 1 structures
0 0 objects
3 2 total
Name of related multiple property listing. Number of contributing resources previously

listed in the National Register. 0
16. Function or Use
Historic Function Current Functions
WORK IN PROGESSlresidential
INDUSTRYlenerqy facility
17. Description I
Architectural Classification Materials
foundation CONCRETE
LATE 19TH & 20TH CENTURY REVIVALS
walls BRICK
----.
roof STEEL
other I-IMESTONE
see cont~nuationsheet 1.
see continuation sheet [I.
NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION
See continuation sheet [x]
USDIINPS NRHP Registration Form
18.staternent of Sianificance 1
Applicable National Register Criteria Areas of Significance
ARCHITECTURE
[XI A Property IS associated with events that have made a significant contributionto
the broad patterns of our history INDUSTRY
[ ] B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.
[XI C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of

construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or Periods of Significance
represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual 1901-1956 ---
distinction.
[ ] D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, informationimportant in prehistory or

history. Significant Dates
NIA
Criteria Considerations
Property is:
[I A owned by a religious institutionor used for religious purposes. Significant Person(s)
I]B removed from its onginal location. NIA
[ ] C a birthplaceor grave.
Cultural Affiliation
I' ] D a cemetery.
NIA
( 1 E a reconstructedbuilding,object, or structure.
[ ] F a commemorative property. ArchitectlBuilder
[I G less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50 years. Laclede Gas Liqht Company
Narrative Statement of Significance

(Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.)
19. Major Bibliographic References
Bibliography
(Cite the books, articles and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets.)
Previous documentation on file (NPS): Primary location of additional data:
[ ] preliminary detemination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested 1x1 State Historic PreservationOffice
[ ] previously listed in the NationalRegister [ ] Other State Agency
[ ] previously determined eligible by the N a t i l Register [ ] FederalAgency
[ ] designated a National Historic Landmark [ 1 Local Government
[ ] recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey [ ] University
# [ ] Other:
[ ] recorded by Historic American Engineering Record Name of repository:
USDllNPS NRHP Registration Form
[l
O.(jeograp hical Data
Acreage of Property less than one acre
UTM References
A. Zone Eastina Northina B. Zone Easting Northing
0 . Zone Easting Northing
[ ] See continuation sheet
Verbal Boundary Description
(Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuati sheet.)
Boundary Justification
(Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet.)
111. Form Prepared By
nameltitle Susan SheppardlDouq Johnson, Researchers

organization Landmarks Association of St. Louis date November 17,2006
street & number 917 Locust Street, 7th floor telephone (314) 421-6474
city or town St. Louis state MO zipcode 63101
Additional Documentation
Submit the following items with the completed form:
Continuation Sheets
Maps
A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the pro pert)'^ location.
A Sketch map for historic ditrids and properties having large acreage or numerous resourn.
Photographs
Representativeblack and white photographsof the property.
Additional Items
(Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items)
Property Owner
(Complete this item at the request of SHPO or FPO.)
name Jerry KinqlStation G Partners LLC

street & number 357 Marshall Avenue telephone 314-963-9377
city or town St. Louis state Missouri zipcode 63119
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
CONTINUATION SHEET
Section 7 Page 1 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G
St. Louis [Independent City], Missouri
Summary
The Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G, located at 440 1 Chouteau Avenue in St.
Louis, Missouri, is an industrial site with three contributing elements composed of a
pump house, a free-standing valve house, and an associated natural gas storage tark. The
pump house is an elegant one-story, raised basement red brick building with an L-shaped
plan, built in 191 1 in the style of the Late 19thand 2othCentury Revivals. The gas storage
tank or Gasometer to the northeast of the building was constructed in 1901, although it
was greatly rebuilt in 1942. The freestanding one-story brick valve house was constructed
to the east of the 1911 building in 1950. The pump house is formal in appearance, with a
symmetrical front faqade, comer quoins, and low-pitched roof with broad overhanging
eaves. Many historic features of the building remain intact, including metal frame
windows, interior glazed brick, and the original walls and floor plan. Although the
original setting has been altered, the Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G site
retains sufficient integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, feeling and
association.
Site
The Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G is located at 4401 Chouteau Avenue. The
main building (photo I), or the pump house, measures approximately 88 feet on
Chouteau Avenue and 89 feet on its west side. The rear section measuring approximately
38 feet extends about 41 feet from the main body of the building. This front section of the
building, measuring about 48 feet on its east side, runs approximately 50 feet on the north
elevation before intersecting with the rear of the building to form the L-shaped plan.
Although the building is one-story, the two rows of windows across three elevations lend
the appearance of a two-story building.
Also contributing to the site is a square (10 x lo'), one-story brick valve house
constructed in 1950. The parcel also includes the large steel Gasometer to the northeast
of the building. Measuring approximately 1 10 feet tall and 2 10 feet in diameter, it was
built in 1901 and altered in 1942. A building permit indicates that a second Gasometer
(now razed) to the northwest of the building was built in 1911.
NPS Form 10-900-a OMB NO 1024-0018
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
Section 7 _ Page 2 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G
Exterior
The Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G pump house is constructed of red brick
and has a concrete foundation. It has a low-pitched roof of corrugated metal. The front
section features a hipped roof with broad projecting eaves, and three round chimney pipes
at the ridge of the roof. The rear wing of the building is a gable with returned eaves.
Although it lacks an entrance, the south elevation is considered the primary fagade
because it faces Chouteau Avenue. Because the building was industrial, access was
designed to accommodate machinery and equipment as well as workers. These utilitarian
entrances are reserved for the rear and sides of the building; a more formal and
symmetrical composition is presented to the street.
The south elevation has five bays divided by pilasters, and a partially raised basement
(image 1). These front bays are slightly larger than the bays on the sides of the building,
although they are identical in form. Each bay contains two windows with splayed lintels
and a transom consisting of three latticed casement windows. Windows and transoms of
galvanized steel are original to the building. The window pairs share a continuous
limestone sill. At the basement level of each bay is a small rectangular window, with a
scrolled wrought iron cover. Above the concrete foundation is a limestone water table,
which divides the foundation from the brick structure. There are limestone quoins at the
corners of the building. Centered in the faqade above the middle three bays is a metal
panel with the words THE LACLEDE GAS LIGHT CO. The nameplate is flanked on
either side by a simple brick diamond-shaped medallion, and a stepped brick rectangle
above the first and fifth bay.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
Image 1: Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G

Pump House FrontISouth Elevation
Image coui-tesy of the Laclede Gas Co.
The pattern of the bays-windows interrupted occasionally by doors of various sizes-

continues on the sides and rear of the building. The six-bay west faqade provides for
access to the interior of the building (image 2). Like the front faqade, bays are divided by
simple brick pilasters with brick quoins, and have brick corbelling near the cornice. The
concrete foundation and water table are more visible towards the front of the building due
to the grade of the lot near the street. The left bay, closest to the rear of the building,
includes two window openings. The first opening is infilled with brick, which is a part of
the original design. The second opening at this bay houses a modem door, instead of a
window. Although it remains consistent ins size, the fifth bay on this west faqade differs
slightly, with a garage door at this location instead of windows. The original double-leaf
vehicle entrance has been removed and filled in with siding, but the limestone flat arch
and keystone, as well as the opening size, remain intact. Above the garage door lintel is a
metal nameplate with the words STATION - G (photo 2). Above this nameplate is a
rectangular transom with three casement windows. At the sixth bay the first window is
bricked in. Equipment enters the building at this bay, indicating this area probably never
had a window. The right two-over-two metal window is in place, as is its continuous
stone sill and stone splayed lintel. Above is the rectangular metal transom, also with
NPS Form 10-900-a OMB NO 1024-0018
(8-86)

National Park Sewice
CONTINUATION SHEET
limestone sill and lintel. Like all other bays, this bay has brick corbelling near the
cornice.
Image 2: Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G Pump House West Elevation
Image cozrrtesy of the Laclede Gas Co. - - - - - - - - . .-... .-- --. -- -- . - -.. -.- - -- - - -.-.
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The main body of the rear elevation has three of the wider bays, each containing two
windows between brick pilasters. The wing extending from the main section is three bays
long and two bays wide. The rear of this wing reveals an unexpected medium-pitched
gable roof, with returned eaves (photo 3). This utilitarian faqade allows for large boilers
and pipes to connect to the interior of the building. Although the rear is constructed of a
sofier brick, stone comer quoins are still used, and bays have not changed in size,
reinforcing the uniformity of the design. This elevation does not have two-over-two
windows like the other elevations, but it does have rectangular transoms.
The east side of the main body of the building is three bays wide. Each bay is intact, with
two, two-over-two metal windows, rectangular transoms, and brick corbelling. The
comers of the building have stone quoins; brick pilasters with simple brick quoins
separate each bay. The partially raised basement allowed for small rectangular basement
NPS Form 10-900-a OMB NO. 1024-0018
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
windows with iron scroll covers at each bay. The east side of the rear wing is three bays
wide. The first two bays are identical to the other bays. The rear or third bay has a
modern door instead of a window at the first opening. The second opening is filled in
with brick, although this appears to be original to the building. The continuous stone sill
and stone lintels are intact, as is the rectangular metal transom. To the east of the pump
house, is a one-story brick valve house built in 1950 (photo 4). This small (1 0 x 10')
freestanding building has a flat roof with terra cotta coping, and no windows.
To the northeast of the pump house is the large Gasometer holder (photos 7 & 8).
According to the Laclede Gas Company, this holder predates the pump house. It was
built in 1901 but substantially altered in 1942. The large steel cylinder is approximately
1 10 feet tall and 2 10 feet in diameter. Ascending from its base are 26 vertical steel
trusses. These are supported by six horizontal steel rows that travel the circumference of
the structure. A series of diagonal supports in cross patterns connect the vertical trusses
and steel tows. This steel skeleton provided the support and track necessary to raise tank
capacity level via a telescopic mechanism.
The structure is almost completely coated in lead paint. There is also considerable rust
on the steel surfaces of the scaffolding and cylindrical tank base. Though the tank does
not store gas at present, it retains its water ballast and this is very likely polluted. The
telescopic mechanism that allowed an adjustable storage capacity also required
lubrication grease that has further contaminated the holder. The L-shape design of the
pump house lessens the impact of the eastern Gasometer upon the streetscape; the pump
house is wedged against the massive container and partially obscures its enormous base
from Chouteau Avenue.
Interior
The building retains many of its original interior elements including white glazed brick
walls (photo 6). The floor plan features a large room at the front and a small office. A
separate room at the rear of the building housed rest rooms and four large boilers
supported on brick bases. Ancillary equipment is still in place throughout the entire
building, including three natural gas-powered compressors, two water boilers and a water
pump.' Much of the equipment in the front room is two-stories in height, with the base of
- - - - - - - --
Laclede Gas Company Files: Pumping Station G .

NPS Form 10-900-a OMB NO 1024-0018
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
the equipment in the basement (photo 5). In the large front room steel Y-shaped frames
support rails extending the length of the room, allowing for the movement of a large steel
hand-powered crane.
Integrity
The Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G site has had very few alterations other
than the demolition of one of the Gasometers and retains substantial integrity throughout.
The company, which owned the buildings and structure until recently, made few changes
over the years and always maintained the building carefully. A preponderance of historic
material is present including original double-hung windows, metal lattice transoms, and
the original interior glazed brick. The original floor plan is intact, as well as boilers and
operating systems. The main alterations have been the removal of a Zopper cornice at
some point and the installation of a corrugated steel roof over the original slate roof.
Minor alterations include replacement doors on the west elevation. A non-contributing
steel shed and brick meter house remain on the site.
NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No 1024-0018

NATIONAL REGISTER OF t-IISTORIC PLACES
CONTINUATION SHEET
Section I_ Page 7 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G
Sketch Map Showing Dimensions of Pumping Station G and Gasometer

NPS Form 10-900-a OMB NO 1024-0018
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
Summary
The Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G site at 4401 Chouteau Avenue in west St.
Louis [Independent City], Missouri is eligible for listing on the National Register of
Historic Places with local significance under Criterion A for Industry and Criterion C for
Architecture. The facility was an important component of the Laclede Gas Light
Company, a monopoly headquartered in downtown St. Louis. From Pumping Station G
gas stored in the steel holders was distributed to customers via the company's extensive
network of main lines. The accomplished Late 1 9 ' ~and 2othCentury Revival style of the
191 1 pump house accommodated its specific industrial program, but it also clearly
articulated the corporate image of the Laclede Gas Light Co. in the city of St. Louis. The
design also interacts with sensitivity to its surrounding community, an area that is
primarily residential. The extant natural gas holder or Gasometer was originally
constructed in 1901 and was an imposing reminder of the importance of utility service in
the development of the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood and the city of St. Louis.
The 190 1- 1956 period of significance begins with construction of the extant Gasometer
and ends with the arbitrary 50-year cutoff date for National Register listing.
Background
The origins of the Laclede Gas Light C O .can ~ be traced to the creation of the St. Louis
Gas Light Co. in 1837.3 In the early decades of the nineteenth century, gas illumination
grew in popularity, slowly replacing oil and kerosene lamp use in American cities and
homes. The illumination of streets was of particular concern to civic leaders of the era
who sought to increase public safety in burgeoning cities. Initial use of gas lighting
addressed this issue. In 1847, St. Louis became the fourth city in the United States to
light its streets with gas as well as the seventh city in the nation to have a gas plant.4
Consumption of gas in the city of 55,000 was only 6.6 million cubic feet in 1848; twenty
years later that number rose to 247.5 million cubic feet?
The Laclede Gas Co. was founded in 1857, one of several smaller area gas utilities that
were established mid-century in response to the demands of increased population. In
The Laclede Gas Light Co. officially changed its name to the Laclede Gas Co. in 1950.
"Laclede Gas Expansion Parallels City's Growth." St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 15, 1957.
Ibid.
5
Harry M. Hagen. This is Our ... Sf. Louis. Knight Publishing Co, St. Louis. 1970. p3 12.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
1889, the company merged with the earlier St. Louis Gas Light Co., as well as the smaller
Carondelet Gas and St. Louis Fuel and Power companies. The result of this merger was a
virtual monopoly; the company became the consumer gas provider for the metropolitan
area. Rechristened the Laclede Gas Light Co., the growth of the reorganized company
remained linked to the development of the city. The company also emerged on the
national stage as one of the twelve original companies listed on the Dow Jones Industrial
Average in 1 8 9 6 . ~ By 191 1 the Board of Directors included such notables as Adolphus
Busch and Edward Mallinckrodt, further demonstrating the significance of the Laclede
Gas Light Co. in the business community.
The gas company purchased property in the 4400 block of Chouteau in west St. Louis
from prominent attorney Isaac H. Lionberger (residence listed on NR as contributing
resource to Midtown Historic District, 07/07/1978) in December 1897. According to
Laclede Gas Co. archives, a natural gas holder (Gasometer) was erected near the comer
of Chouteau and Newstead Avenues in 1901. No building permits exist to verify this
claim, but a photograph from 1909 reveals that a gas storage tank was extant on the block
prior to the construction of the pump house and second holder. An existing building
served as a branch office with minor additions and alterations made in 1 9 0 5 . ~
As St. Louis stretched outward to its limits, the distribution system of the utility expanded
to meet consumer needs. In 1900, the company counted 64,106 gas meters. The growth
of the Laclede Gas Light Co. was virtually exponential for decades as population swelled.
While initial consumer use centered upon gas for illumination, another convenience
emerged that increased demand: the popularity of gas for heating. The company
advertised gas (image 3) as a preferable alternative to coal furnaces, cleverly exploiting
growing concerns over smoke pollution in St. ~ o u i s . *Even while popularity of gas
heating increased, the number of customers could not exceed supply on the coldest days
of winter. Thus Laclede had to maintain up-to-date facilities and ensure reserves of
product in anticipation of the increased demand.
Phyllis S. Pierce, ed. The Dow Jones Industrial Averages 1885-1995. Irwin Professional Pub., 1996.
This building was demolished in 196 1 .
Laclede Gas Light Co. advertisement. St. Louis Globe-Democrat, January 1 1 , 19 1 1 .
NPS F o ~ 10-""0-a
r OMR No 1024-0018
(8-86)
United S + ~ t eDepartment
s of the Interior
Nation21 P 2 r t Service
NATIOYAF- REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
COWTIYI-I 4TION SHEET
Section 3- Page 10 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G

Im:~(!c2 : 1,acledc Gas Light Co. ad, January 1 1 , 191 1.

I , ? I ( : ( ~ ( fi.otn
~ the St. Louis Globe-Dcmocrat
-"The Smoke Nuisance'' 'y

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Lnclcdc Gas Light Co. experienced a year of tremendous growth in 191 1. Apnroximately
$1.2 million was invested in improvements to existing facilities and new construction, a
NPS Form 10-900-a OMB NO 1024-001 8
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
physical articulation of increased consumer demand and company commitment to

provide service to all areas of the city.9 Less conspicuous modifications and additions
were also made to existing stations and Gasometers. More pronounced were the new
construction projects, of which the General Office Building was an important component.
Construction on the Laclede Gas Light Co. Building (NR 11/26/1980) at the northeast
corner of Eleventh and Olive Streets commenced in the fall of 1911. Designed by the
prestigious St. Louis architectural firm Mauran, Russell & Crowell in a Classical Revival
style, the building replaced a smaller office at 7 16 Locust.
Elaboration
The quality of the architecture at Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G likewise
articulates the importance of the company and its services, albeit on a more intimate,
neighborhood scale. The area surrounding the facility (Forest Park Southeast Historic
District, NR 12/20/2001; expanded 06/16/2005) was originally part of the Cul de Sac
common field and the St. Louis Commons laid out by French settlers in 1769. Retired
Colonel Samuel McRee purchased a series of tracts south of present day Manchester
Avenue from 1825-1832, some of which were purchased in the 1840s by Henry haw."
Compton and Dry's 1876 illustrated atlas of the city indicates that the future site of the
Laclede Gas Light Co. facility on Chouteau Avenue and surrounding lands were
farmland. " Within the decade, however, a horsecar line extended along Chouteau
westward to Kingshighway. By the end of the 1880s, electrified transportation on
Chouteau reached Forest Park.
The Gibson Heights subdivision where the pumping station is located was platted in the
1880s by T.A. Scott, bounded by Kingshighway Boulevard and Newstead Avenue to the
west and east. Chouteau and Swan Avenues provided boundaries to the north and south.
Public transit service and proximity to Forest Park made Gibson Heights a desirable,
affordable neighborhood with some larger houses clustered in the blocks between South
Taylor Avenue and ICingshighway.I2 The majority of housing stock east of Taylor,
however, reflected the working class identity of the area. Storefront commercial
Laclede Gas Light Co. Annual Report for 191 1 .

10
Sally F. Schwenk, et. al. Forest Park Southeast District National Register of Historic Places nomination.
2001. p182.
" Compton & Dry Pictorial St. Louis. 1875. plate 99.
'*Forest Park Southeast District National Register of Historic Places nomination. 200 1 . p 182.
NPS F O F ~ln-r,?O-a
(8-85)
Unite? St;l+~sDepartment of the Interior

Natior721 P w k Service
NATIQYAL PEGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

CONTrYIVATIOhl SHEET
Sectior _?- Page 12 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G

pr(\ri\rtics and residential buildings were scattered along the Chouteau Avenue streetcar
~ . O I I I\$~ hich
- toda~.provides the northern bo~mdaryof the Forest Park Southeast I-Iistoric
l)i\~,.icl.
Ym:l(:e A: 1,aclede Gas Light Co. natural gas holder and Aero Club gror~nds,1909.
St. Louis: One Hzrndred Years in a Week.
I~vrr~r,,,f;,or?7
\T'hc:r, flic 1,aclede Gas Light Co. arrived in the neighborhood in the final years of the
1
?oOk.. tlie developing neighborhood had already assumed its residential identity. The
rm-111 sidc. of the 4400 block of Chouteau Avenue (city block 4807), however, remained
\ :writ in the first few years of the twentieth century, aside from the company's existing
( i Isc>rncfc'rand office at the southeast corner. Beginning in 1909, the Aero Club of St.
I v u i crl-ctcd
~ a series of observation grandstands in the block. In that year the club
srnngnrl:d a highly popular Spherical Balloon race; Laclede Gas Light Co. supplied
~~:~i~ g;ts
l r for
. ~ lthe balloons (image 4)." There is no record of neighborhood opposition
" \ \ ' ; ~ l ~13.~ Stevens,

~r ed. Sf.Lo~ris:One Hundred Years in a fVeck. 1909. pp58-59
NPS Fo-r 10-CJW-a OMB No 1024-0018
(8-815)
UnitefiSt?+esDepartment of the Interior

Natioinl P ~ r Service
k
NATIOVAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

COMTr"\.I'J,ATIOhISHEET
Section -8- Page 13 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G

lo I I ~ Cputnping station or Gasometer at time of construction, perhaps because block 4807

\\.2q ric\.cr residential or because the site was already associated with the company.
!m:j(re 5: 1,aclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station C construction, Au~trst191 1.

of the L~(c1edeGas Co.
c'ozlrfc.~)~
Con.;~ructinnon the pump house began in April 191 1 as Laclede Gas Light Co.
c~;1i~111f-incously erected a steel natural gas holder immediately to the west (image 5). The
I'lrmilirrr Station G pump house worked in con.junction with both the new (3a~omcteras
?I1 :IS its 1901 predecessor. Natural gas was drawn from the tanks via three 300-
I~(v-qg'ro\\~er compressors and distributed through gas mains to customers throughout the
c;f! The gas storage tanks, or Gasometers, were approximately 210 feet in diameter
2nd ' 10 feet in height. Constniction cost for the 191 1 holder was $275,000. Each tank
11(,1(' rinrirral gas upon completion, as well as 8,500,000 gallons of water which served as
II
gas hybrid was used prior to the 1950s but was commonly referred to as only natural gas.
A 11;?t11ral
1
~
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
ballast for the storage! The telescopic Gasometers could ascend and descend along the
steel framework as necessitated by storage capacity. This was a practical but advanced
solution for fluctuating natural gas containment. An image of the earlier tank from 1909
reveals an increased storage capacity from that currently observed (image 4). The 1911
storage tank was taken out of service in the early 1950s and was demolished in 1966.
The 1901 Gasometer was rebuilt in 1942 and this reconstruction is extant.
The pump house cost $1 5,000 to construct but no record of an architect has been found.
However, the design is tentatively attributed to Mauran, Russell & Crowell, the
prominent architectural firm commissioned to design Laclede Gas Light's 10-story
company headquarters (NR 11/26/1980) in downtown St. Louis at about the same time
that the pump house was under construction. Although utterly dissimilar, both of these
buildings have classical affinities and share a mastery of composition and skillfully
executed brickwork. Mauran, Russell & Crowell was skilled in combining high art with
specific industrial demands, as evidenced by the plant the firm designed in 1900 for the
Laclede Power Company at 1240 Lewis in the North Riverfront Industrial District (NR
05/0 1/2003).l 6
The origins of Mauran, Russell & Crowell can be traced to the Boston firm of Shepley,
Rutan & Coolidge-successors to Henry Hobson Richardson. Principal architect John
Lawrence Mauran (1 866- 1933)joined the Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge office in St. Louis
after stint in Chicago. After the parent firm left St. Louis, Mauran formed a partnership
with Ernest J. Russell and Edward G. Garden. In 1911, Garden left and William
DeForest Crowell joined the firm. While the previous incarnation was nationally noted
for its residential design, the arrival of Crowell brought more con~mercialarchitecture
prominence-most notably in office building design.
Brickwork at the highly articulated pump house is refined, taking form not only along
courses but also as pilasters and unobtrusive decorative corbelling at intervals on three
elevations. Formal limestone quoins bracket all corners. Paired rectangular metal
windows are distributed along three elevations with transoms, criss-crossed with
diamond-shaped patterns, above each window pair.
15
Correspondence with Jerry King, site developer.
16
The Laclede Power Co. was the electric power component of the Laclede Gas Light Co. during the early
years of the twentieth century. The Securities and Exchange Commission ordered Laclede Gas Light Co.
to transfer its electric power holdings to the Union Electric Co. in the mid-1 940s. In exchange, Laclede
Gas Light Co. received the St. Louis County Gas Co. controlled by UE.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
Photographs indicate that construction of the pump house probably came to an end in the
autumn of 191 1 (image 5); these images also offer a glimpse of Chouteau Avenue
looking westward from Newstead Avenue. The buildings visible on the south side of
Chouteau-opposite the Laclede Gas Light Co. facilities-reveal an urban context
similar to that found in the present day. It is not known if Laclede Gas Light Co.
intended to shield the neighborhood from the industrial impact of its facility.
Nonetheless, the arrangement of the structures and the pump house helped to diminish the
impact of the Gasometers upon the residential side of Chouteau. Sanborn fire insurance
maps reveal that the pump house at Pumping Station G retains a setback similar to
buildings found along the north side of Chouteau Avenue in surrounding blocks.
Though the Gasometer constructed in 1911 had deteriorated by the 1960s and was
17
demolished, the other one-rebuilt in 1942--continued in use until the 1990s.
Meanwhile, a massive series of caverns in north St. Louis County began to replace the
early twentieth century gas holders as early as 1951. New technologies enabled Laclede
Gas Light Co. to safely store natural gas underground in sandstone and distribute it over a
larger geographic area. The early years of that same decade marked another change for
the company: Light was removed from its incorporated name.'* This small change
reflected widespread use of natural gas not only for lighting, but also house heating,
cooking, refrigeration, water heating and air conditioning. Though the shift corresponds
to the period of importance of Pumping Station G, the name Laclede Gas Light Co. is still
retained on the pump house.
An additional pumping station near Natural Bridge and Chevrolet Avenues in North St.
Louis dates from the 1920s and was also decommissioned in the 1990s; Pumping Station
N includes the only other extant pump house and Gasometer in the city. This facility was
constructed with a single storage tank, however. Though its Gasometer had a larger
capacity than either of the two tanks for at the Chouteau plant, the very industrial setting
of Pumping Station N is the most significant difference between it and the Chouteau
Avenue plant.
17
Historic Houses of Missouri Clippings. Vol. IX. p9 1 .
18
Laclede Gas Co. Annual Repor, for 1950.
NPS Form 10-900-a OMB NO 1024-0018
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
Section 9 Page . 16 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G
Bibliography
City of St. Louis building permits and data engineering records. St. Louis City Hall,
Microfilm Department.
City of St. Louis deed abstracts. St. Louis City Hall, Office of the Assessor.
Hagen, Henry M. This is Our ... St. Louis. Knight Publishing Co., St. Louis. 1970
Glozier, Rob, Superintendent of Gas Supply and Control, Laclede Gas Co. Phone
interview by Doug Johnson, July 21,2006.
Laclede Gas Co. files: Pumping Station G.
Laclede Gas Licht Co. Annual Report to the Stockholders of the Laclede Gas Light Co.
for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 1950. Laclede Gas Co., St. Louis. 1950.
Laclede Gas Light Co. Annual Report to the Stockholders of the Laclede Gas Light Co.
for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 1911. Laclede Gas Light Co., St. Louis. 1912.
Pierce, Phyllis S. The Dow Jones Industrial Averages 1885-1995. Irwin Professional
Pub. 1996.
St. Louis City Directories: Gould's Blue Book, Gould's Commercial Directory, Gould's
Red-Blue Boob.
St. Louis Daily Record. St. Louis Public Library, microfilm department.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat. St. Louis, Missouri. Multiple editions.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Map. Volume 5 , p103. (updated to 1967).
Schwenk, Sally F., Davis, Kerry, & Schwenk, Anne. Forest Park Southeast Historic
District. National Register of Historic Places nomination. 2000.
Stevens, Walter D. St. Louis: One Hundred Years in a Week: Celebration of the
Centennial of Incorporation. Woodward & Tiernan Printing Co, St. Louis. 1909.
NPS Form 10-900-a OMB NO 1024-0018
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
Boundary Description
The Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G is located on City Block 4807 in St.
Louis, Missouri. The nominated property is legally known by the Assessor's Office as
parcel number 480700003 10. The boundary of the nominated property is indicated by a
dashed line on the accompanying map entitled "Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station
G Boundary Map."
Boundary Justification
The nominated parcel includes all extant property historically associated with the Laclede
Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G.
NPS Form 10-900-a
(8-86)

CONTINUATION SHEET
Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G Boundary Map

Source: Sanborn Map Company. Vol. 5, plate 103, 1968.
CHOUTEAU AV.

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NPS Form 10-900 OMB NO.

United States Department of the Interior

National Register of Historic Places

city or town St. Louis [nla] vicinity

13. StatelFederal Agency Certification I

Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Signature of certifying officialrritle

State or Federal agency and bureau

[ ] entered in the National Register

Name of related multiple property listing. Number of contributing resources previously

16. Function or Use

Historic Function Current Functions

[ ] B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.

[XI C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of

[ ] D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, informationimportant in prehistory or

Narrative Statement of Significance

19. Major Bibliographic References

Previous documentation on file (NPS): Primary location of additional data:

Acreage of Property less than one acre

111. Form Prepared By

nameltitle Susan SheppardlDouq Johnson, Researchers

Representativeblack and white photographsof the property.

name Jerry KinqlStation G Partners LLC

United States Department of the Interior

United States Department of the Interior

United States Department of the Interior

Image 1: Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G

The pattern of the bays-windows interrupted occasionally by doors of various sizes-

United States Department of the Interior

United States Department of the Interior

Laclede Gas Company Files: Pumping Station G .

United States Department of the Interior

United States Department of the Interior

Sketch Map Showing Dimensions of Pumping Station G and Gasometer

United States Department of the Interior

United States Department of the Interior

Section 3- Page 10 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G

Im:~(!c2 : 1,acledc Gas Light Co. ad, January 1 1 , 191 1.

-"The Smoke Nuisance'' 'y

..c..,....... ,..-..,., I,.

-11'6.zt t 4 1 1 1 - 3 olt f h u " a m ~ ~ tne~ ; ~ n n . - ~ " - ~ A ; ,

-.v..,..- h.r. r. ".her< u r c e m r m.

,<, ,,I1 thr ,I"<-.

United States Department of the Interior

physical articulation of increased consumer demand and company commitment to

Laclede Gas Light Co. Annual Report for 191 1 .

Unite? St;l+~sDepartment of the Interior

NATIQYAL PEGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

Sectior _?- Page 12 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G

" \ \ ' ; ~ l ~13.~ Stevens,

UnitefiSt?+esDepartment of the Interior

NATIOVAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

Section -8- Page 13 Laclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station G

lo I I ~ Cputnping station or Gasometer at time of construction, perhaps because block 4807

!m:j(re 5: 1,aclede Gas Light Co. Pumping Station C construction, Au~trst191 1.

United States Department of the Interior

United States Department of the Interior

United States Department of the Interior

Laclede Gas Co. files: Pumping Station G.