South Point School House

• On May 25, 1804 Lewis and Clark pulled up at an excellent landing spot to spend the night at the home of Alexander McCourtney’s on his “plantation.” McCourtney’s Spanish Land grant would eventually become the town of South Point, and eventually part of Washington, Missouri. On March 6, 1841, the town plat was recorded by David Sterigere and James K. Rule, and given the name South Point because the landing there was already called that, it being the southernmost point of the Missouri River.
• The original town was west of Dubois Creek, or Wood River as some early accounts called it, in a valley between two high cliffs, and contained eight blocks, some of which were named Jefferson, Madison, State, Union and Main. The town grew larger and had four additions.
• The railroad arrived in the winter of 1854-55 and a Post Office was established in July of 1855. The steamboat captain and former general store owner James O’Hara was both the postmaster and the railroad agent.
• In 1860 the Missouri State Gazeteer said South Point contained two stores, two manufactories, one church and “the South Point Institute.” There was a Methodist church, two coopers (barrel makers), a steam saw and a planning (wood) mill, a brickyard, general stores, hotels, blacksmiths, shoemakers, carpenters, tailors and a carriage and wagon maker.
• Philip Hendrich started a lumber mill in 1857, and by 1867 George Kuenzle had opened the spoke and hub factory which also made axe, pick and shovel handles.
• Then on October 1, 1864 Price’s army raided South Point and burnt the railroad depot, the hotel, the railroad bridge and several other buildings to the ground.
• In 1874, the editor of the Franklin County Record visited South Point and said how “Dr. Gross, formerly from Gasconade County, we found to be a very sociable and intelligent gentleman, well posted in politics. For the love of the occupation, he is now engaged in teaching the very large and flourishing school at that place.”
• The town had continued to grow until about this point, but then began its decline. In 1885, the Post Office there was closed and the town only had four businesses left, overshadowed by the flourishing town of Washington. By World War I the town was filled with vacant houses and overgrown yards.
• Less than seventy years later that schoolhouse remained, but in May of 1952 would close and be sold to the highest bidders. At that time the Missourian reported that “South Point has turned out steady and continuous classes of eighth grade graduates for more than 100 years”. . . and that “the school at South Point is considerably more than 100 years old.”
• In 2008 Washington Preservation asked the City of Washington if they accepted a donation of the old schoolhouse if they could move the building to the park to be placed on the Kohmueller farm that the group has already restored and maintains. The City of Washington agreed. Local support has grown and thanks to the help of individuals like Larry Promesy, Andy Unerstall, and Robert Horn, the project will soon become a reality.