#237: Babler State Park

I remember visiting and camping at this place over two decades ago with my church youth group. It was one of the coldest times I ever camped out, but it was alright. After all, it was in October! But its cool to revisit for ol times sake! Here are some factoids about the beautiful park, which happily advertises 'you can have it both ways: camp all night under the stars, and still be miles from downtown St. Louis':

• Edmund Babler was a St. Louis surgeon who was known to care for the needy. His brother and sister-in-law named the land and park after him after he died in the late 30s.
• The buildings and bridges around the park were quarried from the area.
• Consists of 3 large picnic shelters along with 200 picnicking areas
• Also consists of 73 campsites, with 43 of them with electricity
• The park is also notable for its 13 miles of walking trails, its fascinating view of nature, and other activities that are taken part such as horseback riding

The entrance sign to Babler. I apologize as the sun was very bright that day!

Edmund Babler statue

Visitors center, I believe. That's where the cake is.

The cake, as decorated by Kelly Harmon:

Left side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Front and right side of the cake

NOW: The cake was removed in early 2015. Its whereabouts are unknown.

Wikipedia link
Official website

800 Guy Park Drive, CHESTERFIELD, MO, 63005
Cake artist: Kelly Harmon

#234: Castlewood State Park

• Park was established in 1974. 
• Park is 1,818 acres
• A number of activities are usually enjoyed here, including fishing, hiking and mountain biking trails. (It is widely considered the best place in the St. Louis area to go mountain biking)
• There are seven hiking trails (most you can bike on), including the River Scene Trail, which overlooks the Meramec River. All total up to 17 miles.
• More than 100 years ago, in the beginning of the 20th century, this area was a 'partying retreat' for St. Louisans, which even had dance clubs!

Despite of how it looks on the map, the cake is actually farther to get from the Lone Elk/Bird Sanctuary locations. In other words, there is no road that connects to the Castlewood cake location from those.



Wikipedia link
Official website

1401 Kiefer Creek Road, BALLWIN, MO, 63201
Cake artist: Erik Thompson   (he also decorated the Lincoln Park cake)

#209: First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site

It is not well-known to some of the St. Louis-area people that St. Charles was the first capital of Missouri. Only from 1821 to 1826, but not many people know that it was actually a 'temporary capital'. Missouri lawmakers at the time wanted to make an area in the central part of the state, off the Missouri River, and name it after Thomas Jefferson. Today, the area is known as Jefferson City, which of course, is the capital of Missouri.

St. Charles has so much rich history to it. Some obscure information about the city is found all over, and it has been well-restored. Many cakes have been placed in St. Charles, as well as all over the county. You'll see them in my other posts. A very little known fact: Jean Baptiste Point du Sable lived here, and died here in 1818. Du Sable was the first resident of the city of Chicago, Illinois. Who knew he would end his life in Cardinal Nation?

St. Charles County:
St. Charles is the county seat of St. Charles County and is a big city. However, it is not the largest city as it has been surpassed by O'Fallon. Other cities include Lake Saint Louis, Wentzville and St. Peters. St. Charles County is bordered by 7 different counties, in both Illinois and Missouri. Most of the county's border is water, by the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. According to Wikipedia, it is the wealthiest and fastest-growing county in Missouri. Both the county and city are named for Italian cardinal Saint Charles Borromeo.

The building is to represent what life was like in the 1800s, as well as its architecture. First floor was used as a store, while the second floor was for the government.

The cake, as designed by Lindsay Harmon: (Sorry, I wasn't able to get the back of it, but I know that it talks about the first state capitol)

Left side of the cake

Right side of the cake

Top of the cake

Wikipedia link
Official website

200 S. Main St., ST. CHARLES, MO, 63301
Cake artist: Lindsay Harmon

#115: Mastodon State Historic Site

Not the band, silly

Wikipedia link

1050 Charles J Becker Drive, IMPERIAL, MO, 63052
Cake artist: Rich Brooks

#101: Lewis & Clark State Historic Site

here

On the back of this marking, it notes that this was dedicated on May 10, 2014 by the Lewis & Clark Society of America

I got to take a look inside the free museum, which was very cool. If you haven't been here yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. Especially if you live nearby here. Sadly I have driven by there so many times and it wasn't until I got the cake that I took the time to do it. You will learn a lot. Guaranteed.

Official website

1 Lewis and Clark Trail, HARTFORD, IL, 62048
Cake artist: Mike Ochonicky  (he also decorated the cake at Manchester City Hall)

#14: Pere Marquette Lodge & Conference Center

Here is one of two Illinois state parks that are cake locations. This is located north of St. Louis, on the river road, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. It's sad to say for an Illinoisan like me that I've never been here (besides getting the cake). But I know some people who love it up there....my nephews have camped with the Boy Scouts there and my distant cousin got married in a small, private ceremony up there. Here are the facts:

• It is Illinois' largest state park in area, which is 8,050 acres.
• Park is named after Father (or Pere) Jacques Marquette, who led a 17th century exploration of the Mississippi River.
• The park was founded in 1931 as the Piasa Bluffs State Park, but was later renamed to its current name.
• Besides the lodge (which was built in the 1930s and has since expanded), there are other rich parts of the park, including 12 miles of walking trails. 
• Animals that are found at the park are several different species of birds, deer and many others. Bald eagles are often seen there as well.
• Several events are held here throughout the year, including some at the winery as well as small festivals, and parasailing.

The entrance sign

Sign at the lodge

The statue of Jacques 'Pere' Marquette

Front of the lodge

Statue of Mother Nature

The 'landscape cake', as called by its artist Katherine Nelson:

Top of the cake

Left side of the cake

Right side of the cake

Pere Marquette Lodge on Facebook
Pere Marquette State Park Wikipedia link
Official website

13653 Lodge Blvd., GRAFTON, IL, 62037
Cake artist: Katherine Nelson

UPDATE (9/4/2016): The cake is still there.