#245: Webster University

Here's a cake that I had to go back to - since last time it was surrounded by a fence due to construction. Luckily I was able to get it on my last caking round. Whenever you get this cake, I say....good luck on finding a place to park!

About Webster University:

• It is a non-profit, private, non-denominational independent university.
• In 2014, about 22,000 students enrolled there. They came from all 50 states!
• Founded in 1915 by the Sisters of Loretto as Loretto College, as an all-girls school.
• The first male students were enrolled in 1962.
• Webster's mascot is a Gorlok, which is a made-up creature with many features
• There are other numerous spin-off Webster campuses all over the world, including in Switzerland and Mexico

The parking garage where the cake is located

Webster University sign

The cake, with a shoe theme, decorated by Megan Rieke:

Right side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Left side of the cake

Top of the cake

Webster University on FB
Wikipedia link
Official website

572 Garden Avenue, WEBSTER GROVES, MO, 63119
Cake artist: Megan Rieke

#207: Lindenwood University

And yet another university and educational institution. Here we go.

• The 2nd oldest higher-education institution west of the Mississippi River.
• Founded in 1827 by George Champlin Sibley and his wife, Mary Easton Sibley.
• It is the fastest-growing university in the Midwest within the last 25 years.
• Called Lindenwood because the land it was purchased on had several linden trees.
• Originally a girls school (its name was The Lindenwood School For Girls), it became co-ed in 1969.

The Harlen C. Hunter Stadium as seen from the top

Spellman Hall

But the university has so much to offer. Some of my friends have attended classes here as well as graduated. The cake is located in front of Spellman Hall. The school's colors are black and gold, and they are well represented on this cake.

Left side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Right side of the cake

Top of the cake. If you look very close on the left side (white area), you'll see some graffiti (HOLA). Really? Must have been a student that watched too much Jersey Shore....

Lindenwood University on FB
Wikipedia link
Official website

209 S. Kingshighway St., ST. CHARLES, MO, 63301
Cake artist: John Troy  (he also decorated the Daniel Boone cake)

#187: The College School

 *PUBLIC VOTE WINNER*

Since I last posted #186 a few days ago, the last 3 cakes were put out. In other words, all 250 of the cakes have been placed! There have been many people who have been cake-hunting longer than me. Going back to January when some of the cakes were first placed, the hunt was on for those who knew about it. Remember, this was during cold weather and snow was probably still on the ground! I can't imagine ever going cake-hunting in that kind of weather. In fact, I don't even want to think about the cold (especially that gruesome winter we just had) since its still July! There are a few people who have reached the #250 goal, and congratulations to them!

Sorry for repeatedly criticizing names, but The College School? Hmmm. Didn't take them THAT long to think of that one. In my short Webster Groves cake run, this one was my first stop as it was on the right side of the road, heading down Big Bend. Founded in 1963, this educational institution seems to take pride in separating itself from public schools. You'll learn more about the school at the bottom....

College School buses

Front of The College School building

And now, the sides of the cake:

Right side of the cake

Back and left side of the cake

And a sign:

What does the sign say?

"We are an independent preschool-8th grade school that engages children in joyful, meaningful and creative learning through an adventurous, theme-based experimental curriculum.

The College School is part of a larger community of educators dedicated to creating new and vital visions of learning and teaching. Through a rigorous academic curriculum, we travel on our buses to numerous "classrooms" across the region that include the many parks of St. Louis, the businesses on The Hill or The Loop, and the cultural institutions of Forest Park.

Our hands-on, project-based philosophy prepares students to be lifelong learners and "citizens of today," who make real impacts on our school, our communities, and our great city of St. Louis."

And there you have it.

The College School on FB
Official website

7825 Big Bend Blvd., WEBSTER GROVES, MO, 63119
Cake artist: Mary Jo Wilmes

#179: Concordia Seminary

 I'm not gonna lie, this was a bit challenging to find, driving through Clayton. But I found it :) I will warn you, if you're taking the streets and not the road, you will be driving 10 mph on those watched streets. The cake is not hard to find though, once you get to the site. Just drive through the area and park in 'visitors' on the left, and it should be easy to see on the plaza.

• Concordia Seminary is the second oldest Lutheran seminary in the United States (the oldest is in Gettysburg, PA, dedicated in 1826). 
• Founded in 1839, it is celebrating its 175 anniversary in 2014.
• It was originally located in Perry County, MO (south of St. Louis), but was moved to St. Louis/Clayton in 1849.
• Offers an array of advanced master degree programs, such as the Master of Divinity.
• A statue of Martin Luther is located on the site, which is similar to the one in Worms, Germany.
• The radio station KFUO-AM 850 operates on the campus with religious programming.

Right side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Left side of the cake

Top of the cake

Concordia Seminary on FB
Wikipedia link
Official website

801 Seminary Place, ST. LOUIS, MO, 63105
Cake artist: Janice Schoultz Mudd

UPDATE (8/24/2016): The cake is still there.

#176: Central Institute for the Deaf

• Founded in 1914 by Max Aaron Goldstein, M.D.
• Goldstein started CID in his medical office building with deaf patients. His office was located at Vandeventer and Westminister Place.
• It is an affiliate for Washington University.
• Heather Whitestone-Callum, an alumnus for CID, became the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss America (AL) in 1995
• Goldstein invented the Simplex tube, which was an early hearing device used in a classroom.

View of the right side of the building

Central Institute for the Deaf on FB
Wikipedia link
Official website

825 South Taylor, ST. LOUIS, MO, 63110
Cake artist: April Morrison

UPDATE (8/24/2016): The cake is still there.

#162: Southwestern High School

My final Illinois cake. Or so I think...that is, assuming that the remaining four cakes are in Missouri. As I write this, on July 15, 2014, there's 4 more cakes that are left to be put out. It's hard to imagine I covered the Illinois side of the 'Cakeway to the West'! I still got a ways to go, as I'm 7/10ths of the way done. I still haven't yet tackled the western Missouri side yet!

Again, by assumption, this was the last Illinois cake put out. This one happens to be in Macoupin County as it was believed that the stl250 team were searching for a location to put one in the big county. I'm not sure why they put it at Southwestern High School, but I can't say it's a bad idea either. I saw on some thread online that they were going to put it somewhere in Carlinville (the county seat), like at some courthouse or government building. I haven't been to Macoupin all that much, but there are several towns, and apparently stuff that is too good to miss.

When I was young, my church group camped at Beaver Dam Park. I'll never forget the time we went paddle boating in the lake and it rained! In fact, it rained so bad we had to go home. I know a lot of people from the southern Macoupin towns, such as Brighton, Bunker Hill and Staunton. I work with a lot of people from Staunton, since...well, there's nothing up there. A lot of people I know from Brighton were in the radio program with me at Lewis & Clark Community College. And yes, they all graduated from Southwestern.

So I was questioning about the whole cake placement thing at Southwestern. I'd say its unique for one reason: it's only a mile from the Jersey County border! Since the town calls itself Piasa, obviously after the Piasa Bird outside Alton, it makes sense to name their mascot The Piasa Birds. I never would have thought they would name their domain address after that too (?). This would make any Missourian's cake-hunting trip quite worth it as they can start in Alton, go the river road to Hardin, then take Route 16 to Jerseyville and end up here. Then go back down to Alton where they started. Just a tip :)

As a friend of mine from Brighton once said, "You can't say Brighton without 'right on'!"

Here are the cake sides, which fully represent Macoupin County and its towns:

Left side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Right side of the cake

Official website

8226 Highways 111 & 267, PIASA, IL, 62079
Cake artist: Theresa Hopkins

UPDATE (8/24/2016): The cake is still there.