#206: Fort Zumwalt Park

One of the oldest parks in the St. Louis region lies in O'Fallon (Missouri, not Illinois). This was the only cake placed in either one of the O'Fallons.

The Heald house

Facts:

• Revolutionary War veteran Jacob Zumwalt and his family settled on the land where the park is now. Zumwalt (died in 1820).
• Parts of his house that remain (in the park) include his stone chimney and his fireplaces.
• There is a replica of a War of 1812 fort in the park as well.
• The Darius Heald Home (where the cake is located on the outside) was built in 1884. 
• The land was purchased by the state of Missouri in the early-20th century, and eventually to the city of O'Fallon
• Park has a 4-acre lake and plenty of shaded areas, even places to play disc golf.
• Today, Fort Zumwalt Park hosts several annual and weekly events. This includes 'Founders Day Celebration' in May and the 'Festival of Lights' during the holidays.

Left side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Right side of the cake

Top of the cake

Wikipedia link

1000 Jessup Drive W, O' FALLON, MO, 63366
Cake artist: Leah Pruitt

#205: August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area

• Located just south of St. Charles
• Is 6,987 acres, including 3,000 acres of wildlife (too many to list!)
• Has free programs that involve nature, and plenty of trails. In addition, several kid-related stuff is offered here
• The land was first purchased by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1947, with help from August Busch's wife, Alice, from the United States government. 
• Licenses for fishing and hunting are available here
• Many exhibits also spotlight the area, including a 1,300 gallon aquarium

The visitors center

Inside the visitors center

The cake, of course, is focused on nature:

Top of the cake. It looks like Lindsay plastered a map on top!

Left side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Right side of the cake

August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area on FB
Wikipedia link
Official website

2360 Highway D, ST. CHARLES, MO, 63304
Cake artist: Lindsay Harmon

#204: Historic Daniel Boone Home & Heritage Center

*PUBLIC VOTE WINNER*

The last time I was here, I was either 3 or 4 years old, when my dad took my family on a day-long road trip here and some other historical place (can't remember?!). I didn't have any memories of it, but nonetheless it was a thrill to come back here. I didn't, however, go in the house. I was on a time schedule at the time, but I did walk around a bit and bought stuff from the gift shop. There were men outside in front of the gift shop constructed a new pavilion. I'm not sure when it will open.

The gift shop, which provides access to the walkway to the real house

The four-story Georgian style home was built to overlook the Femme Osage valley. It was built by Daniel's son, Nathan. The house now sits as part of Boonefield Village.

The village of Defiance is an unincorporated community.

A glimpse of the actual home from behind the gift shop

About Daniel Boone:

• Born in Reading, PA in 1734. 
• Later settled in North Carolina and hunted for a living. 
• Migrated westward to present-day Kentucky, where he helped organize the future state starting in 1767.
• He finally moved his family to Missouri, or at the time, called Upper Louisiana, in 1799.
• Died in the home on September 26, 1820.

Left side of the cake

Right side of the cake

Daniel Boone Home on FB (as Lindenwood University Daniel Boone Home)
Wikipedia link

1868 Highway F, DEFIANCE, MO, 63341
Cake artist: John Troy  (he also decorated the Lindenwood University cake)

#203: Mount Pleasant Estates

Entering....wine country! I kid you not. Once you travel the country highway MO-94, you'll see plenty of wineries as well as the fields that come with them. Still, its a nice drive, especially on the narrow roads and driving through the towns. I had never been to Augusta before, nor have I heard of it until this year, but this town does show plenty of old-school pride. Since I've driven a lot that day already, I had to get gas somewhere. I forgot from Washington to St. Charles, a gas station would be rare. Here I am, spoiled from back home, where there's a gas station every 5 miles. Turns out there was an 'old-school' but refurbished small gas station (with old-school pumps that take credit cards!) in Augusta. Then it was off to Mount Pleasant Estates. I took plenty of pictures as well as walked around when I was there.

• There is also a second location, which was put in Branson in 2008.
• Mount Pleasant is the third-largest winery in Missouri.
• The village of Augusta was originally called Mount Pleasant, but for unknown reasons, was changed to Augusta.
• The winery was founded in 1859 by immigrant Georg Muench. 
• It had to be closed (but only temporary) for Prohibition starting in 1920.
• It has a land spanning of 85 acres of vines, as well as 16 different kinds of grapes in production.

Another great thing about Mount Pleasant Winery: the views!

An awesome view

You can also take a cell-phone tour of Mount Pleasant. All you have to do, when you're there, is call 314-885-1098, stop #16.

This is the second cake in a row that I saw focus on wines:

Left side of the cake

Right side of the cake

Mount Pleasant Estates/Winery on FB
Wikipedia link
Official website

5634 High Street, AUGUSTA, MO, 63332
Cake artist: Christy Martin

#202: Washington Historical Society

The second stop on my 'Missouri River'-side tour happened to be just on the other side of my intended destination. Only reason I stopped was because it was only a few miles out of the way from MO Hwy. 94.

Northbound MO Hwy. 47 about to cross the Missouri River

Washington, Missouri is a Missouri River town. And believe me, they'll let you know! They also have the distinction of being the 'corncob pipe capital of the world'. Sounds crazy, right? A lot of things in Missouri (especially in St. Louis) are named after Thomas Jefferson, the country's third President. Washington is, of course, named after our First Prez.

A George Washington bust that sits outside the county's courthouse

It was first settled under Spanish control, but then Americans took control of it eventually. In 1799, Daniel Boone and his followers settled there. The town is very rich in history of its development, as well as its production and economy. It was at one time, a center for railroad and transportation industry. Washington has an amazing 445 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also the hometown of prominent soap actor Jack Wagner, who has had a long career in that television genre. Wagner also scored a hit single, 'All I Need', which hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985.

The sign

Inside part of the museum. Gotta love the honesty: 'The river is why we're here'

The cake looks like it focuses on grapes, which lead to wine! Washington sits on the other side of Missouri wine country. For more details, see cake #203.

Left side of the cake

Right side of the cake

As always the case, I randomly strolled into the museum. And boy, I'm glad I did! I learned a lot more than I did before I went in. I didn't know Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower campaigned for President in Washington. It has a lot of great artifacts, plus plenty of history lessons spanning from different time periods. The Washington Historical Society was established in 1859. It houses the Four Rivers Genealogical Society.

Washington Historical Society on FB
Official website

113 East 4th St., WASHINGTON, MO, 63090
Cake artist: Gina Harmon

#201: Warren County Courthouse

This cake was one of the farthest from me, at nearly 70 miles! But luckily, it was straight-up interstate highway from Glen Carbon. Warrenton was the first stop on my 'Missouri River'-side journey. When my oldest sister attended Mizzou in Columbia several years ago, I knew we were getting closer to home on the way back via I-70 (Warrenton is the midway point between Glen Carbon and Columbia, MO).

The city of Warrenton, named after General Joseph Warren, was founded in 1835. Its nickname is 'City of all seasons'. Despite of its 'far-out' location, it is considered part of the St. Louis Metropolitan area. This cake is the only one located in Warren County, MO. The city makes most of its external revenue from I-70 travelers.

Facts about the Warren County Courthouse:

This historcal Daniel Boone marker is found outside the courthouse

• Its current building was dedicated in 1998. 
• The former building (built in 1870), which was added to the National Register of Historic Places, was demolished in 1995. 
• It was demolished due to years of outdating, starting in the 1960s because of new Missouri laws in courthouses about juries. In addition, the building and its offices were showing signs of wear. 



This veterans memorial marker is found outside the Warren County Courthouse

• 
  

  

  Close look at the Warren County Courthouse sign

  

  Frontal view of the Warren County Courthouse

  

  A street view of downtown Warrenton, MO (taken from across the courthouse)

  The cake, which focuses on 'the four seasons', which is very fitting:

Left side of the cake

Back side of the cake

Right side of the cake

Top of the cake

Warren County, Missouri's Official website
Official website

104 West Main St., WARRENTON, MO, 63383
Cake artist: Patty Spellman