Grant's Trail: Sappington House and Father Dickson Cemetery

Grant's Trail: Sappington House and Father Dickson Cemetery. . , Sappington House, . The Sappington House is the historic home of Thomas Sappington. Thomas was one of the seventeen children of John and Jemima Sappington, early pioneers of the area. John and Jemima Sappington moved to this area in 1804 from Kentucky and purchased approximately 1,920 acres of land. This land is the current site of the City of Crestwood and the surrounding Sappington area of unincorporated St. Louis County., . The Sappington House was built in 1808 by Thomas Sappington and is significant because it is a prime example of federal architecture, a style rare to Missouri. It is also believed to be the first brick house in St. Louis County. Bricks made on-site composed the primary building material and wooden pegs were used to fasten the frame. The house originally contained four rooms and cooking was conduced in an outside kitchen. An indoor kitchen was added by Thomas Sappington sometime around 1820., . The City of Crestwood purchased the house in 1961, at which time the structure of the house was substantially unchanged from the time it was built. Restoration of the house began in 1963 and the home opened for public tours in 1966. The City of Crestwood and the Sappington House Foundation maintain this treasure and National Historic Landmark site. Foundation volunteers offer guided tours of the Museum. Visitors are encouraged to call the Sappington House Museum (314-822-8171) to confirm hours of operation., . The Library of Americana, Sappington House Barn Restaurant, and Sappington House Gift Shop are also located on this site. The Library of Americana contains an extensive collection of books and antiques detailing the history and art of this area. The Sappington Barn Restaurant serves lunch in a tearoom setting and is available for group parties, dinners, weddings, and receptions. The Gift Shop is located in the loft area above the restaurant., . Please visit the Sappington House Historic Facility. Your support of the museum, library, restaurant, and gift shop ensure the ongoing preservation of our American heritage., Father Dickson Cemetery, . The historic Father Dickson Cemetery was one of the first African American public cemeteries in St. Louis. It was named for the Reverend Moses Dickson, an African American born free in Ohio in 1824. Reverend Dickson was a Black Abolitionist leader who founded the Knights of Liberty. Ordained later in life as an African Methodist Episcopal minister, he devoted himself to social activism on behalf of African Americans and co-founded Lincoln Institute, which is now Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri., . Father Dickson Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 6000 African Americans including veterans of the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II and the Korean Conflict. Also interred here are John Vashon, a well-known attorney, linguist and teacher and James Milton Turner, co-founder of Lincoln University. Turner was the first African American U.S. Ambassador to Liberia appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1871., [Aside:] , Great Rivers Greenway is the public organization leading the development of a region-wide system of interconnected greenways, parks and trails, known as the River Ring. The River Ring will join two states and cover an area of 1,216 square miles. The Greenway District, formerly known as the Metropolitan Park and Restoration District, was established in November 2000 by the successful passage of the Clean Water, Safe Parks and Community Trails Initiative (Proposition C) in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County, Missouri. For more information about Great Rivers Greenway District, visit greatrivers.info