Town and Country in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Estill Log Cabin

Photographed by Thomas Smith, July 14, 2026

1. Estill Log Cabin Marker

Inscription.

Estill Log Cabin. . , The Estill Log Cabin was originally located just north of the intersection at Clayton Road and Bopp Road. At the turn of the 19th century, it was part of the main house of Frank C. Reilly's 400-acre working farm, known as "Hill Top Farm," which extended north to what is now Conway Road. Historians think it was built sometime between 1870 and 1880. , Later the cabin was enclosed by a more modern structure. In 2003 the owner, Harry Estill, a descendent of Frank C. Reilly, collaborated with: Jesse Francis, a Curator and Restorationist with the St. Louis County Faust Park, the City of Town and Country, and multiple community volunteers to disassemble the two-room log cabin and reassemble it in Drace Park. This was done with the aid of a grant from the St. Louis County Municipal Grant Commission. , Harry Estill said, "I am delighted that the historic portion of the house will continue on to demonstrate the early history of our area." Jessie Francis tagged the logs and documented their arrangement for reconstruction. Wheelock Crosby Brown, a Trans-Mississippi Architectural Historian, generously donated similar hand-hewn logs to replace some logs damaged by termites. He said, "The saving of his log house for the education of future generations is very important. Very few houses of this type have survived in St. Louis County. It will provide many students and adults in that densely populated area an easily-accessed living history lesson." , The cabin was reconstructed near the existing Kropp Log Cabin in Drace Park. Both the windows and doors were purposely not replaced to allow visitors to walk through it in order to get a feel for what it was like to live in a small log cabin. , The Town and Country Parks and Trails Foundation was instrumental in raising some of the funds above the grant amount needed to complete the project. The members of the foundation are a small group of residents who feel that "the land, the environment, and the natural heritage are important to the community."

The Estill Log Cabin was originally located just north of the intersection at Clayton Road and Bopp Road. At the turn of the 19th century, it was part of the main house of Frank C. Reilly's 400-acre working farm, known as "Hill Top Farm," which extended north to what is now Conway Road. Historians think it was built sometime between 1870 and 1880.

Later the cabin was enclosed by a more modern structure. In 2003 the owner, Harry Estill, a descendent of Frank C. Reilly, collaborated with: Jesse Francis, a Curator and Restorationist with the St. Louis County Faust Park, the City of Town & Country, and multiple community volunteers to disassemble the two-room log cabin and reassemble it in Drace Park. This was done with the aid of a grant from the St. Louis County Municipal Grant Commission.

Harry Estill said, "I am delighted that the historic portion of the house will continue on to demonstrate the early history of our area." Jessie Francis tagged the logs and documented their arrangement for reconstruction. Wheelock Crosby Brown, a Trans-Mississippi Architectural Historian, generously donated similar hand-hewn logs

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to replace some logs damaged by termites. He said, "The saving of his log house for the education of future generations is very important. Very few houses of this type have survived in St. Louis County. It will provide many students and adults in that densely populated area an easily-accessed living history lesson."

The cabin was reconstructed near the existing Kropp Log Cabin in Drace Park. Both the windows and doors were purposely not replaced to allow visitors to walk through it in order to get a feel for what it was like to live in a small log cabin.

The Town & Country Parks and Trails Foundation was instrumental in raising some of the funds above the grant amount needed to complete the project. The members of the foundation are a small group of residents who feel that "the land, the environment, and the natural heritage are important to the community."

Erected by Town and Country Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.

Location. 38° 37.511′ N, 90° 26.97′ W. Marker

Photographed by Thomas Smith, July 14, 2024

2. Estill Log Cabin Marker

is in Town and Country, Missouri, in St. Louis County. It is on Cedar Valley Road 0.2 miles south of Clayton Road, on the left when traveling south. The marker stands on the grounds of Drace Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2310 Cedar Valley Rd, Saint Louis MO 63131, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater St. Louis.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Kropp Log Cabin (here, next to this marker); Oge Log Cabin (here, next to this marker); Tender Courage (approx. 1.4 miles away); Des Peres Park (approx. 1.4 miles away); Old Log Cabin (approx. 1.4 miles away); World War II Memorial (approx.

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1½ miles away); Hackmann Cabin (approx. 1½ miles away); Des Peres Presbyterian Church (approx. 1.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Town and Country.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 1, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2024, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 293 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 29, 2024, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.