May 11, 2023 First Addition
The Innsbrook Historical Society was formed over 13 years ago. Not that long ago you say. Well, during that time, the IHS has turned a dilapidated 1830's log cabin into the showpiece of our Historical Village. We relocated a one room School-house, and built restroom facilities. And, we have completed sev eral other smaller projects which have added to the enjoyment of our Historic Village.

Today, we are kicking off a new section of the Explorer, aptly called the Cabin Chronicles. The headline for our first edition is that we have recently received the very generous donation of a 19th century barn, located just a few miles from Innsbrook. Wayne Edwards and his intrepid crew are disassembling the barn. The plan is to reconstruct the building on the IHS Village site.

Saturday, May 13 from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m., the IHS invites all Innsbrook property owners to our Discovery day event including music, refreshments, and fellowship. You'll be able to see a sketch of what the "new " old barn is going to look like. This is an event you don't want to miss!

If, you"re not already a member of the IHS, click the link below to learn more and become a member. http://Innsbrookhistoricalsociety.org

Becoming a member is easy! Just click on membership to print the application form. You can also ask about member ship at the Discovery day event!

Missouri Wine Country - May 18, 2023
What follows in this and two upcoming issues is a tale more twisted than the trunks in an Old Vine Zinfandel vineyard, and its “roots” originated just a little over a 20 minute drive from the gates of IBK. Have you ever taken a weekend jaunt from IBK, to Missouri Wine Country near Augusta, MO? If you have, you've visited the first designated American Viticulture area or AVA in the USA. By definition, an AVA is an area of land that has unique soil, climate, or terrain, that produces wines that reflect that uniqueness. The northern boundary of this first AVA (designated 06/80) is actually located 15 miles, as the crow flies, from IBK's southern boundary. As you probably know, Norton, America's oldest native grape, is grown in Augusta. Napa Valley is the second designated AVA in the USA.

Say you are sitting on your deck at Innsbrook enjoying a glass of fermented grape juice. It could be from any region, from any country. You may, or may not, depending upon how much you have consumed, find it surprising and interesting, that little Augusta, MO and other nearby areas of Missouri, played a big part in saving and preserving the wine industry in France, and to some degree, in other areas of the world.

Go back to circa 1870, when an aphid, known as Phylloxera was killing the root stock in French vineyards. The origination of this aphid is for Part III of this discussion. But, regardless, this disease was a pending national disaster and spreading rapidly, threatening the total devastation of their nationally-treasured vineyards. These vineyards and French wine were (and are) a great source of French pride and wealth. Think corn or wheat being wiped out in the US and you can see the potential impact on France. The devastation became more problematic over the ensuing years and there were no viable solutions coming out of Bordeaux or any of the other famous French wine regions. Their industry was seemingly destined to die on the “vine”, so to speak. (to be continued in Part II in the IBK Explorer, May 25, 2023 edition.)

Written by Innsbrook Property Owner, Ron Watkins

Saving French Vinyards - May 25, 2023
Part II - In Part I, we discussed that in the 1870's, French Vinyards were facing disaster and there were no viable fixes for "stemming" the decline. Enter a Missouri entomologist, (bug expert), Charles Riley, who became aware of the French disease, and the cause, Phylloxera. Riley knew that Phylloxera were also impacting the leaves of Augusta and Missouri vines. But the root-stock of their vines were immune to the impact of the bugs. Riley eventually corresponded and then visited with the expert, designated by the panicked French Government, to be in charge of stopping the disease. Over time, the two came up with a solution of grafting Missouri Phylloxera resistant root-stock onto French root-stock. This technique does not change the character of the grapes on the vine but rather strengthens the roots.

At some point (circa 1875), close to one half million Missouri root-stock cuttings were exported to France to be used for grafting onto French root-stock in Bordeaux, Burgundy, French regions. Many of these cuttings came from the area around Augusta and east to St Louis. In addition, George Husmann, a German immigrant and a self-taught wine maker living in Hermann, sent many bug resistant cuttings to France. The grafting took place overtime, and slowly, the French wine industry recovered and eventually thrived again.

Riley is still recognized as one of the foremost entomologists in American history. Husmann later settled in Napa where he ultimately managed a vine yard. He was a preeminent wine expert of his day, and wrote extensively on the subjects of growing grapes and making wine. He is considered the father of the Missouri wine industry and also considered as a founding father of California's. Both were revered by the French wine industry and both are honored by stat ues now standing in France. Notably, the practice of grafting Phylloxera-resistant root-stock onto newly planted (non-resistant) root-stock, still exists in the wine industry world wide. Read about more plots twists to this story coming up in Part III of the June 1st edition of the IBK Explorer.

Written by Innsbrook Property Owner, Ron Watkins

Saving California Vinyards - June 1, 2023
Part III: In another twist, and ironically, in the 1980's, California suffered a Phylloxera outbreak. Missouri offered root-stock to California growers but experts from UC Davis rejected Missouri stock in favor of another native California clone. Possibly Missouri did not have the allure of French or California stock. The clone that UC Davis decided to use was not resistant to Phylloxera and these planted vines eventually had to be dug up and replanted using more resistant stock sourced from France. Indirectly, this re-planted root-stock is likely genetically related to the root-stock grown in your Innsbrook backyard.

Recently, my wife and I were enjoying wine and dinner while seated next to, unknown to us, a couple who were employed by the California wine industry. In a never missed opportunity to educate, they were genuinely surprised to learn that prior to Prohibition, Missouri's wine industry was larger than California's, and second in the country to New York. And Augusta's status as the first US AVA was definitely a new factoid. It was fun to inform them that locally originated root-stock, right out of IBK's backyard, most likely contributed to saving the French wine industry from Phylloxera and indirectly did the same for the industry in California. We got the distinct impression that our brief educational update may have disturbed their wine palates, and that the Chardonnay they were swirling may have developed a bit of tinniness over time.

It is also probable that the French epidemic was caused by aphids that were transported back to France by early French explorers and on the leaves of Missouri plants. But unlike French vines, the aphids that 'bugged' our leaves decided to attack French roots and sapped their vitality. To sum, Missouri helped to both break, and to fix the French wine industry.

The next time you are having a picnic and swirling a glass of wine on the grounds of our resident cabin, lovingly restored by the Innsbrook Historical Society, remember that the wine you are enjoying may have indirectly made it to your glass, thanks to Augusta's and other Missouri root-stock. And the global wine industry in general should be giving great thanks to Missouri developed methods and root stock farmed just a 20 minute drive from the gates of IBK.

Article written by property owner Ron Watkins

19th Century Barn donated to IHS - June 8, 2023
By now, we hope all of Innsbrook nation knows about the Historical Society’s good fortune of having a 19th century barn donated to us. In March, a small group from the IHS met Mike and Diane Vaughn. The Vaughn’s live on Paul Rd. It’s near the intersection of Hwys M & O. The generosity of the Vaughn’s will make it possible for the IHS to have a larger venue for our concerts and events; once the barn is re-built on the Historic Village site, not far from the log cabin.

Later Cabin Chronicles will offer our readers a look back on the long history of the barn. We’re not exactly sure of the date it was built, but we’re fairly confident it was near the middle of the 19th century.

Wayne Edwards, and his hearty group of volunteers have been able to deconstruct the barn and are moving the wood to our Village site.

The reconstruction of the barn will be the next major project, with site preparations the first item on the list. Watch future Cabin Chronicles for more updates, and a lot more about the barn’s history.


Article written by property owner Ron Watkins

Barn Deconstruction Update - June 15, 2023
The Innsbrook Historical Society is proud to invite ALL of Innsbrook to come out to the Historic Village this weekend to enjoy the sounds of Charles Glenn. Charles, along with his wife Nikki, will present the Father’s Day porch music for the IHS. If his name doesn’t ring a bell for you, certainly his deep and pure voice will. You see, for 19 seasons, Charles sang the national anthem at both the Arena, and later at the newer home of the St Louis Blues. We are pleased to have the Charles Glenn Duo for our Sunday afternoon entertainment. Hope you will bring your lawn chairs, and your guests to the Historic Village for this 2 p.m. Father’s Day event.

BARN DECONSTRUCTION UPDATE:
Our crew has now completely taken down the donated barn from its Paul Rd. location. The lumber, which is going to be used to rebuild the barn at our Historic Village, is being stored near the log cabin. Special thanks to all of the IHS volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this happen.

Article written by property owner Ron Watkins

Barn Deconstruction Complete - June 22, 2023
Now that the donated barn has been completely disassembled and moved to it’s future location, we’d like to recognize the volunteers who made it happen. They began in late March, and completed the task just last week. Here’s the “honor roll” of the Innsbrook Historical Society barn crew lead by Wayne Edwards.


They celebrated with a piece of cake.



Article written by property owner Ron Watkins

Upcoming Events and Getting Involved - July 6, 2023
Don’t miss this Sunday’s IHS porch concert at 2 p.m.! You may have heard of the group Vote For Pedro. Since they all would not fit on the porch, we have their “spinoff” musical duo known as Two Pedros. They’re quite talented, and sure to put on a good show. Bring your lawn chairs and join us Sunday, July 9, at 2 p.m. at the IHS Village.

Please check Facebook for any updates regarding rain delays or cancellation. You can check either Innsbrook Historical Society or Innsbrook Property Owners Facebook pages.

It’s not too late to either become a new 2023 IHS member, or renew your membership (if you haven’t already done so). Simply go to the Home Page on IHS website, click on membership, and download the membership form.

With the excitement surrounding the construction of our barn at the IHS Village, it’s a great time to get involved. As always, you’re always welcome to visit the Log Cabin, Schoolhouse, or any other parts of the IHS Village.

Save the Date! Mark your calendar for Sunday, July 30 at 2 p.m. for the rescheduled porch concert featuring the Charles Glenn Duo. Rain forced the originally scheduled event to be canceled.

Article written by property owner Ron Watkins

Vaughns Cabin Photo at Porch Music - July 13, 2023
At Sunday’s IHS Porch Concert, special guests Mike and Diane Vaughn, and Diane’s mother Marian Huenke were recognized for the donation of their 1870’s barn. The IHS plans to reconstruct it on the Historic Village site. A framed photo of the barn was presented to the Vaughns by barn crew leader Wayne Edwards. Interestingly, the frame of the photo was fashioned from wood taken from the barn. IHS Board member Ric Baldini built the frame.
Future Cabin Chronicles will keep you informed of our progress in the reconstruction process of the barn.

If you’re not already a member of the Innsbrook Historical Society, or have not renewed your membership, please consider it. Download the membership form from our website Click Here

Mark your calendars for our next porch concert on Sunday, July 30 at 2 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the sounds of Charles Glenn and his wife. They were originally scheduled to be here in June, but weather forced us to cancel. You may remember Charles for his long “run” of singing the national anthem at St Louis Blues games.

Flying Squirrel in Daylight - July 20, 2023
“Dad, I hear scratching and high pitched noises coming from the wall of the chalet, and just above my bed.” It’s my youngest son, Conor, a light sleeper by nature.

“It’s probably nothing but we can check it out in the morning,” I reply. And so the next day, I climb a ladder and pull the sheet of wood covering the closed eave near my son’s second floor bed. Tons of debris and nesting material come dropping out as I get closer to the source of the noise, but no animals. As I shine my flashlight into the section of the eave that was still covered I see a giant pair of eyes, staring out of a small, very colorful, reddish-brown body.

Within seconds, four bodies slip past me and “fly” out into the yard surrounding our A-frame. It’s very unusual to see a flying squirrel in daylight but for roughly ten minutes we witnessed four of them jumping from tree to tree in broad daylight. Their speed in climbing a tree was so quick that you could barely detect them going from a low point to a high point with the naked eye. From there they would glide to a perch on another tree, rest, and do the same thing all over again. Their nest gone, they had to move on and build another nest for their family of four.

The Missouri Conservationist describes them as: “A chipmunk-sized rodent with large dark eyes, a slightly upturned nose and large ears, all of which make it look a little like a mouse. Between its front and back legs is a loose flap of skin that the squirrel stretches out like a kite when it is ready to “fly.” Evidently there is quite a large colony in the white oak woods of in Reifsnider Conservation area, just off IBK property to the west. But you won’t see them in daytime.

So this spring and summer, especially if you have a feeder with a perch, look for them at night, because they are more plentiful than you think, and they love your bird seed.

The Missouri Historical Society exists to maintain and support all things historical, related to IBK and the surrounding area. Please consider becoming a member. Download the membership form

Article written by Ron Watkins

Wishing Well in Front of Schoolhouse - July 27, 2023
The photo below shows the recently completed wishing well in front of the Schoolhouse at the IHS Historic Site. It represents the most recent addition to our 19th century collection of recreations and renovations. If you haven’t been by recently, stop by and check it out. You’ll be amazed by the quality of the work done by our “all volunteer” crew. Also, mark your calendar for the next IHS porch concert this Sunday, July 30th at 2 p.m. Singer Charles Glenn and his wife Nikki were originally scheduled to be on the IHS front porch in June, but rain forced them to reschedule. They bring charm and humor to bear on jazz standards, rock classics, and pop favorites. Bring your lawn chairs and coolers for this great event.

The Missouri Historical Society exists to maintain and support all things historical, related to IBK and the surrounding area. Please consider becoming a member. Download the membership form

IBK Neighbors The Vaughn's Donated Barn - Aug 3, 2023
The barn pictured above is the one donated to the IHS by IBK neighbors Mike and Diane Vaughn. The barn has been deconstructed and now sits, waiting for our intrepid IHS work crew to rebuild it at the Historic Village site. Before actual reconstruction of the barn can begin, site preparation is required, but hopefully before long, we’ll begin to see the barn “retake” shape.

Here’s just a bit of history about the barn. Based on documents from the Vaughns, we believe it was built around 1875. The Civil War, as well as Abe Lincoln’s death were just ten years past. A farm in those times had to have a barn to house the mules which served as the “tractors” of that era. The barn was the shelter for the mules during bad weather. The main floor of the barn was the mule’s home, complete with feeding trough. The barn loft stored their primary food...hay! It is estimated that as many as 1,000 bales might have been stored in the loft when packed full.

Funds to support reconstruction of the barn come directly from IHS memberships, so if you are already a member, thank you. But, if you’re not, please consider becoming a member of the Innsbrook Historical Society. Download the membership form
Thanks in advance for your support.

Mark your calendars now for a couple of upcoming IHS events:

Sunday, August 20 | 2 p.m.: Sunday afternoon porch concert featuring Teddy McCready. Teddy will entertain with songs from the likes of John Mayer, The Eagles, Jackson Brown, Tom Petty, and many more. Saturday, October 28: The first IHS self-guided tour of multiple cemeteries, all located inside Innsbrook. Watch future Cabin Chronicles for more Information about this event.

A little history of the Innsbrook Historical Society - Aug 10, 2023
In 2010, then Innsbrook resident John Welter, along with Innsbrook founder Ed Boyce, created the Innsbrook Historical Society. The accomplishments of these two men are the foundation for what now exists at the Historical Village site. Numerous hours of volunteer work has given us the restored log cabin, the rebuilt schoolhouse, new modern bathrooms, and a wonderful pavilion just to name a few.

Now, the IHS is embarking on one of its most ambitious projects; the reconstruction of a donated barn. While much of the wood in the barn is usable, significant costs will be incurred to complete the project. Site preparation, foundation and concrete work, roofing, windows, and wiring are just a few of the anticipated costs connected with rebuilding the barn. Since most of the revenue for the IHS comes from memberships, you can help by becoming a member. Please consider doing so by downloading the membership form .
If you have questions about the IHS, don’t hesitate to call Dave at 314.704.7001.

Also, mark your calendars now for a couple of upcoming IHS events:

• Sunday, August 20 will be our next Sunday afternoon porch concert featuring Teddy McCready. Teddy will entertain with songs from the likes of John Mayer, The Eagles, Jackson Brown, Tom Petty, and many more. Plan on attending. • Saturday, October 28 is the date for the IHS first self guided tour of multiple cemeteries, all located inside Innsbrook. Watch future Cabin Chronicles for more Information