14806 Pont, on the northern side of Bonfils, was destroyed on March 3rd, a day before a massive snow storm left the wrecker sitting on this plot for weeks later.
I explored this house in detail after I saw the yard was dug up from the water tap destroy. From the outside, it was cute yet nothing special. There was a workbench that was moved to the front yard, which sat for years. A faded bandanna clung to the dogwood for an equal spread of time. Inside this home was full of bittersweet beauty. It was a spacious, well cared-for and classy place. It was the type of house that the homeowners took pride in. Despite knowing for years it would all be flattened and crushed, they updated and wallpapered, painted and decorated. 
A great room with a cozy fireplace flanked with windows was just off the entrance foyer. To the right of the foyer was a handsome library that make me envious of the number of books that was once proudly displayed on the floor-to-ceiling shelves. The bedrooms told me that kids grew up here and possibly left as teenagers or older. The open kitchen and dining area was inviting to walk around in. I am sure the cabinetry would have been quite nice had they not been wrenched off by scavengers. It was the kind of place that you knew once Lambert’s final letter was delivered to them, the family’s heartache sunk in deep. There was a feeling that something was not quite right; not in an eerie, creepy way but in a sad and melancholy way. Standing inside this empty and ravaged house, I could almost hear the scornful tears of the family who probably will never feel at home like they did on Pont. Wherever they are, whatever place they now try to call home, I am sure this family can still feel it. Everyone I have talked with all tell me they still do.
Weekly I get mail and meet new contacts from Carrollton’s former residents (and thank you all- keep sending messages to me). Each one of them will forever regard themselves as victims of eminent domain abuse. They may have chosen their new house, but they did not choose to leave their homes in Carrollton. The more I speak to the former residents, the more I am offered encouragement and belief in this project. They seem to believe it will have some austere power to awaken the rest of the comfortable world to the real heartbreak of eminent domain. It continues, not just in Bridgeton, but across the St. Louis area, the state, the nation. Just this week, the Missouri Supreme Court made the decision for allowing cities to declare privately-owned land as eminent domain for commercial use. No property is now safe and certainly not sacred.
The least I can do is continue to gather information, continue to talk to the residents, and at the very least write a book about their experiences. The least I can do is to offer solace and maybe peace to the thousands of residents victimized over this one poorly-made decision. A decision to add a few extra flights to an airport that was even at the time flying under capacity. It is no different than buying out a small corner stand to add yet one more chain pharmacy where one already exists a half mile away. Lambert is no different than developers who partially destroy neighborhoods while crashing the property values of the remaining homes to add yet another big box store. City leaders are increasingly licking their lips at imaginary tax revenues and ready to offer TIFs and other incentives to these developers, kicking the wishes of their constituents out the door in the process. They get elected again and again when developers fund the campaigns. City residents on the other side of town are ignorant to the pleas of their neighbors simply because ‘its not affecting them.’ We need to wake up and realize it affects all of us. It changes the landscape of our lives in ways that are more harmful than a few dollar signs can comfort. I never thought I would become so adamant against eminent domain. All the painful stories collected from the residents of Carrollton have convinced me otherwise.
I bumped into one of my many favorite art teachers from high school. Her house was on Woodford Way, taken almost two years ago. When I told her about my project, she started to get a bit choked up. “I think that only now can I handle seeing the pictures.” She was not the first to show emotion and not the first to still remain bitter against Lambert after many years. She won’t be the last either.
Carrollton was able to fight it for decades. Though they lost the land, they still hung on longer than most people now are willing to fight Big Business. Through the yellow ribbons tied in solidarity, the weekly Bridgeton Air Defense (B.A.D.) meetings, the relentless and costly lawsuits that spanned decades, their loud voices could be heard until the wrecking crew’s crashing quieted their volumes. These residents had the courage to fight Big Business and they should still be proud to have come as far as they did. They lost their homes, but they did not lose their pride. Had they not fought, they would have been even worse for defeated.
For those keeping score at home, the total remaining homes is now 26.
J. Desy Schoenewies
56 Houses Left 
This was the home of one of my grade school teachers. She taught at St. Lawrence, had superb penmanship and always had a kleenex tucked up in the sleeve of her blouse. Anybody remember her name??
The teacher at St. Lawarence, would that be Mrs. Balfay? Again, the art teacher who lived on Woodford Way. Would that have been Mrs. Jones? she taught art at Pattonville High. I lived at 12651 Grandin, Graduated from Pattonville in 1969, Moved out of my parents home in spring of 1970, (found an apartment in the CWE, near university.) I have many good memories of Carrollton, always appreciated the look of many of the homes. Residential architecture became my carrer. I have a deep affection for Mid-Century Modern homes, living in a fine example of same here in Phoenix, Az. Carrollton’s home were very well done in the MCM style. It will be forever a great shame that an establidhed neighborhood of such homes was destroyed under what has proved to be false pretenses.
I and my family lived in this house from 1965 -1970. Many fond memories.
….. as I was saying,
We lived there in the ’60’s. It’s a very strange sensation – seeing this – but I’m so grateful that someone has taken the time to document it’s demise. Many thanks. ….. BTW, I and my sister and younger brothers went to Carrollton Elementary. I then went to Pattonville Hts. JH, and then Pattonville HS until 1970, when we moved out of the area. The ironic thing about seeing the old neighborhood in ruins is that I can remember when large patches of woodland were cleared to make way for the development. It was heart-wrenching at the time, because the woods were so much fun to play in. There’s something almost sweet about seeing the area revert back to an earlier version of itself.
14806 was first owned by my parents, John and Vivian Short. I attended Carrollton Elementary School from third through sixth grade and spent many summer days at the Carrollton pool. We moved when my father was transferred with his job when I was in seventh grade. Still have such fond memories of the years spent in Carrollton. Thank you for sharing this photos. Bitter sweet to see them.