The last house is gone and I have neglected this site for over a month. The only condolence I have is that I haven’t exactly neglected Carrollton itself. I also have not exactly been on top of answering email and site comments. I do thank you all for your comments, Carrollton memories shared, and questions too. I will try and get to the information when I can, but life in general has me very busy right now. The end of Carrollton’s life could not have come at a worse time for me. Its obvious to say that I am still compelled to go through the neighborhood once in a while, if only for a quick look around. They continue to gate off access to more roads, particularly on the southern end. Unless I’m in the mood for a hike, there really is not much to do there, but drive through and ponder what next.
I’m very much at a loss on what to do with Saturday mornings… I used to wake up early, grab the camera and wander around until the ground warmed the dew away. My initial (and continual) reasons for studying such a lonely place was not only because it was once my home, not only because I needed an inspiration for a thesis project, but because what was happening to the land was parallel to so much else. An organically evolving place that, although it was the one of the most abandoned places in St. Louis, it was strangely comforting for me to walk around in. Now, without the despite houses, the sense of extreme loneliness exists. As much as I was looking forward to, and even embraced the destruction of the last house, I also feared it. Perhaps I put too much weight on it, but it signaled the end of a long era.
I am looking forward to seriously digging into the research for and the design of this book. Being an art major, writing a book is a completely new endeavor for me but one I am looking forward to fully embracing. I can’t say I will be posting as continuous as I once did… only because there is not exactly a whole lot of new developments in the area. My predictions for the area remain the same; Carrollton will remain gated off for a number of years, perhaps until the economy improves or until Lambert International Airport develops it into some specialty storage (ie Chinese shipping hub). Maybe it in a few years, but I have a feeling it will more likely be decades. Sadly, there are too many issues, particularly environment and legal issues, to ever see it turn into a park. I still hold out a little bit of hope for a park… I will hold my fingers crossed, but I won’t hold my breath to it.
J. Desy Schoenewies
56 Houses Left 
Desy. Just returned from a trip back home due to my mother’s passing. My partner and i decided to check out Carrollton as both of us remember it well. Indded all of the side streets from Woodford way were gated off. curiously, the gates or all set back far enough to allow a vehicle to pull totally off of Woodford to park. We went to grandin and parked. As my house was first on the right. we awalked the grounds and I tried to figure the location of some things. Example is saying “my bedroom was right here” while standing in my closest approximation of where said room was. Pehaps it was because my mother had just died. but I did not find it so sad. it’s hit me as still part of the “great circle”. To everything there is a season, Turn,turn,turn. We noticed the increasingly poor condition of the roads. though for some reason, Gallatin has been extended east of Woodford. I suspect that the city of St. Loo is going to let most of the roads go. using a select few as outer roads for runway maintenance and security roads. Over time, as is already shown, grasses and increasingly larger plants will encroach on the roads not used, erasing even more signs of was once there. In less time than you think, you may not be able to use a vehicle beyond the intersection of Bonfils and Woodford Way.
Our flight out of Lambert, we actually took off using the hated runway, flying directly over the remains of Carrollton.
I also hope it wouild be destined for a park, but the answer may well be years away.
Keep up the work and I as do many others patiently await your book.
Peace.
B.J.Wilson
B.J.,
I am very sorry for your mother’s passing. I hope you found some healing in your visit, though I know it must have been difficult for you. The more I look into the history of the area, the more I realize that there is a circle, a kind of cycling of nature, man, nature, etc. You are also correct in saying that the roads will be lost soon… they are already starting to crack and plants are growing through… reclaimed. So no, probably no official park, but nature will take its own right.
I do wonder if they will continue to mow everything down like they did when there were houses left…
Thank you B.J. I truly appreciate your kind words, memories, and support.
-jami (desy)
Sad to see all the homes gone in Carrollton. We lived at 4235 Cordin Ln. in the back part of Carrollton. Although noisy, we loved living in Carrollton and had really good neighbors. Before that we lived at 4171 Weskan Ln. across from the Carrollton Club. Both homes are gone and the neighbors have all scattered. The saddest part is people were forced out of their homes and it was all destroyed for nothing. Just greed on the part of the airport and the city.