|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||||||
 |
Published May/Jun 2005 |
||||||
|
Midwestern treasure troves call to collectors searching for a fun
(and profitable) weekend trip. by Julie Failla Earhart |
|||||||
 ntique hunting is a popular hobby in the United States, perhaps because we baby-boomers have a tendency to wax nostalgic. A treasure for your collection is out there waiting in a flea market, specialty store, or junk shop. It’s just a matter of finding it. And the Midwest has plenty of places to look.Southwestern Illinois Southwestern Illinois offers many antique festivals, unique shops and historic towns that make this area an antique lover’s paradise. Antique season kicks off on May 1 with the Maeystown Fruehlingsfest/Springfest Antique and Garden Show. Maeystown, located 33 miles southwest of St. Louis off Illinois Route 3, is a restored German village that dates back to the 1850s. Head to the area, grab a room at the Corner George Inn and explore the surrounding region for a fun antique-hunting weekend. North of Maeystown on Illinois Route 3 is Waterloo, where visitors will find many independent antique stores with a wide showcase of items. About 50 miles north of Waterloo along the Great River Road, antique hunters can browse Alton’s Antique District. Dozens of shops make up this diverse shopping and dining area. It’s not an antique shop, but up the hill is a wonderful bookshop, Riverboat Molly’s, that specializes in the supernatural. Farther north, the Great River Road hugs the banks of the Mississippi and winds through the villages of Elsah and Grafton. Atop a bluff overlooking Grafton is Tara Point Inn and Cottages that commands a sweeping vista of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers’ confluence. Indiana’s Antique Alley The Richmond-Wayne County area, 70 miles east of Indianapolis, is home to Indiana’s Antique Alley, which features two loop trails that wind along the Historic National Road, a national scenic byway, and tiptoes into western Ohio. Antique Alley Trail 1 is a 75-mile trip that starts in Richmond and heads west along the Historic National Road (U.S. Highway 40) to Knightstown then returns east on scenic state Route 38. “You can spend a full day or a week on these 75 miles alone,” said Nancy Sartain, leisure marketing manager of Richmond-Wayne County Convention & Tourism Bureau. “More than 900 dealers have items ranging from the primitive to contemporary collectibles.” The most concentrated gathering of antiques is in Centerville where Webb’s Antique Mall is located at 200 W. Union St. More than 500 dealers ply their trade in the 85,000-square-foot building that once was a casket factory. Inventory varies daily but the number of items available is staggering. Centerville is also rich in American history. Many of its 100 structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Main Street (U.S. Highway 40) is part of the Historic National Road, the country’s first interstate highway established by an act of Congress in 1806 that stretches from Cumberland, Md., to St. Louis, Mo., and beyond. The Indiana section was completed in 1834. After the shops close, visitors can take a walking tour and admire the distinctive architecture along Main Street. A place to admire or stay is the Historic Lantz House Inn in Centerville, a beautiful bed-and-breakfast. Antique Alley Trail 2 is a 99-mile loop featuring more than 200 booths and shops. The trail starts in Richmond, heads north on U.S. Highway 27 and crosses into Ohio. “Trail 3 is currently in the planning stages,” said Sartain. Missouri’s roads There are antique shops and malls galore in Kansas City and St. Louis. Kansas City’s River Market Antique Mall on West Fifth Street is a 30,000-square-foot, multi-dealer stop for antique hunters. Downtown Maplewood, a St. Louis suburb, is growing in popularity for finding antiques. Cherokee Street in St. Louis continues to offer unique antique shops. If the quiet of the countryside is more appealing, Missouri’s Bootheel hosts the 100 Mile Yard Sale (573-243-8131) on May 26–30 along state Route 25 between Jackson and Kennett. Almost everything imaginable is for sale from hundreds of vendors. “Antique fanatics can start in Ste. Genevieve (60 miles south of St. Louis) area, which offers a vast assortment of wineries, shops, boutiques and historic homes,” said Silvey Barker of East Prairie Tourism. From Ste. Genevieve, follow U.S. Highway 61 through St. Marys, Perryville and into Cape Girardeau. The Cape’s River District has an eclectic mix of shops, art galleries, restaurants and pubs. East Prairie is south of Cape Girardeau, approximately three hours south of St. Louis. East Prairie has one of Missouri’s largest antique malls, Olde Town Traders Mall. The 10,000-square-foot mall features Depression- and carnival-era glass, books, paintings, collectibles and more. “To make a weekend of it, go west to Dexter which has two flea markets,” Barker said. In northeast Missouri, state Route 79 between Clarksville and Hannibal offers breathtaking vistas of the Mississippi River and 50 miles of fine arts and crafts, antique shops and restaurants. The scenic byway’s southernmost city is Clarksville, the state’s only remaining downtown business district that faces the Mississippi River. Founded in 1871 and on the National Register of Historic Places, artists and artisans call this river town home. Louisiana has a few antique shops. Visitors can view the wide array of artists at work and meander through the studios and galleries. Hannibal boasts a marvelous Victorian gem where Mark Twain was often entertained during his visits, the Garth Woodside Mansion. It’s the perfect place to rest weary eyes after a long day of searching for the perfect addition to any antique collection. Julia Failla Earhart is a contributor from St. Louis, Mo. |
|
||||||
^ to top | previous page |
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
Contents may not be reproduced in whole or in part unless expressly authorized in writing by AAA Traveler Magazines.
Copyright © 1999 - 2007 AAA Traveler Magazine | 12901 N. Forty Dr. | St. Louis, MO 63141 |
|||||||
