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Church is the backbone of Bay
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By Ra'Vae Edwards
News Tribune
BAY - At the intersections of highways K and W in Gasconade County sits a small hamlet with a handful of homes and businesses.
Bay may not be the largest community in the county, but it carries a history dating back to the 1800s. Homes located along the main road through town are neatly kept and three historical buildings stand out to passers-by.
The Bethel Presbyterian Church and the current Bay-Hermann-Berger Bank are possibly the two oldest buildings in town.
The Bethel Presbyterian Church was organized on Aug. 22, 1848, by the order of the Presbytery in St. Louis. The committee appointed to carry out the order consisted of two men - the Rev. Philip Heyer and Joseph Fenont.
The church formed with 44 members on the charter roll. Six of those later became ordained ministers and were followed by nine others throughout the years. More than 20 ministers have served the Bethel Presbyterian Church during its more than 160 years in existence.
The present building was constructed in 1855 and is among the oldest in Gasconade County. The building is made of native limestone quarried nearby.
At the time of its construction, a local resident, Nicholas Heimes, helped lay the stone.
The tower was added to the church building in 1889.
A brick schoolhouse was built in back of the church in the late 1920s. It was used as a school and for confirmation classes, quilting meetings and various events.
According to the written history of the county, the Bethel Presbyterian Church is one of only a few churches still holding services in the original church building.
The Bay-Hermann-Berger Bank has been in continuous operation since 1911 and is said to be the only bank in Gasconade County that continued operations through the Great Depression. It continues to be one of the oldest businesses in the county, although the name has changed at least twice.
The bank was the brainchild of seven men, six from the Bay community and one from St. Louis.
The original amount of capital stock to start the bank was $10,000, which is equal to more than $220,000 today.
In 1978, the State Bank of Bay was moved to Hermann and the name was changed to the Bay-Hermann Bank. When the bank merged with the Bank of Berger in 1989, the name was again changed to its current day name - the Bay-Hermann-Berger Bank.
In its early days, Bay was home to several merchants. Although it does not fall under the category of “ghost towns,” Bay is no longer home to a post office. And, although it is slightly off the beaten path, it provides a unique atmosphere and is certainly worth the drive.
Bay may not be the largest community in the county, but it carries a history dating back to the 1800s. Homes located along the main road through town are neatly kept and three historical buildings stand out to passers-by.
The Bethel Presbyterian Church and the current Bay-Hermann-Berger Bank are possibly the two oldest buildings in town.
The Bethel Presbyterian Church was organized on Aug. 22, 1848, by the order of the Presbytery in St. Louis. The committee appointed to carry out the order consisted of two men - the Rev. Philip Heyer and Joseph Fenont.
The church formed with 44 members on the charter roll. Six of those later became ordained ministers and were followed by nine others throughout the years. More than 20 ministers have served the Bethel Presbyterian Church during its more than 160 years in existence.
The present building was constructed in 1855 and is among the oldest in Gasconade County. The building is made of native limestone quarried nearby.
At the time of its construction, a local resident, Nicholas Heimes, helped lay the stone.
The tower was added to the church building in 1889.
A brick schoolhouse was built in back of the church in the late 1920s. It was used as a school and for confirmation classes, quilting meetings and various events.
According to the written history of the county, the Bethel Presbyterian Church is one of only a few churches still holding services in the original church building.
The Bay-Hermann-Berger Bank has been in continuous operation since 1911 and is said to be the only bank in Gasconade County that continued operations through the Great Depression. It continues to be one of the oldest businesses in the county, although the name has changed at least twice.
The bank was the brainchild of seven men, six from the Bay community and one from St. Louis.
The original amount of capital stock to start the bank was $10,000, which is equal to more than $220,000 today.
In 1978, the State Bank of Bay was moved to Hermann and the name was changed to the Bay-Hermann Bank. When the bank merged with the Bank of Berger in 1989, the name was again changed to its current day name - the Bay-Hermann-Berger Bank.
In its early days, Bay was home to several merchants. Although it does not fall under the category of “ghost towns,” Bay is no longer home to a post office. And, although it is slightly off the beaten path, it provides a unique atmosphere and is certainly worth the drive.
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boxergal wrote on Sep 25, 2008 8:45 AM: