09 DECEMBER 1933 — FOUNDERS PLAQUE
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
Founders Plaque
Scanned Photo courtesy of Missouri Honorary State Regent Charlotte Boyd and
Leslie Canavan, MO Historic Landmarks & Memorials State Chairman
On December 9, 1933, the National Society Daughters of the American Colonists, in the State of Missouri, dedicated a tablet on the Planters Hotel Building, (at Fourth and Pine Streets), to commemorate the founding of the National Society Daughters of the American Colonists, organized at a meeting held at the Planters Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, December 9, 1920. Mrs. George Thatcher Guernsey of Independence, Kansas, presided at this founding meeting and Mrs. Joseph Mitchell Long of St. Louis served as Recording Secretary pro tem.
The bronze tablet bears the names of the thirteen Founders and the name of the Missouri State Regent, in whose regime the Tablet was erected: Mrs. Edward Thurman Smith. The inscription is as follows:
National Society
Daughters of the American Colonists
was organized at a meeting held at the
Planters Hotel in St. Louis, December 9, 1920The Founders were
Sara E. Guernsey Kansas Ida M. Schaaf Missouri Emma Wagoner Long Missouri Lavinia Crow Reilly Missouri Harriet Holbrook Norris Missouri Margaret Blaine Campbell Missouri Euphrates S. Pearson Missouri Nola P. Hatch Missouri Jennie Bowles Thomas Missouri Emily Willet Davis Georgia Stella Hereford Ball Missouri Dora Eddleman Simmons Missouri Minnie Walker Wilcox Missouri
National Society
Daughters of the American Colonists
in the State of Missouri
was organized at the Planters Hotel
in St. Louis May 26, 1921This tablet erected by the
National Society
Daughters of the American Colonists
in the State of Missouri
December 9, 1933Mellcene Thurman Smith State Regent
Planters Hotel
Planter’s Hotel was a renown St. Louis destination for many years; this building was the hotel’s third home. The hotel prospered for another twenty or so years after re-opening in the new building; however, business suffered during World War I. The hotel closed in 1922 and the building was eventually converted to office space.
Bank of America Plaza
The building was renamed the Cotton Belt Building in 1930; it was headquarters for the entire Cotton Belt railroad until the mid-1950s. It was torn down in 1976. In 1982, a building tower was erected standing 384 ft (117m) tall with 31 floors and comprised of 750,000 square feet and became Boatman’s Bancshares. In 2003, Bank of America became the largest tenant leasing occupying 96% of the space. It is now known as the Bank of America Plaza.
The whereabouts of the Founders Plaque is unknown.