Institution

Robert (Bob) Boots had very fond memories about his restaurant describing it as the “symbol of the lustrous, upbeat, high-energy post war years, the likes of which may never come again (1)." Not only did the diner serve meals but also was home to a radio program called Breakfast at the Crossroads of America hosted by James (Lee) Crocker who interviewed U. S. 66 &amp; 71 travelers as well as locals. Boots Drive-In closed in 1970. The drive-up portico on the northside of the building is an addition made by the financial institution that now occupies the former drive-in restaurant.Text by Malorie Menefee, Powers Museum, Fall 2017.

Postcard of Boots Drive-In shortly after opening. Boots also enticed patrons with "Souvenirs, Novelties and Gifts" as advertised on one of its outdoor signs. Postcard was displayed in the 175th Anniversary of Carthage exhibit in 2017.

Bob Boots, right, and possibly Lee Crocker, left, at the counter of Boots Drive-In. Boots is standing in front of two postcard racks. Photograph courtesy the late Robert Boots, Powers Museum Collection.

1947 Carthage City Directory advertisement for Boots Drive-In. According to early signage on the property seen in various postcard views, donuts sold for 10 cents, toasted ham sandwiches were 20 cents and chili - "none better" - sold for 20 cents.

Digitization on CLIO is part of Powers Museum's "Digital Carthage" project in honor of Carthage's 175th Anniversary Celebration (March 28, 2017 through March 27, 2018).

Funding for the Walking in the Wards tour was made possible by a grant from the Missouri Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities, Spring 2017.

Exterior and interior views of Boots Drive-In.

More Info

Find-a-grave listing for Robert (Bob) Boots.

Oral history interview with Robert Boots, 2006.  

Audio

Transcript for 2006 oral history interview with Bob Boots.

Owners Arthur Boots (father) and Robert Boots (Arthur's son called Bob) opened Boots Drive-In in 1946 boasting of serving breakfast at any hour. The diner served sandwiches, waffles, frosty malts, doughnuts, and had a soda fountain with root beer. By day, the diner was filled with local adults as well as tourists who may have come to stay in the Boots Court (see Clio entry for Boots Court) located just across the street. By night, it became Carthage’s teenage hangout spot. The Drive-In, like the Boots Court, was built in the same streamlined Art Deco design that was thought to be thoroughly modern for the time. 



Boots Drive-in (former), 120 South Garrison Avenue

Director

The Cassil Place Historic District designation consists of these private residences:The Macoubrie House on 721 Central built in 1903 an example of the Victorian Eclectic style.The Herrin Home on 728 Central built in 1890.The Cassil #2 - Fenimore Home on 729 Central built in 1890 of the Eastlake Style.The McFadden House on 733 Central built in 1925.The Meister House on 734 Central built in 1890 of the Victorian Eclectic style home.The Joe McFadden House on 735 West Central built in 1910.The A. H. McFadden House on 742 Central built in 1914 as part of the movement toward a more classic and simplistic style.The O’Keefe House on 734 Central built in 1893 an example of the Queen Anne Style. (This structure has since been moved off its site and transported to the Precious Moments Chapel complex southeast of Carthage.)The Dennison House on 744 Central Built in 1914 in the Bungalow style featuring Carthage limestone smooth-faced blocks. Text for the Cassil Place entry was provided by Malorie Menefee, fall 2017.

This entry represents two of the last remaining blocks of the private residential district once called Cassil Place. The area was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. It was described to be the “residential haven of wealthy citizens of Carthage.” The eight residences that remain in the 700 block of West Central serve as prime examples of the various architectural styles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

Portions of the first Cassil House on Central Avenue (for which the district was named) were moved to 119 Blanche Street when replaced by Hawthorne School (811 West Central, see Clio entry for school; no longer standing). Later that remaining portion of the first Cassil House was moved to Red Oak II east of Carthage where it remains today. 

Gustavus Cassil was the founder of the Bank of Carthage (see Clio entry for bank, 301 South Main Street). He developed the district as a secluded residential area for wealthy Carthaginians. The approach from town had a beautiful limestone entryway followed by an archway of maple trees. The entryway was moved to Carter Park (see Clio entry for park) by the Workers Progress Administration in the 1930s. Central Avenue is now a four-lane highway (and at one point was a late routing of U.S. Highway 66). The development of the former residential district into a mixed-use neighborhood began after World War II 

Cassil Place, 700 - 800 Blocks of West Central Avenue

Probably the most famous graduate of Lincoln School at this location was James Scott who is regarded in the ragtime music genre as second to the "King of Ragtime" and fellow Missourian Scott Joplin. Scott is often called the "Prince of Ragtime" and after graduation he worked in Charles Dumar's music stores in the downtown business district as a song demonstrator playing sheet music for potential buyers. Dumar was Scott's first music publisher, too. Scott eventually moved to Kansas City to pursue his music career.The original Lincoln School property was sold in 1917 and served the community in various ways including housing the Murrell Potato Chip factory in the 1950s &amp; 1960s. The building's brick facade probably was covered with stucco in the late 1920s as was common in Carthage, especially among churches, as a means to update older buildings. This structure was renovated again in 1989 by architect/contractor Elliott Hunter for his professional office but the building is now part of the Lincoln School Apartments complex.

With a substantial African-American population, many of which were former slaves, the Carthage Board of Education practiced segregation and provided a school for Black students starting in 1869 in several short-term locations. By 1880 representatives of the African-American community petitioned the board for better care of their school and the board's response was to build a new building. Land was acquired at the southwest corner of Garrison Avenue and High Street and a new school building made from locally-fired brick was erected. Opened for the 1881-1882 school year under the guidance of teacher B. F. Adams, the school was named Lincoln in honor of the late president. The building consisted of an entry hall way and two classrooms, originally one for boys and one for girls. Lincoln School continued at this location, being used for both elementary and high school classes, until 1915, when over crowding initiated the need for a larger school with better equipped classrooms for higher levels. (See Clio entry for Lincoln School #2, 601 South River Street.)

This structure is no longer a public building but private residential property.

Lincoln School #1 (former), 525 North Garrison Avenue, now Lincoln School Apartments

Boots Court is of Art Deco design from the 1930s and early 1940s featuring streamlined curves and Black speed lines on its facade accented by green neon lights. The property has carports for almost all units and once had gas pumps located near the front office (foundation for pumps still visible). The motel boasted in its heyday of having “A radio in every room” as well as having tile showers, floor furnaces, thermostat control and air conditioning making it a thoroughly modern building. The original sign with the radio boast, still hangs out front. Boots Court is one of the best known and most photographed lodging establishments on Route 66.

The Boots Court (also known as Boots Motel) was built by Arthur and Ilda Boots in 1939 originally consisting of eight units. In 1942 Mr. & Mrs. Ples Neely purchased the motel and added five more units to the back of the property. It was then owned by Mr. & Mrs. Ruben Asplin in 1948 until 1991 when Mr. & Mrs. John Ferguson became the last owner/operators of the motel. The building was nearly demolished in the early 2000s to make room for building a new drugstore but was saved by public outcry.  Boots Court is now owned by Debye Harvey and Priscilla Bledsaw who purchased the property and saw to the restoration of the building back to operating condition.



Boots Court, 107 South Garrison Avenue

Robert (Bob) Boots had very fond memories about his restaurant describing it as the “symbol of the lustrous, upbeat, high-energy post war years, the likes of which may never come again (1)." Not only did the diner serve meals but also was home to a radio program called Breakfast at the Crossroads of America hosted by James (Lee) Crocker who interviewed U. S. 66 &amp; 71 travelers as well as locals. Boots Drive-In closed in 1970.  The drive-up portico on the northside of the building is an addition made by the financial institution that now occupies the former drive-in restaurant. Text by Malorie Menefee, Powers Museum, Fall 2017.

William Kaut, formerly of Kaut-Reith Shoe Company located at 200 South River (see Clio entry for address), organized a new shoe company with several local investors. A steel reinforced concrete and stucco building designed by Percy Simpson and constructed by P. J. McNerney was built for the company at a total cost of $50,000.  When operations opened eighty workers began making product, manufacturing 750 pairs of shoe a day. As the workforce increased to several hundred workers, up to 2,500-3,000 pairs could be made each day. When and why Kaut stopped manufacturing in the 1920s is not known.

Carmo Shoe Manufacturing Company moved to this site and may have leased other manufacturing sites in Carthage including the Goodhealth Shoe Company building (4th and Maple Streets, see Clio entry for address/company). They operated through the late 1940s. Once Carmo closed, the building was used for storage by other local manufacturers, including Smith Brothers Manufacturing, and then became a furniture factory until the structure was torn down and a used car lot occupied the site until the current business was constructed. 



Carthage Northside, Ward 2 - Neighborhood History Project

Boots Drive-in (former), 120 South Garrison Avenue

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information