My name is Dianna Borsi O’Brien and I created this website for two purposes:
- To highlight Columbia’s historic homes in preparation for a future book;
- To provide information about historic places in Columbia, Missouri and the surrounding areas.
For more information, to make a correction to something on the website or to ask me to post something to this site, please contact me at dobrien387@gmail.com or 573.424.5749. Also, for more information about me, my work and other projects, please visit diannaobrien.com and charleswgehrke.com
In addition to being in love with and obsessed with historical homes, I am a journalist with more than two decades of experience. The information on this website has been drawn from a variety of sources, but mainly from information provided by the city of Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission.
However, this website is not affiliated, associated or endorsed by the Historic Preservation Commission. For more information the Columbia’s HPC, go to the HPC’s official site here.
This website began by listing and highlighting the sites named to the Most Notable Properties list by Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission and the National Register of Historic Places.
The list of Notable Properties began in 1998 when the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) began naming five to 10 properties to the list each year except for 1999. Properties named to the list must meet three criteria:
- Within the city limits;
- 50 years old or older;
- Feature architectural or historical importance either through historic features, who lived there or how it was used.
hi deanna, i was one of the lucky children who went to this school in 1940′s and 50′s. we had a pump that we used to get our drinking water from. we had a lady cooking our lunch and i can still remember how good it smelled. we played many a ball game in the back.my pecan pie bought the most money for the school and i was so shy i wouldn’t eat with the boy who bought my shoe box supper. i am now 75 years old.
lucy
Lucy, thanks for your comment. Can you tell me what school you are referring to so I can post your comment? Sorry for not replying earlier! Dianna O’Brien
yes. it was keene school on brown station rd. in columbia. it was in the late 40′s and early 50′s.they didn’t have school buses then and we had to cut across neighbors fields or walk the road which was a really long walk.
Thanks, Lucy, for your comment. These are the kinds of stories that I think historic homes help us save! Thanks for commenting. Dianna