LOOKING BACK is a Leader online feature that highlights historic photos. Readers are invited to submit their historic Jefferson County photos for online publication.
For those who travel up and down I-55, Arnoldisthat big, green-and-white water tower. But there was a time not too long ago when Jefferson County’s largest city was the home of two iconic structures.
The distinctive architecture of the Carondelet Savings and Loan building definitely caught your attention. While not really a tower (the building only had four stories), the structure stood out on the skyline because the glass building was built on a large hill.
Carondelet, which was founded in 1953, was absorbed into Community Federal Savings and Loan in 1983.
When the Arnold branch closed, there were no takers to assume the landmark and it eventually was demolished. An Applebee’s restaurant eventually was built on the site.
But in its heyday, the building had some measure of regional fame, as famed St. Louis bandleader and pianist Russ David broadcast his famous “Pevely Playhouse Party,” a two-hour live music radio show, from Carondelet. David’s show was aired first on KSD Radio, and then moved to WEW Radio in 1969.
– Steve Taylor
Send submissions (or if you have any information on this photo) to LOOKING BACK to nvrweakly@aol.com or bring or mail them to the Leader office, 503 N. Second St., Festus (P.O. Box 159, 63028). Please include your name, phone number, a brief description of what’s in the photo and tell us how you came by it. Please also include when it was taken, where and by whom (if known). A new LOOKING BACK photo will be posted each week.
