Danny Tuggle, president of the Northwest Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, said he was stunned to see so much support from the community after Christmas decorations at the pond at the House Springs Preservation Site were vandalized on Dec. 13.
He said people immediately sprung into action to make sure the decorations were replaced.
“This was an outpouring of what a small community can do,” Tuggle said. “My phone would not stop ringing. People would stop by and drop off blow-ups, lights, flags and money. It’s unbelievable.”
Lucas Patrick Clayton, 37, of House Springs was charged on Dec. 17 for allegedly destroying the decorations. He was charged with first-degree property damage, a class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison, authorities report.
Clayton allegedly punctured six inflatable Christmas decorations; threw plastic candy canes and light-up reindeer decorations into the pond and tore down Christmas lights and threw them into the pond.
Tuggle said about 30 inflatable decorations were donated, including ones from the High Ridge Walmart, Fenton Lowe’s and Arnold Home Depot. He said several people donated cash totaling at least $300, but more donations were still coming in, so he didn’t have an exact total.
In addition, some businesses donated cash, including Production Castings, a manufacturing company in Fenton, that donated $2,500, Tuggle said.
He said High Ridge Elks Lodge 2455 donated $300 and some Christmas decorations.
“It’s one of those things you can’t wrap your head around,” said Chris Pratt, president of the High Ridge Elks. “Why on earth would anyone go and destroy a Christmas decoration display? We saw that things needed to be done, and we unanimously agreed to help out.”
Big River Ambulance District Chief Scott Fisher said paramedics in Local 2665 also donated money and decorations for the pond.
“They wanted to give back to the community they work in,” Fisher said. “They felt bad for what happened and just felt it was right to donate to the cause and show their support.”
Tuggle spoke at the Dec. 21 Northwest R-1 Board of Education meeting about the community’s support after the Dec. 13 incident.
“Sometimes bad things cause good things, and that’s exactly what happened,” he said. “We’ve got a great community that I’m proud to be a part of. I’ve got more Santa Clauses now than I know what to do with.”
For three years, Tuggle and other chamber members have worked to return the pond to its original state, after years of neglect and runoff from local business had left the once pristine, spring-filled pond at highways MM and 30 filled with slime and sludge.
Tuggle said the latest phase of improvements to the preservation site were nearly complete on Dec. 9, four days before the vandalism. To celebrate the completion of the site project, the chamber served hot chocolate and s’mores at the pond before the House Springs Lions Christmas Parade.
Tuggle said he felt “devastated” when the preservation site was vandalized, but his spirits were soon lifted when he saw the outpouring of community support.
“I lived here 63 years and it finally hit me,” Tuggle said. “I felt that it was all worth it – bringing the spring and its beauty back to the way it was in the beginning.”
House Springs history
Tuggle said the chamber bought the site from the county in 2021 to beautify the area and preserve history.
The transaction with the county – in which the county accepted $10 from House Springs Preservation to transfer the title to the land – also cleared the way for the county to consider a medical marijuana dispensary at 3 Walters Place, in an adjoining shopping center.
According to Tuggle, a government-operated park cannot be located within 1,000 feet of a facility selling cannabis.
Tuggle said he has worked on the preservation site nearly every day since the 2021 deal.
The 0.83-acre preservation site is home to House Spring’s namesake spring and includes a sign with information about the area and a short path around the pond.
“It’s a historic place,” Tuggle said. “When they built the Hardee’s and all that stuff (near the pond), that was what they used for a retention pond. Over the years, the water came in from the highway and everywhere else and filled it up. We restored everything back to the way it was 150 years ago.”
Tuggle said the chamber established House Springs Preservation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation so it could accept donations.
At the beginning of 2022, Tuggle said he found what was left of an old bridge that once went through House Springs and the chamber cleaned that up and poured concrete to create what is now a 30- by-12-foot bridge.
Volunteers have done at least 90 percent of the work, Tuggle said.
He said Teen Challenge, a faith-based rehabilitation program in High Ridge, has volunteered several times in the past three years to help maintain the landscaping at the preservation site. Tuggle said student leadership clubs from Northwest High School also have helped periodically.
In August 2022. Wayne Bonacker, who owns an excavation business, donated three days of time and the use of equipment at the pond, including adding a waterfall, Tuggle said.
“One guy stopped by, him and his wife, and they asked me if they could do something,” Tuggle said. “He said he had lymphoma and had just gotten back from taking chemo treatment. He still had the time to stop by and help me. That kind of stuff is very emotional.
"So many people have come down here. Others blow their horn as they drive by.”
Tuggle said improvements at the pond are far from over.
In the coming summer, he hopes to start construction on a concrete path that would start at the parking lot of the nearby DaVita House Springs Dialysis Center and loop around the preservation site.
Tuggle said all the recent cash donations will be used for improvements at the pond.
Those interested in donating time, resources or money may contact the House Springs Preservation group through the chamber by calling 636-671-8010.
“While a lot of work has been done, there’s a lot of work still to do,” Tuggle said.