Treloar Mercantile
Preserving History: About the Treloar Mercantile Building
This historic store was built for the arrival of the KATY Railroad in 1896. The Treloar Mercantile is a prime example of what conservation and preservation along the Katy Trail can accomplish.
Treloar Storytelling Event video
This short, 8-minute video is part of the St. Louis Storytelling Festival and tells the story of Treloar and its historic Mercantile Building, including an interview with our very own Dan Burkhardt.
History of Treloar Mercantile
The Treloar Mercantile and Farmer’s Bank has served many purposes for the town of Treloar in its 120+ years of existence. Built in 1896 following the construction of the Missouri, Kansas, Texas Railroad (today’s Katy Trail), it began operations as a general store providing goods to the community until the mid-1930’s. Its second floor likely also served as a boarding house for travelers along the Katy. In 1904, an addition was added to the building to house the town bank that later became the town’s post office, operating until the mid-2000’s.
The Treloar Mercantile Experience
Start Your Journey On Our Country Store Corridor Here at the Treloar Trailhead!
Treloar’s small-town charm and history-rich structures offer a unique experience along the Katy Trail on our Country Store Corridor.
Treloar exists within an expansive agricultural landscape to serve as the perfect snapshot of Missouri’s countryside. Walk up to the grain elevator and read about its history. Find the largest ear of corn, dubbed #katycorn, next to the 100+ year old Mercantile building that resides directly behind Treloar’s Katy Trail trailhead. Hungry? Make sure to stop at the Treloar Bar & Grill for the best hamburger on the Katy Trail.
Our Country Store Corridor is a 3.5-mile stretch on the Katy Trail between Peers and Treloar, providing a focal point for Magnificent Missouri’s conservation efforts.
Accessing the Treloar Trailhead & Our Country Store Corridor
Katy Trail Access: Mile marker 84.4
Driving Directions: Treloar Trailhead
Visit our Country Store Corridor page for info about parking, accommodations, and more.
Missouri Corn Carving | #KatyCorn
When we bought the 100+ year old Treloar Mercantile Building, it came with a large, dead elm tree. To pay tribute to the historic success of the town of Treloar, and one main reason it prospered for many years, we decided to turn the stump into an ear of Missouri field corn. Here’s its story:
Around the time the Treloar Mercantile Building was built in 1896 to welcome the new KATY Railroad, an elm tree started to grow next to it. It grew for more than 100 years, providing beauty and shade. A few years ago, it died. So, when we bought the Treloar Mercantile building, we also bought a large, dead elm tree.
We decided to turn the stump of the tree into a tribute to one of the main reasons the railroad and the town of Treloar prospered for many years — the corn that was grown in the nearby river bottom fields and the grain elevators that still stand across the street and shipped trainloads of corn and grain to market.
In the summer of 2018, Bill Spradley from Trees, Forests and Landscapes in Kirkwood took down the tree, leaving a 12-foot stump. About a month later, a talented carver and his 2 assistants (from the Wood Den in Festus) removed everything from the stump that didn’t look like an ear of Missouri field corn. Above are the before, during and after photos.
Well, 3 men, 6 chainsaws, and 7 hours later, our #katycorn tribute was born!
We hope you can come to see it and visit the Peers Store, just 3 miles away. When you visit, take a selfie and post with it #katycorn on social media. Show us your pic at the Peers Store for a free ice cream! 🍦
Special thanks to Bill Spradley from Trees, Forests and Landscapes and the talented carver from the Wood Den in Festus and his 2 assistants who made it all possible.
Treloar Photo Gallery
