Lee Brothers Stable - Mexico, Missouri - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

The Lee Brothers Stable was constructed in 1887 and was the Clarks and Potts Combination Sales Barn.  The Lee brothers worked for Clark and Potts.  After the Clark and Potts dissolved their partnership at around the turn of the century Clark continued the operation until 1906 when he leased the stables to George and W.D. Lee..  They continued to lease the facility from Clark until 1932 at which time they purchased the property.   The Lee Brothers operated the sales bar in a big way, buying and selling thousands of horses.  They specialized in Saddle Horses, however they sold many types of horses.  A conservative estimate of 30,000 horses passed through their hands.   They supplied horses to many large city policed departments include New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia.  During World War I they sold thousands of horses and mules to the U.S. Government.  They also provided horses to two presidents (Taft and Roosevelt) .  The Lee Brothers retired in 1939, and George Lee died later that year.  The stables then went through a series of short term owners until 1948 when the stables were purchased by Arthur Simmons.

Arthur Simmons expanded the operation by adding the maternity stable and purchasing the John T. Hook Barn across the street.  From 1949 until 2001 when the Simmons Stables operation moved to a new facility, Arthur Simmons and his son, James, bred and trained hundreds of champion horses at the stables.  It was the largest saddle horse operation in the country.  After the James Simmons moved from the stable he had scheduled the old facility for demolition however a preservation group wanted to preserve the buildings.   The main stable is now under renovation and is to be the home of the International Saddlebred Hall of Fame.   The facility was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.  Further information about stable and its history can be found on its National Register Nomination.