County of house: Cooper County
Location of house: 6th St., S of South St., Boonville
Built: 1856
Architect/Builder: Andrew Gantner
Architectural Style: Vernacular
Original Occupant: Andrew Gantner
"The stone house originally constructed by Andrew Gantner at 1308
Sixth Street, Boonville, Cooper County, Missouri, is the only surviving early stone residence in Boonville. The roughly cut and dressed sandstone blocks are laid in regular courses and were quarried just to the north of the house. Gantner's original house consisted of two rooms of equal size and in the vernacular form and plan common to many other Boonville houses constructed by residents of German descent. It was enlarged by subsequent historic additions, both stone and frame, to a roughly U-shaped plan. The house roof is sheathed
with composition shingles. Despite a number of additions, the Andrew Gantner House retains sufficient physical characteristics to convey integrity of workmanship and materials, in addition to its integrity of location and setting.
"The Andrew Gantner House, 1308 Sixth Street, is significant under
Criterion C in the area of architecture and under Criterion A in the area of ethnic heritage--European. Built in 1856, it is the only surviving stone residence in Boonville, constructed by an immigrant German stone mason and bricklayer as his residence.
"The 1979-1980 survey of the historic and architectural resources
of Boonville identified the Andrew Gantner House as the only historic stone residence in the town. Gantner, who arrived in Boonville in 1856, was a prolific stone mason and brickmaker who built a number of residences, commercial buildings, and public buildings in the town. One of an unknown number of German craftsmen who lived and worked in Boonville, Gantner also formed a partnership for several years with another German immigrant, John Henry Stretz. Gantner's house is also unusual for its use of porous sandstone, quarried on the site. After Gantner's death, a number of owners followed. Most alterations were circa 1926, under the ownership of Curtis and Irmah Chrane. The house has remained a single family dwelling." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"Built: 1856
Style/Design: Vernacular
The original U-shaped structure now forms a rectangle by the closing in of the central bay, N façade. On the W façade is an entrance with a pent cap, Windows are 6-over-6, and there are end chimneys N & S. The S façade has a large fireplace and an entrance with a pent cap and a concrete patio. A pent frame addition on a concrete block foundation and a frame porch are along the E façade. The stone structure is built of various sizes and shapes, however the openings are accented by large rectangular stone lintels. On the interior a Missouri German mantel shelf with a scalloped edge.
"This structure, the only early stone residence of its type in Boonville was built by Andrew Gantner on the eastern slope of "Trigg's Hill." Leonard Stretz, the son of a man who formed a masonry partnership with Andrew Gantner states the structure was built in
l856. That conforms with the date cited by Melton and the Weekly Advertiser. The 3.62 acres was not purchased from Dr. W.H. Trigg however until 1862. A possibility remains that the land may have beep leased at the earlier date.
The City directory of 1869 indicates Gantner resided at this location in that year. Gantner, a highly skilled stone mason, and early German immigrant used sandstone quarried and cut to size in blocks from the hillside behind the house. Due to the quality of
his craft it may be assumed that Gantner was involved in the erection of the other stone structures completed in his era - most notably the Cooper County Jail, Haas Brewery and Vineyard cellars, the Shoemacher house (SE of Boonville), and various wine cellars in and around
Boonville. He is credited with building many buildings on Main Street, Kemper Military School, and numerous residences. Oral history indicates that a brick manufactory was operated in the rear yard. Remains of many broken and misfired brick still remain in a hollow approximately 75 yards east of the house.
In 1899, Ewing Roberts purchased the residence from Gantner's widow Rosa. During this ownership a family suicide was committed and the house was vacated leaving it to ruin and disrepair. By 1926 it was bought by Professor Curtis and Irmah Chrane despite rumors of its
haunting. The Chrane's added a kitchen addition and made numerous minor alterations to the interior.
Subsequent owners include William Pieper, who resided elsewhere, 1940; Stanley Kramer, 1943; Jean Rigsby, 1958; Paul Schmitthausen, 1962; Walter Hoecker, 1962; Perry & Paul Taylor,
1976.
In 1976 the present owner added an extension to the kitchen, closed in the north porch to form a closet and conducted interior remodeling.
"The structure faces W onto 6th. Street. A drive from 6th, S of the residence, leads to a frame gable roofed garage E of the house. It has a S entrance." ~ Boonville Historic Survey PDF pages 925-928