This old barn along the old Route 66 has received a new coat of paint for free in exchange for hosting an ad for Meramec Caverns, a legendary Ozarks tourist trap along the Route 66, now the I-44. Back in the 1930s, the owner of Meramec Caverns traded Missouri farmers free paint for free advertising - the program was so successful he expanded to TX, OK, AR, KS TN, KY, IL, IN, and OH!
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"Meramec Caverns Barn Painter Has Been on Top Of His Game for 50 Years
By Maggie Rotermund
Nov 1, 2006 Updated Jun 22, 2013
Jim Gauer didn't think he'd be at Meramec Caverns for 50 years. He started in June 1956, after coming home to Anaconda following a divorce in California.
Meramec Caverns is a seven-story network of limestone caves 300 feet beneath the ground in Stanton. Over the years, the caverns were used by Native Americans as shelter, by miners as a source for saltpeter and reportedly, by Jesse James as a hideout.
Gauer started painting barn roofs and billboards soon after he began working at the caverns and continued to do so until two years ago, when he had a series of heart attacks. Today, he still roams the caverns, tending to whatever needs to be done.
"I love it here. I'll be here until I'm ready to retire," he said. "And I'm not ready yet. I'll retire when I get old."
Gauer said he'd love to still be on the roofs, but "they won't let me." Instead he and two other longtime employees spend their days working on the maintenance of the Caverns.
For over three decades, Gauer's years followed a simple schedule. As soon as the weather turned warm in the spring, he would hit the road. Gauer would travel Monday through Friday, painting barns and billboards for the Caverns.
"I would start on the barns in Missouri, then head to Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, then Tennessee and Kentucky," he said. "Once those were done, I'd work my way back through Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Arkansas."
Gauer said it was hard work — many days he'd work from 5:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. or later. Many other summer laborers started and couldn't keep up.
"There were a lot of people who didn't want to work," he said. "I was out there to get things done."
He returned each weekend to be with his family and would head out again Monday mornings.
Once the weather turned colder in the fall, Gauer would settle in at the Caverns and do whatever upkeep needed to be done.
Lester Dill opened the caverns as a roadside attraction in 1935. To draw tourists off the highway, Dill pioneered new advertising techniques.
"Mr. Dill was driving back from Florida on a vacation, and he saw this man's name painted on his roof," Gauer said. "He thought he could do the same for the Caverns."
Beginning in the 1930s, Dill traveled the country offering to paint farmers' barns for free — so long as he could paint a Meramec Caverns logo on the roof. At one point, some 400 such barn billboards existed in 40 states, and 75 remain today.
Gauer said Dill made sure he took care of those barns, sending painters or builders out anytime there was a problem with a structure. He even had his employees help when an owner wanted to change his roof from a wood shingle roof to metal.
But the careful upkeep of the barns didn't prevent Gauer from running into a few unruly property owners.
"I tried to call each time we would be going anywhere just to let the owners know we were there. We didn't have to, but I wanted them to be aware I was going to be on their barn," he said. "There was an older gentlemen once that I couldn't get a hold of to tell him we would be there. He saw me and tried to shoot me off his roof with a shotgun."
Gauer said he also was chased by a dog a time or two. Once, when a dog looked to be ready to snap, Gauer leaned in and bit him first.
"I bit him on the ear and he starting bleeding," he said. "But you know, that dog didn't leave my side for the rest of the day and he never bothered me again."
Gauer originally hand-painted the roofs. At first he just hopped on a roof and went to work, but it only took one fall before he learned to rope himself to the building.
After several years, he began using spray paint.
"We used to use an oil-based paint, which faded out quickly, especially the red," he said. "I took a sample to our paint guy in St. Louis and he developed a latex paint for us."
The latex lasted three years, Gauer said.
The beautification laws passed in 1968 ended the practice of rooftop advertising. Meramec Caverns older roofs were grandfathered in under the law. It cannot lease any new roofs. It maintains the ones it does have, but once the roof comes down — from either a disaster or age — the Caverns cannot replace it.
Gauer said Dill made sure he took care of those barns, sending painters or builders out anytime there was a problem with a structure. He even had his employees help when an owner wanted to change his roof from a wood shingle roof to metal.
But the careful upkeep of the barns didn't prevent Gauer from running into a few unruly property owners.
"I tried to call each time we would be going anywhere just to let the owners know we were there. We didn't have to, but I wanted them to be aware I was going to be on their barn," he said. "There was an older gentlemen once that I couldn't get a hold of to tell him we would be there. He saw me and tried to shoot me off his roof with a shotgun."
Gauer said he also was chased by a dog a time or two. Once, when a dog looked to be ready to snap, Gauer leaned in and bit him first.
"I bit him on the ear and he starting bleeding," he said. "But you know, that dog didn't leave my side for the rest of the day and he never bothered me again."
Gauer originally hand-painted the roofs. At first he just hopped on a roof and went to work, but it only took one fall before he learned to rope himself to the building.
After several years, he began using spray paint.
"We used to use an oil-based paint, which faded out quickly, especially the red," he said. "I took a sample to our paint guy in St. Louis and he developed a latex paint for us."
The latex lasted three years, Gauer said.
The beautification laws passed in 1968 ended the practice of rooftop advertising. Meramec Caverns older roofs were grandfathered in under the law. It cannot lease any new roofs. It maintains the ones it does have, but once the roof comes down — from either a disaster or age — the Caverns cannot replace it.
A stream under the caves is now piped out to the river, instead of flowing freely.
Cost also has changed during Gauer's 50 years.
"It used to be 75 cents a car, now its $14.50 a person," he said. "It's not as easy for a family of four, but then again, its cheaper than a ball game."
Fifty Years and Counting…
To celebrate his 50th anniversary at Meramec Caverns, the owners and employees decided that Gauer should throw out the first pitch at a St. Louis Cardinals game July 1. Each year the Cavern hosts "Meramec Caverns Day" at Busch Stadium.
"I wasn't going to go, I kept saying I wasn't interested, and they finally told me why I had to go," he said.
Gauer threw the ball from the mound, and he says he was told it was a good strike.
"Later in the game the pitcher was having some trouble and someone below us shouted 'Put Jim in,' which I thought was kind of nice," he said.
Gauer gave the ball to his grandson.
During the winter months each year, Gauer is laid off from the Cavern, giving him time to travel and visit his children. He enjoys the time off, but come March 1, he is back at work.
"I enjoy what I'm doing and my work is appreciated," he said. "What else could you ask for?""