County of building: Cooper County
Location of building: Center St., 2nd house E of 3rd St., N side, Boonville
Built: 1858/65
Architect Hurst John, 1966 & 1972
Builder: Elmr Gerhardt 1966 & 1972
Architectural Style: Queen Anne
Original Occupant: Milo Blair
Private Residence
District Map
"16. Darby Residence, 309 Center Street, 1858-1860. The two and one-half story brick structure has received several alterations and additions. It has a rectangular bay at the southwest corner and a circular tower at the southeast corner." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"Built: 1858/65, 1879-1900
Style/Design: Queen Anne
The structure was enlarged and received its Queen Anne affinities by John Cosgrove in 1879-1910. By 1910 it appeared as it does today with the exception of a family room addition in 1966. The structure features a projecting rectangular 2 story bay W with a gable roof, which is intersected by a hip roof and has fishscale shingles and stickwork. At the SW corner is another rectangular bay wh1ch is set
at an angle. It repeats the embellishments 1n the gable. The primary entrance is double leaf with a transom, wherein is etched the name "John Cosgrove." A circular tower with conical roof sits at the SE corner. On the E facade is a gable peak and a 2 story chamfered bay with a gable cap, both have ornate shingles and stickwork. Windows in this main block are l-over-l, shuttered, and have soldier course segmentally arched lintels and stone sills. Extending to the N is
a later (1900-1910) 2½ story brick ell which has 2-over-2 windows with double rowlock segmentally arched headers. The W facade of this ell has a 2 story frame porch, the top level of which is screened in. Extending to the E is the 1 story gabled 1966 addition.
It has vertical siding, sits on a Concrete foundation, and has an E end chimney and a S entrance with a pent porch. The basement under the front section was transformed into living/bedroom area, 1972, with a totally new 14' sq. excavation for bathroom/dressing
room area for the apartment space. Furnished almost entirely in antiques, the interior has been extensively renovated in 1957 & 1966. No walls were changed in this process.
"Lot is a part of 10 acre tract bought by David Barton in 1830. Milo Blair owned and resided in the structure between 1868 and 1879. He established the newspaper, "Boonville Eagle" in 1865 and was mayor in 1869-70. Between 1879 and 1925, John Cosgrove, US Senator, 1883-1885, and prominent area attorney resided in the house. Cosgrove was also active in civic projects and was instrumental in the securing of the toll-free road bridge across the Missouri River in 1924. The present owners are Paul Darby, certified public accountant, civic affairs leader, and 1st president of the Friends of Historic Boonville, and Gladys Darby, president of the Friends, 1976 to present.
The structure is significant historically on a state and local level as the home of U.S. Congressman, John Cosgrove.
"The residence faces S onto Center Ave. and has a sandstone
retaining wall along the S property line. An alley to the E gives access to a 2 car brick garage which has 6-over-6 windows, stepped parapets N & S, and a garage entrance E." ~ Boonville Historic Survey PDF pages 1213-1218