The Sutter-Meyer Farmhouse

6826 Chamberlain Court, University City, Missouri 63130

Free admission and free parking.

www.suttermeyer.org

Opened after 2008.

The Sutter-Meyer Farmhouse was probably built about 1873 making it the oldest building in University City. It is significant as U. City's last remaining remnant of farmhouse architecture from the early 1870's.  It is owned by the city and rented to the Sutter-Meyer Society. 

The house sits on property that was part of the 120-acre dairy farm belonging to German immigrant John Sutter.  Following his death his executors divided the property up in 1871 with these 8.33 acres going to his son William. William and his wife built and lived in this house on that property but sold it in 1875 to Roman Meyer, another German immigrant. Meyer was a truck farmer growing fruits and vegetables on this property. Meyer's son lived in the house until his death in 1969.  The farmhouse is a two-story, two-bedroom brick building with a full-length bracketed front porch. 

When University City purchased the home it came with no furniture nor original objects.  The Sutter-Meyer Society chose the front left room to create a parlor that would represent 1890 decors.  

This chandelier hangs in one first floor room. 

The society is very proud of the work that was done in the archaeological dig in 2004 that discovered  the well. 

The volunteers discovered a limestone-lined well and also the top of a large brick cistern. Now one can see the re-opened well through a Plexiglas cover. 

Many historical items were found in the well such as dishware, crockery, and buttons. Many of these household items are now on display in the back first floor room.  

Other period items are also on display in this room. 

The house was once surrounded by farm outbuildings, including a barn, chicken coup, kitchen, smokehouse, and outhouse!

All of the outbuildings are now gone and the house is surrounded by ranch-style houses on a cul-de-sac. The house has been modified by the addition of a brick two-car garage. 

These gravestones belonging to the immigrant Sutter and his wife were donated to the house museum.  The cemetery where they originated had been moved. 

Comments:  This is a small five-room house with only one room decorated in period style.  A second room has display cases thus is a mini-museum in itself. There is a group of volunteers that are working on rehabbing the farmhouse so hopefully eventually more rooms will be decorated. We were not allowed upstairs. 

The house is only open for special occasions. Because we visited this house while on a Christmas tour we saw the parlor decorated for Christmas.  The other front room had small decorated Christmas trees being raffled for a fundraiser.