Mystery Of Buchholz Road Spelling Is Finally Cleared Up

By Mark Evans

mevans@stegenherald.com

One of history’s mysteries has been unraveled.

Back in 1941, the year of Pearl Harbor, Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak and FDR’s third inaugural, Henry Shaw bought a piece of land in Ste. Genevieve County.

The land was purchased from Otto Buchholz. Later “Buchholz” or “Buchholtz” Road was constructed on the land.

Nearly eight decades later, Ste. Genevieve Country seems to have solved the long-standing debate as to how to spell the name of this road that runs from Salem School Road, east, then southerly, crossing White Oak Creek Road and finally ending at Frye Road/Highway HH.

In recent years, that debate has taken a more serous turn as increasingly computerized GPS systems used by services like Amazon and by emergency personnel, rely on precise spellings. That additional “t” has led to confusion and late arrivals.

Presiding Commissioner Garry Nelson announced at last Thursday’s County Commission meeting hat Nancy Gegg of the assessor’s office had found the original deed from the land transfer.

The original 1941 deed  was between Henry Shaw and Otto Buchholz. That’s Buchholz with no “t.”

“It’s had up to three different spellings over the years,” Nelson said. “There is no evidence that it was ever changed by the County Commission, though.”

So the name remains “Buchholz,” as some road signs have spelled it and others haven’t.

WOOD REPORTS 31 ACTIVE CASES

Jeanette Wood, provisional director of the Ste. Genevieve County Health Department, reported that the county had had 258 positive COVID-19 cases and that it had 31 actives cases at the time.

She also addressed the issue of a COVID-19 vaccine, which national politicians have been discussing at length.

“There has been a lot of talk about vaccines,” Wood said. She said a plan has been sent out to health departments on how to prepare for the eventual arrival of the vaccine.

Wood said it seemed likely that it would be early spring by the time the vaccine would be available here, “unless something happens.”

She also reported taking part in a conference call Governor Mike Parson held with county health directors.

“He feels Missouri is in so much better shape than surrounding states,” she said.

Wood said that Missouri is giving some 125,000 COVID tests per week now. The increased testing is “why you see numbers going up,” Wood noticed, “which is good.”

She stressed that wearing masks and washing hands continues to be very important.

She said new school guidelines were being looked at. Wood said she sympathizes with the schools in their battle to give children a complete education without risking their health.

“With all the testing, 31 [active cases] is not really an alarming number, is it?” Nelson asked her. Wood agreed it was not. She said she was unable to tell how many of the 31 may be hospitalized, due to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations.

She stressed the importance of “working together as a team” to battle the virus.

Nelson had kind words for Wood.

“You’re staying on top of things,” he said. “You’re doing a good job.”

SCHMIEDER GIVES ROADS UPDATE

Scott Schmieder, road and bridge foreman, reported that one ailing truck is being repaired at a time.

The two having issues are the  newest of there Freightliner dump trucks. The county went from Internationals, to Freightliners, and finally, have switched to Western Star dump trucks

One truck has been losing about a gallon of water and antifreeze each week or so. He said that using it in the meantime should not damage it.

Schmieder said his crew has been patching roads and mowing. They are also keeping an eye on the weather forecast. Another 4,000 gallons of oil remains. Once the temperatures dip too low, it cannot be used on roads.

He said spots are being sprayed on Jackson School Road and Straughn Road. Burks School Road work had bene completed, Schmieder said.

He will also tackle “the back end” of Bodine Road, once a new pipe is installed.

“If you need to get rid of oil, you could repair that spot,” Nelson suggested.