Friday, January 18, 2008

Archic Scott, Pioneer Preservationist Dies


From left to right, John Dengler, Donna Hafer, Archie Scott



Archie Scott, a pioneer preservationist on South Main Street in St. Charles, died at home on December 22, 2007 of natural causes. Archie Scott was 65 years of age at the time of his death.

In 1965, while working as the art director at KTVI in St. Louis, Archie Scott and his family purchased a house on South Main Street and the rest is history. From that point on he devoted his life to the historical preservation of the buildings on South Main Street.

Archie Scott, along with John Dengler who passed away on January 8, 2008 and Donna Hafer the owner of the New Mother-In-Law House Restaurant on South Main were referred to as the Three Musketeers. Now others will have to step forward to help fill the foot prints of Archie Scott and John Dengler to help Donna Hafer and others in their goal to preserve what is viewed as many as the life blood of St. Charles.

When the First Capitol News moved to our office on South Main Street one of our first visitors was Archie Scott. He welcomed us to the street and presented us with one of his valued paintings Archie Scott was a great artist and many of his drawings and paintings can be found hanging in many of the shops on Main Street.

In many discussions we had with Archie Scott his proudest accomplishments included saving the old mill, which is now Trailhead Brewery and saving the Katy Depot, which was moved into Frontier Park.

Archie Scott was one of the founders in 1971 of the South Main Preservation Society. When any proposal regarding Main Street was brought before the city council or any of the city’s boards and commissions Archie Scott would be in attendance in the forefront to make sure that historic preservation was being protected.
He will be missed.