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Simon Bandelier, a Swiss immigrant who arrived in Missouri in 1866, established himself as a farmer and livestock dealer in the area that became St. Maarten.
His farm is on what was once a main road of dirt and gravel, predating US Highway 50. At the turn of the 20th century, his farm was an active hive when lead and coal deposits were discovered in the area and used as a recreational destination for workers building the NSW Parliament House.
“Simon was my great-great-grandfather, and he built this house — a log cabin — that still stands on our land,” said Ron Bandelier. “One of his sons was Albert, who ran a coal mine not far north of our property,” he added.
The late 1890’s and early 1900’s saw much activity in the area, with enterprising individuals motivated by the possibility of buried mineral deposits. Albert Bandelier sought to take advantage of such an opportunity, purchasing the mining rights to a piece of land owned by local farmer William P. Schmitz.
Ron Bandelier said, “He runs a coal mine in St. Maarten near the intersection of the westbound exit lane of US 50 and the D State Freeway. The mine produces as good coal as any coal in Pennsylvania, apparently you can use a match light it up”
He continued, “We have records showing that Albert brought in 100 trainloads of coal from his warehouse in Elston to be sold in St. Louis. Amazing.”
Historical records kept by Bandelier state that a landslide occurred and closed the mine, but the exact date is unknown. After some time, Albert Bandelier tried to reopen the mine, but another landslide occurred and the mine was abandoned.
“According to my father, Theodore, the mine had an elevator to get into the mine, and workers used donkeys and carts to haul the coal out of the mine,” Bandelier said. “My dad was about 7 years old when he went into the mine with his uncle Albert when the mine closed, circa 1912.”
A 1913 Missouri Department of Mines annual report noted that since St. Martin had not yet been established, Bandelier’s coal mine was listed as being located in Elston, one of only two notable coal mines in Cole County. During the construction of the relocated Route 50 (later to become Commercial Route 50), the mine was covered and filled.
“The landslide ended his mining operation, but there are other mines nearby,” Ron Bandelier said. “Once the owners of the property managed to trick the rich men of the East into investing in mines by throwing salt over them, making it appear as if they were full of mines.”
When crews expanded U.S. 50 to four lanes decades ago, Theodore Bandelier told some bulldozer operators to be careful because there were still hidden shafts underground. Later, when the soil gave way, one of the bulldozers fell into the shaft, requiring another to dig it out.
“Not long ago, a sinkhole formed near the Highway D interchange outside St. Martins due to the collapse of one of the mine shafts,” Ron Bandelier said. “The Highways Department had to fill it with big rocks and you can still see where all the filling was done.”
Although Albert’s desire to get rich from coal mining ended in unexpected ways, he found another opportunity to capitalize on his home’s rural setting by providing a popular place for entertainment.
On February 5, 1911, the Second State Capitol in Jefferson City was destroyed by fire after lightning struck the dome. Construction on the current Capitol began in 1913, bringing dozens of workers to the construction industry in central Missouri.
The Pleasant Hill Times of March 20, 1914 reported: “The building will take years to complete, for it is not only a magnificent building, but a colossal one.”
As they built the new capitol, many workers visited Bandelier on weekends, then known as Fairview Stock Farm.
“Albert and some of the family made the wine and fermented it in the cellar of the chalet and sold it to the workers,” Bandelier said.
Anecdotal accounts circulated by Bandelier’s father, Theodore, state that his uncle Albert was arrested years later for making and selling wine during Prohibition, but his lawyers were able to acquit him , because the evidence has been “exhausted”.
The completion of the Capitol in 1917 ended the workers’ visit to Bandelier Square. As the years passed, Albert Bandelier remained involved in raising livestock and died in 1955 at the age of 95.
“My father is no longer around, but he was able to share many stories of what happened on the farm decades ago, including mining activities,” said Ron Bandelier. “Not much has been written about it and I’ve always enjoyed hearing the family’s story.”
He continued, “It’s fascinating to have such an active and prolific mine nearby, many people don’t even know it exists today. I hope the history between our farm and the workers who helped build the Missouri State Capitol A connection is a piece of local history remembered for generations to come.”
Jeremy P. Ämick wrote this article on behalf of the Silver Star Family of America.
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