Missouri Life October 2023

CONTENTS

October 2023

FEATURES 28 Haunted Hotels

18 Missouri Green Life Demand is on the rise for sustainable building materials and technology in home and commercial construction. A Justice Department report gets a poignant transformation through the art of erasure poetry. It’s the month for fall festivals and Halloween fun. Our guide to 81 October events will get you in the spirit. Earl Mullins shares his passion for space exploration with all who visit the Bonne Terre Space Museum. 56 Events Calendar 66 Conversation 20 Books Editorial Director Danita Allen Wood looks back on youthful days spent watching Truman Lake come to life. Could Missouri’s grapes be the future of the wine industry? That’s the intriguing possibility being discussed by some of the world’s leading experts, including our own Doug Frost. 49 Wine Dog 50 Musings on Life Anyone who misses poring over every page of the colossal and colorful Sears holiday catalog will find a kindred soul in Ron Marr. 52 No Place Like Home Friends don’t let friends fall. That’s why columnist Lorry Myers is standing by to help a lifelong friend as she spreads her wings to fly. COLUMNS 8 My Missouri Life

38

When you book your stay at these hotels, the warm welcome is guaranteed. But if you happen to encounter a ghost, that’s a thrilling bonus.

34 Oh, Deer!

Will novice deer hunter Matt Crossman be blessed with beginner’s luck, or will the deer have the last laugh? 38 Legacy of the Lake Fifty years ago, Truman Lake was a work-in-progress and locals were unsettled about the project. What a difference five decades of great fishing and outdoor fun can make. 46 Pet Contest Winners Meet the four-legged beauties who enchanted our readers to take top honors in our first-ever pet contest. DEPARTMENTS 10 Letters Readers relate to our columnists’ thoughts on aging gracefully, and a story about museums rings a bell.

12 Discover

New community trails in St. Louis, and a rare historic basket in Kansas City are worth exploring this October. Trick or treat! Fill your treat bag with facts about our state’s Halloween favorites. The Grand Cafe in Jefferson City excites diners with creative specials and cocktails that redefine American comfort food.

ON THE COVER The Lemp Mansion Restaurant & Inn in St. Louis is a favorite haunt for guests seeking elegant lodging with a touch of the paranormal. COVER PHOTO: THE LEMP MANSION ‹

OCTOBER 2023

THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY

14 State-tistics

BOO!

Check in for a spirited getaway

DREAM, EXPLORE, & DISCOVER

81 OCTOBER EVENTS DEER VS. NEWBIE HUNTER

16 Find Dining

OUR PET CONTEST WINNERS TRUMAN LAKE MAKES A SPLASH

DISPLAY UNTIL OCTOBER 31

$5.99

Lemp Mansion, St. Louis

MISSOURILIFE.COM

MISSOURI LIFE, Vol. 50, No. 7, 2023 (USPS#020181; ISSN#1525-0814) Published eight times a year in January, March, May, June, July, September, October, and November by Missouri Life Inc., PO Box 57, 208 Columbia Street, Rocheport, MO 65279 for $21.99. Periodicals Postage paid at Rocheport, Missouri, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Missouri Life, PO Box 57, Rocheport, MO 65279. © 2023 Missouri Life. All rights reserved.

MISSOURI DIVISION OF TOURISM

5 / OCTOBER 2023