County of marker: Warren County
Location of marker: Katy Trail, Market St. & Koch Creek Rd., Treloar
Marker erected: 2012
Marker erected by: Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Marker Text:
History of Treloar
1895 ................
New Holstein
When a railroad passed through town, the community often adapted. Sometimes entire towns moved closer to the track or new towns grew around depots. At the railroad depot in the river bottoms south of Holstein, area residents platted New Holstein. The town's name was changed to Treloar in 1896.
Treloar's Overture
The town was named after William Mitchellson Treloar. A Wisconsin native. Treloar moved to Missouri in 1872. He was professor of music at Hardin College in Mexico, Mo., and was U.S. Congressman from Missouri for one term from 1895 to 1897. Treloar was the first Republican ever elected in the Ninth Congressional District, but lost his bid for re-election to Democrat Champ Clark in 1896. Treloar never actually lived in the town named after him.
Busy Little Railroad Town
By 1914, Treloar had developed into a thriving railroad town of 100 people with a successful shipping business of grain and stock. In December of that year, the Warrenton Banner praised Robert Muench for being one of the first Treloar businessmen to have a large, well stocked general store. The first bank in town was organized in 1904. The Warrenton Banner described it as being "one of the strong banks in the county."
1918 ................
The Farm Club Movement
On a stormy Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1918, several members of the New Haven Farm Club braved the Big Muddy's rough waters in hopes of convincing the farmers of Treloar of the benefits of establishing their own club.
"WE must light up the School Houses far and near, and make the hills and vales echo with the Farm Club Slogan;
Production Cost with a Reasonable Profit for the fruits of the Farmer's Sweat and Toil"
This was the message these men carried with them at the time when the farm club movement was spreading like wildfire across the state. The Missouri Farmers Association (MFA) traditionally designates their founding as May 10, 1914 when several farmers in Missouri formed the first organized farm club. In January 1916, a convention was held to form the MFA, a statewide farmers' organization. William Hirth, father of the MFA, believed the agriculture interests of Missourians were fundamentally important and deserved reward and recognition.
Warren County Farm Clubs
Warren County was the first county in the state to establish a county farm club. Smaller individual clubs combined to form the Warren County Farmers Association in 1915. The Treloar Farm Club was instrumental in the formation of clubs in Peers and Marthasville, and the Tri-County Farmers Association comprised of Warren, St. Charles and Montgomery counties. The values of the Treloar Farm Club extended beyond farming to the enrichment of their community. Quality education was the utmost importance to the Treloar Farm Club, whose members envisioned a rural high school that would "grace our hills, giving our boys and girls an equal chance with the city youth in the great battle of life."
1937 ................
A Bustling Beginning
Residents of Treloar developed a variety of businesses including elevators, banks, general stores, a post office, a blacksmith shop, a butcher shop, and a hotel with a dance hall and livery. Many of these businesses have vanished from the streets of Treloar, but one that still thrives is a local saloon, opened in 1904.
Hasenjaeger's Tavern Timeline
1904: Henry Hasenjaeger opened the Treloar Tavern.
1917: Raymond Hasenjaeger inherited the family business.
1939: Garrett Hasenjaeger took over operation of the tavern.
1951: Virgil and Helen Engemannbecame the owners.
1954: Wesley and Helen Hasenjaeger operated the tavern.
Subsequent owners changed the tavern's name periodically. Names included His and Hers (1970), Our Place (1976), Treloar Bar and Grill (1999) and Murphs (closed on 2012).
Triumphant Treloar
The advent of the automobile brought garages and filling stations to Treloar. The Lueckes, a family full of boys, owned the town garage. Another Treloar family, the Bunges, had several girls. This set the stage for a match made in heaven ending in the marriage of three Luecke boys to three Bunge girls.
This once bustling railroad town is now busy with cars, motorcycles and bicycles. Descendants of many of the town's original families still live in Treloar.