H.S. Clay House - Augusta, MO - Missouri Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

County of marker: St. Charles County
Location of marker: Public St. & Walnut St., Augusta
Marker erected: 2000
Erected by: Historic Augusta

Marker text:

H.S. CLAY HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST
AND
GUEST COTTAGE September 8, 1881 the "St. Charles Demokrat" reported that Dr. Hampson Strother Clay intended to become a physician in Augusta. Before locating in Augusta, Dr. Clay, an 1873 graduate of the Missouri Medical College, had lived in Darst Bottom where he practiced medicine for about eight years. He became known as "one of the leading physicians" of that part of Missouri.

Dr. Clay built this house in 1885 for his second wife, Marie Koch Clay. They then began raising their family of four sons and five daughters. Soon after the birth of their ninth child Dr. Clay passed away from congenital heart disease leaving Marie to raise their family. All of their sons eventually became doctors, as well as their sons. One of the daughters (Mabel) became a nurse and two of the daughters became teachers.

Marie lived in the home from 1886 until September 1948 when she moved to Popular Bluff to live with her son Dr. Hampson Strother Clay. Marie passed away in December of 1955 at the age of 92.

Originally the property encompassed one square city block containing Dr. Clay's office at the corner of Walnut and Ferry, a horse barn, an orchard and their residence.

The home was eventually sold out of the Clay family in 1956 for $5,500.00 and was subdivided into two pieces of property. The next owners added the "first" bathroom and central heating in the house. In 1986 restoration was begun to restore the home to it's former grandeur by a general contractor. The current owners purchased the home in 1991 and began the final phase of restoration and gardens. Alan Buchre, a graduate of Washington University and the University of Denver, along with his wife Leigh, has extensive culinary and hospitality experience.

After raising their blended family of five children they opened their home to guests and started the H.S. Clay House in October of 1998. The Guest Cottag was added in April of 2002.

The two of them together have made the H.S. Clay House Bed & Breakfast and Guest Cottage Augusta's "most elegant Country Victorian Bed & Breakfast."

Web link: [Web Link] History of Mark: please see above Additional point: Not Listed

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