inside cap au gris

An Interior shot of the Cap-Au-Gris School House in Lincoln County Missouri. Not sure exactly how old it is but the town of Cap-Au-Gris was incorporated in 1875 and had ceased to exist by 1888. As the railroad became more prominent several of the little towns along the Mississippi River ceased to exist once river traffic dwindled.

A shot of the exterior:


And another interior shot:



From The History of Lincoln County, Missouri, (Chicago : Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1888).



CAP-AU-GRIS.

Is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi River, in Township 49 north, Range 3 east, about sixteen miles east of Troy. It was laid out in November, 1845, on land of David BAILEY, in Survey 1653. The plat was acknowledged before Charles WHEELER, a justice of the peace. At the August term of the county court, in 1875, it was incorporated under the name and style of "The Inhabitants of the Town of Wiota," the old name being discarded; however, the people never became accustomed to the new name, but continued to use the old name. The board of trustees appointed, when the place was incorporated, consisted of William JEWELL, Antoine GUION, Patrick WYLAND, Lem A. SPRINGERSTUN and F. G. HOYT. In an early day it was a shipping point for Troy and some other places, and before the railroads took away its trade it was a place of considerable business and importance. In 1875 when it was incorporated, being some years before the railroads in this county were completed, it contained inhabitants enough to compose at least a board of trustees, but at present the town exists only in name.

The school as it looked a long time ago: