MARCELINE – Four more historical properties in Marceline have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The four properties—First Christian Church, Marceline Masonic Lodge, Marceline Lincoln School, and Gucker Coal Company (listed as Marceline Mercantile & Supply)—join the Uptown Theatre on the Register. Ed Comber, Founder and President of the Marceline Historical Society (a trademarked 501c3 nonprofit), said, “Marceline now has five of the 10 properties in Linn County listed on the Register.”
A plaque ceremony will be held at 10 a.m., on May 17 at the Masonic Lodge, 201 N. Main St. Marceline Mayor Sallie Buck is scheduled to say a few words about the importance of having five historic properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Comber who worked with groups from each building to gather the history and submit the application to be added to the Register was also the nomination writer for the Uptown Theatre (placed on the Registry in July 2023), will present plaques to each property representative stating their property is now listed on the National Register.
Comber said the “Masonic Lodge and First Christian Church were approved for their unique architectural styles. The Lincoln School was approved for being an intimate reminder of Segregation and the last fully extant black school of the era in Linn County. The Gucker Coal Company office and property (listed as “Marceline Mercantile Company”) was approved for its role in and as the only extant property associated in some way with Marceline’s once booming coal industry.”
“I’m overjoyed to be a small part of Marceline’s Renaissance movement toward being a cultural and historic tourism hotspot like Hannibal. After my experience getting to know so many wonderful Marcelineans while working on the Uptown Theatre, my dedication to the city’s history has only strengthened. Being entrusted and supported by Deli, Lex, Fred, Michelle, Adam, and Joe to write the nominations and learn everything I could about their properties to ensure the truth about the property was documented, means the world to me. History needs to be preserved properly; it’s more than genealogy. It’s been a true honor working with and getting to know them and their properties. Having the unwavering support of two city managers and the City Council has also bolstered my determination to help Marcelineans attract a new breed of tourists that stay longer in the city and shop in more Marceline stores rather than seeing 1-2 person-based places and moving on as they often do now.”
First Christian Church – 116 E. Gracia
On December 6, 1914, church leaders officially deemed the old church building inadequate for the growing congregation. “A committee was appointed to rebuild, the instructions to use the old building [the original 1890 church] in the reconstruction of the new church.
On May 20, 1915, the church board approved a contract between the church building committee and Albert (A.J.) Richardson, a local general contractor and architect, and member of the Church. The original church was integrated into the new one by lifting it up, digging the basement, rotating the original building 90 degrees, set back down, and veneered with brick to form the rear of the building.
The erection of the current church building occurred at the start of a 10-year building renaissance in Marceline, which included the erection of the current Santa Fe Depot (1913), I.O.O.F./Magnolia Building (1915), Carnegie Library (1920), the Masonic Lodge (1923-1924), and several homes. During this time the high school (built in 1929) was conceived and talk about.
For many church members, the effort to preserve the church’s legacy is deeply personal, said First Christian Chairperson, Deli Borel in a press release about the church being added to the Registry.
“This church is more than just a building,” said longtime member Betty Tarpening, who was baptized here 75 years ago on Easter Sunday. “It’s a cornerstone of our lives. Generations of families have walked through these doors. It deserves to be recognized for its history and the role it’s played in our community.”
Built in 1915, the church is a well-preserved example of early 20th-century religious architecture in small-town Missouri. Its stained-glass windows, original pews, and hand-crafted woodwork evoke a time when buildings were constructed with reverence and intention.
Pastor James Sheffield emphasized that the church’s historical value extends beyond its architecture. “We’re not just trying to save a beautiful building,” he said. “We’re honoring the spiritual, social, and cultural heart of Marceline. This church was here when Walt Disney was a boy in this town. It’s been a place of comfort during wars, recessions, and national tragedies. It tells the story of our town.”
Members of the church have collaborated with local historians and preservationists to compile the extensive documentation required for the National Register application. The goal was to receive the official recognition that will not only preserve the church for future generations but also unlock opportunities for grant funding and restoration support.
“There’s a sense of urgency,” said church trustees Lex Cavanah and Lenard Hustead. “We want to protect this sacred place before time and weather do more damage. We are excited to be included on the National Register so this historic church can receive the care and respect it deserves.”
The congregation continues to worship, serve, and celebrate in the same sanctuary that has seen over 100 years of faith and fellowship.
“This is holy ground,” Pastor Sheffield added. “And we’re its stewards.”
“Our doors here at the First Christian Church are open to all – we invite our community to join us for Sunday worship at 10 a.m.”
Borel also noted that the church and its members would be happy to take part in any future historical tours.
Gucker Coal Office – 125 E. California
After shuttering his large downtown Marceline J. Hemmings Mercantile & Supply Company store in 1924, Joseph Hemmings, the co-founder and superintendent of the Marceline Coal and Mining Co. and who is credited with selling the first lot in Marceline, opened this office at 125 E. California Avenue. Hemmings ran the Marceline Mercantile & Supply Co. out of a downtown office but decided to close it. He was granted a building permit to erect an office building on Lots 17 and 18 in block 172, according to plans and specifications that was designed to “be a fireproof structure, build of brick with stuccoed walls inside and out” from which Hemming’s would use as his private office; it appears it acted as William (J. (W.J.) Randolph’s coal office, too. Randolph managed Hemmings Mercantile at the same time. From this property Hemmings ran his own mercantile and coal supply company under the same name as his larger store until some point in the future Randolph opened his coal office, taking over Hemmings’ fuel delivery.
In 1926, Randolph officially purchased Hemmings’ company.
Like Hemmings and Randolph, Frank Gucker was an extremely important and integral part of Marceline’s business and political environments as well, even before he purchased the Randolph Coal Company in 1941 and changed the name to Gucker Coal Company.
After buying the Randolph Coal Company in 1941, the Gucker Coal Company appears to have been the sole supplier of coal to the community, city and the Santa Fe Depot.
Gucker’s private records show he supplied coal to the City of Marceline, residences, and several major businesses in the city such as the Santa Fe Depot, Marceline Post Office, the Masonic Lodge and others. The 1945 Annual Financial Statement for the Township of Marceline indicates the township paid him $7.14 for an unspecified amount of coal. The company’s main customer base, though, were private citizens in the area, whereas the only other company running at the time was doing business only with homeowners.
After Gucker’s retirement, Glenn Hughes and his wife, Anna Margaret Gucker (Frank and Inez’s daughter), leased the coal business and kept it running for several more years.
“The Gucker Coal Company building (formerly Marceline Mercantile and the Randolph Coal Company) is the last extant property associated with Marceline’s coal industry,” said Michele Lewis, Frank and Inez Gucker’s granddaughter. “The importance of coal cannot be understated. Each community, states, the entire nation relied heavily on coal for heat and power to keep commerce moving.”
“My grandparents, Frank and Inez Gucker were a small piece of the History of Marceline and when you preserve as much as you can then you understand the true history a bit more.”
Michele Lewis said her family would be interested in being a part of any planned historic tours.
“If future historic tours are planned, the families of Frank and Inez (Hoskins) Gucker would want Gucker Coal Company building included in Marceline Historic tours.”
Masonic Lodge 201 N. Main Street
The original Masonic Lodge was built in 1888 at 201 N. Main Street in Marceline. In 1923, the Temple Building was built using 35,000 bricks and some lumber salvaged from the original building. Over the next 100 years the building saw more renovations and rebuilding after extensive damage due to water damage, thanks to a leaking roof over several decades.
Marceline Masonic Lodge #481 is the only example of Beaux-Arts architecture in Marceline’s downtown business district and the only such style in the survey’s list of properties identified as individually eligible that is in this style in the city. The only other example of this style is the Linn County Courthouse, also on the National Register of Historic Places.
“The lodge has been available for public events. Since the construction in 1923 many events have been held through the years, such as proms, weddings, organizational meetings, family, reunions, and etc.,” Fred Lewis said speaking on behalf of volunteers at the Masonic Lodge. “Lodge members wish to preserve the historic main street of Marceline because of such buildings are not being constructed in communities and must be preserved whenever possible.”
In 1990, crews laid a metal roof on top of the existing roof, which lasted about 20 years. During a storm in 2010, high winds lifted part of the roof and water damage was sustained throughout.
Construction happened in stages, beginning with a new roof and roof trusses, installation of the HVAC system, reconstruction of stairs, adding hot water to and making the bathrooms larger, updating kitchen equipment and more.
Fred Lewis, said, this designation is important not just for the Mason’s Lodge, but the community as a whole.
“The importance of the National Register placement may open up the possibility of grants for preservation of the building, which is above the local ability for funding. The lodge is open for events that can be scheduled by contacting John Carver at 660-376-3625.”
Lincoln School – 201 Wells Avenue
Marceline Lincoln School was built in 1933 by Floyd Newman, a local builder, after Marceline voters approved a bond request to build a new “negro school” after the previous one burned down.
This building was the sole K-8 educational facility in Marceline for non-white students between 1933-1954 (the year the school was built until desegregation began and the school closed).
Students who extended their education into high school had to travel to The Dalton School in Dalton, Missouri (27 miles south of Marceline) to obtain their high school education.
After the Marceline School Board sold the property in 1955 at the start of school desegregation which resulted from the decision in the case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, KS, various owners used the building for such things as a storage area, an antique store, and now a carpenter’s workshop.
In 1866, Missouri school districts were, as the law states, required to establish … “one or more separate schools for colored children” when there were 20 or more students of color in the jurisdiction. Marceline’s government surprisingly disregarded this law. The school was erected, despite not having met this threshold for the two years prior to being approved by a city-wide vote. Rarely did enrollment at the school increase beyond 20 students. In fact, it had an historically low attendance rate, falling several times well below that threshold; yet the city never closed it down.
Marceline started integrating their high school during the 1953-1954 school year (a year before the Brown v. Board of Education of Topek ruling.
“Personally, I think the fact Marceline disregarded the attendance rule shows the true character of the City. It’s a bold move to say, ‘Hey, these are our kids. They deserve a school and the best education we can give them regardless of what the law says.’ This is a character that remains to this day,” Comber said.
The Future of Marceline is in the Past
Comber fully endorses Borel’s and Lewis’ idea of tours, saying, “If these five historic properties formed a coalition with the trademarked 501c3 Marceline Historical Society, we could pool our resources to advertise tours of each property every 2-3 months. It would help bring in more tourism. It would help raise awareness for preservation and lead to donations for each property. I don’t doubt that the City Council would partner with the Society and the five properties and fully support such an endeavor.”
“It’s important to preserve history. Most people don’t realize the benefits of historical preservation to a rural community. But unlike having one specific tourism focus that helps a select group of people, initiating preservation and encouraging historic and cultural tourism helps everyone because these tourists stay longer than those visiting one place and moving on,” Comber added.
“With five places on the Register, Marceline now has a base from which to attract people. That the properties are so diverse is even more attractive. I’m currently working on three more nominations, too. I look forward to both me and the Marceline Historical Society working with the City Council to preserve even more city history. Jesse Wallis and the Council have been strong proponents of our work, recognizing the Society and its hard work to preserve Marceline’s history in the right way.”
The Marceline Historical Society is also responsible for securing the funds for the Gucker Coal Company property’s ongoing improvements.
“I and the Marceline Historical Society are dedicated to making sure Marceline’s history is preserved in the correct way: Through hard work and dedication. True preservation isn’t just about the people, it’s about remembering the past, preserving the beauty of architecture, saving our stories, and so much more.” Comber said. “I’m proud of Marceline’s dedication to preservation and honored to be a major part of this ongoing project to preserve it.”
If you’d like to participate in the helping preserve Marceline’s history as a Marceline Historical Society Board member and/or volunteer or wish to see if your property is eligible for the National Register, too, contact Comber at marcelinehistoricalsociety@gmail.com. The trademarked 501c3 organization’s website sitemarcelinehistoricalsociety.com.
