This family home, when built during the 1860/70 time frame, consisted of a four room two story log cabin, located on the northwest corner of Geyer and Essex. When the century turned the house was extended by about 15 feet to make a comfortable small 17 by 33 foot two story house which dominated the 12 acre nursery of Otto Roth. This flower nursery was appropriate for the city of Kirkwood since the city was considered a summer vacation villa for the residents of St. Louis, Missouri. Otto's nursery and family expanded causing the house to once again be enlarged to a 3 story home.
The house and land were bought and subdivided in 1958. It was converted to a two family house at that time. In 1966 it was converted back to a single family dwelling for the Kuenekes and their seven children. When the Victor Frome family came to the United States after serving a tour of duty in Germany, the house was purchased in 1979. The Frome family has spent over 15 years enthusiastically renovating it. Vic and his family are proud of their accomplishments as can be seen in the following pages.
Otto Roth and his wife Anna purchased the house and its land for his family which grew to three children, 2 boys and 1 girl, and his flower enterprise.
The house along with his greenhouses was on 12 acres of land bordered by Geyer to the east, Essex to the south, Clemens to the west and Jewel to the north. Also part of the property was a reservoir located along Essex Avenue.
During July of 1929, Otto Roth, better known as "smooth mouth" according to Francis Scheidegger filed suit against the city of Kirkwood for making a right of way through his property when building Essex Avenue. This right of way consisted of 20 by 800 feet, the northern portion of Essex.
Otto Roth was a government worker before he started his greenhouse ventures. He also ran for mayor of Kirkwood but was unsuccessful. All three of his children were born in the Roth house by Dr. Donisher who came down the road periodically in his horse and buggy to check on his patients. Geyer Road was a dirt road during the first part of the 1900's. According to Otto's daughter, she still remembers making mud pies on Buttercup Hill (Geyer and Essex) from ice wagon drippings as it made in daily deliveries.
There were three major undertakings of the Frome House which were (1) the extension of the front of the house during the turn of the century, (2) the addition of the back and upper portion of the house during the great depression, and (3) the major modification and beautification of the house by the Frome family during the 1980's and 1990's.
The pictures displayed throughout are when the house was purchased by the Frome's, the renovation, and the final results as it stands today. Many furnishings in the house are from Vic's world travels, reflecting his 21 year Army career. A picture of the house during the cold winter days is displayed below.
And now the renovation story begins.
NOTE: Vic and his family did over 75 percent of the all work performed. The other 25 percent was contracted out which consisted of the new roof, aluminum siding on the top of the house, fireplace, very large retaining wall to cover the front and side of the property, some plumbing, cabinet installation in the kitchen, some of the wallboard , covered roof over the deck and balcony and a few other miscellaneous items.
