Artwork by
Dennis Murphy

For the students, by the students

The Shack Revisited
Michael Deering, Cornerpost Staff, reporter

Halloween night brings back many memories for students that were here in the 1980's. This Halloween, students can be found at Big 12, Harpos, Field House, and many others but the hangout of the past was "The Shack." "The Shack," started out as a sandwich cart but was later transformed into a bar.

In 1921, the Chandler Davis Family parked a house car across from Jesse Hall and began serving sandwiches to the college population. The original house car was eventually turned into a building, which became known as "The Davis Tea Room". By 1929, it was a popular place for a cup of coffee or a soda between classes, or a beer after classes. During Prohibition, "near beer" was served.

"The Tea Room" closed in 1933 but was reopened by Vernon and Mary Blackmore and Jack Armel in the mid 1930's and renamed "Jack's Shack." The Blackmores later became the sole owners and the name was shortened to "The Shack." Joe Franke purchased "The Shack." in 1962. The unique atmosphere of "The Shack," was characterized by booths and walls filled with generations of carved initials and graffiti.

The doors of "The Shack" were permanently closed May 18,1984, and, in February of 1988, the University of Missouri acquired the property from Franke for a proposed alumni center and pedestrian walkway. Fire consumed the vacant building on Halloween night, 1988. The cause of the fire was never determined. However, students were thought to have started the fire.

The Reynolds Alumni Center, dedicated on April 10, 1992, now stands on the corner of Conley and Maryland Avenues. The original site of "The Shack" is now the circular driveway in front of the Alumni Center. The Beetle Bailey sculpture was moved from Pocket Park to its permanent location directly east of the Alumni Center driveway in 1999.

Information taken from: www.system.missouri.edu/archives/beetle

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