Nickerson Farms
When I was little and my family would take car trips, one of the highlights was stopping at Nickerson Farms, a chain of restaurants that went out of business some years ago. A couple of things made Nickerson Farms special:
They had a beehive built into the wall, from which they made their own honey.
They had a gift shop that was fun to browse while we waited for our food, and after the meal while my dad napped in the car. We usually got to pick out a special item there that we could use to amuse ourselves for the rest of the journey.
Nickerson Farms closed when my little sister, Ouin, was pretty young. I wasn't sure if she'd remember it.
After I took this photo, I decided to find out what happened to Nickerson Farms, why they closed. And I did. Story here. When I e-mailed the link to my family, I asked if Ouin remembered it. She did.
Here's her recollection, used totally without her permission:
"i remember the beehive and slow service and that i liked to get spaghetti. the purchase i remember most from the gift shop was cinderella paper dolls. i liked them because the 'dolls' were made of extra thick cardboard, meaning it took longer to decapitate them than other paper dolls."
Additional recollection by Ouin below.
abandoned Nickerson Farms
outskirts of High Hill, Missouri, USA
Comments and faves
roamin added this photo to their favorites. (81 months ago)
Notley (81 months ago | reply)
Nickerson Farms, they were all over Missouri when I was young, nice work. High Hill is one of the only Nickerson Farms locations left....
!!MNPhotoGuy [deleted] (81 months ago | reply)
This is a great picture and a great family story.
Urbain --- (81 months ago | reply)
Wonderful Hilary.
placeinsun (81 months ago | reply)
i think we all have variations on childhood memories like this; i love your very specific details . . . and the picture really captures the bittersweetness of looking back
cbonney (81 months ago | reply)
!!!!!
fotogail (81 months ago | reply)
amazing that it is still there. perhaps there are still wild bees in the old walls...
Gwen's River City Images (81 months ago | reply)
YEP! I remember Nickersons and Stuckey's too! Both were I-70 icons. Thanks for the trip down memory lane Hil!
Gwen's River City Images added this photo to her favorites. (81 months ago)
Wattwurm's View [deleted] (81 months ago | reply)
An interesting story, Hilary.
I'm interested in those 'things'
Thank you!
kool_skatkat (81 months ago | reply)
Such a long roof!
eye2eye (81 months ago | reply)
Absolutely fascinating, every word, right down to your sister's appreciation for dolls that fought back. Actually, Nickerson is a huge name in my family, my mother being the last in a long line (she's 88). I never heard of these places, though.
1_ralf (81 months ago | reply)
Great documentary image, Hilary.
Re: You are sooooooo fast when you see icecream ... ;-D A happy weekend to you!
Ralf
Anne Eff (81 months ago | reply)
Ah, now I'm feeling all wistful. Great images in photo and word.
the phototherapist (81 months ago | reply)
hehe - isn't it funny what you remember of your early childhood? great place and wonderful story!
bfelice (81 months ago | reply)
What a fabulous story and a great link. I love the idea of the plexiglass beehive window. Thank you for sharing your memories!
astrocruzan (81 months ago | reply)
what a wonderful story to go with this great image.
Ouin (81 months ago | reply)
I will also add that the spelling of this restaurant somewhat surprises me as I had always heard it as 'Knickers and Farms.' What my child mind thought the connection was between short pants and agriculture, I will never know.
CindyZ_STL (80 months ago | reply)
The signs always made me think of Nancy Drew's boyfriend.
bogger4fun40 added this photo to his favorites. (74 months ago)
bogger4fun40 (74 months ago | reply)
Hillary, your Photos are fantastic! Thank you for saving so many images of Mid Missouri's past. BTW, another Nickerson Farms location is at Exit 118 on I-44 in Phillipsburg MO.
Stephen R Mingle /Gonzo® (73 months ago | reply)
Thanks, I was having a flickr discussion about Stucky's and needed some info on Nickerson farms!!
www.flickr.com/photos/ann3n3/163527272/
Stephen R Mingle /Gonzo® and neilisabass added this photo to their favorites.
Hoosier Girl 68 (56 months ago | reply)
Thank you SO much! I was trying to tell my husband about this cool place my daddy used to take me to but he'd never heard of Nickerson Farms (he's from western Colorado). Now I can show him this information and enlighten him. I remember hurrying through my meal so I could go look at the gift shop and watch the bees. Those are great memories that I'll always cherish.
Hilary (curioush) (56 months ago | reply)
Thanks, all!
Hoosier Girl 68 -- glad to be of service!
mrtickles (45 months ago | reply)
A good friend of mine used to work at that Nickerson's (his father used to own it). There's an old Stuckey's next to it. My friend says he and his buddies used to throw rocks at Stuckey's roof while they were on break. BTW, now he's a...gynecologist!
jaygannett (7 months ago | reply)
Great image! I have driven by this place so many times and always tho't to stop and get a picture. Never have tho'. Good that someone did! Thanks..........
shawnmmhotsk8 (7 months ago | reply)
Hi do you happen to know who now owns this building, and do you have his phone number??? The reason I ask is because I have a passion for collecting electric meters, I know this meter is in the electrical room on the inside of the building, as there is no meter base on the outside anywhere, I can see where the service lines used to enter at the roof through the conduit head, and the lines went straight to the pole transformer, which have been cut and stolen, so I know there is no power anymore in this building. I have seen this building several times, and have tried to get inside to get the meter, but it's locked tighter than fort knox LOL. If I could get permission from the owner, he might be glad to sell or give me the meter. I like to collect meters from old landmark buildings, I have meters from our old Busch Stadium, the old St. Louis Blues arena, Noah's Ark Hotel/Restaurant , and many more, just look at my photos on my stream. If there was an address I could go to assessors office, but I looked all over the building, and no address to be found. Hope you could be of help to me. Thanks Shawn. Also if I am not mistaken someone told me there used to be a gas station at this place as well, and I think they sold Pecan Log Rolls, which they were famous for, kind of how Noah's Ark Restaurant was famous for their clam chowder soup.
Hilary (curioush) (7 months ago | reply)