Dave's Depots -- Lead Belt Edition, Bonne Terre, Missouri

Friday afternoon was shaping up to be a quiet one around the office, then an emergency hit. The powers-that-be needed a lawyer of my ability and skill to drive down to Farmington, Missouri to argue a motion before the Circuit Court of Saint Francois County. "My ability and skill" means I was the only attorney in the office wearing a suit that day. Wearing a suit and tie on a casual Friday sticks out like spats at an Iowa picnic, and is certainly one way to get noticed by the boss.

Saint Francois County is the heart of the old "Lead Belt," an area dotted by abandoned lead mines and the resulting waste. Other than that, the area is actually very beautiful, with tree-covered hills. The weather was nice, which made the drive fun. On the way back to town, I stopped in Bonne Terre, and snapped a photo of the Frisco Depot.

Bonne Terre was the heart of Missouri's Lead Belt, and the Frisco even ran a passenger train called the "Lead Belt Special." The depot is in good shape, owned by the proprietor or the local abandoned lead mine, which is open for tours. Part of the mine is flooded, and is quite a popular attraction for scuba divers in the midwest.