Just outside of St. Louis, tucked alongside the Meramec River, lies the forgotten town of Times Beach, Missouri. Or at least, what’s left of it. Today, it’s known as Route 66 State Park. But if you’ve ever walked the trails there and felt something unusual about the place, there’s a reason. Beneath the soil and forest sits the remains of an entire community that was evacuated and erased in the early 1980s due to dioxin contamination.
Recently, I came across a fascinating documentary about Times Beach created by a young filmmaker named Drew Walters. I’ve known Drew for a long time, he was in Cub Scouts with my son, in the same pack I helped lead. He just graduated college and is working toward a career in documentary filmmaking and based upon the videos of his I’ve seen, he’s definitely headed in the right direction.
In his video, Drew walks viewers through what’s left of the town. Streets like Park Drive, Beach Drive, Lincoln and Riverside are still there, although they’re now disguised as walking trails and surrounded by overgrowth. He points out spots where homes used to be, notes landmarks like the old water tower and even explores areas where the soil still looks suspiciously barren. His film captures both the eerie beauty and the heavy history of Times Beach better than anything I’ve seen before. You can check out his channel, Gateway Explore, here.
The story of Times Beach started as a seemingly normal town — middle-class families, Route 66 running through it, and all the pieces of small-town life. That all changed after oil contaminated with dioxin was sprayed on the roads to keep down dust. In 1982, the town was flooded, and soon after, the EPA confirmed toxic levels of dioxin in the soil. The entire town was bought out by the government and permanently evacuated. Cleanup included building an incinerator to burn the contaminated soil, and eventually, the land was transformed into a park in the 1990s.
For those of us in real estate, Times Beach is a chilling example of how environmental issues can instantly and irreversibly alter property values and community plans. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of environmental due diligence in any transaction, whether buying a home, a commercial site, or land to develop. What happened in Times Beach may be extreme, but there are lessons that still apply across the St. Louis market today.
More than anything, this documentary is a compelling local story told by someone who grew up right here in our area. I hope you’ll take the time to watch the full video below and subscribe to Drew’s channel to support a young filmmaker who’s off to a great start.
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