Discover the prominent families who once called Capitol Avenue home.

The residents of Capitol Avenue evolved from ordinary residents in pioneer log cabins to prominent families living lavishly in gilded age mansions over its 200 years. One early family was the Dr. William Bolton family. He bought a substantial piece of land at E. Main (now Capitol Avenue) and Jackson Streets in 1860 and built the Bolton mansion to house his family and 24 slaves. The mansion was sold in 1893 and demolished. In its place, a grand Queen Anne style home named Ivy Terrace was built for Governor Lon Stephens.

Just east of the Bolton mansion, at 514-516 E. Capitol Ave., lived the William C. “W.C.” Young family. W.C. was a contractor and built seven houses in the neighborhood. His son Robert Young wrote about life on Capitol Avenue; his stories were later published in “Pioneers of High, Water, and Main: Reflections of Jefferson City.”

The Judge Ephraim Ewing family lived next door at 512 E. Capitol Ave., which was built by W.C. Young in1873. Ewing was a secretary of state, attorney general, and supreme court judge.

However, no family held a longer tenure on Capitol Avenue than the Buescher family, who lived at 429E. Capitol Ave. Edwin and Margaret Osterloh Buescher bought the property in 1933. Built just after the Civil War, the house needed extensive repairs. With their son, Victor, and his wife, Gladys, the Bueschers completed renovations, making it the Buescher Funeral Home.

The Jefferson City Post Tribune wrote, “The principal entrance leads directly into the well-equipped chapel, furnished attractively with overstuffed suites and comfortable chairs. Cream marquisate curtains with maroon draperies and taupe carpeting add to the beauty of the room. A modern, well-equipped preparation room is located on the ground floor.”

Edwin and Margaret managed the business, but it was Victor who completed his training at the Williams Institute of Embalming in Kansas City, Missouri. An experienced embalmer, Mr. F. Bowlin, was also brought into the business. It became a well-rounded team, with Victor fostering and expanding community contacts.

Victor and Gladys welcomed their first daughter, Barbara Jean, in 1938. Three more soon followed: Betty, Bonnie, and Beverly. It was a busy household. The family first lived on the second floor of the funeral home and later moved two doors down to 417 E. Capitol Ave.

“We played hide and seek in the casket room, and we scooted across the rug in the viewing room (when empty, of course) and then touched the torchiere lamps to get a static shock.”
—Louise Folk

The funeral business flourished, in part because of their solid reputation and a loyal clientele. They also benefited from a contract with the state penitentiary and from providing a 24-hour ambulance service.

Louise Folk, whose grandmother was a sister to Edwin, recalls visiting the Buescher home with her two sisters as little girls close in age to the Buescher girls.

“We played hide and seek in the casket room, and we scooted across the rug in the viewing room (when empty, of course) and then touched the torchiere lamps to get a static shock,” Louise says.

By the 1960s, Beverly and Bonnie had found husbands, and Barbara had gotten a nursing degree. She graduated from the mortuary science program at the University of Kansas, the only female in the class of 1962. She then joined the family business, and Betty also later join the family team.

By the 1970s, many homes surrounding the funeral home became rentals. Barbara and Betty purchased several; however, Betty transferred her properties to Barbara by the early1980s. Barbara continued to buy homes in the area, eventually owning 29 properties in a four-block area.

Edwin died in 1960, Margaret in 1984, Gladys in 1993, and Victor in 1996, leaving Barbara and Betty to run the family business. When Betty retired, Barbara became the last remaining Buescher in the business. In 2009, investigations uncovered the mishandling of prearranged funeral contracts. Barbara’s embalmers license was revoked, and the funeral home was forced to close.

Barbara lived on Capitol Avenue until 2022, surrounded by the many houses she owned. Most of them had fallen into disrepair and were condemned by this time. Efforts began to address the blight through eminent domain.

In March 2024, Barbara lost ownership of her last property in the Capitol Avenue Historic District. Neglect caused 15 of her buildings to be demolished. The former Buescher funeral home and several other 19th century houses, however, are slated for renovation.

Barbara died in December of 2024. Perhaps the community will never know her entire story, but it shouldn’t overshadow the many years that the Buescher family were stellar community leaders and successful business owners.