As an undergrad in the early 2000s at the University of Missouri–Columbia, Heather Hayes found herself captivated by the detail and distinctive look of that area’s historic homes, despite her having little to no knowledge of architecture.
“I loved the character, craftsmanship, and sturdiness,” says Hayes, who hails from St. Charles County. “I just knew I loved the historic homes versus the more cookie-cutter suburban homes I grew up in.”
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With her Instagram account @mo_homes, Hayes, 41, has tapped into a community of similarly inspired, architecturally inclined Missourians—as well as a number of residents from out-of-state. At least weekly, she shares photos of historic Missouri homes and buildings with her 11,000-plus followers. Active since 2014, Hayes has shared pictures of more than 1,800 homes built in various periods and architectural styles, including information about each one. Her process for choosing houses—like her architectural knowledge and photography skills—is informal and largely driven by curiosity.
“Often I’m in a new town or neighborhood and see a home I love, or I happen to drive past a historic district or street full of amazing homes,” says Hayes, who takes most photos with her iPhone. “I’ll take some photos and save them for later, and when I decide to post one of them, I’ll find info on the house from architectural surveys or historic societies or even real estate listings. Sometimes, I’ll just go to the city property database to get a date built.”
Though she’s never sought permission to photograph a house—she does so only from public streets and sidewalks—and has yet to be caught in the act, Hayes says dozens of people have commented on her feed or tagged people they know when they recognize a home. It’s been a good way, she says, to learn more about the houses she features: “I love it when people share memories of growing up in a home that I post.”
Hayes started posting photos after seeing the images of a former colleague who works in urban planning. “He and his partner are doing amazing things in the city,” she says. “After seeing their Instagram accounts, where they share pictures of incredible architecture, I was inspired to share my own.”
Before starting her account, Hayes says, she’d never thought of combining her interests in photography and architecture, and she has no plans to monetize the account or turn her hobby into a career. Instead, her passion for St. Louis–area homes—aside from the restoration of her own 160-year-old home in St. Charles—is largely a personal one.
“When I lived in the Central West End, I worked in Creve Coeur and would sometimes drive Lindell to work, even though it added an extra 10 or 20 minutes to my commute, just to see the amazing homes,” says Hayes, who works in the legal profession. “My favorite then—and one of my favorites to this day—is the Morris Corn house on Lindell, designed by Maritz & Young.”
With COVID and the demands of raising three young children limiting her ability to explore Missouri’s historic neighborhoods in recent years, Hayes had been limiting herself to local architecture. (Posts from other parts of the state typically concern older shots—what Hayes calls “#latergrams”). But now, with her kids back in school full time, she again has time to explore and document houses across the state.
Growing @mo_homes’ follower count, Hayes says, takes a backseat to discovering new parts of the city and state and connecting with other self-described archinerds: “I think the most exciting prospect is the potential to get other people interested in the history of our city and possibly motivate someone to save an old home that needs love today.”
