The historic Miller-Fiege Home at 140 S. Main Street in Columbia has seen better days, but city officials are hopeful an interested party can help give it a new life.

The house, built in 1850, was originally home to Peter Miller, who owned and operated a blacksmith shop next to the house with his sons until his death in 1921.

The structure is now known as the Miller-Fiege Home due to Peter’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Miller, marrying Ferdinand Fiege and moving into the house in 1904.

The blacksmith shop later became an automotive repair shop before eventually being torn down in the 1950s, but the Fieges’ daughters Dolores and Winnifred kept the house in the family until  Winnifred’s death in 2008.

The City of Columbia bought the property in 2008 not only to preserve architecture reminiscent of the city’s early years, but also with the intention of turning it into a history museum.   

With help from private donors and organizations, the home was fixed up and became a museum in the early 2010s, and had more than 1,000 artifacts from the family and the Columbia Historical Society, according to a 2011 article published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

Even when it was used as a museum, the house located across from Columbia City Hall needed more work, and the property has fallen into further disrepair in the past five years. 

Many members of the organizations involved with the museum have either passed away or are no longer able to participate in upkeep of the historical building.

With no younger membership to keep the efforts going, the Miller-Fiege Home is now mostly unused and in need of a major makeover.

The Columbia City Council passed a resolution in September to accept bids for sale of the house which contained built-in provisions to oversee future use of the historical landmark.

Columbia City Administrator Doug Brimm told the Republic-Times the city has recently taken a “close look” at city-owned properties to determine the best course of action moving forward.

For the Miller-Fiege Home, Brimm said with the current state of the property and lack of resources and personnel for the city to give proper care, it was determined this property needs a different owner.

The decision to put the property out to bid was passed with a requirement that any potential buyers provide the city with the “intended use/plans for the property,” according to the Sept. 18 meeting agenda report. 

The report also stated aldermen did not necessarily have to approve the highest bid, but “select the bid representing the city’s bests interests.”  

The bid window came and went without any takers, so the city is now taking a wait-and-see approach.

During the Oct. 16 city council meeting, Brimm informed aldermen of several options regarding the sale of this property.

Columbia can list the property with a real estate agency, try to sell the house via public auction or let the provisions of the resolution stand for six months until mid-March, at which time the city will have more options to consider.

Until the resolution expires, the city is still required by statute to sell the property for at least $84,000.

In March, the city would have the option to re-authorize sale of the property, but without this 80 percent price requirement.

The sale of the property is ultimately at the discretion of the Columbia City Council, and potential sale of the house under the current cost threshold after March would require a three-fourths majority vote by aldermen.

Alderman Lauren Nobbe spoke in favor of not rushing the sale, saying, “more time to clear it out would be great,” referring to the many artifacts still housed there.

Brimm said the council is still working through provisions related to a possible sale of the property, adding the city now has time to see if it can “reenergize” the Columbia Heritage and Preservation Commission.

According to the city’s website, the commission is responsible “to recommend to the city council measures to protect those portions of the city that have significant historical, architectural or aesthetic features; and to hold public hearings on issues affecting proposed or designated landmark sites or structures.”

Brimm explained commission activity was greatly hindered during the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.

He added he is hopeful a history-minded individual or organization can take control of the building and make necessary repairs and updates.