The Orchard King Who Broke the Political Machine

Earlier on your walk, you stood before the grave of Ratliff Boon, the second Governor of Indiana. Here on this very same hill rests another chief executive who answered the call of public duty: the 39th Governor of Missouri, Lloyd Crow Stark.

Born in Louisiana in 1886, Lloyd grew up immersed in the fertile soil and boundless innovation of Stark Bro’s Nurseries. Founded in 1816, it stands today as the oldest continuously operating nursery in the United States—the pioneering enterprise that introduced the world to the Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples.

After graduating from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis and serving with distinction in World War I, Stark returned home to take the helm as president of the family nursery. Under his leadership, the company expanded modern mail-order shipping, transformed American commercial orchards, and kept Louisiana at the international forefront of horticulture.

In 1936, the state called him to service. Stark was elected Governor of Missouri, serving from 1937 to 1941. Though he entered office during the height of the infamous, corrupt political machine run by Kansas City boss Tom Pendergast, Governor Stark did the unthinkable: he refused to compromise. He boldly turned on the machine, dismantling political corruption from within and ushering in a new era of clean, accountable government across Missouri.

Yet despite a lifetime on the national stage, military duty, and the halls of power in Jefferson City, Stark’s heart never left Louisiana. When his service ended, he returned home to the community that made him.

As you tour the historic districts of Louisiana today, you can see two chapters of the Governor’s life: 601 North 3rd Street, the stately residence where he was raised as a boy, and 1401 Georgia Street, the magnificent home where he raised his own family before departing to lead the State of Missouri."