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MoHistory

St. Louis Arts and Culture Earn Headlines

5 days 17 hours ago
The new 1904 World’s Fair exhibit at the Missouri History Museum recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. In its first year, that gallery has earned St. Louis national and international headlines. The good kinds of headlines. The headlines that St. Louis is so in need of. And, unfortunately, the types of headlines St. Louisans talk too …
Lauren Mitchell

A Gathering of Magicians at the Jefferson Hotel

3 weeks 4 days ago
The Society of American Magicians had been around for more than 60 years when it held its 35th annual convention in downtown St. Louis. Founded in New York City in 1902, the organization initially focused on professional magicians—Harry Houdini was one of its presidents. By the time St. Louis hosted the society in May 1963, the …
Brittany Krewson

After the Storm: The Black Community’s Response to the 1927 Tornado

1 month ago
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story originally ran in Gateway (Spring 2020), the MHS member magazine. It has been edited for length. The views and opinions expressed by the submitters are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missouri Historical Society, its affiliates, or its employees. Like no other natural disaster …
Lauren Mitchell

Reflecting on the Ghost Army

1 month 1 week ago
For the past eight months, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum has hosted Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II. The final day to visit this traveling exhibit and learn its fascinating story is Memorial Day, May 26. As the first American military unit solely dedicated to deception of the enemy, the Ghost Army—formally …
Lauren Mitchell

Where Did That Come From? Interesting Ways Things Came to MHS

1 month 2 weeks ago
If you have ever found yourself looking at an object in a museum and wondering where it came from, then you are thinking like a curator. Before the Missouri Historical Society adds a piece to its collection, curators first consider the object’s history, including its origin, creators, owners, and significance. Here are four collections with …
Lauren Mitchell

Celebrating Henry Townsend, the Patriarch of St. Louis Blues

1 month 2 weeks ago
On May 7, 2025, a towering legend of St. Louis blues music will have the honor of being inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s hard to overstate just how important Henry Townsend is to St. Louis’s musical heritage. Local musicians from across a wide spectrum of styles and backgrounds counted …
Lauren Mitchell

Raymond Dennis: Connecting St. Louis Black Fashion to the Met Gala

1 month 3 weeks ago
The Met Gala embraces brilliance of style each year as celebrities make cultural statements with fashion. This year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” has a deep connection to St. Louis’s rich history and incredible local talent. Master tailor Raymond Dennis dressed many St. Louisans with ingenuity and craftsmanship as the operator of Belle & Beau …
Lauren Mitchell

The Ghosts of St. Louis

1 month 3 weeks ago
Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II is a special exhibit open at Soldiers Memorial Military Museum until May 26, 2025. Ghost Army explores the unique history of the US Army’s 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, a top-secret unit that waged war with inflatable tanks and vehicles, fake radio traffic, sound effects, and …
Lauren Mitchell

From Prison to Popularity: The Unbelievable Story of Piano Man Harry Snodgrass

1 month 4 weeks ago
In 1924, St. Louis piano player Harry Snodgrass won first place in a national contest of radio performers conducted by New York’s Radio Digest. Not long after, the young pianist signed with an agent and started a national tour with a vaudeville group. While St. Louis has produced many acclaimed musicians, Snodgrass’s path to success …
Brittany Krewson

From Conservation to “Collected”: 11 Paintings’ Journey to the Gallery

2 months ago
Do you ever wonder what it takes for a painting to be ready for exhibit at the Missouri History Museum? Well, it’s a multi-step process managed by the conservation department that sometimes takes years. For our new core gallery titled Collected, we have 11 paintings initially on display. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at their journey …
Brittany Krewson

The NACWC: A Legacy of Impact

2 months ago
When Linda Nance and Dr. Arthelda Busch Williams first met, they had no idea how deeply their work and passions would intertwine. Their introduction came through a project at the Missouri History Museum in partnership with the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center, which also brought in the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs …
Brittany Krewson

Mother of the Year: Anna the Wolf

2 months 1 week ago
Today I would like to introduce to you the story of a local celebrity who you can meet in our brand-new Collected exhibit. This icon has had her photo projected onto the Empire State Building, shared moments with Betty White, and even been featured on Vans shoes. Any guesses? That’s right, I’m talking about a Mexican …
Brittany Krewson

Obsolete Missouri Taxes: Dogs

2 months 1 week ago
Today’s St. Louis dog and cat owners register their pets; registration is tied to proof of rabies vaccination. In early St. Louis, dogs were taxed as personal property—$2 apiece. The 1824 dog tax ordinance was accompanied by a long list of regulations for dog owners. Although it was called a tax, the accompanying regulations indicate …
Brittany Krewson

Here During Turbulent Times

2 months 2 weeks ago
Just days after the world shut down because of a global pandemic, the Missouri Historical Society released this video: The message was clear: St. Louis has always found ways to stay strong in tough times. St. Louis’s history—from fires and floods, to cholera and flu epidemics, to the time we literally blacked out the sun …
Brittany Krewson

Obsolete Missouri Taxes: Watches

2 months 2 weeks ago
Just got done filling out your personal property tax forms this year? Today’s process likely has you thinking about motor vehicles, boats, and business equipment. Some now-obsolete Missouri personal property taxes may surprise you. Watches were among the earliest items subject to personal property tax in Missouri. Gottfried Duden, a German who lived in Missouri …
Brittany Krewson

From Small Beginnings to Global Reach: 160 Years of UHSP

2 months 3 weeks ago
EDITOR’S NOTE: In order to bring a plurality of voices to our storytelling, the Missouri Historical Society frequently asks guest writers to contribute to History Happens Here. The views and opinions expressed by guest contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missouri Historical Society, its affiliates, or …
Brittany Krewson