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MoHistory

Black History Highlights: 5 Artifacts from the African American History Initiative

1 day 1 hour ago
The African American History Initiative (AAHI) strives to promote stories that explore various aspects of the African American experience throughout this region. Among other efforts, this initiative supports the collection of unique artifacts and materials concerning historically underrepresented communities. Here are five artifacts—from a fez to a boating burgee—that offer a glimpse into the collection. …
Brittany Krewson

A Coffee Monopoly at the 1904 World’s Fair

6 days 1 hour ago
While many are familiar with the story of iced tea’s popularization at the 1904 World’s Fair, there was also plenty of coffee to go around at the exposition. Countries like Brazil and Guatemala brought enormous amounts of coffee for their displays, and one local coffee company headed by a World’s Fair director quickly became inescapable. …
Brittany Krewson

Exploring History Through the Funsten Nut Pickers

1 week 1 day ago
In the 1930s, things were tough for the Black women working at the Funsten Nut Company. Their job of carefully opening pecan shells and extracting the fragile nutmeats inside was grueling. Working with pecans was difficult because the shells stained hands and clothing and created a dust that caused respiratory problems when inhaled. Black workers …
Brittany Krewson

The St. Louisan Who Brought Down Al Capone

2 weeks 6 days ago
Written by TMH Apprentices Lucinda Thorn, Mikey Wells, and Marian Williams Al Capone is widely known as the most notorious gangster in American history, but few people today know of the St. Louisan who played a crucial role in his downfall: E. J. O’Hare. Before working with Capone in Chicago, O’Hare was a successful businessman, …
Brittany Krewson

Saying Goodbye to Lucky Inn

3 weeks 1 day 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

Why Does Missouri Have Its Own Emancipation Day?

3 weeks 6 days ago
On January 11, 1865, the delegates of the Missouri State Constitutional Convention passed the immediate emancipation of all enslaved people in the state. This ordinance was passed just three weeks before Congress proposed the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution to abolish slavery, but several years after the earliest attempt during the Civil War. When …
Brittany Krewson

Winter Holiday Traditions: A Reflection of Changing Times

1 month 1 week ago
We often think of winter holiday traditions as fixed—a collection of rituals that repeat year after year to mark the passing of time. But in reality, holidays are always evolving, shaped by shifting cultural practices and changing societal values. The ways we celebrate, and even the holidays we choose to celebrate, are constantly in flux. …
Brittany Krewson

Fun and Games: 5 Vintage Toys in the MHS Collections

1 month 2 weeks ago
St. Louis is home to toys that were developed, tested, and loved right here in our city, so we’re sharing an exclusive peek into our vintage toys and games collection. This compilation is not just a trip down memory lane—it’s a vibrant celebration of the playthings that sparked joy and creativity in the hearts of …
Brittany Krewson

Our Honored Dead: The Horrific Story Behind Jefferson Barracks’s Largest Group Burial

1 month 3 weeks ago
EDITOR’S NOTE: Some of the images included in this post are sensitive in nature. Please proceed with caution. Unless you know someone buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, you may see only names engraved upon stone. But Jefferson Barracks contains more stories of courage and sacrifice than most people realize. This post marks the 80th …
Brittany Krewson

Artist Revealed: Matthew Hastings in “Last Sale of Slaves in St. Louis”

1 month 3 weeks ago
Artist Matthew Hastings was born in Washington, DC, in 1834, and came to St. Louis in the 1840s, where he initially lived on Market Street, between Third and Fourth Streets. He was friends with the famous American artists George Caleb Bingham and Carl Wimar. After attending Saint Louis University, he started his artistic career as a …
Brittany Krewson

The Family Behind the Iconic 1904 World’s Fair Ice Cream Photograph

2 months ago
When visiting the new 1904 World’s Fair exhibit at the Missouri History Museum, visitors are met with many fascinations. There’s the scale model featuring people walking along the streets, trolleys coming into stations, and shadows of clouds wafting overhead. A visitor can see and read about souvenirs and other artifacts on display. The sounds of ragtime and …
Brittany Krewson

Homeopathic Remedies: Early Female Physicians in St. Louis

2 months ago
When I think of a doctor making a house call in the 19th century, I imagine someone who arrives in my home and sets an old-fashioned leather case down, preparing to address whatever medical problem has arisen. What I don’t perhaps consider is the popular practice of homeopathy, especially among women, in St. Louis in …
Brittany Krewson

Changing Perceptions at the 1904 World’s Fair

2 months 2 weeks ago
I was part of the team that brought the Missouri History Museum’s new World’s Fair exhibit to life—doing things like writing captions, editing content for interactive media, and compiling a document of what each of the 60-plus participating countries brought to the Fair. That document evolved into an infographic, a map of the world that …
Brittany Krewson

A Meet Me in St. Louis Reunion

2 months 2 weeks ago
Today, some 120 years after the 1904 World’s Fair closed, millions of people from all over the world are still obsessed with the Fair. But if you ask them, you’ll find that many of them weren’t introduced to the Fair from a picture in a history book or a description of the Fair’s attractions. Instead, …
Brittany Krewson

Death and Despair in the Lemp Mansion

2 months 3 weeks ago
The Lemp family, once celebrated for their thriving brewing empire and lavish lifestyle, seemed to have everything—wealth, influence, and a grand mansion that embodied their success. Yet, behind the big, black doors of the Lemp Mansion, a series of personal tragedies quietly unfolded, ultimately shaping the family’s tragic legacy. Johann “Adam” Lemp, born in 1836 …
Winter Powell