MoHistory

The collections management department has been hard at work increasing public access to our collections. As part of the Collections Access project, we have just finished cataloging, photographing, and rehousing our entire collection of purses—a grand total of 442 objects! This collection also encompasses many different types of personal carrying items like purses, wallets, clutches, …

Continue reading "Highlights from the Purse Collection"

DeVerne and Ernest Calloway were important leaders in civil rights struggles in St. Louis in the mid- to late-20th century. In honor of them and their work, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists still presents the Ernest and DeVerne Calloway award to Black leaders continuing the Calloways’ legacy. Before they met and moved to the …

Continue reading "Ernest and DeVerne Calloway, Activist Couple"

The Female Hospital is the final building in the three-part series focusing on historic public institutions designed to aid St. Louisans in need. Originally called the Social Evil Hospital, it was established in 1873 and was part of the Social Evil Ordinance, an 1870 experiment legalizing sex work in St. Louis. The Social Evil Ordinance intended …

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Long before YouTube, or television for that matter, entertainment looked quite different. One St. Louis-based artist entertained people by creating a 1,300-foot panorama and sharing it with crowds across the country. Henry Lewis, originally from England, came to St. Louis in 1836. He found work as a carpenter but quickly discovered his true passion was …

Continue reading "Painting the Mississippi"

The 1904 World’s Fair included many elements celebrating America’s patriotic spirit. One of the most popular of these was the Liberty Bell, an icon associated with Independence Day that traveled from Philadelphia to St. Louis for the exposition. A Symbol of Unity Starting several decades after the Civil War, Philadelphia permitted the bell to be …

Continue reading "A National Symbol Visits the Fair"

Listen to an episode about Marguerite Martyn on our Here’s History podcast with KDHX. In the early 20th century, journalism was a male-dominated field. In 1905, however, one woman upended the newsroom of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She wrote reports on some of the most important events of early 20th century St. Louis. Her perspective proved …

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In what is commonly called the Great Divorce, St. Louis City voted in 1876 to legally separate from St. Louis County. The move has officially estranged both municipalities until the present day while still allowing them joint custody of cultural institutions. Many lawmakers over the decades have proposed plans to reconcile Greater St. Louis, but …

Continue reading "The Borough Plan of 1962"

Arthur Ashe is remembered today for breaking color barriers in the tennis world and supporting civil rights, health, education, and humanitarian issues. What many may not remember about him is that he graduated from Sumner High School in 1961 and that his time in St. Louis played an important role in his career. Born July …

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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 …

Continue reading "Lucas and Garrison: John D. Perry"

The Gateway to Pride exhibit opening in June 2024 has involved a wide range of conservation and restoration efforts. Since the majority of the objects in the exhibit date from the 1970s onwards, preparing and preserving artifacts for it has presented unique challenges for Missouri Historical Society conservators who typically work with much older items. …

Continue reading "ACT UP Coffin"

As St. Louis’s population grew, city leaders in the mid-19th century established systems to care for the increasing number of people in need. For a variety of reasons, from funding issues to changes in popular opinion about welfare, these once-massive structures no longer exist as part of the St. Louis landscape. In part 1, we …

Continue reading "Public Institutions from the Past: The Poor House"

EDITOR’S NOTE: To honor the memory of St. Louis music legend Tina Turner, we’re sharing an excerpt from a piece by Missouri Historical Society Public Historian Andrew Wanko that was previously published in the St. Louis American. Jump back 40 years to New Year’s Eve 1982. If you were watching the Tonight Show Starring Johnny …

Continue reading "Remembering Tina Turner"

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 …

Continue reading "St. Louis and the History of the Organization of Chinese Americans"

Over the past few years, the Library & Research Center has faced a series of closures due to large construction projects and the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2023, staff welcomed back researchers, students, teachers, and visitors of all types. The library’s collection continues to grow, and this post gives a look at some of these …

Continue reading "New to the Library: Menus from Asian and Asian American Restaurants"

Listen to an episode about plane hijacking on our Here’s History podcast with KDHX. Between 1968 and 1972, more than 130 flights in the US were hijacked. Aircraft hijacking occurred with such frequency that many came to view it as commonplace. However, the hijacking at Lambert Field in 1972 was anything but common. On the evening …

Continue reading "Lessons in Hijacking"

From 19th-century red brick homes to gleaming 21st-century skyscrapers, each St. Louis neighborhood boasts a unique array of architectural styles. Whether grand or humble, the region’s buildings (just like its landscapes) have inspired artists for more than 200 years. Take a quick tour across St. Louis and into the Missouri Historical Society’s fine art collection …

Continue reading "Paint the Town: Past and Present"

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 …

Continue reading "Lucas and Garrison: Silas Bent"

To honor the service of St. Louis residents who lost their lives during World War I, the city set aside funds from its 1923 bond issue to construct a Memorial Plaza downtown. The plaza’s centerpiece was Soldiers Memorial, which opened to the public on Memorial Day 1938. Origins of the Court of Honor A little …

Continue reading "How the Court of Honor Came to Be"

Listen to an episode about Erastus Wells on our Here’s History podcast with KDHX. We take for granted many modern conveniences, transportation among them. As a newcomer to St. Louis, Erastus Wells saw the transportation needs of a growing city. The young Wells’s solution to the problem was the first in a string of business ventures …

Continue reading "Erastus Wells and His Omnibus Make Tracks in St. Louis"

As St. Louis grew in the 1800s and early 1900s, so did the number of its citizens who needed assistance. Government programs created large-scale public architecture designed to meet the needs of the disadvantaged. Maps from these times show the locations of these buildings and can give people today more insight into how the city …

Continue reading "Public Institutions from the Past: The US Marine Hospital"