MoHistory

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 …

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

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 …

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

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 …

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Make Sold on St. Louis your home for local holiday shopping this season! There’s no better place to pick up an STL stocking stuffer or a handcrafted gift for someone special than the store that’s all St. Louis, all the time. With more than 150 local makers, artists, and brands, there’s truly something for everyone …

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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 …

Continue reading "Changing Perceptions at the 1904 World’s Fair"

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, …

Continue reading "A Meet Me in St. Louis Reunion"

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 …

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This is the second blog post in a four-part series looking at the Ghost Army of World War II. Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II is a special exhibit open at Soldiers Memorial Military Museum until January 12, 2025. Of the four tactics of deception that the Ghost Army mastered, sonic …

Continue reading "Going Bump in the Night: The Ghost Army’s Sonic Deception"

As 2024 comes to an end, we hope you’ll celebrate with us through exciting book launches, festive holiday programs, and family-friendly activities to make the most of winter break. When you visit, don’t miss exhibits like Ghost Army at Soldiers Memorial or The 1904 World’s Fair at the Missouri History Museum, where a dress and …

Continue reading "End the Year with 11 Things to Do at MHS"

Rusty. Ginger. Copper Top. If you know a redhead, or are lucky enough to be one yourself, chances are you’ve heard these nicknames before. Redheads hold a special place in cultures around the world. In every shade from deepest auburn to brightest orange, less than 2% of the world’s population are natural redheads, yet they …

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The Merchant of Menace. The Master of Horror. King of the Grand Guinol. The Renaissance Man. The Candy Kid. Goth Mr. Rogers. He was a man of many nicknames—okay, that last one is credited to a single Twitter user, but it’s on point—but when he was born in St. Louis on May 27, 1911, he …

Continue reading "Vincent Price Beyond the Screen"

In 1894, a group of St. Louis businessmen petitioned the courts to incorporate a civic organization with a grand ambition to educate, inform, and attract visitors to the city . . . and an unusual name. The object and scope of the association were stated to be educational . . . for the purpose of …

Continue reading "King Hotu and the Mystic Order of Funny Fellows"

The vast collection of clothing and textiles housed at the Missouri Historical Society speaks to numerous facets of life. From domestic textiles to elaborate stage costumes to expertly made shoes and sumptuous gowns, MHS strives to collect pieces that speak directly to the lives of St. Louisans. In celebration of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, …

Continue reading "Celebrating the Grace Strobel Collection during Down Syndrome Awareness Month"

The aroma of collard greens, cornbread, turkey, dressing, and sweet potato pie connects Black Americans to the cultural tradition of soul food. These memories surrounding food evoke a cultural connection of gathering around the kitchen table. From the sensory experience of sight, smell, and flavor, Black communities find enjoyment in gathering and communing over a …

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This is the first part of a four-part series looking at the Ghost Army of World War II. Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II is a special exhibit open at Soldiers Memorial Military Museum until January 12, 2025. In the words of authors Rick Beyer and Elizabeth Styles, the 23rd Headquarters …

Continue reading "Seeing is Believing: The Ghost Army’s Visual Deception"

First Thing’s First: What’s a Zine? A zine (pronounced “zeen”) can be many things. Zines, short for “fanzine” or “magazine,” have always been DIY and small batch. Zines exist to help people connect to each other over shared fandoms, opinions, or art. Even with the convenience of digital zines, many zines still have touches of handmade …

Continue reading "A Primer for Exploring Zines and Comics in STL"

Abigail Sarver-Verhey, exhibit designer, and Ian Darnell, assistant curator, were part of the team that planned the Missouri History Museum’s Gateway to Pride exhibit, and they knew they wanted to create something special. Gateway to Pride is, after all, the first full-scale museum exhibit on St. Louis’s storied LGBTQIA+ history. “We suspected some visitors might have …

Continue reading "Envisioning Gateway to Pride"

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 "Notable Chinese Alumni of Missouri Institutions, Part 3"

On March 22, 1994, Rodney Wilson told his students at Mehlville High School that he was gay. This announcement wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment reveal. Wilson was teaching his students about the Holocaust and the different identification tags assigned to prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. The 29-year-old teacher explained that had he had been alive at …

Continue reading "Rodney Wilson: The Founder of LGBT History Month"

Driven to cure cancer and further research on malaria, Dr. Lincoln “Doc” Diuguid served St. Louis’s Black community for more than 60 years. The youngest of nine children, he was born to Lewis and Bettie Diuguid on February 6, 1917, in Lynchburg, Virginia. During his childhood, he witnessed the Ku Klux Klan ride down Main …

Continue reading "Dr. Lincoln Diuguid and Du-Good Chemical"