MoHistory

Edward E. Boccia served his country during World War II as a private in the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion in the Ghost Army (23rd Headquarters Special Troops), which was presented a Congressional Gold Medal in March 2024. Born June 21, 1921, in Newark, New Jersey, to Cono and Frances Boccia, he was recruited by the …

Continue reading "An Artist in the Ghost Army"

The late Mildred Huffman’s life is a remarkable story of balancing family responsibilities with a steadfast commitment to public service. A native St. Louisan, her journey from a dedicated homemaker to a trailblazing politician perfectly illustrated her ability to manage diverse roles with unparalleled grace. Mildred’s early life was steeped in the values of community …

Continue reading "Mildred Huffman: Wife, Mother, Trailblazer"

Black and Chinese Americans have faced unique challenges due to racial discrimination and segregation, and their experiences of being cast aside from society ignited a profound intercultural relationship in the 1900s. The shared history between the two communities is much more interconnected than we may think, and St. Louis is a prime example. After emancipation, …

Continue reading "Connections between Mill Creek Valley and Hop Alley"

Beginning in 1921, the Egan-Hogan War was fueled by the abrupt changes Prohibition brought to St. Louis. As the ban on alcohol took effect, the city’s criminal landscape shifted dramatically, leading to fierce battles for control. Egan’s Rats, led by William “Dinty” Colbeck, and the Hogan Gang, led by Edward “Jelly Roll” Hogan, were the …

Continue reading "Bootleg Bloodbath: The Egan-Hogan War and St. Louis’s Fight for Control"

The north entrance of the Jefferson Memorial had the potential to be an amazing space, but financial and logistical issues occurred through the years. The Stupp fountain, which opened in 1984, was one of the many changes that happened within the last 50 years that helped make the Missouri History Museum’s North Lawn the iconic, …

Continue reading "Making a Grander Entrance: The Missouri History Museum’s North Lawn, Part 2"

This September, St. Louis is set to embrace its rich history and vibrant heritage as it becomes the focal point of the Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History’s 2024 Community Curation Program. Known for its impactful projects in cities like Chicago and New Orleans, the organization is bringing its expertise and …

Continue reading "Journeying into St. Louis’s African American Heritage"

With its beautiful Stupp fountain, majestic marble columns, and iconic STL letters, St. Louisans today think of the Missouri History Museum’s North Lawn as a place for parties, picnics, and photo ops. While the entrance itself has always been an attractive and welcoming space, the area surrounding it has undergone significant changes and upgrades since …

Continue reading "Making a Grand Entrance: The Missouri History Museum’s North Lawn"

Autumn brings annual favorites ranging from our Twilight Thursdays concert series in September to the Veterans Day Celebration at Soldiers Memorial in November. You can also enjoy special events around Halloween and Día de los Muertos as well as talks on a variety of fascinating historical topics. Here are 10 moments at the Missouri Historical …

Continue reading "10 Fall Moments You Won’t Want to Miss at MHS"

It was a dark and stormy night in April 1931 when highly respected St. Louis ENT Dr. Isaac Kelley’s evening at his Central West End home was interrupted by a call requesting his assistance. The caller insisted their child was suffering from an ear infection and needed his help immediately. Kelley copied the address, although …

Continue reading "The Socialite Kidnapper"

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 "The Story of Local Activist Jeu Hon Yee"

St. Louis’s incredible architecture is what first made me love our city’s history, and my favorite St. Louis building seems to change every day. But one my thoughts always return to is the 24-story art deco skyscraper that towers tall over the Grand Center skyline. Built for the Continental Life Insurance Company in 1930, the …

Continue reading "An Art Deco Icon: The Continental Building"

At Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, Robert Fishbone found two things that changed his life. Initially intent on studying biochemistry, he discovered photography, which helped him recognize his passion was for art and not science. The change in majors required enrollment in an art class that led to his second discovery, Sarah Linquist, his …

Continue reading "50 Years of Building Art On The Wall"

While the Fruin-Colnon Construction Corporation may not be a household name for some St. Louisans, the company influenced the St. Louis landscape for over 100 years. Born in Ireland in 1831, Jeremiah Fruin and his family immigrated to Brooklyn, New York in 1833. After finishing his formal education at 16 years old, Jeremiah joined his …

Continue reading "Fru-Con’s Foundations"

When most St. Louisans think of 1904, the first thing that comes to mind is the World’s Fair. But the World’s Fair was hardly the only thing happening in St. Louis in that year. Significantly, 1904 was the year that St. Louisans sent noted mobster Thomas “Snake” Kinney to the statehouse in Jefferson City. Thomas …

Continue reading "The Snake in the Senate: Mobster Thomas Kinney"

Check out Part 1 of Helen Stephens’s story! Not Just a “Real Girl” While we don’t know all the details of Stephens’s biology or sexuality and she never publicly addressed this topic, we do know that Helen Stephens was a woman who loved women. She left behind letters indicating she was involved in romantic relationships …

Continue reading "Helen Stephens, the Indomitable Fulton Flash"

They say St. Louis is a sports town. So it makes sense that one of the oldest and most storied stadiums in the US can be found here—Francis Field. Built in 1902 and named for David R. Francis, the president of the 1904 World’s Fair, Francis Field has been home to many historic sporting events, …

Continue reading "Francis Field’s Olympic History"

The Fulton Flash Helen Stephens was 18 years old when she won two gold medals at the Berlin Olympics and met Adolf Hitler. [Hitler] strode forward and gave me a sloppy Nazi salute and I didn’t return it and I gave him my ‘ole “Missouri” handshake I always say . . . He said, “I …

Continue reading "Meet Helen Stephens, the Dazzling Fulton Flash"

Do you ever find yourself thinking about how cities work? What happens to your trash after the truck picks it up? How do the sewers really work? How on earth did the city function before sewers? I get stuck on these weird questions all the time, and my father-in-law offered up one recently that I …

Continue reading "How St. Louis Got Its Alleys"

Whether St. Louisan Mary Sprague is depicting a large, incredibly detailed chicken or painting a commentary on the devastation of losing loved ones, her artwork never disappoints. Sprague’s oeuvre has the ability to emote quirkiness and humor or purvey psychological drama and shock value. One of her paintings in the Missouri Historical Society Collections, The …

Continue reading "Memories and Ghosts: The Nursery by Mary Sprague"

One novel. One film adaptation. Two ways to interpret Meet Me in St. Louis at the Missouri History Museum. Current exhibits Coloring STL and The 1904 World’s Fair each illuminate facets of Meet Me in St. Louis. Both center on the attention that St. Louis received with the popularity of Sally Benson’s book and its film adaptation. …

Continue reading "Meet Me in St. Louis (Twice!)"