MoHistory

In the summer of 1956, Gertrude Hoffsten was on vacation in Michigan when a woman approached her. Her son insisted that he knew Hoffsten’s voice, so his mother asked if Hoffsten had anything to do with the radio. Hoffsten replied that she did—she recorded a science program at the St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) radio …

Continue reading "On the Air: KSLH Public School Radio Station"

A T-Rex is currently visiting the Saint Louis Science Center! A cast—or replica—of SUE, the most complete and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex, is traveling around the country as part of an exhibit from the Field Museum in Chicago. Accompanying them is a cast of the T-Rex’s rival, the triceratops. But this isn’t the first time that …

Continue reading "Dinosaurs on Display"

In March 1945, Walter Winchell, popular US gossip journalist, warned the public about the potential danger of German prisoners of war being held in a camp near the Weldon Springs Ordnance Works, a facility that manufactured TNT for the US military. “Some Nazi Prisoners of War are tepeeing [sic] at a Prisoner of War ‘vacation resort’ …

Continue reading "Nazi Farmhands in Chesterfield Valley"

“Cemeteries are places where every stone has a story, but not every story has a stone.” —Dan Fuller, Event and Volunteer Coordinator, Bellefontaine Cemetery Among the memorial markers in Section M of Greenwood Cemetery lies the grave of Cornelia Swanson. Although her death was in 1951, she’s buried among those who passed away in 1964. …

Continue reading "Finding Cornelia Swanson"

St. Louis is made up of thousands of blocks, each one containing its own personality and character. Their histories make the homes and land contained within them unique from the rest of the city. While many people research their homes, they typically exclude the land and surrounding history that was there before the house or building. …

Continue reading "The Surveyor Who Turned Chouteau Land into an Orchard"

This treasure is set to join the likes of the Queen’s ever-so-cherished crown jewels themselves. —Lady Whistledown In part 1 of this series, we featured art in the Missouri Historical Society Collections that showed how the Regency era impacted St. Louisans in the early 1800s. In this post, we’ll examine a few of the items …

Continue reading "Bridgerton Connections in the MHS Collections, Part 2"

The man who earned national recognition for Operation Motivation in the Banneker School District had a four-decade tenure in education in St. Louis. Dr. Samuel Shepard Jr. began his career as a coach and teacher in his hometown, Kansas City. Then he came to St. Louis as the assistant superintendent of physical education for the Banneker …

Continue reading "Dr. Samuel Shepard Jr. and Operation Motivation"

I have always thought that an appreciation of the arts is what lifts us beyond mere animals. It stirs the passions and moves the spirit, and, this author hopes, inspires more newsworthy pursuits. —Lady Whistledown Viewers love the gorgeous fashions, splendid drawing rooms, and lavish furnishings on display in Netflix’s Bridgerton series. However, many might …

Continue reading "Bridgerton Connections in the MHS Collections, Part 1"

US Army Air Corps Captain Hawthorne C. Gray became a balloon pilot in 1921 and soon began conducting a series of high-altitude ascents in an attempt to capture a new world record and test equipment required for aircraft operations in the substratosphere. On November 4, 1927, at 2:13pm, Gray entered an open wicker gondola suspended …

Continue reading "Daring (and Deadly) High-Altitude Flights"

Victoria Spivey was just 19 years old as she sat alone and nervous on a 600-mile, one-way train ride bound for St. Louis. It was a city bigger than any she’d ever seen, and a place where she knew no one. “St. Louis was a long way off,” she later recalled. “While on the St. …

Continue reading "Victoria Spivey and the “Black Snake Blues”"

Make the most of your summer at the Missouri Historical Society! Check out our newest special exhibit, Gateway to Pride, at the Missouri History Museum, hear about a century of baseball history at the Library & Research Center, attend movie matinees at Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, and so much more. 1. Summer Family Fun Series …

Continue reading "Top 10 Summer Events at the Missouri Historical Society"

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 Had a Chinatown?"

World’s Fairs were designed to showcase the achievements of nations. They featured art and design, international trade and relations, and promoted tourism. Between 1851 and 1938, world expositions focused on trade, and displayed technological advances and inventions. In 1904, St. Louis hosted the World’s Fair to celebrate the centennial of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Approximately 50 …

Continue reading "The 1904 World’s Fair and the Philippine War"

The US military tries to bring home every American who dies in war, but over 81,500 are still listed as missing in action (MIA) from World War II and more recent conflicts. Some service members were impossible to recover while others died in ways that rendered their remains difficult to identify. It’s the job of …

Continue reading "From Pearl Harbor to St. Louis: The Story of Isaac Parker"

On June 1, 1937, City Hospital No. 2, located at the corner of Lawton and Garrison Avenues in the Mill Creek Valley neighborhood, was emptied. The cramped and stuffy corridors of the hospital fell silent. A parade of ambulances for the critically injured and buses for those who could walk ferried patients across the nearly …

Continue reading "The Glass Bar at Hotel Midtown"

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 Characters of the Orient Restaurant"

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 "Boodlers Beware!"

This is the final post in a series about the materials that built St. Louis. In the 20th century, coal was usually the cheapest and most abundant heating source available in dense American cities. That was especially true in St. Louis—one of the largest coal reserves known in the world was right across the river in Illinois. …

Continue reading "Built St. Louis: Coal"

Board games have long been used to teach players about science, history, and even society itself. Local St. Louis board game companies continue this mission today through games like Wingspan (Stonemaier Games) or Genotype (Genius Games). During the space race, Gameland, Inc. brought the quest for space travel into the homes of everyday St. Louisans. …

Continue reading "Astro Antics"

During the mid-19th century, Americans around the country left their old lives behind to join radical new utopian communities. Driven by the belief that a better world was possible, these communities brought together people who hoped to create a perfect society. In 1856, St. Louis became home to one of the country’s most prominent utopian …

Continue reading "The Icarians: Utopian Communism in St. Louis"