My discoveries usually begin with a question: why does Clemens Avenue just north of the old St. Luke’s Hospital on Delmar curve in the middle of the block, for seemingly no reason? Looking at old Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, we… Continue Reading
South of Clemens Place is this beautiful, intact 5400 block of Enright Avenue, demonstrating the beauty of the city north of Delmar, in the West End neighborhood. Beverly Place intersects with Enright in the middle of this block, and the… Continue Reading
Westmoreland and Portland Places, as well as other famous private streets in the Central West End are famous for their houses owning the street out in front of them, but little-known Clemens Place in the West End neighborhood preserves that… Continue Reading
Historic aerial photography reveals that Bircher Boulevard used to be just that, a tree-lined, elegant boulevard in North St. Louis, separating the Penrose and Walnut Park neighborhoods. But then Interstate 70 came along, and annihilated it, turning Bircher Boulevard into… Continue Reading
The Shanley Building was designed by Harris Armstrong and opened in the 1930s. It is currently in use as a private contractor offering driver’s licenses. When I was there last week, there was a sign on the door stating, “We… Continue Reading
A recent comment on my old pictures of the Virginia Theater reminded me that I had some old photos from an open house when the old movie house owners allowed access to those interested in seeing the interior. The marble… Continue Reading
I personally think the Karpeles Manuscript Library can be restored, but I imagine that decision will be up to the insurance company and the owners as to what its future will be. See it the night before, and in better… Continue Reading
The Karpeles Manuscript Library was gutted by fire March 26. I arrived to see the tail end of the conflagration, when fire fighters were helping remove valuable objects from the building. The building was the former Third Christian Scientist Church,… Continue Reading
Update: Identified as 4370 Cook Avenue in the greater Lewis Place neighborhood. I have no idea where this is. I lost track of the location, and when I tried Googling the name of the church on the sign, it came… Continue Reading
There is bad news to report at the old Grace Lutheran Church, whose later congregation had to abandon it due to costs associated with operating a massive masonry structure. The roof of the side porch has collapsed, and the plywood… Continue Reading