Eads Bridge, September 2018
The water in the Mississippi River was high when I took this picture, and the parking lot on the Levee was completely submerged.
Metro East
Across the river in Illinois
Granite City Modernist Slipcovers
I’m always intrigued at how downtowns adapted in the 1950s and 60s to the rise of Modernist strip malls and shopping centers in the suburbs. One of the most common tactics, done in downtown St. Louis, as well as downtowns… Continue Reading
Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Bridge
To commemorate the bridge’s closure for repairs in the fall of 2018, I thought I would photograph the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial Bridge, which has the distinction of being the first bridge built at St. Louis strictly for automobile… Continue Reading
Parks College, Revisited
A reader graciously sent me some more images of Parks College, as well as one postcard of what the school looked like in better days. My original post about the college has elicited the most comments, up there with the… Continue Reading
Northeast Side of East St. Louis
There are some cool Modernist office buildings on State Street, such as the one above. This billboard stands isolated in the middle of some undergrowth and trees. Nelson Mandela Elementary School is not very old, but it was already closed.… Continue Reading
Crossroads Christian Church
This church is in Caseyville, sitting right below the bluffs which rise so dramatically to the east. It’s surrounded by gas stations and other convenience stores.
Churches of East St. Louis, Part 9
I suspect this cool church was also an Eastern Orthodox church at one point, and is right next door to the Greek Orthodox church. It is still occupied, and looks great. It’s a fascinating mix of Modernism and Romanesque or… Continue Reading
Churches of East St. Louis, Part 8
I love this Modernist little church right by the interstate in East St. Louis. I believe it was originally an Eastern Orthodox church, as evidenced by the cool Modern interpretation of an onion dome.
Churches of East St. Louis, Part 7
Tucked away in northern East St. Louis is the Community of Christ Church, a neat little Modernist A-frame church. The medallion shows a lion lying with a lamb on either side of Christ, with the word “peace” written below.
Churches of East St. Louis, Part 6
This is formerly a Greek Orthodox Church on State Street in East St. Louis. Many people forget that there is a large population of Eastern Europeans in the Metro East, descendants of stockyards workers.