Crossing over Keokuk Street, we reach some older houses, such as the duplex below, sitting high above street grade. I like the ornamental grass, by the way.
We come across a very old wood frame house, which sits right up along the sidewalk line, and I suspect the foundation was exposed when the street was graded.
There is a wide variety of different one story bungalows along this stretch.
Chris, I have been enjoying this series of articles on Dutchtown for this is the neighborhood where I spent part of my growing up years between 1948 and 61, at which time I graduated from Wash U (which I commuted back and forth to by bus and streetcar), and then moved east. My family owned the commercial property at Keokuk and Pennsylvania; we lived in the apartment on the second floor. In 1973 after my father died the building was sold and my mother moved to South County to live with my married sister. On visits to St. Louis, I often drive through the old neighborhood, saddened by the decay that had begun to set in a generation ago (or longer). I’m glad to see some signs of rebirth in the area, especially along Chippewa street, which in my day was thriving with retail and service businesses. Let’s hope a little of that returns. As I’ve written to you before, I attended St. Thomas of Aquin (it’s rightful name–a combination of English and French–not St. Thomas Aquinas) elementary school between 48 and 53. Thanks for the memories
Thanks for writing, Dominic! Interesting about St. Thomas of Aquin’s name; I suspect my Latin language subconsciously always causes me to write Aquinas. I’d be interested to know why they originally named it with a combination of the English and French.