Not every major street in the city is lined with stores, and particularly some of the most trafficked in North St. Louis, such as Page and Union are mostly residential along much of their paths. North of Page on Union, there are some interesting surprises. We start at Minerva Avenue.

Crossing over Ridge Avenue, many of the houses are in excellent shape, while the hardship of living on a busy street, with cars hurtling by, and sometimes into, the building lining their sidewalks, can lessen the desirability. Union is one street that has been narrowed to two lanes south of Page, and the world has not ended.

In addition to single family and two-family flats, there are large four-families, as well. The streetcar lines would have made these apartments desirable.

Then we cross Wells Avenue.

There are some spectacular red brick houses along here.

I’ve looked at this house before, which my sources have told me was a doctor’s office of some sort.

After this four-family we find a surprise.

Unlike its later and more elaborate neighbors, we find a small shotgun house that was built out when this was probably a relatively rural area.

Then we reach a vacant lot at the intersection with Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.