In this episode we resume piecing together the mystical story of a four story building at 2345 Lafayette Avenue. Here, we take a walk in faith along an assortment of entrepreneurial pathways to Heaven, when the instruments of salvation chose to land at the German House, then called the St. Louis House, and gathered up wool from the local flock.
Continue reading “1961: The German House Spiritualists”Category: Historic Places
1946: German House Welcomes The Teen Thirty Club
“At 10:30 o’clock on Saturday mornings, bedlam breaks out in the auditorium of St Louis House, 2345 Lafayette Avenue, Yells, screams, stamping of feet and whistles express the enthusiasm of more than a thousand teenagers for a radio program specially built for them.”
Continue reading “1946: German House Welcomes The Teen Thirty Club”1939 To 1956: German House In The St. Louis House Years
1928-1942: German House – The Earliest Years
One can’t help but notice the large four story building lying dormant at 2345 Lafayette Avenue. Its boarded up windows give rather a blank countenance to what is, in fact, a fascinating place with a long and somewhat unfortunate history. It was originally called Das Deutsche Haus, or the German House. When all things German fell from favor with the onset of World War II, it was renamed the St Louis House. Join me for a journey back to its beginning.
Continue reading “1928-1942: German House – The Earliest Years”1970: Sketches Of Lafayette Square
Here are a terrific series of sketches, originally published in St Louis Commerce magazine in May of 1970.
The drawings are by George Conrey, who was head of the art department at the Post-Dispatch in the early 1960’s. The magazine itself was a periodical from what is now known as the St Louis Regional Chamber Of Commerce. It began publication way back in 1918, about the time George was graduating art school at Washington University. It ceased operations in 2012.
1903: Lafayette Square – First In Shoes…
The old saw goes that St. Louis was “first in shoes, first in booze, and last in the American League”. We’ve got gallons of local booze lore, and you’ll soon read more on the Lafayette Square connection to the Browns, so let’s go with “first in shoes” for now.
1970: The No Tell Hotel Of Lafayette Square
The corner of Lafayette and Missouri Avenues shares the multi-address feature of the Sheble-Bixby house at Mississippi and Lafayette. It contains 2166 Lafayette Avenue, and 1700 and 1706 Missouri Avenue. While a single mansion, it was once the residential estate of local physician Dr Joseph Spiegelhalter and his six children. It was later the Missouri Hotel.
Continue reading “1970: The No Tell Hotel Of Lafayette Square”1892: Can You Hear Me Now?
A reference to ‘speaking tubes’ appeared during a look at the 1892 real estate listings around Lafayette Square. Being from split level suburbia, I’d never heard of them.
Continue reading “1892: Can You Hear Me Now?”1955: Why Lafayette Square Should Be Restored
The first essay in this long series covered the man who argued for restoration of Lafayette Square. In 1969 the creation of the Lafayette Square Restoration Committee was the pivot point for active change here, in terms of stemming demolition, stabilizing properties and enticing others to share the vision of rebirth in this neighborhood.
Continue reading “1955: Why Lafayette Square Should Be Restored”