Short Essays (500-1000 Words) Archives - Page 3 of 6

1878: Iron Men – The Pullis Brothers.

Several years ago, I visited with Andrew Weil, Executive Director for Landmarks Association of St. Louis. This group is “the primary advocate for the (St. Louis) region’s built environment.” They’re a group essential to identifying and preserving the best of our architectural heritage. On the wall behind Andrew’s office desk is a large photo of three townhouses in Lafayette Square. Recognizing them, I asked Andrew about their significance to him. He replied that they are his favorite houses in the city. No small praise there.

1738 Park Place, 1827 Kennett Place and 2008 Rutger Street. There is something connecting these three non-adjacent Lafayette Square addresses.

They were the homes of three men, three brothers, and three partners in one of the most significant industries of late 19th century St. Louis. These were the Pullis brothers; Theodore, Augustus, and Thomas.

As architectural ironworks go, Mississippi Iron Works was both huge and diversified. Originally known as T.R. Pullis & Brothers, it created a number of the cast iron storefronts still standing in Lafayette Square, Laclede’s Landing, and in the fanciful gazebos of Tower Grove Park.

1896: Don’ts For The Summer Girl

In July of 1896, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch published a handy reference, meant to remind the city’s young women of their social and personal safety rules. Interesting that they all began with the word “don’t.”

1903: A Lafayette Square Sanborn Map

Sanborn Maps have been created for around 12,000 cities in the US, Canada and Mexico. They were designed so that insurance companies could gauge their risks, and therefore their liabilities from fire. These maps have been published since 1867. The largest collection is online at the US Library of Congress. A more local assortment from the early 1900’s is also available on the Missouri Digital Heritage site, referenced below.

They’re intriguing to explore for the snapshot they provide of our neighborhood during a particular year. Here are a couple of extracted examples, from the 1903 and 1908 Sanborn Maps.

1867: The Lafayette Park House

1874; Missouri Historical Society; photo by Robert Benecke

Crowd management in the park

This victorian home in miniature was built as a single story police station in 1867, around the same time as the fence surrounding Lafayette Park. It was a field office of sorts for the main Soulard Police Station. Police stationed here dealt with the large crowds routinely drawn to events like Thursday concerts. These were held at the bandstand, the ruins of which remain to the northwest of the Park House. In 1873, the Daily Globe reported: “It has been rare that a fine day has called out less than five thousand people to listen to the music.” Historian John Albury Bryan noted,“crowds on Sundays exceeded those of Thursdays.” He quoted the St. Louis Republican from May 23 1877. “Visitors to Lafayette Park on Sunday, between 1pm and 6:45 pm totaled 13,749.”

1882: The Institutions of St. Louis

Mahatma Gandhi famously said “the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” The history of St. Louis institutions holds some good examples of enlightened philanthropy toward early residents.

1892: Speaking Tubes And Old Homes

A reference to ‘speaking tubes’ appeared during a look at old real estate listings around Lafayette Square. Being from split level suburbia, I’d never heard of them.

The Surfaces Of Lafayette Square

A Deeper Appreciation For Superficial Things

There’s something enchanting about the interplay of surfaces. This narrative was supposed to be about the mysterious painted rocks I occasionally encounter while walking the dog around Lafayette Square ( 7 to 8:30 a.m. on a sidewalk near you). It evolved into a general appreciation of the surface interactions we see around the Square. it’s also an outlet for the photos piling up from these morning rounds. It gets around to the rocks, so please read on.

1977: Sadie Hawkins Day

Ever heard of Sadie Hawkins Day? This old-timey observance presents a fine opportunity for the gentler sex to giddy up and grab the guy who’s been a little…reluctant. There’s an old riddle about why bachelors make poor grammarians (When asked to conjugate, they decline.) Well, this whole Sadie Hawkins thing started back in 1937, with cartoonist Al Capp and his comic strip called Lil’ Abner.

A race would be run by all the eligible bachelors of Dogpatch. The slowest of this lot would be the first Sadie would catch. By rules of the game, he must consent to marrying her.

1870: The Bird That Decided To Stay

The Missouri Audubon Society lists 434 distinct species of birds in the state. Did you know that one had a range limited to Lafayette Park in 1870, and has migrated no farther than 150 miles in the 150 years since?

2011: Best Laid Plans In Lafayette Square

Way back in 1977, an eye-catching attraction downtown was the new geometric mural of Charles Lindbergh by Charles Fishbone and Sarah Linquist. It was clear from a distance, and became an abstract of 1,160 blocks of grey paint as you got close.