Hidden History of Downtown St. Louis by Maureen Kavanaugh

But, by the 1850s and the Dred Scott case, interpretations had changed and the US Supreme Court ruled against him. Many slaves gained freedom through such suits in the antebellum years. Missouri was a slave state, but the city's proximity to free states caused it to become a center for the filing of freedom suits. Some native-born Americans reacted with fear to the newcomers, adopting nativist sentiments. In the 1840s, it became a destination for massive immigration by Irish and Germans. Louis was ideally located to become the main base of interregional trade. With its connection through the Ohio River to the east, the Mississippi to the south and north, and the Missouri to the west, St.

The city played a small role in the American Revolutionary War and became part of the U.S. The city grew in population due to its location as a trading post on the Mississippi River, as the western fur trade was lucrative. It attracted French settlers leaving Illinois after their defeat in the Seven Years' War. Spain took over in 1763 and a trading company led by Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau established the settlement of St. Starting in the late 17th century, French explorers arrived. Louis began with the settlement of the area by Native American mound builders who lived as part of the Mississippian culture from the 9th century to the 15th century, followed by other migrating tribal groups. Kavanaugh Adult content: No Language: English Has Image Descriptions: No Categories: History,Īrt and Architecture Submitted By: Bookshare Staff Usage Restrictions: Publisher: The History Press Limited Date of Addition: 03/15/20 Copyrighted By: Maureen O'Connor Kavanaugh, Thomas P. Louis with author Maureen Kavanaugh.Ĭopyright: 2017 Book Details Book Quality: Publisher Quality ISBN-13: 9781439659298 Related ISBNs: Louis Blues.” Navigate this hidden heritage of downtown St.

Downtown’s vibrant African American community was the source and subject of such folk-blues classics as “Frankie and Johnny” and “Stagger Lee,” not to mention W.C. One of the city’s Garment District shoe factories was the workplace of a young Tennessee Williams, referenced in his first Broadway play, The Glass Menagerie. But a fascinating history waits just beneath the surface in the heart of the city, like the labyrinth of natural limestone caves where Anheuser-Busch got its start. A reputation as the town of shoes, booze and blues persists in St.

Hidden History of Downtown St. Louis by Maureen Kavanaugh