"St. Louis Exposition Building---In the early eighties this building was one of the most popular resorts in the city. Every fall the St. Louis Exposition was held here, and the Music Hall which was a part of the structure was in use for concerts, lectures and other entertainment on occasion. The Public Library now occupies this site. (By courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society.)"
At left is the way Frankie Baker appeared back in 1899 when she shot Allen (Johnny) Brit, the murder on which she claims the famous Frankie and Johnny ballad was based. At the right is the way Frankie appeared yesterday when she arrived in St. Louis to press her $200,000 character defamation suit against a film company for a movie version of the murder. (Feb. 13, 1942), Unheralded then and unknown today, a turn-of-the-century black St. Louis musician took the Targee Street boarding house shooting of Albert (or Allen) Britt and created an epic tragedy-ballad of star-crossed lovers. (Feb. 20, 1979)
A decorative arch, put in place for the visiting Elks, as pictured at Anheuser-Busch Brewery in 1899. Image from St. Louis Mercantile Library collections.
Two original captions: "This is the Anheuser-Busch brewery, photographed in 1899, with a decorative arch in place in honor of visiting Elks, who held their national convention in St. Louis in June of that year. Malt house and grain elevators may be seen in the background." "The Anheuser-Busch brewery in 1899. The decorative arch welcomed visiting Elks who held their convention in St. Louis in June of that year. The bank partly visible at right is the Old South Side Trust Company."
"Camp Stephens, Jefferson Barracks, May, 1898, showing a section of Light Battery A, Missouri Volunteers, laying a 3-inch gun. St. Louis' own Battery A was first Missouri unit mustered into United States service for the Spanish-American War at Jefferson Barracks May 9, 1898; first to leave Missouri, May 16; first to sail overseas from Newport News July 28, and only Missouri volunteer unit to see active service in the Puerto Rican campaign. From the right, the young cannoneers have been identified by fellow veterans as Sgt. Thomas B. Williams, a heavily-bearded Gustave A. Buder holding the lanyard of the weapon, Ernest S. Tesson in rear, Frederick Chopin, Theodore Buder facing the camera over the gun sight, and Charles R. Crouch." "Shortly after this photo was made the battery was ordered to Chickamauga for embarkation. The unit was ready to bombard the Puerto Rican town of Guayama."
Photograph of the St. Nicholas Hotel on Locust Street between Eighth and Ninth Streets. The building was originally designed by Louis Sullivan and built in 1893. It was redesigned and expanded after a fire in 1905 and ultimately demolished in 1974. It was later known as the Victoria Building.
"Camp Stephens, Jefferson Barracks, showing the tent city which stood on the reservation throughout 1898. A soldier can be discerned in the hollow in foreground on sentry-go even though the nearest enemy was in Cuba. All of Missouri's volunteer regiments in the War with Spain passed through Camp Stephens, a total of just over 8000 men. The Barracks was also used as a regular army post for the cavalry depot and as an organization point for horse and mule pack teams. Volunteers were not allowed to use the Barracks buildings."
John Phillip Sousa's band. The hall was a meeting place for conventions and public gatherings of all kinds until it was razed in 1907. This picture dates from about Spanish-American War times."
Photograph of Broadway in St. Louis in 1897. The view is looking north from Pine towards Olive. It includes many people walking on the sidewalks in front of stores and large buildings. There's a horse-drawn carriage and an electric streetcar.
"Wm. McKinley Convention (Rep) Washington Square. Note New City Hall North of Convention Hall." The 1896 Republican National Convention was held at the temporary structure pictured here near City Hall.
An elevated view of an alley, as well as several destroyed buildings, residential properties, and a church in a St. Louis neighborhood after a tornado hit on May 27,1896.
Street view of destroyed buildings, debris and bystanders in the aftermath of a tornado which hit St. Louis' Lafayette Square neighborhood on May, 27,1896.