This map, plotted out by Norbury Wayman, shows the various locations of steamboat lines and related companies on the St. Louis levee, detailing three periods of time; before 1865; 1865 - 1900; and 1900 - 1953. Lines and companies are donated by name, location and years of operation. Nearby streets are mapped as well, for easy frame of reference. Scale in feet: 100 ft. = 1 inch.
Map and booklet describing Civil War Battles and a reference map for important locations in St. Louis for the Annual Meeting of the Grant Army of the Republic.
This document contains the thirty-fourth annual report of the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association for the year 1879. It was published following the annual meeting in January of 1880.
Drawing portraying a lady in St. Louis who disguised herself as a man to test her brother's affection for his sweetheart, and almost gets killed by the jealous lover.
This document contains the thirty-third annual report of the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association for the year 1878. It was published following the annual meeting in January of 1879.
Photograph of the steamer MONTANA. "Carried 1000 tons Pittsburgh to St. Louis on maiden trip. Could have easily carried 500 tons more. Greats carrier on shallow water."
"Built at California, Pennsylvania in 1879 of finest Pennsylvania oak. Some of the fine boards were 60 feet long. She was extreme shallow draft - 7" forward - 11" amid ship and 14" on the stern when light. On her maiden trip - Pittsburgh to St. Louis - she brought around 1000 tons and carried it with the greatest ease. She could have easily carried 500 tons more. The Montana, Dacotah and Wyoming were sister boats. The Wyoming was slightly larger in tonnage. Each of these great boats went to Fort Benton, Montana in the Mountain trade, but the came to late to reap the golden harvest in that trade. They were to big for the upper Missouri and the wind up in the country made them very difficult to handle. When they came down they never went back again. The wreck of the Montana lies at the St. Charles bridge. These hulls were as fine as any ever built, and those skilled ship carpenters did it all without any blueprints as sternwheel boats go they ranked as the finest."
This directory contains an introduction entitled St. Louis, Origin and Growth featuring statistics related to growth, public improvements, and finances, followed by an index to advertisers, a street directory, a St. Louis City residential and business directory, and a city and county record listing civic and social institutions for the year 1879.
Other title: River Surfaces, Do Jetties raise the Bed as well as the Surface? Ergo, will every River in the Mississippi Valley finally overflow? Is a River Bar as vitally necessary as a River Bank? Natural Drainage of the Valley impeded by Channel Contractrnents, and its malarious conditions thereby intensified.
One letter, autograph letter signed, dated 25 November 1878 from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1887-1882) 19th century American Poet, to a Miss Whiting concerning literary references.
This document contains the thirty-second annual report of the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association for the year 1877. It was published following the annual meeting in January of 1878.
Light on the River - August 18, 1880. The Steamer Chas. P. Chouteau, lying at the foot of Market street, attracted considerable attention along the levee last evening by its two electric lights, which shone forth with intense brightness. The Chouteau is the first steamer at this point on the Mississippi River to substitute an electric llight for the old fashioned pine-torch illuminators, and the enterprise is one that will amply repay the owners of the boat for the expensive outlay. There were two lights on the boat, near the bow one on each side pendant upon the end of a boom about 30 feet long. The lights were surrounded by a crystal globe similar but smaller than the one used on 6th street. The experiment was made under the direction of Mr. H. Heisler who was present with a corps of assistants, managing the engine and regulating the lamps. The engine used is of 6 horsepower of the Smith & Rankin make, an upright piece of machinery and a little beauty. It requires three horsepower for each light, which is of 10,000 candle power. When the engine was first put in motion the lights were disposed to flicker, owing to the unsteady running of the engine, caused by the slipping of the band as it stretched. This difference was obviated by tightening the band, after which the light burned steadily and without difficulty. It was a fine exhibition, taken all in all, and the officers of the boat as well as the spectators generally expressed their satisfaction with the experiment.
The five story building on the corner was a gambling house half a century ago. Next door is shown a portion of a building where "Wilson's Minstrels" held forth. This spot eventually became the location of the Telegraphers National Bank.
This directory contains an introduction entitled Progress of St. Louis featuring statistics related to growth, public improvements, and finances, followed by an index to advertisers, a street directory, a St. Louis City residential and business directory, and a city and county record listing civic and social institutions for the year 1878.
Shown here are the Globe and Democrat newspaper offices, then two separate publications. These booths were centrally located and popular stands. The various St. Louis dailies had pagodas, while weekly publications and magazines generally had tents.
St. Louis Illustrated, a history published in 1876 by Will Genklin, says that here the representatives of these publications "welcome their friends, drew champaign corks and write puffs--" This picture was taken around 1878.
This was taken in the early 1870s when the competing Globe and Democrat erected centrally located offices at the Fair where, as one historian said, representatives "welcome their friends, draw champagne corks and write puffs." Other publications in St. Louis usually set up tents for the Fair which was held in October.
This is a program for a concert performed in the St. Louis Mercantile Library Hall on January 10th, 1878 for one professor A. F. Herwig. It was directed by Hans Balatka.
Fourth and Washington, looking south. Miss Elizabeth A. Mageon, Milliner right, is listed at 709 North Fourth in 1878 and J.H. Crane, Furniture wholesale and retail, Fourth, cor. of Washington, was one of the big advertisers in the 1878 directory. Crane's name can be made out on the store at the left. The Benton Bellefontaine horse car and Fourth street horse car a renegotiating the busy intersection without help of a traffic officer. The building housing Miss Mageon's ship was the National Guard Armory.
To the rivermen, whose steamers delivered the cargo that made St. Louis one of the nation's largest thoroughfare. But to the people who lived in this booming metropolis in the 1870s, Fourth... Fourth street, the commercial artery of St. Louis, had everything- from fancy milliner... the Benton Bellefontaine and Fourth street horse cars negotiating the busy intersection...
Fourth was "The Street" to residents of this booming metropolis in the 1870's. This scene, looking south from Washington avenue, shows the busy commercial artery which had everything, from millinery rooms to hack stands.