Downtown St. Louis, Second Edition

Product Description

Downtown St. Louis is a national treasure boasting an instantly recognizable skyline, framed by one of the world s great monuments the Gateway Arch. The landscape of this remarkable downtown is punctuated by Louis Sullivan designed skyscrapers, a train station that was modeled after a walled Medieval city, a street lined with warehouses decorated like wedding cakes, cobblestone streets, the delightful sculptures of Aloe Plaza, and the marble checkerboard paving of Kiener Plaza. This architectural setting has been the stage for great movements in American history the migration west, paddle-wheelers plying the Mississippi, the Union Army s victories in the Western Theatre of the Civil War, and the waves of immigrants who worked their way toward citizenship in downtown St. Louis. In this second edition of Downtown St. Louis, author and native St. Louisan NiNi Harris uses the voices of famous visitors and everyday St. Louisans to follow the story of downtown from the days when French settlers grazed their cattle and horses on land that now grows skyscrapers to the celebration in the streets when word spread that the Japanese had surrendered, ending World War II.

From the Back Cover

Downtown St. Louis is a national treasure boasting an instantly recognizable skyline, framed by one of the world’s great monuments”¬‚¬”the Gateway Arch.
The landscape of this remarkable downtown is punctuated by Louis Sullivan”¬‚¬”designed skyscrapers, a train station that was modeled after a walled Medieval city, a street lined with warehouses decorated like wedding cakes, cobblestone streets, the delightful sculptures of Aloe Plaza, and the marble checkerboard paving of Kiener Plaza.
This architectural setting has been the stage for great movements in American history”¬‚¬”the migration west, paddle-wheelers plying the Mississippi, the Union Army’s victories in the Western Theatre of the Civil War, and the waves of immigrants who worked their way toward citizenship in downtown St. Louis.
In this second edition of Downtown St. Louis, author and native St. Louisan NiNi Harris uses the voices of famous visitors and everyday St. Louisans to follow the story of downtown from the days when French settlers grazed their cattle and horses on land that now grows skyscrapers to the celebration in the streets when word spread that the Japanese had surrendered, ending World War II.

About the Author

When author NiNi Harris turned thirteen, she got permission to take the bus downtown on her own and began spending Saturdays exploring the streets, buildings, and landmarks. Enchanted by the Victorian-era skyscrapers topped by ornate cornices and the monumental art deco buildings, she became swept up by the crowds coming and going from Famous-Barr, the festivals on the Arch grounds, and the cheers echoing from Busch stadium. She began collecting stories and memories from records and archives, and from neighbors and seniors who had witnessed the celebration for Charles Lindbergh in downtown or the day the Arch was completed. Eventually she started giving tours of downtown. Lifelong St. Louisan NiNi Harris has written fifteen books on the history and architecture of St. Louis neighborhoods, ethnic groups, and the Civil War in St. Louis.