Titled “Crossing a St. Louis Street That Divides Communities,” the four-minute video from the BBC looks at the north and south sides of Delmar Boulevard. It’s definitely worth taking the time to view the video.
If you’re on Facebook, you must add “Preserving St. Louis” as one of your friends. “St. Louis City Talk” is also fun — but “Preserving St. Louis” is just fantastic if you want to trip down memory lane and recall the places, sights, sounds (even tastes!) of St. Louis. “Preserving St. Louis” gives a brief history of an iconic business, person, or other item of interest — and then tells what is happening with that business or person today. Great stuff!
Normally, I wouldn’t indulge in this kind of language — but this is a reference to a new Forbes article: “St. Louis Doesn’t Suck.” The author first points out the ways St. Louis is denigrated by people outside the metro area (see, for example, The Onion‘s farcical piece on St. Louis as an undesirable destination). Then he advocates a comprehensive marketing plan to improve the Mound City’s image.
Give a read — and let me know what you think.
Oh, boy, do I remember Griffith School Elementary school picnics at Chain of Rocks Amusement Park in North St. Louis County (right near the Chain of Rocks Bridge, along the Mississippi River). Who can forget the anticipation as we got closer to the big day? Who can forget racing for the Mad Mouse roller-coaster, ready to be scared and thrilled? Who can forget cotton candy, the Tilt-a-Whirl, and the Scrambler?
Here’s a video of 1970 8mm footage. It really brings back the memories (and the fashions!). Be sure to keep an eye out for the Caterpillar, the Baskets (my brother, Dave, loved the Baskets!), the Cars, the Flying Bobs, the Mad Mouse, the Helicopters, the Round-Up, the Tempest, the Rocket, the Boats, the Airplanes, the Merry-Go-Round, the Swooper Ferris Wheel, And what was that ride called where you road in the seats on a wire up above the park? Anyone remember?
Anyone else go to Chain of Rocks Amusement Park? Care to share your memories?
This video comes from KETC and features a nostalgic look back at the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s in North County. The video is based on Cruizin’ North County, a book by Craig Kaintz and Bill Kasalko. Even though I wasn’t born until 1960, a lot of the memories they share ring true for me too.
Well do I remember Steak n’ Shake, White Castle, Putt Putt Golf, the Olympic Drive-In, Bob Kuban, CYC dances, Chain of Rocks bridge, Chain of Rocks Amusement Park (school picnics! Mad Mouse!). These fellows remember Chuck-a-Burger as the “cruisin'” spot — but in my day, it was the White Castle on Halls Ferry.
Which North County memories stand out for you?
My grandfather, Art Landsbury, would have been very proud of his Cards, who are headed to the World Series, after their 12-6 victory over the Brewers last night.
Back in the day, Grandpa would have been huddled up at the kitchen table with his transistor radio, a cold Stag beer, and a fresh pack of Raleigh cigarettes. These days, I know my parents, Bonnie and Jim Burrows, will be glued to the set, snacks in hand, watching the whole thing unfold.
Go, Cards!
Read one person’s take on Thomas Wolfe’s adage, “You can’t go home again.” You’ll find it here on the St. Louis Today website (the site for the Post-Dispatch). Note that the writer gives a shout-out to the Wellston Loop and to the Wellston and Hodiamont streetcars. Yea!
Interested to hear your responses to this short article. What do you think? Can we go home again to old St. Louis times — or is the St. Louis of old simply gone for good? I’m afraid it’s the latter, but I’d welcome your thoughts.
Last month, I posted a brief entry about the train at the St. Louis Zoo. My cousin, Laura Schneider, is a faithful reader of The Wellston Loop — and she sent me some pics of her children and grandchildren enjoying the St. Louis Zoo train. We hope you enjoy the pics!
I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to post this entry – but better late than never, as “they say.” Back in April, I got to go to St. Louis to visit my family and do some research for “The Wellston Loop.” Part of that research took me to the spectacular Museum of Transportation, described by a Smithsonian curator as “one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the world.” I don’t think I’d been there since I was a kid – and of course, like any other visitor, I was captivated by all that the extensive outdoor museum had to offer.My main destination, however, was the PCC streetcar. Although the museum’s streetcar hails from Philly (Chestnut Hill, to be exact), it is nevertheless very similar to those that ran in St. Louis in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s – and very much like the one that would have run the Hodiamont route.
Here are some photos of the streetcar, including one of yours truly. The streetcar only travels a few hundred yards – then goes in reverse back to its starting points, then starts again. I rode it several times!
This week I want to give a big shout-out to JoAnn Croce, the editor of the Welhisco Flashlight, a newsletter for Wellston High School alums.
Each month’s issue (available in print and online) is chock full of memories as well as recent news of Wellston alums (including birthdays!). Sometimes JoAnn even features excerpts from The Wellston Loop! (I love helping preserve Wellston’s history – and love hearing memories from Welhisco Flashlight readers!)
In recent issues, I’ve especially enjoyed Joyce (Perkins) Sudbeck’s “Walking Through Wellston,” Ruth (Johnson) Vogel’s “Communication Before Electronics,” the recipe for “Mrs. Izatt’s Applesauce Cake” (Mrs. Izatt was my cousin Laura’s grandmother!), and Roger Noon’s “On the Green Bus.”
If you’re not already a Welhisco Flashlight reader, you’ve got to check it out. Kudos to JoAnn and her gang!
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