St. Louis Memories

St. Louis Memories (Chapter Two)

David A. Lossos

To return to the "Genealogy in St. Louis" Web Site click here.

Send your memories to Dave Lossos
Note: If your name and/or e-mail address appears WITHIN the body of your E-Mail, I will include them in your posting. If not, the post will be attributed to "Anonymous".

This website has gotten so big I've had to divide it into pieces.

Submissions that I received from 2001 through 2003 are posted at
Memories 2001-2003
those I received in 2004 are posted at
Memories 2004 (You are currently looking at this website)
those I received in 2005 are posted at
Memories 2005
those I received in 2006 are posted at
Memories 2006
those I received in 2007 are posted at
Memories 2007
those I received in 2008 are posted at
Memories 2008
those I received in 2009 are posted at
Memories 2009
those I received in 2010 are posted at
Memories 2010
memories currently being sent in are at
Current Memories

For all you former "Altar Boys": "Ad deum qui laetificat juventutem meam."

(Missouri Sales Tax Tokens, commonly referred to as "mils". Red ones were worth 1/10 of a penny, green ones worth 1/2 a penny)

This twenty-five cents would get you a double feature and a bunch of cartoons to boot.

On April 4, 2001, I posted a few memories I had of growing up in St. Louis. I received so many great replies that I thought I'd post some of them here.

Original Post from Dave Lossos

I remember when my phone number was Mohawk 2343
I remember going to see a double feature at the Ritz Theater for 25 cents.
I remember coming into the movie in the middle and eventually saying to the person I was with "This is where we came in".
I remember the way to get your friend to come out to play was to stand in front of their house and yell their name (was this a St. Louis thing?).
I remember the first time I had the nerve to wear "bermuda shorts".
I remember getting all the news I needed from a St. Louis publication called "Prom Magazine".
I remember (as a ten year old) being sent to the corner tavern to get my grandma a pail of draft beer.
I remember riding the Grand Avenue electric street cars.
I remember riding my bike in Tower Grove Park (even after dark!).

Response from Sandy (1/3/04)

After reading through about 10 of the responses, I just decided to stop and write. Of the ones I read, I didn't see any refer to the "ash pits". Remember those for burning the trash?!
H & L Ice Cream on Gravois at Seibert Ave.
The bakery at Gravois & Seibert.
The real weird really narrow wooden steps on the downtown Famous-Barr escalators as you got to the higher floors. You could get a high heel stuck between them!
Grandma taught me that if we became separated when shopping downtown, I should get on the "20 Cherokee" bus and ride it all the way back to "the loop" at Hampton & Gravois (by the big Vess Soda Bottle) and wait for her there.
I remember the big billboard sign at Hampton and Chippewa that had a big Mayrose ham on it that really "smoked"!
I remember great BBQ at "Stumble In".
Our phone number was FLanders 4697 and before that Sweetbriar 4697.
We lived in Affton.
My grandparents and parents owned and operated a restaurant/tavern (Al's) there for about 35-40 years.
Met many great people whom I remember fondly from those days and wonder where they are now and what they are doing. The one person I wonder about to this day is the teenage boy that jumped into a gas tanker truck during a fire at the Zephyr gas station next to our restaurant on a Saturday in April or May of 1954 and drove it to a safer place down Gravois Rd. so it wouldn't explode along with the everything else. Because of our Affton fire fighters (perhaps most still volunteers at that time) our building was spared. The owners of the gas station were burned and the building totaled. It was a day I will never forget. The Schmaltz brothers pulled through their injuries to rebuild. They were wonderful neighbors and they are all in heaven with my mom and dad now. As are most of the people I remember from those days. To this day, if there is a tank truck filling the main tanks at a service station I will not stop to get gas there. Well, I'll write more when I have time. If anyone reads this who has memories of Al's Tavern in Affton from the 1930's to 1967, please let us know.

Response from Dana (1/6/04)

. Hazelwood High School 1964 - Go Hawks!
. Big 10 Conference
. Hwy 140 - Steak & Shake (Hazelwood Turf)
. Playing marbles - bulldozers
. Playing all day until dark with all of the neighborhood friends (boys & girls)
. The captain of the stick ball teams were who ever brought the bat and ball.
. The baseball cover would finally come off - and good ole white tape to repair.
. Cork Ball at the local taverns (This is still only a St. Louis sport)
. Your first car would cost $75 (1952 Plymouth) - when I bought the car it only had three hub caps - couldn't afford to buy the fourth - took the other three off and painted the wheels black.
. Had more fun playing with the cartonboard box your Christmas present (singular) came in.
. St. Louis Cardinal doubleheader at Grand Avenue Sportsman Park for $0.75 - sat in the upper right field bleacher deck.
. St. Louis Hawks - Bob Pettit -
. Blue Suede Shoes
. Hand me downs - I was lucky - I only had one patch on each knee when I got my new pants - my kid brother had many more.
. Walking along the railroad tracks to visit cousins.
. Riding bikes everywhere
. Using baseball cards as motor sounds for your bicycle (before adults took over the baseball card business)
. Topps chewing gum that was sooooo hard it would break bricks.
. Yes sir and No mamam
. Sputnik - Explorer - Watching the astronauts practice getting out of the Mercury capsule in the large outdoor pool at McDonald Aircraft
. Our first TV set in 1951 - round screen - doctors advise was no to watch TV if you had the measles
. Steinway skating rink -
. An awesome roller coaster at Forest Park
. Captain Midnight Decoder Rings
. Howdy Dowdy
. St. Louis version of American Bandstand
. Watching the Gateway Arch being built
. The 1st jet commercial aircraft to land at Lambert

Response from David Allen (1/8/04)

I grew up on the near northside, Page & Pendelton and it appears life was not to very different in the predominately African American part of St. Louis.
Wow, Who knew? I remember when the Hodimont tracks really had tracks.
I remember when Welston was a major business area and the Katz Drug store at the Welston loop.
I remember Service Cars on what was then Easton Ave that ran down past Franklin.
The Comet and the Douglas Theaters only a block apart and owned by the same people.
There was actually an A&W root beer place on Kingshighway just south of Page.
I marched in a Drum & Bugle Corps pulled a steel wheeled paper wagon and had to be home by the time the street lights came on.
And oh yes, I could be reached at JEfferson 1-0605

Response from Buckner (1/8/04)

Do you remmeber the Pruitt Igo?
Do you remmeber playing Mumly Ped ,Four Square,Prefix phone numbers,Greshon grocery store,Mrs.Allison Cookies, were you got broken cookies and you were glad to get them.
What about cashing in soda bottles,playing under the breeze way.
Boy what a fun time we had. I lived at 2310 Cass in St. Louis Mo.
The Comet theater.Criteria Theater.
Most kids that were non- catholic went to Blewett school,I went to St. Bridget of Irin School.

Response from Bruce Bufford (1/9/04)

Grew up in North St. Louis on Maffitt and Vanderventor, phone number Jefferson 6515, later changed to JE5-6515.
I remember catching and eating crawfish we caught out of the lake at Fairgrounds Park, walking everywhere, riding bus to the end of the line and getting off where we got on just to have something to do.
Catching the Cass Bus and transferring to the Grand Ave Streetcar and getting off at the F.W. Woolworth's on Grand and Olive was a Saturday afternoon treat.
Watching the old time greats play at Sportsman's Park.
June Bug Strings, hop scotch, double dutch, red light/green light, knock out, skates with keys, hoola hoops. Now that's one no one has mentioned yet.
Cars without seatbelts and my father driving the family to Lambert Field just to watch planes take off and land.
Vess Soda, Old Vienna Potato Chips and Maulls Barbecue Sauce, all St. Louis classics.
Walking to the Steak and Shake on Kingshighway, accross from McBride HS with my girl friend was a major date back in the day.
Boy Scout and Cub Scout uniforms could be purchased from Stix, Bear and Fuller (I forgot how Bear was spelled but you know what I'm talking about if you're from St. Louis).
Riding the infamous Bobsled at shcool picnics, the Zoo and Phil the Gorilla, the Douglas and Comet theaters before moving up the Fox. Frankenstein and Dracula double headers with cartoons and news reels, all in black and white.
How about Studabakers, Buick Dynaflos and slant back Chevy's, three speed on the column.
Lets not forget the St. Louis Oranges, shoes that never wore out.
Between walking, catching a bus or a streetcar, you could go anywhere.
"Holy Cow" before Chicago knew anything about it.
You can still get a Stag but what ever happend to Falstaff?
Playing in the infamous Sumner vs Vashon football games, (I went to Sumner, class of '65) and running track in old Puble School Stadium.
I could do this all night but I'll cut if off here. Living in Cincinnati now but will always call St. Louis HOME!

More responses from David (1/11/04)

I had forgotten how pleasant a walk it is to take a stroll down memory lane.
Where do I begin?
Having grown up in the central corridor during the ‘50s and living in the best city on earth till the early ‘80s I remember all of the following.
The day Channel 30 came on the air. You needed a new kind of TV with something called a "U-Loop" antenna.
Chili burgers at the lunch counter at SS Kresgies on 6th and Washington. (I developed a pretty good imitation of that delight, if you want recipe let me know.)
Before there was BI-State there was Public Service Company.
St. Louis had white police cars with black letters and black police cars with white lettering at the same time no less!
How many remember the furnace cleaning truck with that gigantic vacuum bag? It made such a unique noise. I remember Tumpkins Coal Co.
And Victor Wall Moving Company.
I remember when the funeral homes ran ambulance in addition to the red city hospital ambulances and the police patty wagon. It was anybody's guess as to how a sick person was going to get to Homer G.
I remember the 5 & dime store on Easton between Sarah and Whittier and how it became a night club in the ‘60s.
I never owned a pair of St. Louis Reds, but I know that if you didn't out grow them they could take you from elementary school thru post doctoral degrees. I did however have a pair of "British Brogues" Black high tops with those horseshoe cleats at both heel and toe.
How many remember the yellow and red City Service ice machines? You could buy either cubed or block ice.
You had to live in a certain part of town to remember Miss Fannies Ball every Halloween.
Tell successive generations the Veiled Prophet Parade used to come down Lindell from Kingshighway at night.
I remember the Boy Scout exposition at the Arena every year, and I too remember the annual visit of the Royal American.
I marched with The American Woodmen Cadets, came over from PG.
Who recalls the annual Turkey Day football game between PHL & CAC Champs? Usually it was Soldan Verses DeAndres.
I remember KATZ radio personalities Dave & Jerome Dixon, Robert B.Q., Gabriel (originator if the "Buzzard Lope") Spyder Burkes and a very young Doug Easton.
The earliest version of the "Big Red" I remember featured such names as Larry Wilson, Jackie Smith, Jimmy Hill whom I actually met and John David Crow.
As I stroll whimsically thru Wellston in it's heyday I can still remember J. C. Penny, National Shirt shops, John Hardy shoes, and the other Kressgie store. It wasn't as good as the one downtown, and further up the street was Central Hardware. I don't recall much on the north side of the street.
I remember families going to Fountain Park and letting the kids play in the fountain during those dog days of summers gone by. How blessed we were to have grown up in St. Louis. Since leaving St. Louis, I have lived in Utah, Kansas City, California and now Cape Girardeau, but St. Louis will always live in me.

Responses from Tom Hartman (1/12/04)

I remember the snow cone man ringing the bell on his motor scooter, slowly coming down the street with my favorite flavor...blueberry!
I remember sitting in a basket while Mom pushed me through the aisles at Bettendorfs in Hampton Village....
I remember dusk falling on the playground in front of the big screen at the 66 Drive In...the movie was about to start!
And Malinkrodt's school picnic at The Highlands...another chance to go through the scary Spook House and ride the Bobsled!
And going downtown to shop with Mom during Christmas time at Famous and Stix....the toy departments filled with wonder....
And in Summer....the ice trucks dropping huge blocks of ice off in front of our house (they felt sorry for us little kids and we loved it!)
Was it really that long ago?

Responses from Jim in Illinois (1/17/04)

I grew up on Delor St. near Mackland Ave. HUdson 1-5661. S.R. Buder ('64) and Southwest High ('68)
I remember:
The engines on the Admiral were named Popeye and Wimpy, nameplates were on the sidewheel crankshafts.
At Forest Park Highlands, there was a thick layer of brown-red pea gravel under all those picnic tables in the shed not far from the Tobaggan.
Little kids (me) played with the gravel, the big kids just kicked it up as they ran by.
The fans at the Muny Opera, and hearing the Little Toot steam whistle at the Highlands during the play from the free seats (get there early and carry binoculars!). Also the show stopped when the Echo 1 satelite went overhead.
Not being allowed on the Comet because I was too small.
Movies at the Avalon on Kingshighway near Southtown Famous.
Seeing escaped inmates of the MO Nuthouse outside class at Southwest High.
The statues in front of Southwest that were purchased "instead of a swimming pool".
Going home from HS in the oldest city busses in St. Louis.
Sunday drives to Lambert Field to watch the planes from the old terminal roof deck.
Eulie the mailman - I could walk with him as long as I stayed 5 houses or less from my house.
Fire boxes on street corners.
University City pool on summer evenings - it looked HUGE to me.
Mr. Vierheller giving Phil the gorilla a bottle of Vess (or Bud).
Newspapers tied with string, thrown from the back of a horsedrawn wagon.
The horse knew to wait at stop signs, and left gifts on the street that lasted a LONG time in winter.
The Zoo chimp show, with Mr. Moke the talking chimp (MAMA) and Mike the trainer.
Shaking hands with a chimp being held by Marlin Perkins in the stands of the chimp show. It was young, and VERY strong.
The echo in the gangways, and how much cooler they were than the front yard on hot summer afternoons.
Catching lighning bugs until the street lights came on and we had to run home.
Having to attend Girl Scout day camp at Wilmore Park because my mother was assistant leader for my big sisters troop.
Walking 8 blocks (short ones) to Buder School, passing 4 corner bars, two confectionaries (one called Tommy Tucker), Charlies Hobby Shop, Southampton Presbyterian Church, two grocery stores, two barbers, and two dry cleaners. Weather didn't matter, I walked every day, and sometimes came home for lunch too.
Yo-yo competitions at the hobby shop, and usually won by a GIRL!
The slot car drag strip behind the hobby shop.
The grade school lunches and the ice cream sandwiches made with a slab of Neopolitan ice cream between two flat hard waffles.
Shooting straw cover with a dab of butter so it stuck to the ceiling of the lunchroom.

Responses from Bill (1/17/04)

I lived across the river on the East Side.
We had the same games includung "KIck the Can".
I thought I must be older because Friday night at the 40th St. Theater was ten cents for a double feature, cartoon and cowboy or Flash Gordon serial.
You could buy a frozen Powerhouse bar for a nickel to gnaw on.
It must have been as a teen ager I remember our phone number was UPton 4-2729.
We would ride the bus to St. Louis for a token ( 2 for 25 cents) and take the streetcar to Sportsmans Park to sit in the upper deck with the Knothole Gang.
During the war we went to teen town on Saturday night where we learned how to dance.
Moved to St' Louis after college and marrriage and lived on Pershing in a two room apartment for $65 a month. We walked down to Debalivere to the movies for 25 cents.
A six pack of Falstaff often went on sale for 69 cents for a big Saturday night.
Great memeories, Bill

Responses from Tina (in LA) (1/18/04)

The Dairy Queen on the corner of Suburban Road
The fountain at the Woolworth's store at Northwest Plaza
Holiday Hill in St Ann
The graveyards by the airport
The smell from the Pillsbury factory (Hostess factory) when we I was is first grade we went on a field trip there and got our choice of a cupcake or tweenkie
River Roads mall in Jennings
Franco's Pizza in Ferguson
TWA
Water Tower in the loop/ roundabout
factory smoke billowing into the sky
Central School in Ferguson
My street I grew up on (Thomas)
Ferguson Swimming Pool
The Ben Franklin next door to the movie theater (can not remember street)
Ferguson
Ferguson Drug store where they sold sour cherry candy that they scoped into a bag
Kroger's grocery store
Chuck-a-Burger
Switzer candy sign viewed from Hwy 70 going into downtown
Monkey show at The St Louis Zoo
Train at The St Louis Zoo
Large Neptune fountain when you walk into the St Louis Art Museum
Farmers Market in Soulard
Checkerdome (where I spent most of my young wild youth)
The Hill / U City / The Landing
Fox Theatre
Southern Aire- Wentzville - Chuck Berry's club where you could spot Keith Richards or Eric Clapton if you were lucky
VP Fair / Octoberfest in downtown St Louis knows how to have parties

Responses from Constance Bickel (1/26/04)

I just happen to run across you "Memories" articles while searching for O.T.Hodges Chili, and had a ball recalling all the things we did "back then."
I grew up in North St. Louis, EVgreen 3- Taylor & Lexington Aves., went to Holy Rosary school on Margaretta/Newstead Aves., then on to Laboure' High.
I remember the hot tamale man called Elmer - as the saying went - "hey Elmer, how's your wife, the answer from him was "red hot", weren't we risque'!
Fairgrounds park for ice skating, sneaking on the streetcards to ride to the Highlands for Ashland school picnic; Ashland playgrounds in the summer; riding our bikes EVERYWHERE; Mosenthein Island for sunning (crossing the Mississippi on a barge for $1.50). Yes, those were the days!
Now living in SLC, UT, talk about a culture shock!

Responses from Marcella (1/28/04)

I lived in Maplewood & attended MRH.
My girl friend & I would wait on the corner for a bus, carrying our ice skates. We would have to transfer no matter which rink we going to - Winter Garden or Arena. When the session ended at 10:30 p.m., we would wait on the corner for the street car, transfer again till we got near home, then we walked.
Could kids do that today?
I'm an 81 year old 'girl' & still going strong!

Responses from Dave wiseman (2/12/04)

seeing Haunted House at the st louis
getting my Brogs on cherekee st.
walking home everyday from Roosevelt H.S. to Eads Ave.
spending every single summer day playing softball on Wyman School playground
climbing on the naked lady statue in Reseivor Park
rideing the street car to fairgrounds park to play baseball
hanging out at the southside YMAC
playing hocksock
fri night at the shenandoah Theater ......

Responses from Mike, Bourbon Mo. (2/17/04)
nearly 40 years of my life spent within a mile of Kingshighway and Chippewa.
I remember relatives, for the most part Mom, with her cronies, talking for hours, Falstaff after Falstaff. At various points saying, "of course that was 30, 40 years ago."
Now it's my turn, 40 years later..
inspired by the media hype of The Beatles' 40th anniversary of their onslaught on American soil.
I attended Buder School for seven years, at the corner of Lansdowne and Mackland Avenues. At that very corner of the schoolyard's "mote" a platform of rock stands, actually a sewer drain. For myself, and the few schoolmates I could persuade, this elevated platform took on the estics of The Ed Sullivan Stage. Across the street, was Mary's Food Shop, a confectionary, where the old Seeburg belted out the Top 40 at lunchtime. We'd play "Beatles," with or without that Seeburg providing repeated blaring accompaniments of Beatle tunes. From Mary's I remember the black and white, the color, and the movie "series" of Beatles' trading cards that I would buy, along with other sugar-infested delights. I had always wanted to buy a whole box of 'em. I remember geting into trouble in 2nd grade when I wore a Beatle's Wig into class and Mrs. Greebe in-my-face, scowling, "Micheal..Take that THINNNGGE OFF>>> If YOU want to learn about The Betuuuls... WATCH Ed Sullivan!!!!"
My cub Scout den had planned a "performance" of a Beatles enactment, for some PTA meeting. Talk about forfilled..I instantly became the self-appointed prop director and choreographer. The dweebs that were in my den had their cardboard guitars cut out all Wrong!!! I knew they weren't gonna get the pantomimes correct. I had even planned to have girls "rush the stage." My den mother, or "higher forces" decided the "concert" inappropriate and the "reuuuly big shew" was scrapped. "The Beatles are on the way out." I was informed by the den mother. In the cafeteria, in the basement of Buder School, I would sing Beatle songs and an "older woman," a monitor I suppose, of 7th or 8th grade would come over listen to me sing those songs, day after day. She seemed amazed and would frequently ask,
"What Beatles' song you gonna sing today?"
"Is that all you know.....Beatles's songs?"
Woolworths dime store at Hampton Village had a huge window display of Beatle-related items, wallpaper, harmonicas, tennis shoes, guitars. How I wished I could have bought them all, by the box, to save for later. Even back then, at eight/nine years old, I thought these would be neat to have for "later." Never got around to it and besides it would have been "cost prohibitive" in accordance with my allowance. But the idea was there!
I still have my "Meet The Beatles" LP, from Arlands, on Hampton, across from Hanpton Village. Although well worn, yet still playable, it bears the Arlands $2.97 price tag. And there was Shopers' Fair, next to the giant slide and the Putt Putt golf course.
The Avalon on Saturdays with all the funky Annette & Frankie "Beach Blanket Bingo" and Elvis movies. And my aunt saying, "Your mother outta look into these movies you're seeing", as we passed by the Avalon one afternnon. The line for the openining of "A Hard Days' Night" stretched all the way down to the corner, directly in front of either "The South" or "Tradwinds" night club.
I remember hearing the live band and had wished I was old enough to have gone inside. I did make it to the teen towns at Madelyn,when they'd play out side. Violationing the rule of crossing Kingshighway, I'd sneak over to watch the bands and on rare occasion I'd dance. There was always that smell of freshly baked goodies from Nabisco. I'd sneak over to play in the clay mines, before the Venture store was built.
Or up to Gravois and Morganford, to the dime stores. Along the way sometimes daring to enter the pedestrian tunneled walkways of the depressed railroad viaduct at Gravois and Meramec or the one at Chippewa and Meramec. Always very spooky for me, stubbing across a homeless wino and just the speed of the cars, as they whisked under the those viaducts, passing by the openings of those subterranean walk ways.
Then there was Famous Barr and the record department on the third fllor, across from the elevator, behind rows of console tvs. I would Pick up a "Top 6 plus 30" KXOK survey and decide which charted single or two I would pick up that week. Before my purchasing frenzies of 45s, one could actually listen to a disc.
These upright cubical were the exact size of a telephone booth next to the elevator. With an older brother of 12 years and a sister by 10, I remember them taking me into these booths, to listen to records.
Later, spending Saturdays riding the escalators, cashing in discarded Eagle Stamp Stubs...and breaking into the abandoned South Town, after it was closed, for one last final "walk thru" before it came down. That, another story, documented in about 15 pages or so.
KXOK and the second Johnny Rabbitt, Don Pieatrodelmonico, with Bruno, Delcia Devon, "Make IT or Break IT"
"AS determined by YOUR Platter Poll votes and record sales....
HERE..in reverse order are the TOP TEN songs of the day The PLatturrr Poll PRESENTS>>>#10/10/10/10/10..."
Whadda YA knowww/Whadda YA say..
Whadda YA gonna tel/2/K
What's the lastes hullabalou?....
KXOK'S GOT the answer for UUUU
"Where you can Blab it at FOrrest 1 8200 or EXpresss 7..5965"
And the "WAX Muesum" on Sunday night. The heavy influence of my elder brother and sisters' era of music kept me glued to that Maganvox console stereo in my bedroom.
Well, it's 40 years and 4,000 45s later, and THAT music still packs the punch it did then. In the wake of 911 and unheard of airfares, I was fournate enough to make my pilgrimage to the woom of Beatlemainia, Liverpool and London. That in itself, a 20 page dairy of exploits which I NEVER DREAMED possiable. Including "dressing" as each Beatle at the Abbey Road crosswalk, filmed by the cab driver. But that's another story for another time..and written much better than this haastly compossed memory-jogged entree into this site.
Up untill the post war years of WW11, Locust St was the midway of car dealerships. For myself, in the early to late 60's it had shifted to South Kingshighway from Chippewa to Fyler. Being a car fanatic, many a Saturdays were spent checking the back rows of these lots for the old stuff, And when new models debuted, usually in Sepember, dealer row on South Kingshighway would take on the appearance of an openning play on New Yorks' Broadway. I mean big...search lights on the sidewalks, free Coke and hot dogs, ballons, showrooms filled with prospective buyers and a task force of polite, eagar sales personel.
That strip would buzz under the neon and plate glass.
It was just something people did, even if they weren't seriously considering a purchase, at a time when the cost of a new car didn't match your mortage, including inflation. Dave Sinclair Ford used to wheel out an old '55 Ford, cut in half, and wedged it on the sidewalk, blocking out the window, as if the car had crashed thru..."Couldn't wait to see the '65 models" And there was the introduction of the Mustang. I didn't get mine untill the late 70's and was laughed at when I paid $1,000 for a very solid, rust free, yet dependable, straight, worn out '65 fastback. "You paid a THOUSAND Dollars for THAT?" Yeah.
I had saved the grand working at a SERVICE station, where the gas was pumped, windsheild wiped, oil checked, {and NOT the LIquior Stores, we call Quick TRips} on about a $150.00 a week pay, living in a $95.00 a month 3 room apartment.
One of THE BIGGEST MISTAKES EVER was selling My Mustang, the car I had yurned for.. If you happen to run across #5RO9A194193, drop me a line. It was Black on Black, 4 speed, plain jane, but drew comments frequently, when I would mustard up some elbow grease and wax it up. Ohh, where is she now?
In about the same timeframe, of working the Texaco station at Beck and Morganford, I barn stormed the southside tavenrs. The atmosphere was great, always perferred them over the big clubs. And their were the "dancing girl" bars, when Saujet Ilionois was just a giant sulpher pit, long before the original POPS and the current-day trend of "anything goes "Gentlemen's????" clubs. Please.... .
Renna's Den. The Lampost, Bus Stop, The Cabret, DuBowl, what elements of drunken disorder and floossie women of shame and cautious delight!
And back to an earlier time when you walked a side street at night, under the dimly lit concrete lampost, passing homes with their front doors open, you could see what they were watching on tv. The southside continuing battle for YOUR parking space, the one in front of YOUR house.
The "ding dong...ding" of the knife sharpner's cart, the rumble of metal wheeled, paper boy wagons. Playing "Army" or "Cowboys" with no props, just your friends, under the "cover" of shrubs. Ashpit hunting, sliding into a pile of leaves before they were burned, the mosquto truck that would fog up the block on a summer night. Walking to school...very seldom were there "Snow DAys"
Night cruises on the Admiral, down to the JB bridge and back..
Steinburg skating rink..or a huge bonfire on the frozen lake by the Pavillion in Crondolet Palace of Poison on Lemay Ferry, The Steak n Shake at River de Peir, or Morganford and Chippewa...
Ozark Dairy and the Divco Milk Trucks, with their sub nose and deep whine from the gears.....only at 35mph..
One of which I obtained from Bailey Farm, before it closed..
Just few of the memories I have that linger with me 40 years later and 75 miles away, although I commute into St Louis every day for work,,but have no desire to return.... to what no longer exist.

Responses from Judy (3/3/04)

Dave, I love your website. We moved to Houston in 1950 from St. Louis when I was ten years old but the memories are still with me.
I remember the wonderful Famous Barr Christmas windows.
I remember the Veiled Profit Parade and my dad standing me on something so I could see.
I remember the lion and tiger show / elephant and monkey shows at the zoo.
I remember our Dad taking my sister and me to his favorite tavern across from St. Georges Church on Gravois, parking us in a booth with orange sodas and then sitting at the bar for his beer.
I remember the end of WW2 ( I was five). I sat on the back steps at our house on Louisiana Street hearing all the noise up on Gravois while my dad ran up to join in the celebration.
I remember the organ grinder with the monkey and hearing my mother warn us not to get close to the monkey.
I remember Union Station very well and going down there with my dad to see my grandmother who worked at Harveys many times of course taking the streetcar.
I remember the Admiral down on the river and the bricks that covered the ground at the landing. I happened to be in New Orleans in 1977 and saw the Admiral on her last trip down the river. I couldn't believe it as I had not seen the boat since I was very young there in St. Louis.
I remember going to the dry goods store on Gravois to purchase hankys for gifts for mom and grandma for Christmas. 50 cents could purchase several.
I remember the bowling alley in the basement at St. Georges Church.
I remember my dad being the first to use the new rescuscitator when he belonged to the Afton Fire Dept.
I remember the circus coming to the Arena.
I remember the iceman and the mess on my mom's floor and the vegtable/fruit man on his wagon coming down the alley hollering what he had to sell.
I remember ashpits.
I remember walking through Carondelet Park with my dad on the way to see my grandparents who lived on Lufborough (I think that is the incorrect spelling).
I remember the coal being delivered in the basement window.
And then there was the snow.
My dad went to St. Louis U High and graduated in 1928 and held many track records that weren't broken for years. I had to get that in.
Thanks Dave. It was fun remembering all the neat things that others wrote about St. Louis. I'll probably remember other things as soon as I send this your way.

Responses from Don Kinder (3/5/04)

In reply to Margaret's memories of my neighborhood...
I too grew up in your same area. My house was at Prairie and Cote Brilliante.
I went to Bates School in the 1940's.
A classmate of mine was named Don Penrod.
His father was killed cutting wood with a power saw in their yard at Vandeventer and Garfield.
He was a good kid and they had to move after his father's death.
The property later became a junkyard for used cars.
Another friends was named John Vanlandingham who lived in a flat on Garfield.
He moved to Chicago as best I remember.
Norman Bulgartis also lived close by.
A lady named June ran the confectionary on this same corner.
A place that I remember seeing chickens butchered was at North Market and Vandeventer.

Responses from Glenn Pitt (So. Calif) (3/6/04)

This is the most impressive collection of memories about St. Louis I've ever read!
I remember how safe it was for a child to go downtown unescorted and visit Famous or Stix and return safely home.
Some of my fondest memories are food related, i.e. Dohacks on Lindberg and Lemay Ferry, Charlatan(spelling?) So. Grand, and ALs Steakhouse on the river.
During high school would go to the Grand to see Evelyn West and her buddy Billy Zoot Reed in East St.Lous nite club the Terrace.
The night trips on the Admiral were also memoriable.
Glad to reminisce with you.

Responses from Barbie (3/10/04)

I remember my first phone number. FA1-2522 and religion class at St. John and James.
Later...my number was Evergreen 3-4676.
Catholic school Ascension in Normandy.
My grandparents lived not to far away on Kemp across Natural Bridge.
Down the street from their house was the candy store..Godats I think..??
Penny candy or long roll of dots on paper, rolled licorice with a candy inside...it was alway so hard to decide!!!
I remember going to Katz drugstore in Pine Lawn with my mom.
Bettendorf's grocery store on Natural Bridge.
Taking the bus to River-roads.
The train-ride at RiverRoads mall which was up near the ceiling.
We had the fruit and veggie man that drove in a station wagon down my street and always my little sister wanting plums. He had the best.
The sissor/knife sharpening man coming around.
Milk, O.J., butter and eggs on the back porch in the morning.
Friends saying......Oh.....Barbie... when asking to come outside and play.
Dancing lessons from Ms. Tarr and dance recital on the admiral...my sister losing her tutu.
My mom telling me of sleeping out in Forest Park on those hot humid St. Louis nights.
The sky ride you had to jump onto at ?????? which sort of went over the river..near Riverview.
Holiday Hill.
My great gram telling me when Natural Bridge was a dirt road.
Going to Normandy Shpping Center and cuting through Ascesion and then the Paige's driveway to get there. Brits, National, the Dime Store and the shoe repair guy.
Playing team hide and go seek with free run throughout the neighborhood.
The old Normandy Branch Library with the carousel of books.
Remember having neighborhood parties to raise money for M.S. My parents always sold popcorn, neighbors always had a soda cart, up the street a white elephant sale, neighbors across the street doing the cream pie in the eye game.
Remember Northwoods park and what us kids called the naked lady pipe. Was a park with slide and merry-go-round, bridge and the pipe was huge sewer pipe one dared each other to run through.

Responses from Margy, now in Washington state (3/13/04)

A cyber-pal on a teacher's website clued me in on this, and I just spent about half an hour strolling down Memory Lane! This is wonderful!!! Thank you SO much for creating it!
I grew up in Kirkwood. We moved there from Chicago in 1949, and I lived there till the fall of 1965.
I've lived in Iowa twice, South Dakota, and now Washington state, but St. Louis is HOME, and always will be.
Before dial phones, our number was Kirkwood 4991-J...I think. I went to Tillman Elem. School, Nipher Jr. High, and Kirkwood High School (go Pioneers!), graduating in 1961.
I remember yelling for friends to come out and play.
WIL radio
Pooky Snackenberg
Phil the Gorilla
trading cards
mils
Steak 'n' Shake
the scissors sharpener man in his amazing truck
milk being delivered to the house
the fancy windows downtown during Christmas
Red Goose shoes at Laurie's Shoe Store on Manchester Rd.
the huge statue in the Art Museum that had a shiny brass (?) toe from kids rubbing it pushing pennies in the mushy tar of the streets on a hot summer day
ice-skating at the Winter Gardens
the pony ride at Manchester and Brentwood
Cedarledge Girl Scout Camp
catching fire-flies....how I miss them in the summertime!
the Veiled Prophet parade--a high school pal of mine got to be one of the pages one year dixie cups with vanilla ice-cream inside and photos of movie stars on the inside of the lids "Straight Arrow" on the radio
Charlotte Peters' show
the ads for Evelyn West and her 'treasure chest'...I didn't know what that was, I thought she was a lady pirate!!
having to do a trick to get a treat on Halloween
riding the bus downtown to a Cards game and getting in for $1
Cowboy Bob Bruce (?) and Adams Dairy
every school morning, they'd blow a whistle when they were about to raise the flag, and EVERYONE stopped walking/talking and stood perfectly still till the second whistle blew, which was the signal that the flag was now raised. They did it again after school, when they took the flag down.
riding my blue, balloon-tired bike from Kirkwood out to Valley Park with a bunch of friends being out after dark and nobody worried
playing hide-and-seek all over the neighborhood
tornado drills
bomb drills
saying 'soda' when you wanted a Coke, or some soda-pop, and then moving out here to the NW, where 'soda' means you have an upset gut, and 'pop' is the word for the beverage!
But, what I miss the very most about St. Louis is, the cardinal birds. What a cheery flash of red on a dismal day! They sing so pretty! They do not live out here and I miss them.

Responses from Kay (3/22/04)

In retrospect, those days certainly do seem to have been safer, better time to grow up. I was born in South St. Louis (near Jefferson and Gravois) and lived there until 1959, so I can relate to almost all the same memories as the rest of you.

I know we had a lock on our back door but cannot remember ever locking it, even at night. The Pevely Dairy man came twice a week, put the dairy products in the fridge, took the money off the kitchen table, read the note about what you wanted the next trip and left you a note about what was on sale. This was whether anyone was home or not.

The So-Good Potato Chip factory was a couple of blocks away and the old lady across the alley worked there. She brought home free samples for the neighborhood kids.

The small neighborhood market ran a tab for neighborhood families, and our fathers stopped there on the way home from work on paydays to square the account so our credit would be good for the next week.

I remember an early Veiled Prophet Parade where the floats were built on streetcars and ran on the street car lines along the parade route. The queen and her court had a special car enclosed in some sort of plastic - what beauty and magic!!!

Going to Grandma's in North St. Louis for Sunday dinner in my early years meant taking a bus, a streetcar, and another bus to get there - what an adventure! And we used to go with our Grandpa to the corner tavern. He bought us ice cream bars which we sat outside on the stoop and ate while he had a beer and talked to his friends. He then got a bucket to take home for the rest of the evening.

Yep, those sure are great memories.....

Responses from Sherry (3/23/04)

I also grew up in St.Louis.
My phone no. was Prospect 3456.
I lived on the southside at 39th.&DeTonty and at 39th.& Lafeatte before I44 was even thought of.
My older sister worked at the Ritz and I met Fess Parker at the Shendoaha Theater.
I went to the YMCA on Grand Ave. every summer for camp and a scoop of icecream at Velvet Freeze was 25 cents,I think.
I actually was on the St.Louis Hop,which at that time, was a really big deal.
We watched Wrestling at the Chase and the Ed Selevon show every Sunday night.
Life was simple then and things were good.
Those were deffenatly the days.
Thanks for reminding me.

Responses from Shirley (3/23/04)

Hi, Dave, I remember some of those same wonderful memories, too.
My phone # was ROsedale 4395.
We played cork ball in the alley; rode the Kingshighway bus from one end of the line to the other; school picnics at the Highlands; calling out our friends' name in front of their house to get them to come out; rode our bikes all day everywhere in St. Louis as long as we were home when the street lights came on; It was a great time to grow up.
I wish my grandkids could experience some of that "freedom" of roaming around on their own.

Responses from ???? (3/28/04)

Thank you so much for this wonderful trip back - the best time I have had since my husband passed away - only wish he could have seen this site.
we both grew up in south St.Louis - I lived on 9th and Park across from St.Vincents church and school.
I went to st. vincent's in grade school and Mckinley high school.
I remember Ted Drew's and Phil the Gorilla and the highlands and cruising through steak and shake at night to see who was there.
Forest park and Tower Grove park -.
the scissors man, tamalie man, the pretzel man and his whistle.
setting on the front steps after dark in the summer time and hollering for your friends to come out and play.
does anyone remember the Tradewinds restaurant on Chouteau Ave? what great fried chicken and barbecue ribs and the cole slaw!!!
never being afraid to go wherever you wanted to go - walking and taking the bus to famous barr and eating at The Forum cafeteria and Katz drug store.
oh my gosh I can't believe I still remember all of that - but we fell in love during all of that and we shared all those memories as so many of you do.
God Bless

Responses from Mike (3/28/04)

Great site, Dave!
University City, 1949--1956
528 Warder, CA(banee) 8577
on Delmar, Tivoli and Varsity theaters; Shady Oak in Clayton, just across the line, where all street names changed.
5 cents to the Grand Blvd. movie palaces, or to Sportsmans Park for the Cardinals (too costly for more than a few special times a season) or the Browns (had the Brownie Knothole pass not been given to every school child, I would never have seen Joe DiMaggio or Ted Williams play)
bermuda shorts, yes. But a few years later, walking up to the Clayton Scruggs, Vandervelt, Barney or Stix, Baer, Fuller for my first pair of white bucks, probably my most daring fashion statement, except for my mother's forcing me to wear a beautiful camel's hair sports jacket six years before that I'd love to have now.
great fresh bread every evening from a small bakery near the Glasers Drug at the corner of Delmar and North & South Road. A Christian Science Reading Room was right next door, but my other errand was to pick up the Post Dispatch at the corner.

Responses from Jerry (4/7/04)

Going to the candy store was a wonderful experience. A large, name brand candy bar (larger than today's standard size) could be bought for 5 cents and there were many dozens of selections of penny candy. A nickel in your pocket was a mandate to spend to your hearts delight. It was hard to make the choice between one big candy bar or five penny selections and, if you decided to buy the penny candy, even harder to choose. This decision might take 10 minutes and the person at the counter was always patient while the selection was being made.

Lunch at school was 30 cents and an extra milk was 2 cents but it wasn't nearly as good as the 25 cent chili burger and the 5 cent root beer at the local soda shop which was in easy walking distance. I didn't get a chili burger and root beer very often because there was 1 cent sales tax and my parents only gave me 30 cents a day for lunch.

Shooting marbles on the school playground was very popular. My Little Orphan Annie "shooter", inherited from my father, never failed me. This was the only "shooting" ever heard of at any school in our area.

Milk came in half-gallon glass bottles with the cream on top and was delivered by a man in a white uniform who drove an odd looking, stubby nosed truck of the same color. We sometimes saved the cream from several bottles to make hand cranked, home-made ice cream but generally we had to buy extra cream because the cream that floated to the top was usually reserved for dad's cereal topping when the bottle was first opened.

Stan Musial was a young man and could he ever play baseball. He was my and lots of other kids idol. He is still known as baseball's perfect gentleman.

My dad, grandfather and I would go to the St. Louis Cardinal baseball games about twice a year. Dad would give me $1 to spend on whatever I wanted. I always bought a scorecard for 10 cents and brought a pencil from home to keep score and doodle. Keeping score gave me something to do while I decided on what to do with the other 90 cents. The 90 cents was good for a hot dog, a soda and a bag of peanuts.

I remember going to swim at the local pool a few times a summer. The pool was in Wood River Illinois and it was huge. It was also oddly shaped. It was round. What fun that was. I then remember not going swimming at the pool for a couple of years because of the terrible polio epidemic and the prevailing thought that swimming pools were where polio was spread. Every hospital had a separate wing or building just for polio patients. Thankfully they are used for something else now. Thank heaven for the Salk vaccine.

Going to the zoo was a lot more fun than it is today. In the 1950's the zoo had a lion, a monkey, a seal and an elephant show. Only the seal show remains.

"Duck and cover drills" were done at school. Everyone was naive enough to think that getting under a desk would protect a person from everything including tornados and nuclear explosions.

Burning leaves was a fall ritual. Before the leaves were burnt, there was the mandatory raking them into the street, jumping in the pile, throwing the leaves everywhere and then the mandatory reraking. Then there was that wonderful smell of the leaves slowly turning to ash as they sometimes just glowed with a slight fire and sometimes blazed away.

A sidewalks width between the houses was all that separated my grandmother and her neighbor's house and they "borrowed" things from each other through my grandmother's and the neighbor's open kitchen window. If the opposite window were closed, it would be rapped on with a broom handle. The "borrowed" is in quotes because they never paid each other back and it didn't matter because it all evened out over the years.

My parents and grandparents took us to Kiddie Land every summer. That was an amusement park where all the rides were downsized and it was just for kids. These smaller, neighborhood places have now been replaced by the giant places like Six Flags.

My grandmother taught piano and her baby grand Baldwin took up almost the entire living room. She was the best piano teacher in the neighborhood and commanded an astounding rate of 50 cents per half hour lesson, double what others charged.

When I was 12 years old, I could ride my bike anywhere that wasn't a highway. The biggest fear back then was not traffic or being abducted but having a flat.

Before air conditioners, on 100+ degree days mom would call us all in at noon for lunch and we would play in the basement until about 3 o'clock when the sun would be lower in the sky and it would start to cool off again.

I got big enough to throw a whiffle ball with such speed that I broke our storm window. I probably would have been in a lot of trouble but my dad was batting at the time.

My family listened to radio shows before and for quite a few years after we had a TV until there was a decrease in the number of dramatic radio programs to listen to. The Lone Ranger, Johnny Dollar and The Shadow were a few of our favorites. It was a great brain stimulator to listen to radio shows because the listener had to imagine what everything looked like.

We had our first television set in 1952. My grandparents gave us their old one when they bought a newer model. Even then, we were one of the first to have TV on our block and on weekends my parents would invite people over just to watch TV and for no other reason. TV didn't broadcast all day during the week. Broadcasting started sometime after school and was still going strong when I went to bed at 8:30. Broadcasting started early on Saturday's. There are still pictures in my head of Buffalo Bob, Howdy, Flub-a-Dub, Clarabell the Clown, Mr. Bluster and Princess Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring. There was only one channel in St. Louis when we first got our set.

Going out to dinner was a big deal, even to a drive-in restaurant. There were A&W's, Dog & Suds and a local favorite called Blocks. The A&W's and Dog and Suds are long out of business but Blocks, the family owned place, is still a local favorite. It's nice to see the mom and pop places win over corporate America occasionally. Sadly since I first wrote this, all three locations of Blocks have now closed. We went out once or twice per year at a fancy place where you had to wear the same thing you wore to church. Lemmon's was one of my grandparent's favorite places. St. Louis celebrities would eat there. We saw Ernie Helman, an early, local TV magician, there once. He pulled a bouquet of flowers out of his sleeve and gave it to a child who was watching.

Movies were different back then. A group of us rode our bikes to the Saturday matinee almost every week when the weather allowed and we met all of our other friends there. There were always two movies, at least one cartoon, a serial, sometimes a newsreel and always the coming attractions. The best I can remember is that the entire afternoon took at least four hours. I still remember the jingle extolling people to "go to the lobby to have a bite to eat." Years later, my sister sold tickets there and I went back one Saturday to see if time had changed things. \ I couldn't hear the movie because of the kids making all the noise, but reflecting back, it was probably the same in the 1950's. There were fancier movies, in downtown Alton and St. Louis where everyone who worked there wore a uniform including the ticket seller, the ticket taker, the concession person and the ushers. It's hard to believe today but at a fancy movie house there were people with flashlights that escorted you to your seat.

We lived near Forest Park before I started to school and I remember that we would take our blankets and pillows to the park and sleep there on hot nights. Not only is this probably illegal now, it's not advisable for safety reasons.

Electric fans where used during the blazing heat of summer and people had multiple fans per house. There were round floor fans, roll around fans, oscillating fans, box fans, wall mounted fans in the corner of rooms and window fans. There were even fans in motels that blew air over frozen cans of water to make you more comfortable. The only places that had ceiling fans were the downtown stores.

Halloween was different. Almost everyone was home and eager to see the children in their costumes. My home town, Alton, Illinois has had a Halloween parade for more than 100 years. My Mom made our costumes so that my sister and I could march in the parade and we won the parade prize for most original design several times. My favorite was the year we went to the Halloween parade as father time (I was 7 or 8) and baby New Year (she was 2 or 3). I still have a picture of that somewhere.

We had a 1957 Dodge Lancer with tail fins. It was two-toned, coral (kind of a combination of orange and pink) and white, with a push button automatic transmission, our first automatic. Most cars were stick shift in the 50's. Once when we were driving on a rocky road in the Ozarks, a stone flew up under the car and knocked something loose that had to do with the fancy push button transmission so the car would no longer go into reverse. When it came time to trade the old '57 in, my dad bought another stick shift and switched to GM cars but I'll always remember the '57 Dodge as the first car I ever drove.

We used to take the trolley to downtown St. Louis to go shopping once in a while or just to see the Christmas windows. I remember when the bus replaced the trolley. If anyone would have asked, I would have told them that the trolley was more fun.

Soda and ice cream fountains were popular. Every drug store and dime store had one. Dairy Queen was open only in the spring, summer and fall and served no food. The people who owned the DQ nearest to our house made enough money to spend the whole winter in Florida. This looked like a great job to me.

Our house had a coal furnace that served two purposes. It heated the house in the winter and heated the water used in the house. In the spring, summer and fall when the water was cool or cold, when we didn't have coal burning, we heated water on the gas stove for baths and dishes. The very first home appliance that my dad and mom bought after a refrigerator and a stove was a gas hot water heater so we didn't have to heat water on the stove anymore and had hot water all year round.

Nearly every adult male smoked and no one thought about health problems or it being annoying to others. My dad and grandfather smoked, at various times, pipes and cigarettes. I don't remember cigars but they must have smoked them also because I remember storing lots of things in cigar boxes, some of which I still have today. Most ladies just simply didn't partake of tobacco in those days.

There were all kinds of things around the house that would be worth a small fortune today. If my family saved every toy, comic book, baseball card, knickknack and all the trash that we routinely threw away, we could add at least $100K to our bank accounts.

I had an intense dislike for the New York Yankees because they had won the World Series so often and it may have cost me dearly. I get this mental flash of a Mickey Mantle rookie card bent and fastened with a clothespin in such a way as to make noise in the spokes of my bicycle.

My dad's World War II B-17 flight jacket used to hang in a locker in the basement. When I got old enough to remark that the lady on the back of his jacket didn't have many clothes on, the jacket disappeared.

Flying was really different. Everyone dressed up like they were going to a job interview. My first flight was to California and I don't think pressurized cabins were as good then. The flight attendants, then called stewardesses, passed out chewing gum. The in flight meal was a chef salad. I picked out the ham and cheese and ate it with the crackers. It didn't make any difference to me how many times my mother told me that lettuce and other veggies were good for me, I wasn't going to eat any. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being most enjoyed, lettuce was about a 3 and spinach and brussel sprouts were tied at 1.

Church was different. The King James version of the bible, which not many churches use anymore, was the only one that existed as far as I knew. The language sure was poetic but it was hard to understand.

Having children's pictures made was unusual by today's standards. A guy would go door to door and if your family wanted a picture of the children in the house, he would dress you up in a cowboy suit and put you on the back of a pony that he led all over the neighborhood. It was exciting to have your picture made this way and every kid on the block looked forward to it.

Weather permitting, a man used to drive around town towing his trailer in which he sharpened knives, scissors and other tools. You could hear him coming because he rang a distinctive sounding two-toned bell and because nobody had air conditioning back then, the windows were always open except in the coldest of weather.

Responses from Jim Weckback (4/14/04)

Grew up on the corner of Taft and Compton in South St. Louis when little old ladies would still yell at you in German for cutting across their lawns.
Phone number was PL 8225.
Used to swim regularly at Marquette Park in the really big pool (not the little one they put in later). Don't know when the big pool was actually built but my father told me that when he was a kid the pool was nicknamed the "Dutch Cleanser".
That's when people would sleep in the park at night in the summer to beat the heat.

Responses from Sharon L. Walters (4/15/04)

Dave, Do you remember the price of a steak burger, fries and coke in 1967 at Steak N Shake?
I rather thought you could eat and go to movie with a date for under around $6 in 1963.
I was married by 1967, but my husband only made $75 a week. Our rent was only $45 a month and our car payments were $50 a month. We ate for $25 a week. We were really stretching our financial boundaries then.
I did not work and we did not own a home for the first 7 years of our marriage.
That is almost not even heard of anymore.
Most couples own homes within 2 years of marriage.
I have a friend who is replicating the Peoria IL Steak N Shake where he hung out.
Our place to drive through and eat was the original Normal IL Steak N Shake.
I am going to look on though your web site to read these things that I remenber

Responses from Terry Alan Klasek [email protected] (4/15/04)

Haaayyyy Dddaaaaavvvvveeeeee!
I remember nearly everyone calling Hey or Oh then the name.
I remember stating school in 1950 Epiphany.
Then Saint Aloysius in 1956, Mason Elementary March 57 to graduation in 1961.
Southwest 61-61 and Roosevelt 62-65.
My phone number was MIssion 0808 then MI-7-0808.
Took the bus by myself to Jefferson memorial for history classes 56-63.
Went to the Columbia show on Southwest, Maplewood on Manchester, and the macklin on Arsenal.
Cost a dime in the early 50s then 20 cents finally a quarter in 63.
Columbia Show had a Christmas special of two features, four three stooges and 10 cartoons free with tickets from hanneke hardware.
I remember taking busses to Grand then streetcar to Sportsmans Park to see Cardnials.
I remember loving the streetcars, but tolerating the bus.
I remember eating at Woolworth's and Kreesge's lunch counters.
I rtemember going downtown to see the window displays at Christmas time.
I remember sled riding on Art Hill and Glass Hill at Clifton park I remember riding my bicycle all over Saint Louis City.
I took the bus, and walked most places. I walked to Forest Park a lot.
I made the rounds of Sublette, Shaw, Tower Grove, Marquette, and Minnewood parks to get into a baseball game.
I remember reading 10 cent comics; TARZAN, Classics Illustrated, and many others. Still have them.
I remember mom sending me to the A&P with CA$H and mills, and a list.
I remember McDonalds and Dairy Queen opening for the first time locally.
I remember Roller Skating at Saint Anthony's Gym on Meremac.
I remember faking my age to get into the Stardust to see Evelyn West, other strippers, and the live comics.
I remember KXOK 630 vs WIL 1430 fighting for top spot of the Top 40 music station.
I remember Jack Carney getting thousands of teen to tune radios to WIL, and pull off the tuning knob, and taking them to WIL throwing them in a giant barrel.
I remember school picnics at the Forest Park Highlands, and Chain of Rocks.
I remember Holiday Hill too, with the train.
I remember spending half a day at Union Station just to watch the trains and the hustle and bustle.
I remember the Fireman's Rodeo at the collesium next to St. Louis U. high.
I remember the Policeman's Circus at the Arena I remember the Boy Scout Circus at the Arena. I remember many used book stores that I haunted.
I remember friends, aquaintences, and classmates.
I remember writing my first love letter in May 1957 at age 10 1/2.
I remember, and will never forget, my first love. She was a knockout!!!!!

Responses from Jim "THE DAD" Keith (4/30/04)

Hey Dave and all the St. Louis Memory Fan Club...

Back in 1998 for the Sherman School anniversary, I was asked to write a piece on that neighborhood from the 1950's.

During those years, students going to shool were true baby boomers. We were born during or very shortly after World War Two and we were too young to understand what that war was all about. We learned to read during the Korean War (conflict) and we never heard of a place called Viet Nam. Not so long after, many of us went to Viet Nam, some dying there.

During those middle years, the Shaw Neighborhood was a stable working class community. The streets were safe, day and night and it was not unusual for our families to take a walk to Tower Grove Park, or slide down the steep hill in Reservoir Park on cardboard in the summer and sleds in the winter.

Meandering the streets of our neighborhood during those wonder years one could hear the rhythmic chimes from the knife sharpener's push cart. Farmers sold produce from the backs of their trucks on weekends and the old "rag man" cruised our alleys. Those wonderful...wonderful alleys. We played cork ball, well actually, we couldn't afford real CORK BALLS...so we used old tennis balls and broom sticks. Sometimes we even pitched bottle caps.

On Saturday evenings we heard the metal wheels of the newpaper carts, pushed by me and others as we chanted out.....our St. Louis special verbage....."Post and Lobe....aaaaaper...." or during the weeknights, we earned a penny and half per paper by calling out...."ooorning lobe.....aaaaaper."

Oh yeah, the aroma of smoldering leaves on Flora Place in fall and walking in the park during a spring rain, singing, "April Love" and thinking about that girl that lived at 3970 Shenandoah....2nd floor, east. ( Not dreaming that 40 years later, I would be Pat Boones opening act......and taking the girl from Shenandoah to see the show....(along with my wife.)

Back then we listened to Sky King and the Lone Ranger on the radio. In a few short years, we watched them on the new thing, the television. Our music changed as well during those years. The crooning of Vaughn Monroe was replaced by Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and his Comets. Most of us remember the night that Buddy Holly , Richie Valens and The Big Bopper died. There was a time when the name, ELVIS didn't ring a bell.

We drove out to the airport to watch super constillations take off only to see the new Boeing 707 leaving the runways by the time we were in Roosevelt.

Our cars changed too. The big old split windshield box car tanks....were replaced by those duel headlights, big finned Chrysler products. Gas was eighteen cents a gallon, cross my heart, hope to die...if I'm lying.

During those cold war years we were embarrased to learn that Russia had sent up Sputnik and we were mad that old Nikita wanted to visit Disneyland, especially because of those Russians, we had to have those air raid drills in the school hallways.

Heads between your knees and kiss....never mind. Do you remember those little handouts they gave us at school. The ones that showed a map of St. Louis and those concentric rings.....how far you had to be to survive an A-BOMB blast. Ground zero was......the Shaw Neighborhood

We did have stress back in those days. The A Bomb, polio, Strontium 90 in the milk, TB and that big ugly Iron Lung. We feared Bela Lugosi, Cat People and Frankenstein's monster, but I feared most, learning we were going to have our annual physical where they measured our height....and weight, without our shoes.....I always had holes in my socks and learning square dancing was a frightful event for me. I feared wearing GREEN and YELLOW on Thursdays and that nurse with her Black Light....checking our heads for Kooties.

Man O Man I could ramble for hours about those days. But some word associations might spark some fond memories for those of us that grew up in St. Louis during that time. Let's see.....pedal pushers, flat tops, short shorts and sack dresses. Poodle skirts and brogan boots with laces four foot long. Black leather jackets with the more zippers, the happier we were. Suede jackets and penny loafers and saddleback shoes. Blue jeans worn at half mast, Annette, John Cameron Swayze and his Camel cigarettes, Hop-a-log Cassidy and Annette. Dottye Bennett, Texas Bruce, Annette, the Shenandoah, Ritz and Shaw Theaters.

The yoyo man and that warm pretzel guy......visiting just outside the school yards. The big tornado of February 10, 1959, the hole in the Arena and the skating rink....flattened. Channel Two tower broken in half and because of that tornado, Gas Light Square was born out of the wreckage. The film, " The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery" starring Steve McQueen was filmed all around the shaw neighborhhood.

Howdy Doody, Kukla Fran and Ollie and Pinkie Lee too.....The Admiral when she floated down the Mississippi for us kids the arcade deck....for the bigger kids....the dance floor and upper deck. The Highlands and the Comet rollercoaster and the sheep living underneath that big old wooden structure.

The Tasty Freeze, Wilds Palace of Poisons and Steak n Shake....steakburgers were thiry-one cents back then. I was a curb hop, #17 at Rock Hill. The boys made a dollar night plus tips. There was this new place in town, called McDonalds and I almost forgot, Mickey Mouse Club and ANNETTE.

There was a time back then, many of us thought, "we'll never make it." I was one of them.......but, for some wonderful reason, most of us did make it and we can look back and think, St. Louis was a great place to grow up........in the 50's.

Responses from Tony Hilliard (5/13/04)

I spent my "wonder years" growing up and running the streets of St. Ann, Overland, Breckenridge Hills, St. John.

Went first to Pattonville High then graduated from Ritenour in 1970.

Hung out and smoked cigarettes and played pinball machines at the Red Pin Bowling Alley in St. Ann underneath the Kroger store. Skylark Bowl on Rock Road, too. Cruised Steak & Shake, Tote's, Chuck 'a' Burger looking for chics.

Worked at Burger Chef on Rock Road and night managed the one in Dellwood. Absolutely LOVED White Castle hamburgers with their "seven cent laxatives." Worked the fountain at Steak & Shake on Lindbergh when it first opened.

Watched them build Northwest Plaza shopping center across from Pattonville.

Tore up Dad's car (1959 Ford Country Sedan wagon) at Seven Hills of Hell near St. Charles. Spent endless nights fishing from the breakwaters on the Missouri near the Rock Road Bridge. Sneaked into the Airway Drive-in and the St. Ann Four Screen a bunch (St. Ann copshop right next door....they drove Plymouth station wagons, for heaven's sake! What chance could they have against us punk kids?)

Lived at 3668 Ashby Road in St. Ann. Harrison 8-2750 was our phone number. Around 1963 and 1964.

Lived at 10554 Maddox in Overland and attended Iveland Elementary School.

Lived at 3416 Bluebell and went to Bel Nor Elementary School. Was in Boy Scout Troop 235. Made first class scout and quit. Seems the scoutmaster liked to run around naked at the Jamboree making many of us very uneasy about him. He drove a '58 Rambler Ambassador so he wasn't too high on our list anyway.

Lived at 9455 Margo Ann in Woodson Terrace.

Lived last at 8609 Engler in St. John.

Can you tell my brother and I just couldn't stay out of trouble at school? We were always moving to another district.

Dad died right after my H.S. graduation and the family moved back to Texas. I soon found myself in the Army and on my way to Vietnam where a major attitude adjustment took place. Now I'm just another old guy wondering why these kids can't behave themselves.

Responses from Ken Bratvogel Savannah,GA (5/18/04)

Playing with mils pretending they were money.
First movie I went to see Music Man at the Crest on Gravios
PLateau 2477
Those great Christmas Windows Downtown
Never knock on the door always yell the name
The day they moved home plate from Sportsman Park to Busch
Heege Elementary School-- sold papers after school at Heege and McKenzie

Responses from Lisa in Texas (5/25/04)

I remember the 66 Park-in, and Ronnies and Kiddieland.
And the Knife sharpener man.
I remember when Crestwood Plaza was not a mall, and when 6 Flags was "way out there".
I remember the Purina feeds sign painted on the side of the hardware store in Valley Park, and Lakehill Speedway, where Rusty Wallace cut his racing teeth.
I remember the pony rides on Hampton, and when my mother wanted to identify "cheesy" she'd tell me something looked like it came from Arlan's.
I remember Burger Chef and when McDonald's was only a park-and-go-in-and-take-it-home place.
I remember all of the great schools (there's a web page devoted to their architecture) with cork floors, grand stairways and glass bricks.
My school had a girls' side and a boys' side and God help you if you crossed the line.
I remember school picnics in Carondolet Park.
I remember when you couldn't park a truck on a city street unless it had a camper on it and for some reason, you had to have your name on it.
I remember Chain of Rocks Park, and the Admiral (the first time around),
I remember ALLEYS (they don't know what those are here in Texas).
I remember Cherokee Street when it was safe. Oil furnaces, hills and basements (God, I miss those basements). I remember the North side of town being like another planet, because everyone stayed in their neighborhood (you didn't need to leave).
I remember walking from my Grandma's on Connecticut to the Cooks Market to see my daddy, who was an assistant manager, and riding in a wooden soda bottle crate along the silver rollers into the back room. My mouth waters as I wish I could have just one bite of a cake from Zelch bakery.
I remember The Arena (may she rest in peace).
Those were the days.
Thanks, Dave. My keyboard is now soaked. This was a million times better than any therapy and a lot cheaper. Here I am among friends. I guess you can go home, if only in your mind.

Responses from Christy in Houston (5/27/04)

There's just so many memories on this site, couldn't take them all in.

My phone number was Underwood 8-7864.

Grew up in Bellefontaine Neighbors.

Portland Cement and it "snowing" once in awhile in the summertime - ashes of course. Us kids would cavort in the backyard while it "snowed" too naïve to understand what was happening was NOT a good thing. Of course we got called in by my mom every time.

Does anyone remember the White Cottage Kindergarten in Riverview? Somewhere off of Diamond Drive. I attended the last ? year it was used, then they started sending the Kindergartners to Riverview Elementary if I'm not mistaken. My teacher was Mrs. Fishwick. I have tons of memories of it.

The White Cottage was a little white house that sat on a lot on a side street.

Of Riverview, I remember Clayton's Pharmacy and playing in the phone booth inside the store. The "confectionary" which is still standing and in operation - on Diamond Drive near the intersection of Chambers. I went in a year or so ago during a visit home. It smelled the same, had some of the same candy I bought as a kid, still had the same candy counter. It was very wistful experience.

I remember also...

The Baden-fest and wandering the streets all day, taking in all the sites, the smell of beer everywhere. The indoor Christmas wonderland at Famous Barr that my family would tour on our annual "Girls' Christmas Shopping Day" downtown. The firework displays we'd watch from the roof of Northland Mall. Also going to Chain of Rocks park on July 4th, sitting on the bluff and watching the fireworks downtown. You could see downtown from there back in the 60's - too many trees now! My mom popping several pans of Jiffy Pop at home, pouring it all in a brown paper grocery bag, and us kids piling into the station wagon, to go to North Twin (?) Drive In.

Tornado siren tests the first Monday of every month, at 11:00 am (do they still do that?)

Fire drills in grade school (St. Catherine's of Alexandria)

Just can't get enough of your site. You can take the girl out of St. Louis, but you can't take St. Louis out of the girl...

Keep getting more memories triggered from reading everyone's recollections...

Going to River Roads Mall as a kid, my mom giving us kids change to buy a doughnut at the Woolworths (always the one with chocolate icing and colored sprinkles)

The GEM store that is still sitting empty after they closed it decades ago. They had a machine that made wax Disney characters for a quarter...we were never allowed to get one but it was fun to watch the machine make them.

Walking back and forth to Kindergarten by myself (about a 2 mile walk) - unheard of in this day and age - least not in Houston!

The "mosquito truck" that came through the neighborhood (Bellefontaine) during the summer. We'd wait for it to pass, then run through the smoke trail it left behind, holding our breath.

Seeing the "skywriters" write "7-UP" with their planes, and laying on my back in the grass to watch.

Being able to go trick-or-treating Halloween night, with no adults necessary to escort you

When they asphalted our streets for the first time - what a novelty. When the street was concrete, during the summer, stepping on the tar bubbles between the seams of the concrete.

"Block House" signs in the neighbor's windows - block houses being a place a kid knew he or she could go to for safety if they were being followed, etc. but too far from home. That was I believe in the late 60's, early 70's - don't know if it was just in our community or if it was everywhere, but kind of a sad commentary on how society was changing....

Taking swimming lessons at the Chain of Rocks Amusement Park swimming pool. Having my first cotton candy at that park.

The school picnic (St. Catherine's of Alexandria), that started with the school parade to the park first thing in the morning, complete with our drum and bugle corps, costumes, etc. It also signaled the end of the school year and a wonderful long summer to look forward to....

Responses from Jackie (5/29/04)

Your site is a wonderful gift.

I was born in 1941.

We lived in south St. Louis until the late 1950's. Your memories and the memories people have shared with you brought back the forgotten memories of my childhood.

I love going back to the old neighborhood. It was a real treat to see the Soulard area rebuilt. My Dad took me to the Farmers Market when I was a little girl. Walking through the market is like coming home. We played in the alley, walked late at night, never locked or windows or doors. My brothers were paper boys. I skated at Downs skating ring. I remember the Hobos coming to the back door, my Mom always had something cooked for them. Layafette school picnics at Chain of Rocks. The Rag man the ice truck, all beautiful memories. The world was a different place back then.

Responses from Susan (6/9/04)

Although I grew up in the country....yes country in NJ ...in a little town named Liberty Corner.

George Washington stood in the little corner of this town and said "Let their be Liberty on this land." This was about 10 miles from the Morristown emcampment as they were wintering over before Valley Forge if you know your Revolutionary history.

I was born in 1944 and have so many of the same memories except for the distinctly city games and recreation.

I sometimes wish time had stood still but progress is inevitable.

I'm quite certain my grandchildren will look back on their childhood with their uniquely special memories....although I wonder somedays!

Responses from Chuck in Sarasota, Florida retired (6/12/04)

Gee all those memories are great.
I grew up on the near south side.
We lived near Lafayette Park.
Memories of sleeping in the park on those hot St. Louis summers.
Attending Chouteau Elementary School, now no longer there.
Funche's Drug Store on California and Park Ave.
Compton Theater on Park and Compton with an air dome for the summer.
Walking to McKinley High School.
Riding double decker buses to the zoo and school picnics at the highlands.
Wonderful Muny Opera where everyone wore suits and ties for the performances
First telephone with a prospect number
Ever so many other memories which came back from other correspondences.

Responses from Dave Brownell, Lilburn, Georgia (6/25/04)

I’m writing from my home of nearly 18 years, outside of Atlanta, Georgia. My work of the past thirty-four years has taken me to five continents, and my family has transferred with me to homes in six states. Still, when asked, I think of myself as a South St. Louis boy. Just as others have said, I tend to remember (and sometimes embellish) the good, and conveniently forget the bad. Reflecting on this string of memories, from those of us who were fortunate to grow up mostly in St. Louis’ Forties and Fifties, has been a very pleasant experience.

From my pre-Kindergarten (Clark School, Union at Cabanne) days, I remember:

Long walks, with my 90 year plus grandmother, from her large house on Kingsbury Place to Forest Park. I particularly feared crossing the DeBaliviere overpass when a Wabash locomotive was passing under us, full of steam and sound. Later, I’d love to have the experience whenever I could. Grandmother would also walk me over, and show me off, on her trips to Moll’s market at Delmar and DeBaliviere. The clock outside, the food smells, and the hand-powered lift were always treats for the well-behaved four year old. Grandmother never carried home groceries, because Molls always delivered.

Streetcars were our only way to big stores downtown, and the older and noisier Peter Witt varieties were much more fun than the newer PCC cars. The wood and cane seats would leave impressions on your legs that would tell strangers how you traveled Downtown. The Famous-Barr Playroom was the perfect place to park a kid while the adults shopped with their Charg-A-Plates. No one ever signed us in, or out. No hassle and lots of trust. That Playroom probably “socialized” tens of thousands of St. Louis kids who have turned out, by now, into productive seniors. Christmas (starting only after Thanksgiving) was a time of wonder for all of us who visited the fiercely competitive Famous, Stix, or Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney. My uncle once bought me a pressed metal truck and explained that it had come half-way around the world from a place called Japan. I had never known anything in a toy except those made in the USA or England (Dinkytoys and Matchbox). Times change. Our family was limited to Buicks, Packards and a few Chevrolets. What would we have thought of a Toyota, Honda or Mercedes? Especially, that soon after the war?

Like many others, our family moved to the Southside in the early Fifties. This was a whole new world, just north of Tower Grove Park and east of the Botanical Garden. I went to Sherman School on Flad, and later, to St. Margaret’s on Castleman. Even as a third grader, I walked either the eight or sixteen blocks home, most days, for lunch. The only dangers came when crossing streets and mean dogs as we varied the routes through the alleys. Nothing ever happened, unless it was our mothers throwing out the treasures we’d collect from other people’s trash cans. Just a few years later, those same alleys were our ball grounds of convenience for broom-powered stickball. Just be careful not to hit the ball into the “garbage truck juice” that was left in puddles, especially on a hot day. If that happened, and there was only one ball, the game was called. Bare feet would be used unless the surface was too hot from the sun. Those same feet still had to stay clear of bottle caps, broken glass, and more garbage juice. Not all was safe for a kid.

My pre-air conditioned, pre-FM radio, pre-Microwave days were sweet, but fleeting. Then came the McCarthy hearings on television, followed by the 1956 Exhibition (I remember it as the “St. Louis Sesquicentennial”, but wonder if I’m correct?) at the riverfront. The magic was ending as GE’s Mister Wizard explained transistors, made Styrofoam, and predicted microwave cooking to the audience. I believed him when he said that, in the future, we would no longer need buses or streetcars, because our personal helicopters would go anywhere. Color televisions would someday broadcast more than just a few specials each year. And new housing projects like Pruitt-Igoe and Darst-Webbe would eliminate the slums for the poor. Gas furnaces would replace those smoky coal units. And before long, we’d have Channel Four and Two, to join KSD’s Five.

Some things have changed for the better and others for the worse. Memories often stay stuck in a good place. Thanks for letting me share some of mine.

Responses from Nancy of "family wenger" (6/25/04)

Dave, I just looked up your website ALMOST by accident -- must have been FATE. I have not scrolled through it yet, because I am already laughing too hard.

MOhawk phone numbers! Mine was DElmar 1129, and we lived in Richmond Heights, right where the Galleria is now. I remember walking to the NEW Steak `N' Shake on Brentwood Blvd. (r.i.p.) at midnight on Friday nights because we Catholic kids had to abstain from meat on Fridays. In the summertime, our moms would let us stay up late and have a treat. A steakburger and a shake. That was, like, once a year.

I remember paperboys building their fires in a huge metal drum to keep warm. I remember the delivery boys for Famous-Barr yelling, "Fa--MOOOs, Fa--Moos Barr." Yes, we in St. L. did do a lot of yelling at the front doors and from the front porch. And, so did the delivery boys.

Well, I must get back to your site and renew some more old memories. Oh, yes, are you the David Lossos who does book reviews for the St L P_D? Good job! Good writing and perceptions. Thanks for the memories, here, too.

P.S. I still remember mils...may even have one or two around. Before the whole picture unfolded, I knew what I was looking at. Why/how do these impressions get trapped in our minds and last a lifetime? I will definitely tell my brother about your site.

Responses from Maryellen (6/25/04)

Reading what others did growing up in St. Louis has made me so grateful for the 40's and 50's. Sitting in the record booth at Diebel's Records in Wellston and listening to 45 rpm records was one of the things we loved to do.

Mr. Raber's confectionary on the corner of Minerva and Hamilton was our regular hangout. Banana and grape Barney Google popsicles were a bit hit.

A highlight of our school year was riding the bus to Westlake or Chain of Rocks amusements parks for the school picnic and singing "A hundred bottles of beer on the wall..."

Trips on the Admiral (we used to say we were going on the boat) were something we looked forward to every year. We used to run for a certain table and put our picnic basket on the table and didn't have to worry that someone would take it. We spent a good part of the day on the first floor putting our money in booths and getting post cards of our favorite movie stars and making key rings with our name on it. I wonder if anyone remembers the booth with the mechanical old lady fortune teller who used to give us our fortune.

All day trips to the zoo were events that we enjoyed. Again, we would bring our lunch and leave it on a picnic table while we went off to see the animals. We never thought that lunch would not be there when we returned. A ride on Miss Jim, the elephant, was a must on our visit to the zoo.

I could go on and on sharing memories of a wonderful childhood. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to do this.

Responses from Joe Thompson (6/25/04)

I remember working at the Muny Opera in the summer, selling soda, with a guy named Dave Lossos

I remember having my window open late at night in our house on Pershing (no air conditioning, of course, and hearing the lions roar from the Zoo.

I remember riding Miss Jim, the elephant, at the Zoo

I remember walking or biking to Forest Park all the time - fishing, climbing and playing around the waterfall, climbing the statue of Thomas Jefferson at the Jefferson memorial.

I remember hitchhiking everywhere, including to high school my entire sophomore year.

Responses from Larry (6/30/04)

OK now you got me going.

I grew up in Walnut Park, Phone number Mulberry 6429.

I remember the Quality Dairy horse drawn milk wagon on Gilmore Avenue. His name was Baldy. There was an article on this horse in the Globe.

There was a junk man who drove down the alleys. Ash Pits were fair game.
I remember summers on the Walnut Park School Playground, The activities, the annual pageant and the fact that you could spend the entire day there and your parents were not worried.

I remember collecting mills and trading them in for money to buy soda.

I remember going to the Northside YMCA. There was a diner across the street where you could get two hamburgers, fries and a Pepsi for fifty-five cents. That was an every saturday event. Had to take a bus and streetcar. I do miss those times.

Responses from Allen Hall (6/30/04)

Last night and today, I spent several hours reading the 81 printed pages of this thread, and made notes as I went. I have tried to not duplicate others' remembrances except when I have what I think are unique allied memories. So, here goes, and in not special temporal or special order—just a jumble of my memories.

Do your remember the Will Rogers Theater on Union and Page where we could see a double feature on a Friday night (a quarter for an adult and a dime for kids) and often the movie gave away comic books with the covers torn off to all the kids who attended?

The Etzell Ave streetcar, that if you sneaked around back and wrapped the outside rope around the pulley when it was stopped, it would stall at a low place down the line when the electric contact pole would come off the overhead electric lines? Yes, I was much into mischief. Swiping veggies out of your neighbors’ Victory Gardens?

Marbles with “hits and spans”, “big ring” and “little ring”, and the terms “taws” “steelies” “beebeeies”, “knucks-down”, “knee-highs” “no change overs”, and “cunny-thumbers”?

Making rubber guns out of an 18 inch lone 2 by 4, a wooden clothespin for a trigger, and big rubber bands cut off of auto tire inner tubes?

Home-made stilts?

The mosquitoes biting at the aerodrome theater, “The Fairy” (that wouldn’t do today) on Easton? Boy Scout Troops 125 and 2, and summer weeks at Irondale Camp, with the swinging bridge over Big River?

Guy Mullins, Tootsie Manici, Red Garner, Jimmy Murphy, Natey Goldstein, Mary Lou Carlton, Joe Wiess, Tom Schonlau, Junior Mead, and Ted Purtell who had those memorable and close Saturday ice skating races with Leonard Indelicado at The Winter Garden on DeBaliviere? And while we are at it. Jocelyn Shrumm who became Kathy Nolen?

St. Louis dancer extraordinaire, Tommie Calico, who wore a pork-pie hat, a too big t-shirt out over his pegged pants. Tommie did work, didn’t bath often and was probably a couple of bricks short of a patio, but when he showed up with stone foxes on each arm, everyone got off the dance floor?

Stepping on and popping black “water bugs” on the sidewalks at night?

The Cards/Browns All St. Louis World Series and Sigmund Jackuki, Chet Labbs. Junior Stephens, and while we are at it, Harry, Enos, Red, Stan, Ducky, Marty, Diz and Paul and the Wild Horse of the Osage?

Ally ally awks in free; everyone comes in free”, when ever someone would kick the can?

A long distance phone call usually meant something bad had happened, or someone had died? Playing baseball at Sherman Park with no right fielder and so anyone who hit it out there was out, and taking the streetcar to swim at Heman Park in U-city, or later the Ducks to swim at Mosenthein Island?

Halliway Suckers which would last all day, and jaw-breakers and JuJube’s at the movies and how it took forever to chew up one?

Bagels with substance?

That monster organ at the Fox Theater played by Stan Kann?

White Castle Saturday night special 25 in a bag for a buck?

Taking the Page bus to the downtown Y where you had to swim naked?

The double-decker buses they used to haul kids to the Forest Park Highlands for the June school picnic, with the Skee-ball concession where my father worked, and next door, the horse races concession (both owned by Mr. Yamamoto, who disappeared soon after Dec & 1941, and later at the Highlands, the Comet and you had to ride with your hands up all the way?

Cruising at the DeBaliviere Parkmoor, with their cute car hops, “Premiums” (hot dog with bacon, relish, cheese and a toasted roll—ain’t nuthin’ been better ever since)?

Ride the Creve Coeur Streetcar to the end of the line, and then go explore the cave in the old stone quarry?

The three games unique to St. Louis; Cork Ball, Indian Ball and Bottle Caps?

When they would advertise that they were going to feed the big python at the zoo, and then a bunch of guys would haul it out on the lawn, and then Curator of Reptiles, Moody Lenz, would stuff a bunch of hamburger, and raw eggs down its throat?

Sitting on top of the wall of an ash pit and watching the clean-out guy (for $6) kill rats with a pitch fork, and going through ash pits in the alleys, so you could read the neighbors’ mail and clip the stamps off the envelopes, and those huge black and yellow Garden Spiders, and Lady Cigars off Catalpa Trees you could cure on flat garage roofs?

Those window ice sign with either 25, 50, 75 or 100 up to indicate how big a piece to bring up and put in the ice box?

Once Lucky Strike Green had gone to war, along with Camels and Chesterfield, you could buy only on carton a week of Home Runs, Viceroy, Wings or other ersatz brands?

Beer with exotic names like Falstaff, Stag, Alphen Brau, and Gresidiecke Brothers?

Wearing mackinaws and knickers (of the shame of it)?

“Threads” a.k.a. Threadneedle Brogans, with golden gorse soles, sold only at Boyds, and for more money than the mothers were going to spend?

All the neat gifts to Lindberg which were on display at the Jefferson Memorial, including a pistol from Hitler?

How nothing has come along to improve on the system of the milkman whistling for the horse, and the horse would then pull the wagon ahead on the street by itself, and the road apples left behind?

“My name is Jimmy, 'n I’ll take what yaw gummier” at Halloween?

Scrap metal drives during WWII when you would get out of school, and you could get in the Esquire Theater free on Saturday if you brought in a wagon full of scrap metal?

Cheap “slack” coal that was like dust, and if you threw it into a hot furnace, it would explode?

Hide from the hot summer days in St. Louis by playing in the gangways?

Pete Smith short features at the movies, and The Green Hornet serial?

Thirty-five cents would get you to, in and from a St. Louis Flyers Hockey game at the Arena, starring defenseman, Fido Purpur, who had so many stitches on his face he looked like a quilt? Black Jack, Cloves and Fleers Double Bubble gum?

Hot Rod Moore and Hogan’s gang?

The most popular kids in class got the most and the best Valentines Day cards (and I wasn’t one of them, but then, I used to bring snakes to school inside my shirt)?

Sled riding down Art Hill but you had to be careful not to go over the wall at the bottom and into the lagoon?

It was $6 if you went to the doctor's ,nd $12 if he came to your house?

Five Cent juke boxes in the Drug Stores and Stan Kenton’s “Artistry Jumps”?

The rotten-egg stink from Monsanto when the wind was from the east?

Orange Crush soda?

Going bare-foot in summer, and getting “stubbed toes”?

The Terrace in East St. Louis where everyone was very polite the week after a guy got shot in there, and Chums Café, and Scotty and Red the two notorious cops who drove Route 3?

When you got constipated and your mother made you drink Citrate of Magnesia and told you the lie, “it tastes just like 7-Up”?

The Corkscrew lounge on Kingshighway, which had the best bartender in St. Louis?

A kid who got his leg cut off by the Hodamont street car when he was trying to ride the outside of the back doors and fell off?

A car full of kids was decapitated in a wreck when a convertible they were riding in ran under a truck?

The Holsom Bakery on Kingshighway where you could buy a fresh-baked and unsliced loaf of bread for a quarter?

Loonie Tunes, Submariner, Plastic Man and Capt Marvel with Billy Batson saying “Shazam”?

the Toddle House on DeBaliviere where you paid by putting you money in a glass box by the door?

The Deli on Easton which ground fresh horseradish in a machine out on the street?

Tinker Toys and Erector Sets?

Never wear a pink shirt on Thursdays?

Poodle skirts and Zoot suits with argyle socks?

I gotta stop now, or it would go on forever.

The Air Force sent me all over the world, to Germany and Japan and stationed in 8 different States, and while I now live in Minnesota and have for 20 years, I still think of myself as a kid from St. Louis, and always will.

Responses from Mike (7/5/04)

Joe Thompson's mentioning working at Muni opera really took me back: I worked there the summers of '54, '55, and '56.

I would hitch-hike down Delmar from Warder near North and South Road in University City to DeBalavere (?) seven mornings a week, walk over to the Muni, and start picking and sweeping up refuse in the seats from the previous night's performance. By nine or ten the heat was horrific, and defending against the bees attracted by the spilled lemonaide cartons was continuous. But we usually finished by noon, just as the "air conditioning" was turned on for the evening show. This was the water that would cascade down from the "Free Seats" at the top of the hill all afternoon in a mostly futile attempt to make the evening more comfortable. Of course back then most theater goers had probably not spent most of the day in air conditioning, so I suspect they/we were better able to tolerate the infamous St.Louis summers. Large fans blew before the performance and during intermissions. I hope someone comments on the cooling system in place nowadays and what the Muni experience is like today.

My last year (1956) I quit the clean-up crew and "moved up" to ushering, but my pay dropped from $24.50 a week to $21, with a few more bucks in tips. A real crisis arrived with "two-a-day" football practice at SLUH the middle of August. For about two weeks several of us had to concoct stories for Coach why we would miss or leave early. This was more of a challenge than trying to date two girls without tipping off either one.

Last month, my family and I enjoyed 42 Street in New York, and it brought back so many pleasant memories of being a small part of musical comedy fifty years ago.

Responses from Larry Eder (7/9/04)

Dave this is such fun reading . Each message kicks in more special memories. Do you remember when it was a special honor to be selected for the Safety Patrol. At Walnut Park School, each "Patrol Boy" was issued a white shoulder belt, red military hat with blue piping, silver badge, yellow raincoat and boots...and if you were assigned a corner with a school stop sign, you were issued a special allen wrench (used to unlock the sign) in a black leather holster which was worn on the belt. The white belt folded into a perfect square and was worn on your belt during the school day. The badge was pinned on your right jeans pocket. We stayed at our corners until the captain "Called you off" with a melodic Let's Gooooo. This call was relayed by each patrol boy so all corners were notified. We also had the job of escourting sick kids home during school. Every year the safety patrol got free tickets to the police circus. The only downside of being part of this elite unit was that when a bully wanted to fight you, he knew where to find you. ( But they always waited until you were off duty)

Responses from "McBride101" (7/11/04)

WYdown 0486 here.
Our milk was delivered in glass bottles by Mr. Kuban, Bob Kuban's father. We'd ride down the street in his truck, sucking on huge pieces of clear ice.
We caught lightning bugs, played kick the can and statue.
At birthday parties we watched Francis the Talking Mule. Hung out at Schneithorst's and The Record Bar in Clayton. Shopped and ate lunch in Clayton at the counter in Scruggs, Vandervooort & Barney.
Bought shoes at Chandlers or Bakers.
Ate French onion soup at Famous Barr.
Went to Thurtene Carnival at Wash U every spring.

Responses from Phil Cartun (7/11/04)

My brother, cousins and I grew up in Clayton and U City in the 50's-70's:
phone number PArkview 6-1838
getting a banana flip from Texas Bruce ("hasta la vista, vacarro")
Cookie and the Captain "two for five, man alive!"
Camp Pegnita
I worked at Fitz's on Clayton and Brentwood
my brother worked at Cyrano's on Clayton and DeMun
The Highlands amusement park on hiway 40 (pronounced hiway-farty)
Holiday hills amusement park
Parking your car on someone's front lawn while watching a ball game at Grand and Dodier
The Vandy-vander overpass (Vandeventor)
McMorrow elementary school
Vita-C delivery
"That's all from here, Howard DeMere"
Chris Condon on KSD
Gaslight Square
Chiller Theatre on channel-2 Saturday nights
Mahalia Jackson before sign-off
PS-9 on channel-9
cork ball (pronounced cark-ball)
Varsity theatre on saturday morning
Golden Fried Chicken Loaf
Roncaro's
Joe Garagiola announcing "Wrestling at the Chase"
Fritz von Erich's Iron Claw
Lou Thesz
Dick the Bruiser
Moose Cholack
Tyro Myacki blessing the ring with salt
Mid America raceway "when you're near it, you'll hear it"!!
St. Louis Hop on saturday
The best pizza in the world (Frank & Helen's, IMO's, Talayna)
Pink cream soda
Johnnie Rabbit and Bruno J. Grunion on KXOX "make it or break it"
Ron Gundy on WIL
Katz drugstore in Maplewood
Turkish Taffy

Responses from Don in Hermann (7/13/04)

All those stories about St. Louis brings this from Don in Hermann:
Started wearing my first threadneedles (from Boyds) when my brother Handed down his pair. You couldn't wear them out. But I did manage to Buy another pair of my own later. I was living in Hermann then, but An older brother was working in St. Louis.
A group from Hermann who stayed at a boarding house at 4053 Castleman Ave.
Would go to Tower Grove Park in the evening and barbecue. Used Maulls on our Pork steaks. We always cooked pork steaks, a St. Louis staple I later found, when I lived in central Illinois and northeast Iowa. Before the sauce went on, we would base the steaks with beer. . . Cheap bear like Stag or Falstaff.
We would drink Budweiser at special times, when we wanted to splurge.
We all worked at the Western Auto Warehouse on either Union Blvd., Vandeventor or Carrie Avenue, which was up north off Broadway.
The small White Castle across from Hampton Village was special.
When we drove from Hermann to old Busch Stadium (Sportsman's Park) in the 1950s, we'd stop there. We'd park on lawns for two bucks and walk to the stadium.
Remember when Gussie Busch appeared on TV to pitch his new beer, Called Busch Bavarian Beer? "I hope you'll try it. I know you'll like it!"
Now they just call it Busch or Busch Light. It was good, and still is. I like the first cans it came in. Just for old time sake, I bought a couple at An auction not long ago and have them in my "Sports Room" in the basement family room of my home.
My girlfriend (now my wife) grew up on Arsenal in Epiphany parish. They had a Young Adults Club there. We bowled in the church bowling alley where they had Kids setting pins. We went on an excursion (Admiral) as a group, but you had to have a date. And, you dressed up. The girls wore spike heels, and they would get them caught between the bricks of the cobblestone street down on the St. Louis riverfront.
Goldie's Department Store in Maplewood was a great place to shop.
I worked at Krey Packing Company in the billing department before working getting a job at Western Auto, which was the summer job that I wanted so I could go to college. They hired us back each summer to fill toy orders on Carrie Avenue, and load trucks.
I always think about the days at Krey, and the Christmas party out office had at Kemolls on north Grand. The smell of bologna in cooking in those kettles was pretty good. Bologna doesn't taste like the kind I remember from Krey and the old Heil Packing Company. Heil's might have been the best ever.
An old meat cutter once told me it had a lot of garlic in it.
Whatever happened to the Crest House at the East St. Louis Stockyards? Great steaks!
My sister roomed at Lindell at a place called Queen's Daughters. The boys had to get clearance to enter the place. They had rules there.
I would ride the bus from Shaw up to Grand, and would transfer to a bus or streetcar that would take me to the end of the line at The Tower, near the Tower Show. Then I would walk down to Krey, was it Bremen Ave. or 20th Street?
I'd like to do it all again.

Responses from E K. (7/16/04)

I remember watching the Wrangler's Club with Texas Bruce, and the Adams Dairy "Six Pony Hitch".
Had a FLanders phone exchange.
I remember going on the Admiral every summer with my mom and a group from our Parrish.
I remember buying pretzels from a guy on Cherokee St. for 25 cents a bag.
I would take the Broadway streetcar from the end of the line in South St. Louis all the to Baden to visit my aunt. I would take the Carondolette Bus downtown and always wanted to go to the dime store!
I remember all the Veiled Prophet Balls and Parades.
Yes, I remember Club Imperial, and Sunset Pool with Benny Sharp. And of course Bob Kuban and the In-Men.
My dad drank Falstaff beer, as well as Stag, and Carling's black label.
I sure remember teen town. Especially St. Mary Magdalene and St. Anthony's.
Does anyone else remember Frankie's twin pools? Or Rivera pool? Or Spring Forrest?
I was a paper boy with one of those noisy wagons but never a pin spotter.

Responses from Melvin (7/22/04)

Laying back on my Dad's 53 chevy windshield under the stars with my sister watching Robbie the Robot (From Forbidden Planet) at the Drive In South County.

Moving to the South Side from the North Side and tasting my first Cherry Coke from Velvet Freeze (Ah).

Working on the Parking Lot at the Fox theatre in Midtown in the 60's watching everyone coming to the show on date night (Jackets/Ties, dresses).

The neighborhood festivals along the Shaw/39th street area.

Laying in the open French doors during a brutally hot summer in our 3rd floor walkup on 39th street/Lafayette and seeing the lit up Climatron 2 miles away at Shaw's Garden.

Going to school at Wyman Grade school and getting pulled to be on the School systems radio station next door reading different parts in shows.

Going to show at the Shenandoah on Friday night Horror night and then the 6 of us guys being afraid to walk home afterward.

Riding the street car in the fifties to Wellston to go shopping.

The Pride we felt that the St. Louis Zoo was one of the best in the world.

Going downtown XMAS shopping and watching the mechanical Christmas exibits in the window of SBF (STIX) and Famous and Barr.
Responses from Carol (7/25/04)

My favorite memory was Chuck-A-Burger on Gravois and El Vesuvio Italian Restaurant in Crestwood on Watson Road (the best pizza!). Also the Rite-Way Diner had the best chili (at the corner of Watson and Laclede Station Road where Jack-in-the-Box is now. Also Bettendorf-Rapps - had great chili and hamburgers at their counter.

And taking the bus EVERYWHERE because we NEVER asked to be driven everywhere. If we couldn't go on our bikes or walk, we took the bus!

As an aside, I graduated from Affton in 1963. And there was the greatest little "Sweet Shop" right next to the junior high on Mackenzie where we got the greatest smooth ices like from New Orleans. I lived on General Sheridan and had almost a 3 mile walk to school.

Remember, taking clothes pins and clipping baseball cards to our bike spokes to sound like motorcycles when we pedaled?

I can't believe it - you just made me remember my telephone number: Victor 29743!!

Responses from Russ (8/6/04)

My address was 3634 Juniata St and the phone number was PRospect 9940.

Miss O’Rielly was my eighth grade teacher at Rose Fanning Elementary

I was in the band at Roosevelt High School. The Bandmaster was Vincent Rapini.

I remember hanging out with the gang on Spring and Humphrey Avenues after school.

My dad owned a dance hall on the corner of Oak Hill and Olethea streets in South St.Louis. It was called the Mountain View Inn. Before that it was called the Snitzlebank, but had a name change at the outbreak of WWII. It is now a church. If they only knew.

I was in a band that played at Teen Town at St. Pius at Grand and Utah on Friday nights.

Velvet Freeze on South Grand and another on Gravois had the best ice cream and the best juke box.

The pool hall at Grand and Juniata. (in the basement) was another after school hangouts.

Swimming in the pool at Tower Grove Park.

Spent my 16th birthday on the Admiral.

Doctor Nester actually came to the house.

Neighbors sat out front in the summers to keep cool in the evening.

Vess red cream soda over vanilla ice cream.

There was a small confectionary just west of Grand on Juniata that I would get Pall Malls for my dad.

Riding my bike in Tower Grove Park (even after dark).

In winter,riding my bike from my house on Juniata to 4009 Russell where my grandparents lived to remove the clinkers and fill the stoker in winter.

I remember eating at Woolworth's and Walgreen’s lunch counters and reading 10 cent comics.

I lived in St.Louis for the first nineteen years of my life. I left St.Louis 44 years ago, but the memories are still strong. It was a wonderful time that I did not appreciate until later in life. It has been fifteen years since my last visit. I hardly recognized it then, I cannot imagine the changes since. I think I will just stick to my memories.

Responses from Michael Havey (Hometown - Kirkwood) now living in Gainesville, Texas (8/13/04)

I remember:

Summer nights, chasing lightning bugs, climbing the maple tree in the front yard

Big back yards, walking in the 'woods', play for hours with my best friend Donald

The two blocks walk to Tillman school, Cub Scouts and then Boy Scout Troop 457

Bike riding all over town, watching trains, Katz Drugs, ColorArt, the Osage Theatre, the Eleven Mile House

Going to Manchester Drive-In, the circus and rodeo at the Arena, the tornado of 1959 that hit St. Louis, the damage to the Arena and the downed TV tower (Channel 11 ??)

The trips to Forest Park, the Zoo, and later the Planitarium

Family outings to Rockwood Reservations, Grant's Farm, Kirkwood Park picnics, attending church on Sundays at St. Peters

Vess soda, Cardinal potato chips, "King" Quality milk, the Falstaff Beer sign in Brentwood

The commuters trains from St. Louis to Pacific on the Missouri Pacific, riding street cars on Adams in Kirkwood, Cleo who worked at Joe Kane's Shell Station (Adams at Kirkwood Road), Ruby's, the Loop

The Sandy's in Rock Hill, the first McDonald's in Crestwood (and their sign stating "over 80,000 sold"), Boyd's Clothing Stores, Famous Barr, Stix, and the opening of Crestwood Plaza

Sportsman's Park, waiting after the game to get autographs from the players, meeting Stan Musial at his restaurant, playing baseball, and caddying at Crystal Lakes Golf Course (in Des Peres)

Riding on the special Missouri Pacific train from St. Louis to Colorado Springs for the Boy Scouts Jamboree (1960)

The battle between KXOK and WIL, the WIL treasure hunts that turned the city upside down, the FOX Theatre

Listening to Stan Musial's retirement on KMOX, standing in line all night for tickets to the World Series

The construction of the Gateway Arch, the changing riverfront, nighttime cruises on the Admiral

Moving away for two years and then returning to complete high school, my first date, then my first 'going steady', and finally dating my current wife of 35 years

I remember the strong links between St. Louis and myself. I have been gone for 40 years and I will always be a Cardinal fan. And I am PROUD to be a St. Louisian.

So, lift up a cold Budweiser. . .Here's to you, city of my birth, I will always remember.

Responses from jerryt (8/20/04)

such sweet sweet memorie's

i remember going to fremont school on wisconsin st in the 1950's; we use to tie a small piece of liver on a string an drop it into the lake an then pull it up slowly an catch crawdads; this was in benton park at the corner of jefferson an arsenal st's; when we didnt have the money for the streetcar we would just jump onto the back of the street car an sometimes ride it all the way to the broadway loop; way off south to the river des peres; we lived on wisconsin street right at arsenal and i can remember my dad on the weekends making us all go outside and wash down the steps an the sidewalk an even the curbs; we were called part of the scrubby dutch; we werent dutch but hey; if the neighbors do it then we gotta do it to; you dont see that anymore;

thanks for the memory's dave;

Responses from Joe (8/20/04)

From the Oldest of the Oldest:

How about Wednesday nickle night at the Ivanhoe Theatre double feature starring Hopalong Cassidy. 5 cents for a box of Nibs.

Crawdad fishing in Deer Creek and Gravois Creek.

And this is the truth, a Lampliter in the 6800 Block of Bancroft during the 40's. Jamieson Road was a dirt road.

Building forts on empty lots with lumber "borrowed" from homebuilders.

Across the street from Ted Drewes was Parkmoor.

Passing out coupons for White Castles, six for a quarter.

Responses from Jeanne in North Carolina (8/24/04)

My husband and I were just talking the other day about "mils" and wondering when they were phased out.
We both grew up in St. Louis, although not in the same neighborhood.
I remember the knife grinder and the strawberry and vegetable "hucksters" who came around regularly, and the paper boy on Saturday nights.
Going for a day-trip on the Admiral.
Taking the bus or streetcar just about everywhere, even the "old" Busch Stadium in north St. Louis.
Ice skating at the Winter Garden or, if the ponds had frozen, in Carondelet Park.
Going shopping downtown before Christmas (and, yes, we wore hats and gloves and really dressed up!) to visit Santa and see all the wonderful windows at Famous and Scruggs.
Walking to the Buder Branch library or to the Roxy Theater for a movie.
Getting sent to the Glad-El Confectionary on Pernod Ave. to buy my dad a pack of cigarettes or a 10-cent loaf of bread.
Taking the Opera Express bus to the Muny Opera in Forest Park, and the wonderful musicals they had there--"Camelot," "The Red Mill," all the good old stuff that you don't see anymore.
Our phone exchange was Laclede when we lived on Winnebago St., just down from Grand Avenue. I think it was Flanders when we moved to southwest St. Louis, in St. Joan of Arc Parish.
Seeing the colored fountains' display at night in Forest Park.
Riding three buses (Park-Southampton, Kingshighway, and Shaw) to high school on the Hill (the old Cor Jesu Academy), and stopping in after school to get some of that wonderful Italian bread from Amighetti's Bakery or homemade ravioli from Toscano's Grocery for my mom.
Getting to stay up late to watch the Veiled Prophet Ball on TV in October and going to the parade the next night--one year it was so cold that the queen's float had to be encased in plastic to keep out the icy wind!
Okay, stop me! I could go on forever. Thanks so much for your Web site.

Responses from Matt (8/24/04)

I read through the posted memories and although I suspect I am much younger than some of those that did post, I can remember a lot of those things too! Tears began to swell in my eyes! I am approaching 32 and lived in South St. Louis around and on the 3600 block of Michigan Avenue until I was 21.
I also remember going down to the corner tavern to get my grandpa a bucket of beer, and sometimes even going down with him, having a sip or two, and carrying two back for him for later.
I remember going down to the corner candy store to spend my 50 cents on a brown paper bag filled with penny candy, which was by the way arranged by type in seperate slots behind a glass window.
I remember going down to Mondovicks Bakery (hope this is the right one and that I spelled it right) to buy gooey butter cakes every weekend.
I remember rarely going down to Gravois Park because we always played in the middle of the street... But we never played corkball in the street, that was reserved for the alley. I remember sitting on the back stoop (where an ash pit once was) and chatting with the older neighbors.
I remember learning to drive by going backwards and forwards down the alley in my dad's 1979 MGB convertible when I was 15.
I remember going to the Granada, the Avalon, the Michigan, the Melvin, and many more... I still have my stubs. I remember going back to the Granada while they were demolishing it...and salvaging some memories from the floors.
I remember always going downtown to shop at Famous Barr with my mom and one time I somehow ended up on the bus by myself.
I remember all of my neighbors by name and which houses they lived in.
I remember walking across the street (by myself when I was a litle older) to walk to my grandmas house for ice cream cones.
I remember finding old tin toys in my backyard.
I remember how my parents dreamed of living in our last house, they lived in a two-family one block over until I was 4.
My entire family lived on Tennessee (still do), Minnesota, Virginia, Michigan and Compton.
I remember going to St. Anthony school picnics, playing tee-ball at Minniewood, going to Kiddie Land, going to ball games...
I remember so much and love that part of the city...those were the happiest times of my life.
Thanks for letting me share these memories.

Responses from carleen (fraley) mcgonagle (8/24/04)

Wow, I think this is a great site.
I am now 70 years old. I lived with my aunt on Wisconsin ave in the 1940's.
I remember so many things. For instance, my sister and I use to listen to "Let's Pretend" and "inter sanctum" that one use to scare us, especially the squeaking door shutting. On Wednesday night we would go the the Cinderella theatre because they would give away dishes.
I remember Shredded Wheat would be separated in the box with cards. Every day when we came home from school for lunch my aunt would be listening to "Old Ma Perkins" soap on radio.
My aunt had every day assigned to what task she would do. Example: Monday-laundry and so on.
My sister and I could only stay out till 7:oo p.m, we had to go in and do the dishes. But we took advantage of the time we had and played double=jump rope.
My passion was playing jacks, and I really was good at that. Well, I could go on and on.
I remember the old lamplighter but cannot find any history on then.
My e-mail address is [email protected] if anyone would like to share some great memories with me send me mail, who knows we might have lived in the same neighborhood and jumped rope together.

Responses from anonymous (8/29/04)

I was born in 1961 at the old DePaul Hospital in downtown St. Louis. Most of the postings on this web site conjure up memories of the colorful old St. Louis stories that my father (deceased for 8 years now) used to tell at the dinnertable. He was born in 1926 at the old St. Luke.s Hospital downtown and spent his early years on the South Side; lived on Arsenal, later Pernod, and attended Mallinckrodt School. Dad talked of playing baseball with other kids at one of those small neighborhood parks on The Hill, and, if memory serves me, I think little Joey Garagiola was part of that gang at some point.

Dad also used to talk about .city. things that seemed so exotic to me (who grew up in leafy Ferguson and later the almost rural Chesterfield area in the .60s and .70s), like coal chutes, ash pits, .ragpickers,. and streetcars. And looking back, I think many of the expressions he used were very .South St. Louis. (like .ought not to. and .liable to wind up.). And now that I.ve read all these St. Louis memories posted, I finally know why Dad used to call out our names the way he did: .OH-H-H, BOB!. In the 1940s, Dad's family moved to Clayton, where he attended Clayton High School; all the students hung out at some hamburger joint close to school called The Dump.

Now, let.s fast-forward a couple of decades to MY childhood in the .60s and .70s. Things I remember: Vess soda. The 66 Drive-In. White Mineral Springs swimming pool in Valley Park. The original family-run SmokeHouse store in Gumbo, where I.d accompany my mother to buy .the best bacon in the world.. They had a candy counter, too, where I bought those little wax bottles filled with sweet colored liquid . remember Nickel Nips?? And who can forget Pixie Sticks! Later, there was some kind of junk snack food called Space Stix, but I don.t know who made them. But I do know that back then, that black licorice-flavored chewing gum (the kind you.d put on your front teeth at Halloween) was easy to find; so were Teaberry gum and BubsDaddy!! Oh, yeah.we often went to this great family restaurant out in the Chesterfield area, maybe even further, called Daniel Boone (the owner.s name was Earl), and I STILL remember their macaroni salad with beets. One weekend, Dad took us to another landmar k restaurant that was unique to the St. Louis area . Steiny.s Inn. (Wasn.t that out in Eureka off old Rte. 66?)Other neat places: the revolving Stouffer.s restaurant in downtown St. Louis, and Noah.s Ark (St. Charles?)

Other 1960s childhood memories:

Sledding down Art Hill and drinking from a thermos of hot vanilla milk. Skating at Steinberg Rink.

.Phil the Gorilla. at the Zoo.

When a replica of one of Christopher Columbus. ships (the Nina, Pinta, or Santa Maria .I can.t remember) was docked on the Mississippi levee.

Corky the Clown

I rode a blue hand-me-down Schwinn bike with streamers hanging off the handlebars, and my brother rode a cool banana-seat StingRay (hornet green color).

Klick-Klacks. Duncan Yo-Yos. Wheel-O. Soccer Boppers. Hula Hoops. "Who Sunk My Battleship?. Lite Brites. Plastic Creepy Crawlers (you cooked 'em yourself). Easy-Bake Ovens.

And now, on to the .70s (my junior high/high school years):

When the .ultra-modern. West County shopping center first opened. They had a Pope.s Cafeteria.

Stix, Baer & Fuller on Brentwood Blvd., pre-Galleria. Vandevorts. A restaurant in Clayton called The Lettuce Leaf.

The Checkerdome (I saw Ted Nugent, Sammy Hagar, Billy Joel, the Royal Lippizan Stallions, the Ice Capades, and Blues Hockey games),

Laserium at the Planetarium.cool visual effects against a backdrop of .70s rock!!!

Bonnie Raitt, Karla Bonoff, and Jackson Browne at Kiel Auditorium (hey,.I just remembered Roller Derby.)

The teens of my era listened to KSLQ-FM and KSHE-95. My parents listened to WIL-FM, KMOX, and WRTH. I liked KXOK in the '60s and KIRL and KKSS (Majic 108) in the '70s. We also watched Soul Train.

Responses from Jeff in Oregon (8/30/04)

Playing "flips" with baseball cards against a wall. The closest to the wall gets all the cards out there. Man, I lost a Stan the man card in a game once!

Responses from Bill Hughlett (9/8/04)

I grew up in Louisiana, Missouri.
I remember when the show raised their price from 10 cents to 12 cents.Soda and pop corn were only 5 cents.
I remember when my dad, mom and our neighbors would BBQ, he would always give me a sip or two of beer. Hyde Park and Griesidieck Brother's beer was the best. Henry Griesidieck and his family lived in Louisiana for a few years.
I still remember my phone number, it was 478J and my best friend's was 490W. Those were the good old days, pick up the phone and a pleasent voice would say, "number please".
I remember my parents putting a sign in the window to let the man delivering ice know how much ice we needed for our, "ice box".
In the winter when the snow was on, a bunch of us would sleigh ride down one of the streets and to get back to the top, we would hook our feet into the front of each others sled and catch a ride with a car that had chains on.
We usually took vacations in the ozarks, (Rockaway Beech).
I could go on and on and on but that would take many hours. I wish you and everyone a great trip back into their past, keep it alive.

Responses from Jim "The Dad" Keith (9/10/04)

Hey Dave and ALL the St. Louis Memories FANS
I submitted a memory some time back and still check in every once in awhile and see and read some wonderful reminders of times past.
Then I thought, I love genealogy so much, keeps the old gray matter active, and seeing so many folks who have fond memories of St. Louis, the old days....I thought maybe I can help a few of you rekindle old friendships....without any promises of success. I still live in the St. Louis area....and have a pretty good record for locating folks for my friends here at work and from my old Marine Corps days......If you've moved away from St. Louis.....have some old friends you'd like to make contact with....if they're still in the St. Louis area.....I can try. There is no charge.....just a warm feeling I get....for getting folks back together.
There was a fellow sometime back who mentioned his OLD CAR....his First car.....he even remembered his VIN......well, I located that car.......its still around. If he reads this....maybe I can help him go take a look at his First car....just email me.
If I can help.....let me know.....just email me at : [email protected]
I lived at 1319 Hickory, 1105 Rutger and moved waaay out....to 4050 Russell Blvd....in the mid 50's.....and joined the Marines in 1960.....came back home in '66. So, I'm pretty much a South St. Louis kid......even at 60.

Responses from Pete Puleo (9/19/04)

I remember living in Kerry Patch, even though I was of Italian descent
When we used hop on the street cars or trucks to go down town when they came to a stop sign. Later we used to thumb a ride at the stop signs.
Going to the King Bee movie house on Jefferson Avenue at Howard Street for 10 cents.
Walking to Sportman’s Park in the early 30’s and admitted to the games on a knot hole pass.
When the hot tamale man and Rosclione’s ice cream truck came around our street in the summer time.
We played cork ball and bottle caps in the streets, or Indian Ball on an empty lot.
Going to the Police Circus at the Coliseum on Washington at Jefferson.
Selling the Globe Democrat every morning and Post and Star in the afternoons for 3 cents, with a profit of 15/16th of a cent on the corner of 20th and Cass Avenue.
Swimming parties in the summer at St. Leo’s Community center, paying 10 cents for a hot dog on a bun with mustard, or 5 cents for the bun with only mustard.
Seeing a police raid a bootleg whiskey operation, dumping alcohol from the attic of a house from the attic onto an empty lot next door.
Sneaking into movie theaters when crowds of people were exiting.
My father brewed his own beer during the depression in a ceramic crock with Mound City Malt.
The nuns punished us with a stiff ruler on the hands in the cloak room.
Bought a roller skate at Goodwill to make a scooter with a couple of 2 x 4’s.

Responses from Jan, Yin, Yip and Yang (9/23/04)

A high school classmate found me through classmates.com not too long ago, but told me tonight about your page....about mills...good God Gertrude!!
Don't forget about the Green Stamps
........ I lived in South St. Louis for more years than I care to recall, attended Sherman Grade School, went onto Roosevelt High, and even took some classes at Forest Park Community College before it built its' own place on the site of the old amusement park that burnt to a crisp... Highland Park, wasn't it?
Anyway, I remember the Sunday mornings in the spring and summer (when you had the window open during the night) and hearing the metal wheels on the special gravel of the newsboys, hawking either the St. Louis Dispatch or the Globe. I also recall hearing the special noise of the knife and scissor sharpeners' hand cart making their way to the neighborhood. I lived at the corner of Shenandoah and ..... hmmmm...can't recall the street right now....must be a senior moment or some such.
Oh, GOD YES... I remember my very first Sno Cone experience.... oh, and at the muny opera, how we kids had to run like mad to beat the nuns for the front row of the free seats.....that muny would hose down the seating floor at least 2 or 3 hrs. before so the pavement floor wasn't so darned hot....... living in a German portion of town, we got to experience beer parties in the communal back yard of the apartment building....sausage, breads, and all the things that would now kill us! ......what great fun this was..... thanks for listening.
Sacramento Californian Now....but still living in a river city!!

Responses from THOMAS J. CASEY (9/27/04)

Hudson 5277 (but wishing we had a Flanders number)
The man with a ladder and bucket who changed the street light bulbs and washed the globes
War of the Worlds at the Roxie (and nightmares for years thereafter)
Vanilla cokes and Uncle Scrooge comic books at Venker’s drug store
Cowboy Bruce and his horse ? at Binders market
Come home when the street lights go on
Painting the windows at Hampton Village every Halloween
Flat tops 25 cents extra
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh Georrrrrrrrrrrrrggggge
Getting dressed up to go downtown (mom always wore white gloves)
Sputnik crystal radios
WIL 1430 and KXOK 630
Teen Town at Epiphany

Responses from Mary 10/5/04

Wow...what memories surfaced after seeing your site, sent to me by my younger cousin who is 57!
We lived in the Evergreen phone exchange.
I can remember living on Thrush Avenue in Walnut Park and playing softball on the newly poured concrete on I-70 before the highway opened.
Grandma would send us to the store with a quarter for a loaf of bread and we had change for candy afterwards.
We walked everywhere because all the mothers were homemakers with no cars.
We stayed out late and played kickball in the dark under the streetlights and came inside with dirt rings on our necks from playing so hard and so long.
I remember standing in line at The Rio Theatre to see "Rodan". The line went around the block!!
That was a real high-tech movie back then.
Thanks for the memories, Dave!!

Responses from "Cactus Flower" (10/6/04)

Grandma whispered the order of 38 whitecastles.. and 12 cheeseburgers...
Of course the folks at white castle yelled out the order...totally making my grandma blush...
How many whitecastle's are needed for 8 kids?
After the blushing over..
Walking to Godats for icecream cones. My grandpa always needed 2 cones. Took at least 3 kids to carry the 14 icecream cones needed for the day.
Catycorner to the house lived Daffy Dean.
I think a brother to a famous ball player or some story I was told.

Responses from Mimi 10/8/04

Standing on the sidewalk in front of 5055 N. Kingshighway, phone EV 2422, and listening to the church bells ring the day W.W.II ended. I was 9 years old.

Responses from Grand 4266 10/8/04

Just finished reading your ST LOUIS MEMORIES. What a journey for me---Grand 4266. (I didn't come across another "Grand" #--did I missit?) We "carbon units" are as alike as we are different, aren't we.
Sharing now the same or similar memories of years' old sensory images.
Penetrating images that impressed for good our youthful eyes and minds, and now comfort and delight us.
Satin stars banner for soldier brothers or fathers hung in front windows, cool gangways, hiding under porches during "Release"---waiting for a chance to rush the base when "IT" was away, rush to "free" all your chums held captive at base, to run and hide again
at 11 or 12 years old, riding buses and streetcars to College Church for Saturday confessions, the scissors-man's tinkling grind announcing his cart's arrival in the neighborhood, White Castles, American or California hamburgers at A&W, Veiled Prophet Parade and Ball, learning how to do the St. Louis rolling "hesitation stop" when coming to a Stop Sign corner, for starters.
My neighborhood was Arsenal Street, Holy Innocents, Sublette Park, the Insane Asylum (as it was then called, no politically correctness there).
Hobbit-sized neighborhood groceries, taverns, dry goods stores, and movie "shows." We were weekly regulars at the Macklind, the Columbia, the Avalon. We loved the firehouse and firemen (firefighters now) at Arsenal and Macklind? was it?)
Friday night fish frys at the church, and football games at SLU H.S. and CBC. Teentown at Epiphany, the best. Nerinx Hall volleyball and basketball games. First Communion dresses and May Day coronets.
Thanks to everyone--"youse" brought St. Louis vividly back to mind.
I'm sending the link on to others who'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Responses from Ruth 10/13/04

I lived in the Evergreen area of St. Louis.
I remember Mark Twain Grade School, the Pauline Show on Emerson, The RIo show, The Arena Roller Skating Rink, Forest Park Highlands.
Stoop ball was fun but there was also gangway ball, climbing billboards, playing knuckles, war and Frankenstein in the vacant lots.
The construction of Highway 70 took our home and we had to move my Jr. year at Beaumont.
Summers spent at my greatgrandmothers house on Blair Ave.
Walking on Grand Ave to go to the Tower Show and ice cream at Velvet Freeze.
Teen town, public school stadium, riding the street cars.
What fun we had!

Responses from RLH 10/20/04

WOW, Dave, great website!
I lived at 2022 E. Fair Ave. (and before that at 1810 N. Leffingwell). I attended Ashland and Lowell Elementary Schools in the early 60's.
Although I moved away in 1965 when I was 12, I remember a lot of the above things AND (I've tried not to duplicate the memories already mentioned) ...
*Getting free tickets to the Cardinals baseball games for getting good grades;
*Popping a balloon at Woolworth's on West Florissant Avenue for a banana split from 1 cent to 49 cents or buying one of the Neapolitan ice cream wafer sandwiches for a dime;
*Summer time crafts at O'Fallon Park (especially making key tags from plastic lace);
*Hiking through "the Hollows" woods in O'Fallon Park to the I-70 freeway;
*Going to Southside Watermelon Stand at Gravois & Chippewa (owned by my oldest sister and brother-in-law) in the summer for melon and in the winter for Christmas trees;
*The giant Pepsi sign at the corner of Gravois & Chippewa (destroyed by a storm , I think);
*Cookie and Captain, Corky the Clown, Mr. Patches, and Capt. Showboat on TV for kids;
*California Donut Shop;
*Having you scalp checked for lice with the black light by the school nurse;
*Playing "Iron Horse" at school;
*Watching the keystone (last section) of the Arch being placed with my class on a field trip;
*Mrs. Bakula, my very favorite (and third grade) teacher (I think she was actor Scott Bakula's mother);
*Buddies Leroy, Allan, and Richard;
*And, even though they've been mentioned several times ... White Castle hamburger. (How I miss them! None here in Arkansas!)
I could go on and on and on, but this is enough for now. THANKS! - Rick

Responses from Sharon 10/20/04

I remember so many things about growing up in south St. louis.
905 Park Avenue -
GA6005 -
St. vincent de paul grade school -
Mckinley high school. all such a long time ago -
the guardian angel Settlement on 10th and Marion - my dad workked there for about 30 years and my Godmother was head cook all those same years -
the lions club taking kids on all kinds of trips to the zoo and forest park highlands and of course the Admiral. Great days and Great place to grow up.
If anyone remembers any of these things I would love to hear from you. Sister Margaret Mary - sister Mary Louis. Molded a lot of children over the years - thank you.
love to hear from all of you - sharon at [email protected] betty Jean Raybrook and Wally Becker - would love to hear from you also.

Responses from Terry Klasek 10/28/04

I keep reading your site, and have reccomended it other baby boomers. The morer I read the more I recall reading the thoughts of others.
Many recall The Stardust Burlesque featuring Evelyn West and her $50,000 Treasure Chest." The ads were in the sports and entertainment sectuions of local newspapers. It started out as a good burlesque house with a three piece band, comics and strippers, and headlining Evelyn West. Then the band was replaced by a cassette player, and then the comics came no more. The dancers were all local and eventually performed sexual services in the back rooms. Evelyn West was reduced to serving the drinks.
I enjoyed the comics because of my love of pu8ns and double meaning jokes. The old skits were great, and dancers participated with the comics. I used a lot of comic routines from the Stardust for years of ice breakers.
Now I see the original Evelyn West is offering photographs and other souvineers of the Stardust on E-Bay from Hollywood, Florida. I bid , and won an auction. I asked several questions that only Evelyn West could answer, and it is indeed her selling these photos. So if you want to relive the past, and snag a phorto or other trinket from the old Stardust look in E-Bay. Just do a search for "Evelyn West."
I jump started her memories with mine, and she has jogged my mind with her memories. I miss that time when life was slower, and we tried to learn how not to be so innocent.

Responses from V Sebold, in Desoto.... formerly of south St Louis 11/17/04

My old phone number was FL 1-4008, although we moved a few times and also had numbers in the Hudson and Vernon exchanges. Grew up in a nice tidy little "scrubby dutch" neighborhood and can still remember the little old ladies scrubbing down the steps of their front porches, and even the sidewalks in front of their houses.

I remember the weekend dances at St Mary Magdalen, going to Ted Drewes after school for frozen custards.

Riding a scooter down the city sidewalks...(this kind you actually stood on)

Riding my bike to the library at Long School, where they had a summer contest for reading.

Catching "lightning bugs" in a jar... they seemed to come out by the thousands back then.

Playing "release" in the alleys and between houses.... hiding in bushes from the "other team"

Fishing at Horseshoe Lake in Carondelet Park, and if the fish weren't biting, strolling over to the Bear Pits to make out with your favorite sweetie...

Saving up soda bottles and turning them in at the local confectionary, where you could buy penny candy with the "bottle money"...

Building go carts out of some old wood planks and left over scooter wheels or old lawnmower wheels.

The old blind guy that used to walk up and down city streets playing his accordion for a donation. (my dad used to insist that we run to catch him, since he felt that "there, but for the grace of God, go I...")

Going to "Stockman Lumber Yard" for free kites... and then taking them over to the big hill behind St Josephs Orphanage to fly them.

Watching the Augustinian Academy burn...

Ah yes, the old scissors sharpener... ding-ding-ding...

The big St John's parade, to kick off the yearly school picnic...

Cutting out of church just after the "offertory" so that you technically got credit for attending, and then walking to the Granada to see the latest Disney flick...

Anybody else want to jump in here??.....

Hope this tweaks some other south side memories....

Responses from Rick 11/21/04

Oh my God.
Plateau 2-5607.
Flanders 2-5302.
St. Boniface, Sts. Mary and Joseph, Sr. Suzanne, SCC, Sr. Thomas More, OP
Hausers Bakery, Schneidhorsts, Fliers, Famous Barr, Miss Hullings, Pope's
"the Boat" - the Admiral - no slots then, the Goldenrod Showboat, Bob Kuban,
Cusanellli's
best of all Evelyn West and her $50,000 Treasurer Chest. Thanks for the memories.

Responses from Carol H 11/29/04

What I remember is from South St. Louis.
I lived at 14th and Park.
I remember the Cherokee Street shopping.
The Merry Widow Theater on Chouteau Ave. The price was 10 cents to get in.
I took piano lessons at Kingdom House Settlement.
I remember the Airway Drive In. And the St. Ann Four Screen Drive In.
Forest Park Highlands.
Going to the Fox Theater down town.
To the Ted Drew's and to the Muny Opera.
And the boat rides at Forest Park.
The Pop symphony with Richard Hayman conducting. And Leonard Slatkin conducting the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Saturday shopping at Soulard Mkt. Excursions to Blanchett Park in St. Charles for swimming. Layfayette Park and the swans and the fountain in the middle and diving into the water in the summer.
The fire hydrants being opened in the summer so the kids could cool off.
I remember Dairy Queen and Steak and Shake.
I remember Hypower tamales.
And I remember the street vendors with their carts that came by selling snow cones and tamales and shoes.
I remember every morning women scrubbing their steps clean.
I remember Famous Barr. And Kroger stores. Bridal shops by the dozens in downtown St. Louis. And shoe stores by the hundreds, literally.
I remember my friends at my grammar school, Clinton Peabody.
I remember street cars that were quiet.
I remember mils used for rides on city transportation.
I remember Holy Angels Church.
I remember cork ball, and baseball, and sliding down the icy hills outside the Art Museum in the winter.
I remember the decorated stores at Christmas in downtown St. Louis.
Most of all, I remember the decency of people in the midwest. And I remember we could walk down to White Castle for hamburgers during sleep overs and not get mugged. And if you left your house unlocked at night you survived to tell about it.
I remember people sitting out in the summer during the evenings and we kids playing till late. And the quiet of street cars. And the smell of honeysuckle during the summer.
I remember when gas was 25 cents a gallon.
I remember when you did your homework. If you failed a subject you stayed back until you passed, and teacher stayed after school for hours to tutor you.
I remember parents did not curse the teacher for your failures and seldom if ever was a teacher assaulted.
I wish the kids now had my childhood.

Responses from Marie - 11/29/04

Dave, this is a great idea!!!
Public Transportation pass that cost $.50.
Could go anywhere in St. Louis with it.
Know Hold passes to Sportsman Park were free and you could see the Browns and the Cardinals play.
The watermelon man would cut a triangle out of the melon so you could sample before you bought.
Football games at Public High School Stadium, on St. Louis Avenue and Kingshighway.
Phone number was ROsedale 4444.
When boys would ask for my phone number they always thought I was kidding. (Sigh)
When the hot tamale man would come in the evening we would yell "how's your wife?". He would holler "Red Hot". We would die laughing and not even know why.
Swimming at Heman Park in that BIG pool. A hot dog and a bag of chips when we got out.
Going to the Fairy Show on Easton Avenue for $.l0 and $.05 for a bag of popcorn. Also the Wellston show and the Mikado (before they changed the name to Victory whe WWII started.
Jumping rope, double dutch, sidewalk tag, stomping on Pet milk cans, then running and making "horsey" noises, rubber guns (ouch), marbles, kites and skating on the sidewalk.
Captain Midnight, Jack Armstrong "the all - American boy", Have you tried Wheaties, Ovaltine. Secret message time and your de-coder ring.
Candy dots on a licorice strip, not paper. Two scoop ice cream cones for a nickel. Being called ReRe when I was a little girl.

Responses from Don Edwards - 12/7/2004

Lived at 1919 N. Grand Ave. from 1940 to 1953
Telephone number was Newstead-4375
Attended Bates School, and then later Columbia School
Good Friends were Frank Wood, Gail Wooten, Vera Quick
Walked to Fairgrounds park to fish in the evenings
Ate hot tamales from the metal cart that got pushed up Grand Ave.
My father rode the streetcar home from work each day.
I remember him bringing home a possum in a gunny-sack
Saw a live Vaudeville Show at the Fox Theater once
Went to Chain-Of-Rocks park for the end of the school year picnic
Always had a parade before the bus-ride to the amusement park
Remember one year that my friend, Gail Wooten, couldn't go on the picnic because she had chicken pox...
My grandmother lived near the old water-tower at the north-end of the Grand Streetcar line I remember a 5th grade class-mate bringing a zip-gun to school. The teacher took it away from him, and returned it at the end of the day - Told him to never bring it again.
Saw a dog get run-over by a street car, but it got tumbled out the back & ran off.
Bought ice-cream sodas at the burger joint on the corner. They were in cardboard cartonsl.
Remember when they installed parking meters on Grand Ave.

Responses from Christine - 12/7/2004

I am alot younger than you guys but I ran across your site while researching a lovely old tin box I found at a sale. Had so much fun reading your memories my computer timed out after about an hour! I'm not from there and I don't have memories like ya'll do, guess I missed out! If any of you would like to have this tin your welcome to it, just pay shipping. It's an old "Mavrakos" ...." They say the sweetest things" 4711 Delmar-Saint Louis" Thanks for the great read. (Note from Dave Lossos - if you'd like to take Christine up on her offer let me know and I'll pass it along to her)

Responses from Richard Browne (Dallas, Texas) - 12/11/2004
I was born in 1946 at St. Mary's in Clayton, so that should date my memories. Here are some I don't think I've seen in other postings.

I remember ...

The Tasty Freeze ice cream stand in Brentwood was only open about 6 months a year. A dipped cone was the greatest imaginable treat (if you could afford it).

Southern Cafeteria in the Missouri Theater Building on Grand Avenue, where all the doc's had offices. They had frosted root beer mugs and upstairs seating, all in heavy, dark woods.

Forum Cafeteria downtown. Had all these big columns that were supposed to look like marble. Was two stories high inside.

Ambassador Theater with Cinemascope and Todd-a-o sound (I think??)

Having the Brentwood and Valley Park busses meet at Brentwood and Manchester, and no bus left until all 4 had arrived, so passengers could transfer.

Stewart Infra-Red sandwiches (in the days before microwaves).

Having a cherry Coke or vanilla Pepsi mixed up at the soda fountain in the drug store. Much better than what is in the cans today.

Charlotte Peters Pevely noon time show with George Able and Stan Kann. ("Oh genie in the bottle, what have you to say. Who is the lucky birthday child today?". George would have his head in a bottle with a ghostly light on it and announce the name. The audience had to put their index fingers to the sides of their heads as believers for this to work.

Real star shows in the Planetarium, with a Japanese projector that had a huge projector ball at each end of a large boom that moved to show the stars in the past or future. That projector is long gone, replaced by laser shows.

Pants stretchers - in the days before permanent press when you had to put them on those aluminum frames so there would be a crease in the pant legs.

Walking a mile to school in near-zero weather and never expecting a ride.

The Andy Devine Show with Buster Brown shoes. Remember when Andy would say "Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy!" and Froggy The Gremlin would appear in a plume of smoke and say "Hi ya kids! Hi ya! Hi ya." And then he would stick his tongue out in a shocking display of defiance. Recently I saw a tape of the show with Andy leading the kids in singing "Jesus Loves Me This I Know" and then encouraging all the kids to go to Sunday School that week. Can you imagine what would happen if that were done today???

Burning trash in a wire trash burner in the back yard at night and watching the embers glow.

Those little black globes on the street that had a small flame in the top that the street department put out to mark hazards at night (before strobes and such).

Group class photos in the school yard in elementary school.

Mad Magazine paperbacks with Howdy Dooit (takeoff on Howdy Doody).

The fabled kid on the Cowboy Bob Bruce show that said "Hi Mom, Hi Dad, and this is for you Herbie", as he gave the finger to the camera. (How true was that story?)

Soda machines cooled by standing chilled water. You had to slide the soda up and down some rails before it came to the point that you could lift the bottle out through the device that released the bottle only if you paid your money.

Strawberries only being available for about 2-3 months in the early summer.

Phoning in to WIL with answers to homework problems that other people had.

Morning announcement on WIL of the "Uniform of the Day" for woman getting dressed for work.

Listening the KMOX in the dark in bed, hoping Stan Musial could just get up to bat and win the game.

Turning your bike upside down at twilight and turning the pedals by hand so the generator could give enough juice to make the headlight glow, so we could read baseball cards.

Sweat bees. We really thought they went for your sweat.

Swinging on school swings on a blacktop or climbing on a metal jungle gym, without any concern for safety or having anxious moms fretting over it.

The elementary school sandbox that someone supposedly "went in" one morning.

Parking you bike on the sidewalk in front of the front door without putting a lock on it.

Riding our bikes in the fog behind the mosquito spray trucks.

Caruso's Restaurant at the corner of Manchester and Brentwood, and the wonderful smell of pizza cooking wafting over the neighborhood.

Taking film to the drugstore to be developed and waiting a week. Wondering what dirty pictures the druggist had pulled out of someone's developed pictures.

Trying to adjust the color on the new color TV in the few seconds when the NBC peacock was on the screen.

Seeing B47's parked at Lambert Field during the 1962 Missile Crisis, knowing they were loaded with nuclear bombs.

Mike Nelson telling us at the end of "Sea Hunt" to never dive alone, which he did every week.

"Yooo Rinnttieee" from the Rin-Tin-Tin TV series.

Tiny Tot Laundry Service with all their trucks, so people could have dirty cloth diapers cleaned and returned to their homes. Slogan was "Rock a Dry Baby".

Mudball fights.

Huge lines on South Lindbergh Road when the first Target store opened in the mid 1960's.

Famous-Barr stamps (like S&H Green Stamps). Mom had me paste them in the book.

Being able to walk out on a viewing platform at Lambert Field to wave goodbye to passengers or stand all the way out at the end to be as close as possible to the Air Guard jets when they take off with their afterburners on.

"Freddie" in the Globe Democrat comics who always wanted "nourishing bellybusters" (jawbreakers) for breakfast, instead of regular food.

Watching the host on "Science Fiction Theater" reading Scientific American and believing he really understood it.

Responses from Osbourne, Sheila - Paris, MO - 12/11/2004
I remember specifically going to the Zoo to see Moke. He rode a tricycle and was dressed in a little Navy uniform. He said MaMA if I recall . I really loved him and he was so brilliant. If I recall his owner sold him to the zoo and then at one point stold him away. Later he brought Moke back and stayed as his trainer I believe.

I also have a couple of the mils in red.

I miss more than anything the famous Christmas windows and Santa Land at Famous BArr downtown. It was a favorite of mine and for my son when he was very small. I wish theywere still there. The malls in no way take the place of such an elegant shopping experience. We would ride the Zephyr train from Hannibal where we lived to Union Station and eat breakfast at Pope's Cafeteria,then shop till we dropped and look at all the wonderful displays and be on the 5 pm train going home. It was magical.

Hey do you remember the Lowe's downtown. It was a great theatre.

I also still go back to St Louis to shop, for medical care, and for Ted Drew's,Gus's Pretzels, Merb's chocolates,the store on grand with the liquer filled chocolates from Germany and Belguim and food from the Hill.I still love Soulard MArket.

Responses from Trish - 12/20/2004
I grew up on Missouri Avenue between Pestalozzi and Crittenden Streets.
Went to Garfield School.
Watched the Clydesdale groomers exercise the horses, riding bareback, on Crittenden Street in the mornings. They would ride up from the brewry to Jefferson Avenue and back down to the brewry where the Clydesdale were stabled.
I also remember going to the corner tavern for a bucket of beer and to the store to buy cigarettes for my Mom.
Getting our milk delivered, in glass bottles, to the front door.
The ice man with his wagon bringing blocks of ice to the neighbors.
The "rag pickers" with their horse and wagon looking through the ashpits in the alley.
Getting free pencils from Witte Funeral Parlor on Friday (I think) afternoons on the way home from school.
Staying with my Aunt on "The Hill"
Riding the Tower Grove bus, with my cousins, who knew all the bus drivers and they would let us ride the route down and back.
Staying at my Grandparents house and riding the Shenandoah bus and the Jefferson streetcar to school in the mornings. We had student bus passes.
Going to the NcNair theatre on Friday nights and seeing a triple feature, cartoons and a serial for 10 cents.
School picnic parades and streetcar rides to the Forest Park Highlands and trading our Carousel tickets for Flying Turns tickets.
The Police Circus at the Arena. My Mom was in it for two years and we had really good seats. Thanks everyone for bringing back the memories of things I have not thought about for a long, long time.

Responses from Allen Kempe - 12/20/2004
Remember when the day after Halloween, you could walk down Grand Avenue and see the results of the "tricking" the night before? Boys intent on mischief would write graffiti all over the plate glass store windows using bars of soap. The really mischevious ones used paraffin bars which wasn't easy to wash off as Ivory soap was. The paraffin had to be scraped off with a razor blade. The smart store owners coated their store windows with oil the night before or bowed to reality and let school groups decorate their windows with pictures painted with washable tempura paints.

Remember when the city every so often tarred the residential streets and then spread orange colored gravel? Woe to the first motorists who drove down that street and got tar all over their cars. The only way to get the tar off was with kerosene and a rag.

Remember the outdoor movies that a lot of theaters put on in the summer before air conditioning. I remember several movie theaters that had outdoor viewing: the Melba on South Grand near Gravois, the "Princess" (I may be wrong on the name) off of Gravois near California and a theater on Morganford Road near Arsenal. I'm sure there were more.

I remember when everybody burned coal. When you needed coal, a coal company would dump several tons of coal in the alley and leave a laborer with a wheelbarrow and a shovel to move it to the house where the coal bin had a steel door. The old coal furnaces generated a lot of ashes and clinkers so every house had an ash pit back by the alley where they could be dumped.

Back when we still burned coal, the house would be cold the first thing in the morning until somebody went down to the basement and cleaned out the clinkers and shoveled more coal into the furnace. Then you had to take the ashes out to the ash pit. There was no such thing as a thermostat, you had to shovel more coal into the furnace when the house got cold. The best you could do was to control the damper on the furnace.

I remember the rag pickers that would come by occasionally in a horse and wagon down the alley.

Remember the beer gardens where families went in the summer. Kids were welcome and at such a place, I remember eating my first cheeseburger. Hamburgers were never the same after that. TV and airconditioning soon killed all these places off.

I remember the scissor and knife sharpener man that came by every so often pushing a cart on which he had mounted a grinding wheel. The cart had a bell that rang when he pushed it and every so often, he'd hit a bigger gong with a hammer to announce his presence in the neighborhood.

I remember my mother listening religiously every day around noon to Russ David on the radio, on KSD I think. I believe the program was sponsored by Pevely Dairy. I guess Russ David was a St. Louis version of Lawrence Welk.

Remember the big train exhibit in the Famous Barr store downtown that they had at Christmas every year. It had a place on the window where you could place your hand and blow the whistle on one of the trains.

When I was little, my mother would occasionally take the Southhampton streetcar out to her friend's house on Devonshire where she had her hair done. The old streecars that were used on this line had push puttons in the window post at each seat where you could signal that you wanted to get off at the next stop. The newer PCC cars on Grand had a cord that you pulled.

Riding the old Hodiamont car line west of Grand was quite an experience since it mainly travelled in alleys and on private right-of-way. It was the last streecar line in St. Louis because of a dispute over where the substitute busses would run. The people in the neighborhood didn't want the busses running on the adjacent streets and the bus company didn't want to pay for paving the old streetcar right-of-way.

Remember when almost eveybody had some sort of fruit tree in their back yard? I recall cherry, plum, peach and pear trees in my neighborhood.

Remember when chicken was a special treat, usually served for Sunday dinner or when there was a picnic. You could either go to the neighborhood butcher to get a chicken or go down to one of the poultry markets such as at Soulard Market or at Cherokee and Jefferson and get a live one.

As a kid, I made many a trip to the corner bakery at Spring and Wyoming for a loaf of bread or occasionally a stollen or some other goodie. Across the street was Coble's market that I also made many a trip to to pick up something that mom needed to fix supper. There was also the "confectionary" on Spring between Humphrey and Wyoming where you could get a gallon of milk.

What about when it snowed and everybody went out to Art Hill in Forest Park with their sleds?

Remember the big surprise snow storm in early November maybe 1953 or '54. The snow was so deep that I had to walk in the streecar tracks on Grand Avenue to school. When I got there, only a couple of teachers had made it in so they let us go home. That and one other time were the only times that I remember in 12 yrs of getting out of school for snow or bad weather.

Our neighborhood had regular visits by "Phil" a vegetable peddler who drove an old school bus. If my mother didn't go out, sooner or later, he'd be ringing the doorbell and telling about the nice peaches, or tomatoes or whatever that he had that day.

Responses from Warren Walker - [email protected] - 12/20/2004
I am looking for information concerning Hadley Technical High School St Louis, MO.

I was in the Navy and during August thru November of 1944. I believe it was the school used by the Naval Training Center for training Electrician Mates.

I was stationed at the old Naval Armory on Foot of Ferry St on the west side of the Mississippi River.

I would appreciate any information, photos, etc....that anyone might share with me about the school.

Does any one member Tent City used by GIs during the War and How about Tune Town?

If interested
Click here http://user.aol.com/sandscraper3/ferryst.jpg for a photo of my co.
Click here http://user.aol.com/sandscraper3/memories.htm for some fun an music.
Click here http://user.aol.com/Sandscraper3/mcmlsm45.htm a base for my webpages

Responses from Anonymous - 12/20/2004
I remember the day when they walked on the moon...
My grandma was at the house because mom and dad were in the Ozarks with friends.
We were playing 'steal the bacon' and I sneaked up ... and grabbed the shoe that we always used for bacon....
Went and stood around on the base with a smile on my face...because I exchanged the bacon shoe with an old shoe...lol
BTW...my best 50 yard dash was 4.6 so I was rather quick..
Then..I remember my grandma calling out the door for us...
"Youse kids gotta see this!"
And then we all ran inside to watch it happen...
I still have my Apollo medallian from the box of Cherrios...
I think someone mentioned Walnut Park.
Grandpa's house was on Arlington Avenue and every sunday dad and us kids would visit. I remember my dad cutting his grass with a manual lawnmower..one of those rolling cutters..no gas..just effort.
I remember playing in the alley. Grandpa had an old iron gate we used to swing on..
Sometimes we took our dog Trixie with us o....and I remember her getting stuck in the gate...she got fat...my dad had to get out grandpa's tools and remove a couple poles from that gate to free her.
In the backyard there was a table that was built around an old oak tree with ivy and lillies of the valley underneath..
I remember to get to the basement you had to go outside and down the steps. The basement was always a neat place to go...cool stuff down there....collections of dog statues, homemade bar with neon lights, wooden cigar indian and a model ship in a bottle..:) What fun we had exploring.
Grandpa was a widower so Mini was there to bake lemon pies and anise cookies with us kids in the tiny summer kitchen near the back porch.
Sitting on the front porch on Sunday afternoons I remember hearing ladies gossiping..(and sometimes yelling) in German and Italian.... well maybe they weren't yelling ...just talking.

Responses from Crystal - 12/22/2004
My Grandparents lived on Genevieve Ave, we went there every weekend for dinner. The things I remember most?
The Katz Drug Store on Halls Ferry Circle, the sign was the shape of a cats' head with lights that changed, bright enough to fascinate any kid. Not to mention the treasures you could find inside, from hot roasted peanuts, salt water taffy, to gold fish, and small turtles.
The dry goods stores tucked away all over the city, in smaller neighborhoods. The one close to my Grandmothers was Lillian Variety Store. Close by was the Bell Market, and the corner barber shop where kids got haircuts for 2 bits long after that price was raised, male and females both used the corner barber, by the way.
The animated Christmas windows in downtown St. Louis. Kids and adults alike couldn't wait for the canvas curtains to be removed so you could see Santa's workshop in action, or a train wind through a North Pole Village. Famous Barr and Stix both had fantastic windows and the creators of those displays should be thanked for giving many of us wonderful memories.
The noise the wooden carts with steel wheels made, when pulled down the street by newsboys selling the Sunday paper on street corners. They'd have a firepit barrel close by for heat in Winter, so they could warm their hands.
Waiting for The Wranglers' Club to come on KSD TV: our own Texas Bruce, Harry Gibbs, was the man most kids in the St Louis area knew and loved. Neat show and wonderful man...
The old ballpark, where the Shriner's would have a circus each year.
Chain of Rocks Amusement Park overlooking the old Chain of Rocks Bridge, kids could find 100 ways to spend their nickels and dimes; the mechanical fortune teller in the arcade that dealt cards and dropped your fortune card in the slot a favorite. Laughing Annie, the lady atop the arcade, in an enclosed window, that had a laugh you couldn't ignore, would draw kids to the arcade everytime.
The firehouse at Baden that had a real dalmation dog at the station, and people that loved to show kids the firehouse and how things there worked which Included ringing the bell on old red.
Vendors by stop lights with a cane that had Huge hot salted pretzels looped on them, being sold all over St. Louis on Sat. night.
Chapmans' Ice Cream stores, Lemon Lime Phosphates, the snow cone & ice cream vendors that drove through the streets after dinner, and rang a bell that you couldn't resist. Sitting on a front porch with all the family eating those goodies, and just enjoying a nice Summer night together.
The Bettendorf Rapp stores, first store I saw that had a deli inside, with free samples of meats and cheese, shrimp, and yeast breads.
St. Louis was a taste treat for me... smells of certain foods, hearing the pretzels sizzle when droped in the fryers, all bring back memories of St. Louis.

Responses from Meow - 12/28/2004
David, What a wonderful trip down memory lane!

Mostly, reading all of this has rekindled desires for foods long gone. The wonderful cheesecakes that you could purchase at almost any good bakery that were chiffon, they'd just melt in your mouth. The New York Bagelry, where we would make early morning runs across town to get salt bagels hot from the oven.

Then there was the Silver Chalice for their Pit Burgers, John Henry's for a special evening out, Sonny's tavern on Lemay Ferry road for the best fried chicken or brain sandwiches. Luigi's for the best Pizza in St. Louis. The current generation has no idea what they have missed.

The highlight to attending high school were those wonderful schoolhouse rolls at lunch. Those of us that attended Gardenville grade school at Kingshighway and Gravois, would take our lunch money and head down to Klunds Bakery at Gravois and Loughborough where they would just be taking the ButterCrust bread out of the ovens. They would slice the hot loaf lengthwise and we'd go next door to the grocery store and have them put cheese and bologna on it while it was still steaming. In later years, going to Toscano's or Rumbolo's and having them make you up a sandwich was a wonderful treat.

Then there was Bonomo's Turkish Taffy and not to be forgotten, wax coated dill pickles that you could buy at the local confectionary for a nickle and drink the juice, eat the pickle and have the wax to chew on...lol.

Saturday mornings always started with an adventure to Soulard Market. That was a fascinating place to a youngster. Then we would head to a bakery on Sidney for those wonderful cheesecakes and bread for the week, when mom wasn't baking it herself. She made potato bread that had such a wonderful aroma and taste and I still make it from time to time just to awaken those memories.

Oh what I would give for one of those cheesecakes again!

Thanks again for offering this wonderful trip down memory lane.

Responses from Les - 12/28/2004

first off I grew up in NYC not STL, but day after Christmas something happened and I said to my wife, "this is where I came in"....she's 15 years younger then me, and she had no idea what I was talking about. I tried to explain it to her, but it didn't mean much.. I accidentally came across your page, where you mention going to the movie and saying "this is where......." I copied it and emailed it to her so she can see it first thing in the morning.