Well, in the first pic, there's a "Grand-Franklin Drug" store. So I'd say it's a safe bet that that picture is of the N Grand and MLK intersection.
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I just looked at an aerial photo and the Intersection of North Grand and Franklin (the portion of Franklin that was renamed is east of Leftingwell) still exists,steve wrote:Well, in the first pic, there's a "Grand-Franklin Drug" store. So I'd say it's a safe bet that that picture is of the N Grand and MLK intersection.
but everything in that photo has been replaced by parking lots and housing projects.
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buhgmlubbuh::
sorry, I just threw up a bit in my mouth after seeing these and realizing how moronic city leaders were to get rid of these things. All in favor of overthrowing the city government and bringing back the gulfstream streetcars!?
sorry, I just threw up a bit in my mouth after seeing these and realizing how moronic city leaders were to get rid of these things. All in favor of overthrowing the city government and bringing back the gulfstream streetcars!?
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TO THE BARRICADES . . . er, the STREETCARS!!!
Acutally, does anyone know how much of the system is intact? Busdad maybe? I've heard that many, if not most, of the tracks still exist and have just been paved over. Seriously though about the streetcars (does Joe Edwards check this site), don't go with 1920's - the 1960's+ cars were bigger and very cool.
Acutally, does anyone know how much of the system is intact? Busdad maybe? I've heard that many, if not most, of the tracks still exist and have just been paved over. Seriously though about the streetcars (does Joe Edwards check this site), don't go with 1920's - the 1960's+ cars were bigger and very cool.
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Are we missing a unique style of architecture?
In the first photo the three story row houses look like a style that no longer exists in St. Louis. Are they a variation of urban Queen Anne?
I love the commercial buildings in the first photo with all the limestone and the shields and bird like statues.
In the first photo the three story row houses look like a style that no longer exists in St. Louis. Are they a variation of urban Queen Anne?
I love the commercial buildings in the first photo with all the limestone and the shields and bird like statues.
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This is one of the best threads ever! Great job, citylover.
Great thread. Christmas shopping for my parents just got a whole lot easier this year.
If someone already mentioned this, sorry, but that vertical "ST LOUIS" sign on Grand from picture 1 needs to be either restored or duplicated. That is a great piece and would make a great statement somewhere in the city.
If someone already mentioned this, sorry, but that vertical "ST LOUIS" sign on Grand from picture 1 needs to be either restored or duplicated. That is a great piece and would make a great statement somewhere in the city.
In the first photo the three story row houses look like a style that no longer exists in St. Louis. Are they a variation of urban Queen Anne?
I also noticed those row houses. I haven't seen anything like them anywhere in the city. Where was this again?
I also noticed those row houses. I haven't seen anything like them anywhere in the city. Where was this again?
wow. just maps.googled it. how sad. this area lost so much housing stock, not only the Vandventer Place neighborhood but from what's in the photo too. We were such an urban city, easily rivaling Chicago at the time, at least on a somewhat smaller scale. It's so sad how much we lost, but then again, tons still exist.
Acutally, does anyone know how much of the system is intact? Busdad maybe? I've heard that many, if not most, of the tracks still exist and have just been paved over.
I did see a rail peaking out through a pothole on Pershing near DeBaliviere a few months ago.
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I've seen them on Olive near the Superman Building - I wonder if the rails were removed when Gaslight Square was built.
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PullyMan wrote:Acutally, does anyone know how much of the system is intact? Busdad maybe? I've heard that many, if not most, of the tracks still exist and have just been paved over.
I did see a rail peaking out through a pothole on Pershing near DeBaliviere a few months ago.
Even if the entire system was still intact, but covered... could they be economically unearthed and made functional?
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Citylover, what a fantastic thread!
I purchased this tome when it was first released (and it wasn't cheap for a paperback!). It's worth every penny though.
It alternately excites me, and depresses me, when I look at these pictures...
I'm excited by how much of our built environment and infrastructure remains, along with the possibility of attracting quality infill and perhaps reclaiming at least some of the original streetcar routes. (Trent, I agree that Grand would be a great place to start given the steady and significant volume of riders, and I would get a lot more use out of Metrolink if a streetcar line was available there).
I get rather depressed, though, when I see the pictures (especially of North Saint Louis and Midtown) where wanton and wholesale demolition has erased most if not all traces of our city's past. Even though the potential for interesting infill exists, unfortunately our city's leaders are often unwilling to accept denser, more modern development. Instead, we wind up with poorly-integrated developments that are usually insulting and cheap imitations of the past. Hopefully, given time and continued investment in the city, we can preserve more of our built environment and demand better quality with new construction.
BTW, if I had the $$$$$ to buy a block or two of city buildings, here's where I'd like to start. This stretch is amazingly intact, and Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church makes for a great neighborhood anchor IMHO.
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I wouldn't mind having at least one of those 1950s cars in the picture either!
I purchased this tome when it was first released (and it wasn't cheap for a paperback!). It's worth every penny though.
It alternately excites me, and depresses me, when I look at these pictures...
I'm excited by how much of our built environment and infrastructure remains, along with the possibility of attracting quality infill and perhaps reclaiming at least some of the original streetcar routes. (Trent, I agree that Grand would be a great place to start given the steady and significant volume of riders, and I would get a lot more use out of Metrolink if a streetcar line was available there).
I get rather depressed, though, when I see the pictures (especially of North Saint Louis and Midtown) where wanton and wholesale demolition has erased most if not all traces of our city's past. Even though the potential for interesting infill exists, unfortunately our city's leaders are often unwilling to accept denser, more modern development. Instead, we wind up with poorly-integrated developments that are usually insulting and cheap imitations of the past. Hopefully, given time and continued investment in the city, we can preserve more of our built environment and demand better quality with new construction.
BTW, if I had the $$$$$ to buy a block or two of city buildings, here's where I'd like to start. This stretch is amazingly intact, and Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church makes for a great neighborhood anchor IMHO.
I wouldn't mind having at least one of those 1950s cars in the picture either!
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I found this site with old pictures of St. Louis streetcars. I did a search of our board and didn't get a hit, so I thought i'd post the link.
http://davesrailpix.com/stl/stl.htm
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http://davesrailpix.com/stl/stl.htm
^^ One of the photos there gives specifications for the PCC streetcars. It says they operate on a 58 inch track guage but standard track guage is 56.5 inches. Am I missing something here? 
Sometimes I wish I lived Downtown in the 50's or 60's. It is depressing today.
They were Photoshopped out in 1964.
steve wrote:Where are the homeless people?
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migueltejada wrote:buhgmlubbuh::
sorry, I just threw up a bit in my mouth after seeing these and realizing how moronic city leaders were to get rid of these things. All in favor of overthrowing the city government and bringing back the gulfstream streetcars!?
I would really recommend reading the book: Cash, Tokens, and Transfers: A History of Urban Mass Transit in North America by Brian J. Cudahy. This gives you a really good history on the origins of the streetcars and how sentiment and ridership changed over the years.
Toronto and other cities were smart to keep their old streetcar systems while others flocked to newer buses. But we made lots of mistakes in St. Louis, giving up streetcars was just one of many.
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http://stltoday.mycapture.com/mycapture ... ryID=17311
The P-D has a slideshow on streetcars up at stltoday.
The P-D has a slideshow on streetcars up at stltoday.
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I have long wondered about that building. Sometime after the pic was taken- or long before??- it apparently served as Delmar High School but I haven't found anything on that yet.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 08256&z=18
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 08256&z=18