Nov 09 Newsletter[1].pub

Business Name
St. Louis Hills Block Captains Program—November 2009
Block Captain Chairs Report |
In This Issue
Block Capt.
Chair Report
1
16th Ward Report
2
Mutt Mitts
2
President’s Report
3
Important Phone #s
3
Annual Tree Lighting
4
Lighting Award Cmte.
4
6500 Murdoch Lights
4
Car Show Wrap Up
5
Flood Insurance
5
Chess Anyone?
6
Real Estate Update
6
Business Profile
7
In Memoriam
7
Nativity Mural
8
I-44 History
9
The 1960s in the Hills 10
Historic Sign Repair
11
St. Louis Hills History 10
Calendar
12
by Carol Wilson & Nancy Vordtriede
At the October 2009 St. Louis Hills
Neighborhood Association board meeting
we discussed an assault that had taken
place on the Hampton Village Target
parking lot. The emails that quickly
circulated throughout our community
alerted many of us to the incident and
prompted Second District Captain Ronnie
Robinson to attend our board meeting.
He was able not only to provide further
details of facts surrounding the crime,
but also to let us know that a suspect was
already in custody. Clearly we are
fortunate to have excellent communication within our police department and our
community.
As I listened to the discussion that night,
it occurred to me that we do not always
think much about what happens after the
suspect has been arrested. Sending a
message that we will not tolerate crime
in our neighborhood or in our city must
reverberate all the way through the
judicial process. Getting involved by
calling 911 when we see criminal or even
suspicious activity is crucial, but our civic
duty also requires us to serve as jurors
when called.
Since my husband has been a circuit
judge in St. Louis City for over 20 years, I
may be a bit more sensitive to the issue
of jury duty than the average citizen. I
am occasionally the recipient of the “Can
Judge Wilson get me out of jury duty?”
phone calls. Fortunately, those calls
come less frequently than they used to,
maybe partially because no one wants to
hear Tim’s standard lecture on the
importance of jury duty.
The next time your jury duty card comes
in the mail, please make every effort to
serve. Don’t make excuses like “I can’t
judge another human being,” “I have too
much to do at work,” or “They wouldn’t
want me anyway.” Those who don’t vote
can’t complain about the politicians who
serve them. Those who don’t serve as
jurors can’t complain about verdicts. If
you were accused of a crime, would you
want to be judged by a jury of honest,
fair, intelligent people or folks who were
not smart enough or sufficiently wellconnected to evade their responsibility?
Law enforcement officials can bring
suspects to the judicial system. They can
make arrests and testify in court, but
they need our help as jurors to make sure
the innocent (whether victim or suspect)
stay safe and the guilty are punished.
We hope to see you at the next
General Meeting at the Word of Life
gym at Jamieson and Eichelberger!
Date and time to be announced soon.
Write us! [email protected]
2
16th Ward Update |
by Donna Baringer, 16th Ward Alderwoman
St. Louis Hills citizens of all ages are invited to a brainstorming session for improvement opportunities for Francis Park. A design workshop will be held in the Bishop
DuBourg High School cafeteria on December 5, from 8:30 am to noon. The city has
assembled a local team of parks and recreation planning experts to develop a Master
Plan to guide future enhancements for Francis Park. The much-loved park provides
passive and active recreation for all ages and many special event opportunities. The
Master Planning process will help guide fundraising, grant writing, and allocation of
city funding. The plan will address realistic expectations for priority phasing and is
intended to be a road map for improvements over the next ten years.
The Master Plan will identify improvements for storm water function, security, lighting, lily pond restoration, walks, trails, natural areas, baseball and soccer fields, landscaping, tennis courts, playgrounds, and
other opportunities. When completed and funding is available, the plan will serve as an implementation
tool for the city, the Neighborhood Association, the Parks & Recreation Department, and the Forestry
Department. Each phase of work will require additional detailing and further study and will adhere to the
recommendations established by the Master Plan.
Francis Park is your park. Your input is important to the planning team. You can make a difference for
yourself, your families, and future generations of park users. Please come to the workshop or give your
suggestion today by e-mailing me at [email protected]. Please put “Francis Park Master Plan" in
the subject line.
Mutt Mitts—Did You Know? |
by Dave Ehnes
Did you know your Neighborhood Association spends over $3,000.00 a year for Mutt Mitt Bags in Francis
Park and Willmore Park? It’s just another way we keep our neighborhood parks clean & beautiful.
3
SLHNA President’s Report |
by Ken Crecelius
Why is our Neighborhood so strong? It’s because of all our residents who band together under the direction of the St. Louis Hills Neighborhood Association. These are
all volunteers who put in hundreds of hours each year to make our neighborhood the
best that it can be. Please consider joining our organization. For just $20 a year, here
is what you can help provide the neighborhood:
Annual events, such as the Gateway Cup bicycle race in Francis Park, Run for the Hills,
Art in the Park, Movies in the Park, the Christmas tree lighting, and our Christmas
dinner. All these events help us raise funds to spend money to improve Francis Park
and many other areas. Our dues also support the Gator Patrol in Francis Park, as well as ongoing communications with the Police Department regarding crime. Finally, our dues enable Alderwoman Donna Baringer
to have input on business development and residential issues.
All this for just $20 per year! Now, can’t you afford $20 for all this and to help strengthen our neighborhood? That’s the cost for a family to go to Ted Drewes.
For those of you who missed the Gateway Cup, Run for the Hills, or Art in the Park, you missed great
events. Both Run for the Hills and Art in the Park had more participation than last year, thanks to Mike
Banahan, Ann Layton, and Jamie Lenze. The bicycle race was so successful that we will be invited to
participate next year thanks to Peggy Stelzer. Don’t forget our Christmas tree lighting at Francis Park on
November 29 at and the Annual Christmas Party on December 5.
There are many ways to get involved from joining our Board to volunteering at an event. The Board meets
once a month and our General meetings are held every three months. If you have questions, would like to
join the SLHNA, or volunteer, please contact me at (314) 832-0385.
Important Neighborhood Phone Numbers
● Emergency: 911
● Non-emergency: 231-1212
● 2d Dist. Police Public Affairs Officer Don Veile
([email protected]): 444-0168
● 2d Dist. Police Commander Captain Ronnie
Robinson ([email protected]): 444-0120
● 16th Ward Alderwoman Donna Baringer
([email protected]): 641-8377
● Neighborhood Stabilization Officer Chris Howard
([email protected]): 657-1366
● Citizen Service Bureau (request city services):
622-4800
● Refuse Div. (dumpsters, roll out carts): 353-8877
4
10th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting |
by Rosemary Spitler
The St. Louis Hills Neighborhood
Association will host the 10th Annual
Christmas Tree Lighting in Francis
Park on Sunday evening, November
29, from 7-9 pm. The Blue Spruce
tree at the intersection of Nottingham and Childress will be lit. There
will be free horse drawn carriage
rides on Nottingham, and visits by
Santa and Mrs. Claus and their reindeer. Fredbird will appear courtesy
of the St. Louis Cardinals. No doubt
Fredbird will be up to his usual
antics! There will be complimentary
snacks and beverages for all attendees. Everyone is invited to join the
festivities!
Christmas Lighting Award Committee Volunteers |
by Michael McAteer
Summer is over and the weather is changing. Soon you will see the neighborhood lit up and that can only
mean one thing—Christmas season is finally here! Once again, I am looking for volunteers to serve on the
SLHNA Christmas Lighting Award Committee. If you enjoy walking or driving around the neighborhood
during the Christmas season, then I promise that you will not regret serving on the committee. If this
interests you, please send me an e-mail ([email protected]). Hope to hear from you.
Light Up the Neighborhood |
by Bob Klasek
The Holidays are upon us and it’s time to extend some cheer! The 6500 block of Murdoch will soon be
transformed into Candy Cane Lane. The magnificent light display will be lit every night through December. Drive or stroll through the winter wonderland on Friday and Saturday nights to enjoy the live entertainment and pick up a free candy cane. Join us around the fire pits! There is certainly no obligation, but
we are accepting charitable donations. We have scheduled a charity for each December weekend before
Christmas beginning with Adopt-A-Family, then the Salvation Army, complete with their Brass Band on
Saturday, December 12, and finishing with Back Bay Mission, an annual service project for Nerinx Hall High
School. We look forward to seeing you all on Murdoch!
5
St. Louis Hills Car Show Wrap Up|
by Nick Zervos
WOW! We had a very successful car show during Art in
the Park. I would like to thank all who participated. A
special thanks goes to Brad Arteaga for helping to coordinate and plan the show.
I’m grateful to all who donated items for our goodie
bags: Jeff Higgs of Premier Auto Storage, Tom & Linda
Bess of Bess Automotive, Dale Oestreich of Precision
Restorations, Hagerty Insurance, Gateway Classic Cars,
Carol Wilson of Prudential Realtors, James Dunphy of
American Family Insurance, and Carrollton Bank.
Thanks to all!
If you would like to display your car next year, or if
you want to donate anything for our goodie bags,
please call me at 352-7313 or email me at
[email protected].
Flood Insurance |
by Lance LeComb, Metropolitan Sewer District
The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) recently mailed letters to customers in St. Louis City and
St. Louis County who reside in a 100-year flood plain in an effort to educate these customers about flood
insurance.
Living in a 100-year flood plain means there is a one percent chance of overland flooding occurring in the
area in a given year. Depending on the exact location of a customer’s property, the risk could be higher.
MSD does not cover overland flooding under its insurance policies.
Customers who reside in flood plains should look into whether or not they need flood insurance. An
insurance company or agent could provide that information. The National
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) works with almost 90 private insurance
companies to offer flood insurance. This program is administered by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is a federal program.
Rates under NFIP are set and do not differ from company to company or agent
to agent.
For more information on flood insurance and NFIP, visit www.floodsmart.gov
or call 1-888-379-9531 or 1-888-435-6637.
6
Chess Anyone? |
by Rosemary Spitler
Since the National Chess Tournament was held in St. Louis in 2009, some
discussion was raised regarding the interest for chess in this area. As we
design future plans for Francis Park, we'd like to hear from neighborhood
chess (or checkers) players. For example, in New York's Central Park, there
are concrete chess tables set up for everyday use. Are you interested in
having similar tables set up in Francis Park? The St. Louis Hills Neighborhood
Association would like to hear from you. Please contact Rosemary Spitler at
352-4885 with your comments.
Hills Real Estate Update |
by Carol Wilson
True to form, while some real estate markets have stumbled and others have tumbled, St. Louis Hills has
managed to remain rather gracefully on its feet. We certainly are not seeing price increases over a year
ago, but the news isn’t exactly bad either. The information below has been gathered from the Multiple
Listing Service.
A look at single family homes in St. Louis Hills sold in the third quarters of 2008 and 2009 (July – September) yields the following information:
2008
2009
% Change
Number of homes sold:
Average price:
Average days on market:
18
$239,344
107
20
$253,080
77
+9%
+6%
-29%
A comparison of the first three quarters of 2008 and 2009 (January – September) also shows that price
changes in St. Louis Hills have not been dramatic.
2008
2009
% Change
Number of homes sold:
Average price:
Average days on market:
52
$247,661
117
39
$247,179
100
-25%
-.2%
-15%
So far this year, fewer homes have sold and property values have dropped slightly, but in general, homes
are selling more quickly. A few years ago when the real estate market was booming, sellers could afford to
price their homes for what they wanted or “needed.” Now the strategy must be more aggressive. Sellers
who review comparable homes that have sold within the past few months and price their homes accordingly have the best chance of finding a qualified buyer.
7
Joseph V. Neill—The Neighborhood Barrister |
by Steve Doss
“Mr. Doss (crackle, crackle) , your son was caught doing 70 in a 55.” The tell tale crackle of a police
radio— every parent’s joy. When my son came home (on his first night with the car), I said, “We will go
see Joe in the morning and you are paying for it.”
Joe Neill has had many parents at his door. The eighth child in a family of nine, he saw a lot and even did
a few things growing up in St. Roch’s Parish. His dad, a history professor at St. Louis University, pushed all
the children to attain a high level of education. Joe attended SLUH, SLU and SLU Law School. Four in his
family are attorneys with two currently sitting as St. Louis 22d Circuit Judges.
Joe hung his own shingle just six months out of law school at 2805 Chippewa. As an independent
practitioner, he has handled tickets, felonies, murder, civil cases (work injuries, auto accidents, and
equity), wills, estates, and probate. Having moved to Tamm Avenue in 1987 with his wife, Beth, his
practice followed in 1994 as he opened his current law office at 5201 Hampton. With his wife’s help, they
filled the house with three boys and a girl. The family has been regulars at St. Gabriel and SLUH events for
years. Joe has coached soccer for ten years at St. Gabriel.
Joe has also been active in politics for years in the city. He was elected by the Bar to serve on the 22d
Judicial Commission from 1986 to 1991. The commission interviews and recommends lawyers for judicial
appointments. Appointed by Governor Carnahan to the Board of Elections, Joe bravely held his ground
and fought to close the election polls on time (he won) during a planned effort to overrun the polls with
last minute questionable voters in the 2000 election. Currently, as an appointee of Mayor Slay, Joe is a
trustee on the Police Pension Board.
Whether you need legal advice or receive a wonderful call from the police some night, call Joe at 3531001. You don’t have to wait until your son gets caught streaking on the Arch grounds the night of his
senior prom (my son’s friend – not mine) to get to know him. It is always good to get to know your
neighborhood barrister first before you need him! Remember, support your local businesses.
Mister Bill |
by Neighborhood Resident
If you spent any time at the Service Star hardware
store trying to find that odd screw that no one
makes anymore, or asking how to do a job yourself
to save a little money, then you most certainly
talked to Mister Bill. His last name was irrelevant,
as it was always Mister Bill to everyone. Greeting
everyone with a smile and eagerness to help by
rubbing his hands together in anticipation, Mister
Bill, as he was called by everyone, loved working
at the store. It never mattered to Mister Bill if
you spent fifty cents or fifty dollars, he wanted to
help you. His free time at work revolved around
the daily trip to Amoco to talk with the station
attendant, as well as, his many lunches at Tumo’s
restaurant. Mister Bill liked to socialize and you
could see that when he told you a joke or talked
about the Cardinals, Blues, and Rams.
The past year or so, everyone missed talking to
Mister Bill at the store. His physical limitations
finally caught up to him and was unable to work.
There was not a time that I did not go into the
store for something this past year and ask how
Mister Bill was doing. I always got the same
response, “He’s doing fine but really misses being
at the store.” Sadly enough, last month, Mister
Bill quietly passed away at his home. He was a
young 48. For each of us that had the pleasure of
knowing Bill, realize that he will certainly be
missed. It’s characters like Mister Bill that made
Service Star a neighborhood store and kept
everyone coming back.
8
Nativity Scene on St. Louis Hills Home Treasured by Many |
by Priscilla Buehrlen DeGuire
A number of individuals have expressed an interest in the status of a mural displayed every Christmas
season on the home located at 6300 Devonshire. The mural, which depicts a nativity scene, is located on
the east wall facing Prague of the home owned by Jennifer and Scott LaPresta and their three children.
The LaPrestas purchased their home in September 2007 from the Burke family, one of four previous
owners, and moved in early November 2007. The mural was not displayed that year. “When we returned
from visiting my family in Louisiana for Thanksgiving, there were back-to-back ice storms, and we sadly
were not able to display it,” explained Jennifer.
“There were a number of inquiries regarding the mural when we didn’t display it in 2007,” recalled Scott,
who knew of the mural prior to moving in the house. “One person even asked if he could purchase the
mural if we weren’t going to continue displaying it,” he explained. “We assured all those concerned that
it would return once we were settled in our home.”
Last year the LaPrestas hired a truck with a lift to
display the mural. The mural is approximately six feet
by ten feet in diameter and weighs in excess of 100
pounds. The lighting for the mural is connected through
the LaPrestas’ bedroom closet. “We are looking into
other, more attractive ‘spotlight” options,’” according
to Jennifer.
The Burke family purchased the home in July 1961. The
family thought the brickwork was a little strange on that
side of the house and, in 1972, decided to have Ted
Wood, a family friend, who studied fine arts at Saint
Louis University paint the mural. Wood painted for
weeks in the garage with makeshift heating and lighting.
Wood has become quite successful and is a professor of
fine arts at SLU. The original painting was completed
using oil paint with a clear coat on multiple pieces of
Masonite and held together by duct tape until several
years later when it was modified to its current size and
framing.
“The painting is in need of cleaning and needs a clear
coating applied,” noted Jennifer. During the year, the
mural is stored in the family’s garage on a storage cart
they recently constructed to make it easier to install
and store.
3121 Watson Road at Arsenal
Lunch Wed.-Fri./DinnerTues.-Sun.
www.lorussos.com—314-647-6222
9
50 Years Ago—Time’s Running Out—Interstate 44 |
At the beginning of the 20th century, a system of
national highways was considered to link both large
and small cities from coast to coast. The Federal
Highway Acts of 1938 and 1944 chartered a network
of routes. State agencies and the Department of
Defense made plans, but no funds were authorized,
so progress was slow. In 1953, President Eisenhower
well understood the value of highways for our
national defense as well and to answer the needs of
Americans wanting mobility and convenience traveling in the modern post-war era. 1954 brought us the
Highway Act that finally funded construction of the
Interstate Highway System. On August 13, 1956,
Missouri authorized the first contract, a section of
I-70 in St Charles County. Soon after, plans were
made to replace Highway 66 with I-44. Highway 66
went through St Louis along Chouteau, Gravois,
Chippewa and Watson and was increasingly crowded
with cars and trucks traveling East and West of St.
Louis. No one doubted that the new highway system
would benefit travel. Families with sleek new cars
of the 50’s were ready to cruise at higher speeds to
reach vacation destinations. St Louis Hills would be
near the new I-44. What could go wrong? Well, the
Interstate had to be built somewhere, and buildings
and people would have to be displaced. In late 1958
or early 1959, the St Louis Hills Homeowners’
Association learned that one of the routes would
slice through St Louis Hills. Proposed Route “B” was
to run from Kenrick Seminary, east through Hillsland
and Plainview, cross Chippewa at Lansdowne, and
continue along Lansdowne. A wide swath of our
homes and businesses would be demolished. The
highway was to go under Chippewa with a large
interchange at Jamieson. Hillsland, HiView, Plainview and Lansdowne would be gone with the new
highway running in a depression. The North side of
6400 Devonshire and part of 6300 Devonshire would
be gone. Suddenly this new highway wasn’t so
great. Twelve St Louis Hills residents started The St
Louis Hills Property Owners Liaison Group to fight
Route “B.” The tag line on their correspondence
was “Time is Running Out.”
An October 15, 1958 article in the Post-Dispatch
said that Route “A” had been approved. The
affected cities and residents fought this, too. This
opposition brought on the proposal for Route “B.”
The St Louis Hills committee unanimously
by Paul Ritter
voted in June 1959 to exert every effort to avert
the approval of Route “B.” The “Taxpayers
Protective Association” was formed in the county
to fight Route “B.” Letter writing began.
Meetings were held on parking lots and at
churches. Block Captains went into action. Public
Service buses were arranged to transport residents to Kiel Auditorium to attend a public hearing on Dec 10, 1959. While the total construction cost of building either route was not yet
complete, it was known that Route “B” would
run through largely unimproved areas, taking
fewer but more expensive homes. Many of the
homes were only five years old. Route “A” would
take more but less expensive homes. Opponents
of each route presented their reasons for choosing or not choosing each route. It appeared that
Route “B” may be less expensive. After all factors were considered, the Missouri State Highway
Commission approved Route “A.” Only in early
1973 was I-44 completed within the City limits.
Our thanks to the original Hills Liaison Group and
all others who joined in this effort to save our
neighborhood some fifty years ago. The History
Committee welcomes any additional information,
comments, or memories of this issue. Copies of
documents used for this article will be preserved
by the History Committee.
10
The Start of the 60s in St. Louis Hills |
by Ron (Johnny Rabbitt) Elz, Host of Route 66 and
Talk Host on News Radio 1120 KMOX
As we quietly departed the ‘50s and slipped into
1960, the tornado that hit our town at 2 am on February 10, 1959 was fresh in the minds of St. Louis
Hills residents as they remained thankful to have
been spared the destructive force that smashed into
the Central West End and farther north. The nearest
major reminders were what little remained of the
KTVI Channel 2 tower on Berthold Avenue just off
Hampton Avenue when the tower toppled, as did
one of the two metal ornamental “towers” on the
west side of the Arena. A bit farther along the tornado’s path, a new entertainment area called Gaslight Square was coming to life as the area rebuilt
and reshaped itself as all neighborhoods must for
any number of reasons. For more on that area
please visit the website listed at the end of this article.
Our area entertainment venues included movie
houses the Roxy on Lansdowne, the Avalon on S.
Kingshighway, the Columbia on Southwest, and the
Granada and the Crest on Gravois. The Kingsland on
Gravois was temporarily closed. The Macklind on
Arsenal and the Ivanhoe on Ivanhoe were shuttered
permanently. We had the Hi-Lands miniature golf
course and golf driving range on Chippewa and
bowling alleys such as Stein Brothers Bowl on Hampton, Bowl Mor lanes on Gravois, Epiphany Lanes on
Ivanhoe Avenue, and Magdalen Center Lanes on S.
Kingshighway. Oakland Avenue, which wasn’t all
that far away, offered bowling at Arena Bowl,
countless events of all types at The Arena, midget
auto races, rodeos, etc., at Oakland Stadium (the
former Walsh Stadium), and of course the incomparable Forest Park Highlands with rides such as the
Comet, the Flying Turns, Dodgems, the electric
boats, the ferris wheel, the miniature train, the airplane ride, the carousel (now at Faust Park), and
the spook house. The Highlands also had a shooting
gallery, penny arcade, a great swimming pool, and
dancing, too. Just across Macklind Avenue from the
eastern part of the Comet roller coaster was Missouri Stables at 5200 Berthold Avenue where you
could rent a horse. And there was Bob Walton’s
Kiddie Land on Mardel Avenue that had Shetland
ponies for rent.
Our little corner of the city offered the nearby full
service Southtown Famous-Barr Department store at
the NE corner of Kingshighway and Chippewa that
had just about everything downtown Famous had,
when downtown Famous had just about everything.
Southtown even had a first rate restaurant named
the Mississippi Room. Some of the red granite panels
from the lower Southtown façade are now on the
building that houses Mama Mia Spaghetteria and
Bellon Wrecking at Vandeventer and Chouteau Avenues. The Hampton Village Shopping Center had the
main section that we still have plus a similarly
styled strip of shops on the north side of the 5800
block of Chippewa and another of shops and offices
on the west side of the 4200 block of Hampton. In
1960 the west strip offered Caswell’s Cocktail
Lounge, Harmony Music Shop, Stephen Sweetin’s
Floor Coverings, Sherwin-Williams paint, Village
Curtain Shop, Hampton Village Laundromat, and
Hampton Cleaners. It also had several offices including Security National Life Insurance. In the
building on the north side of Chippewa, there were
Johnnie Brock’s Greeting Cards and Gifts, Williams
Fabrics, Dependahl’s Shoes, Gorman & Raab, Hampton Cleaners, Edith’s Specialty Shop, Penrose Shoes,
Weiler’s Mens Wear, and Mrs. St. Louis Maternity
Apparel.
The main section of Hampton Village, called Hampton Village Plaza, was the first modern shopping
center in St. Louis with extensive parking. It
housed Bettendorf’s, once billed as the World’s
Largest Supermarket and one of that chain’s eleven
stores. Their motto was “Where Shopping Is A Pleasure.” There was also J. C. Penney, the only store
that remains from the time the center started. The
building at the east end of the Plaza housed an S. S.
Kresge 5 to a Dollar store, Walgreen’s Drugs, The
Sidney Shop, Anatel’s Women’s Clothes, Thomas
Garland’s Women’s Clothes, and Libson’s Ladies
Wear. Upstairs there were 54 doctors in the Medical
Center. There was no free standing restaurant there
in 1960, but Walgreen’s had a soda fountain and
restaurant and Bettendorf’s offered a large lunch
counter. I’ll vouch for the tuna salad on toast and
chocolate malt at Walgreen’s and the Bar B Q beef
on a bun at Bettendorf’s.
Continued on page 11
11
The Start of the 60s in St. Louis Hills continued...
The St. Louis Hills area of 1960 did have quite a few dining and snacking establishments including White
Castle at the SW corner of Chippewa and Hampton. Others along Chippewa included Bill Hoppe’s (Hop Into
Hoppe’s) at 6034, Stan Musial & Biggie’s at 6435, Velvet Freeze at 6489, Paul’s Drive In at 6500, Mittino’s
Shangri-La At 6600, Truman’s Grill at 6619, Steak & Shake at 6622, The Parkmoor at 6701,Ted Drewes at
6726), Oreste Caudera’s at 6725, Moellinger’s Pastry Shop at 6735, Red Sleigh restaurant at 6997, and
Louisa Seibert’s restaurant at 7014 . Next visit we’ll drop in on more neighborhood dining spots, watering
holes, grocery stores, and other businesses around St. Louis Hills from that wonderful year 1960. Hope you
enjoyed our trip back in time.
For more information please visit my “Inside St. Louis” column at www.antiquewhs.com with a current
article on O’Connell’s Pub and Gaslight Square. You may be interested in the book “Tower Grove” by
Mark Abbott and Kerri Bonasch with a foreward by yours truly.
Historic River Des Peres Sign Restored |
On October 10, a small group of St. Louis
Hills residents and others from various
locations in the City and County spent about
three hours restoring the historical WPA
(Works Progress Administration) sign located
about one mile east of Chippewa. The sign
was part of the WPA (renamed in 1939 to the
Work Projects Administration), employed
almost eight million people, and was the
largest of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal
agencies. The WPA provided jobs and income
to the unemployed during the Great Depression.
The volunteer workers who rebuilt the sign
were Jane Tayon, Dave Kloud, Wendy Barnes,
Theodore Smith, John and Dan Burghoff, Dan
McDonald, and Rick and Nick Palank.
by Rick Palank
12
Calendar of Events |
compiled by Steve Pariani
November
25
St. Mark’s Ecumenical Thanksgiving Prayer Service. Non-perishable food donations welcome. 7 pm.
Call 832-3588.
29
SLHNA Christmas Tree Lighting at Francis Park. 7 pm.
December
5
Hope UCC breakfast with Santa. Call 353-2288 for details.
5
SLHNA Christmas Party at St. Raphael’s Gym. Members only. 7 pm.
8
Babysitting 101 class taught by St. Louis Children’s Hospital at St. Gabriel’s meeting room. 9 am-1 pm.
Call 353-6303 for info and to register.
8
Christmas Concert at Bishop DuBourg gym. Call 832-3030 for info and time.
13
Hope UCC Annual Christmas Homemade Cookie Sale. Call 353-2288 for info and time.
18
Free Movie Nights at St. Mark’s. 7:30 pm 3d Friday of each month starting Dec. 18-May 21 in the
Parish Hall. All films are rated PG. Call 832-3588 for info.
20
Hope UCC Christmas Music Program with Choir. 4 pm.
24
St. Mark’s Christmas Eve Service featuring singer/songwriter Lydia Ruffin. 5 pm. 11 pm service
features choir and new pipe organ, preceded by concert of organ and carols.
January
no events scheduled as of publication
February
6
Trivia Night at Bishop DuBourg. Call 832-3030 for info. 7 pm.
7
Blood Drive at St. Gabriel’s cafeteria. 9 am-2 pm.
13
Mouse Races at St. Raphael’s Gym. Call Kathy at 636-537-4588 for info and reservations.
21
Archdiocesan Secondary Band Festival at Bishop DuBourg. Call 832-3030.
28
Archdiocesan Elementary Band Festival at Bishop DuBourg. Call 832-3030.
28
“Festibell” Hand bell festival at Ascension Word of Life Gym. Call 832-5600 for info. 4 pm.
Hills St. News is a quarterly publication of the St. Louis Hills Neighborhood Association’s Block Captains Program. Our address is PO Box 190314, St. Louis, MO 631196314. Our email address is [email protected].
Editor | Julie Haines
Block Captains Committee Co-Chairs | Nancy Vordtriede & Carol Wilson
Block Captains Committee | Brad Arteaga, Bee Danback, Dave Ehnes, Kathy Fernandez, Morty Jones, Bob Klasek, Steve Pariani, Carolyn Schainker, Chris Sexton, and
Herb Wuertz