Name: Route 66 St. Louis Style
Brand: Joseph R. Sonderman
SKU: 9781467160575
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Route 66 St. Louis Style

9781467160575

$24.99

For Route 66 to become the most famous highway in history, it had to pass through the "Gateway to the West." St. Louis is the largest city between Chicago and Los Angeles, and "St. Louee" comes first on the list of those that Nat King Cole and many other artists sang out on "(Get Your Kicks) on Route 66." The highway took a maze of different routes, including crossing the greatest of rivers on a bridge with a bend right in the middle. The roadside was lined with flashing neon, classic diners and gas stations where attendants provided speedy service. Also, there were classic amusement parks, drive-in theaters, a man selling frozen custard from a building adorned with wooden icicles, and a motel with a racy but beloved reputation.
Joe Sonderman is a St. Louis area radio personality and traffic reporter who has been writing books on Route 66 for 15 years. Since that first work, he has been collecting Route 66 postcards and photographs, some never published before, along with new research on the paths Route 66 took through the area to come up with an entirely new look at Route 66 St. Louis Style .

Route 66 in Missouri

9781467102667

$24.99

Route 66 is the "Main Street of America," heralded in song and popular culture. It took a maze of different routes through St. Louis before slashing diagonally across the "Show-Me State" through the beauty of the Ozarks. In between, there are classic motels, diners, tourist traps, and gas stations bathed in flashing and whirling neon lights. Natural wonders include crystal-clear streams, majestic bluffs, and wondrous caverns. Roadside marketers concocted legends about Jesse James, painted advertisements on barns, lived with deadly snakes, or offered curios such as pottery and handwoven baskets. That spirit is alive today at the Wagon Wheel and the Munger-Moss, the Mule, Meramec Caverns, and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, just to name a few. Their stories are included here.

St. Louis

9781467104616

$24.99

Founded as a humble trading post along the Mississippi River 250 years ago, St. Louis has since grown into a thriving metropolis. It appears to be a calm city, but like the mighty Mississippi, it has powerful undercurrents. Known as the "Gateway to the West," St. Louis was a port city and home to many manufacturing businesses making everything from shoes to ships. St. Louis, though, is perhaps best known for its breweries and distilleries. St. Louis: Out and About in the Gateway City captures the energy of people bustling along the street, dining out and going to movies, hopping a trolley, swimming, picnicking, clip-clopping along in horse and carriage, ice skating, or driving an automobile. It also touches upon issues of the day that had to be overcome-suffrage, the Great Depression, and civil rights, to name a few-and shows the resilient spirit of the people of St. Louis.

Cover image for St. Louis, isbn: 9781467104616

Route 66 in St. Louis

9780738552163

$24.99

In 1926, highway planners laid out a ribbon of roadways connecting the nation. One of the most important wove its way across eight states, from the cities of the heartland to golden California. In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck calls it "the Mother Road." Route 66 has become a legend, celebrated in books, movies, works of art, and popular music. The interstates could not kill it. As "the Main Street of America," Route 66 had to pass through "the Gateway to the West," St. Louis. Crossing the Mississippi River, the road took many different paths through the busy city and then united to travel into the rolling hills of the Ozarks. Along the way there were mom-and-pop motels, tourist traps, roadside restaurants, a man selling frozen custard, one living with snakes, and another who claimed to be Jesse James. Their stories are here.

St. Louis

9780738561479

$24.99

For seven months in 1904, St. Louis was the greatest city on earth. Millions flocked to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition to behold the inventions of the early 20th century. Many saw electric lights, automobiles, aircraft, and moving pictures for the first time. At a time when few traveled more than a couple miles from home, visitors encountered the people and cultures of faraway lands. It was an educational experience, a "university of mankind." The Pike offered amusement rides, wild animal displays, and fanciful trips through the Hereafter and Creation exhibits. Fairgoers visited the Alps, the North Pole, Russia, and Paris and witnessed famous battles. Everyone wanted to ride the great Observation Wheel. There were hootchy-kootchy dancers and wonderful new foods, such as the ice-cream cone. But it was all temporary, a dream city made to last only a few months. With the exception of today's St. Louis Art Museum, the grand palaces are gone. St. Louis: The 1904 World's Fair tells the story of the greatest Victorian-era world's fair since the lights of the fair faded over a century ago, while also examining the fair's legacies and legends.

Early Kansas City, Missouri

9780738590967

$24.99

In 1821, François Chouteau set up a fur-trading outpost along the Missouri River, bringing the first settlement of Europeans to what would become Kansas City, named after the Kansa tribe of Native Americans who inhabited the area. At the center of a growing nation, the "City on the Bluff" would build and thrive as a river town, a gateway to the West, and a railroad hub, absorbing the influences of pioneers and immigrants traveling through or making it their home. Striving to become "A City Beautiful," its parks and boulevards drew attention from around the world. These are the beginnings of a town carved out of a hillside in the wilderness, transformed into an exciting metropolis that would eventually be called home by Walt Disney, Ernest Hemingway, Jesse James, and many others who left a lasting mark on history.

The Steamer Admiral

9781467125086

$24.99 $12.50 Save 50%

John Streckfus began his small Acme Company in 1889 with one wooden packet boat, the steamer Verne Swain, out of Rock Island, Illinois, carrying people and goods on the Mississippi River. His business grew, but each year brought competition from the growing railroads. He decided that excursion boats were the only way to compete. He built the steamer J.S. in 1901 and "tramped" her from town to town offering excursions and dance cruises. By 1910, the company comprised four boats and an office in St. Louis and offered excursion cruises on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The flagship, the steamer Admiral, was far above the others. She provided excursions, fun, and memories for almost 40 years.

Lake of the Ozarks

9780738507187

$24.99

Seventy years ago in the Ozarks of southern Missouri, Bagnell Dam was built across the Osage River, creating the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks. Using over 200 images and in- depth captions, author H. Dwight Weaver takes readers back to the origins of this man-made treasure and the towns that surround it. Construction on Bagnell Dam began in 1929, employing thousands of men during the Great Depression. Inundation of the Osage River valley destroyed the area's most fertile farmlands, covered numerous historic sites, and even destroyed Linn Creek, the county seat. But the development also created new towns and a new economy. The images in this new book follow the growth of towns along U.S. Highway 54, including Eldon, Tuscumbia, Bagnell, Osage Beach, and Linn Creek, through the Depression, World War Two, and finally the booming 1950s.

Forest Park

9781467125802

$24.99

At 1,293 acres, Forest Park exceeds the size of New York's Central Park by nearly 500 acres, and within are lakes, hills, wetlands, woodlands, and bountiful recreational opportunities. Within a few decades of its 1876 opening, Forest Park became the host for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, as well as the 1904 Summer Olympics. Known as the "Heart of St. Louis," the park features amazing attractions, such as the Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, The Muny, and the Saint Louis Science Center. Millions of Americans have come to Forest Park for world-class festivities and for celebrations of heroes, from Lewis and Clark to explorers of outer space. Today, the park continues to host remarkable events, including Fair St. Louis, Earth Day, Shakespeare in the Park, and LouFest.

St. Louis's The Hill

9781467112215

$24.99

The Hill was named for its proximity to the highest point in St. Louis. Italians, mainly from Northern Italy, immigrated to the area starting in the late 1800s; however, by 1910, Sicilians were also immigrating to the Hill. Agencies in Italy were employed by mining companies and other industries to help Italian citizens gather all the required documentation for immigration. Italians came to the Hill because of its proximity to the factory and the mines and because it was a district that allowed them to purchase land and build a home. The Parish of St. Ambrose was founded 1903. After the original church was destroyed by fire, the new church was completed in 1926. The Hill has been home to some of St. Louis's nationally known residents, including baseball heroes Joe Garagiola and Lawrence "Yogi" Berra.

Cover image for St. Louis's The Hill, isbn: 9781467112215

St. Charles

9780738561059

$24.99

In 1769, French Canadian fur trader Louis Blanchette built a cabin on the Missouri River in what is today St. Charles. He called the settlement Les Petites Cotes, or the little hills. Other now famous explorers soon passed this way, including Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who began their expedition here in 1804 to explore the Louisiana Purchase territory. Daniel Boone forged a path through St. Charles along the Boone's Lick Trail, which later joined the Santa Fe Trail and then the Oregon Trail. Today St. Charles hosts many annual events to celebrate its rich history and transport visitors to the past. However, the site of Missouri's first state capitol has not survived without tragedy and an occasional natural disaster, including a cholera epidemic, tornadoes, floods, and a couple of disastrous railroad bridge accidents.

Missouri in World War I

9781467105132

$24.99

The state of Missouri played a unique role in World War I-as the birthplace of Gen. John J. Pershing, the commanding officer of the American Expeditionary Forces, and Maj. Gen. Enoch Crowder, the primary author of the military draft-and it is an impressive legacy featuring a colorful cast of characters, events, and communities. Missouri was home to two flying aces of the war as well as Bennett Champ Clark, the youngest colonel in the American Expeditionary Forces and the first national commander of the American Legion. During the war, the state was home to farms and ranches that provided an army of mules that assisted Allied forces in hauling critical materials and equipment in the harshest of conditions. Additionally, 156,000 of the state's citizens served in the military with approximately 10,000 wounded or killed in action.

Route 66 in the Missouri Ozarks

9780738560304

$24.99

Route 66 in the Missouri Ozarks picks up the journey west where its companion book, Route 66 in St. Louis, leaves off. As Bobby Troup's song says, Route 66 travels "more than 2,000 miles all the way." But one would be hard-pressed to "Show Me" a more scenic and historic segment than the Missouri Ozarks. The highway is lined with buildings covered with distinctive Ozark rock. It winds through a region of deep forests, sparkling streams, hidden caves, and spectacular bluffs. This book will take the traveler from Crawford County to the Kansas line. Along the way, there are small towns and urban centers, hotels and motels, cafés and souvenir stands. Take the time to explore Missouri's Route 66--it is waiting at the next exit.

St. Louis:

9780738561097

$7.99

These images illustrate the people, the events, and the everyday scenes that make up the fair's story.

Route 66 in the Missouri Ozarks

9780738560397

$7.99

Route 66 boasts a rich history.

Missouri Botanical Garden

9780738590585

$24.99

One of St. Louis's premier cultural institutions, the Missouri Botanical Garden has grown from the dream of businessman and philanthropist Henry Shaw to a National Historic Landmark and world-renowned center for science, conservation, education, and horticultural display. Enlisting the help of some of the most famous botanists of his time, Shaw planted and opened the garden to the public in 1859. The photographs in this book chronicle the dynamic history of the Missouri Botanical Garden and the men and women who have continued Shaw's legacy for over 150 years.

Forest Park Highlands

9780738551623

$24.99

Forest Park Highlands was once St. Louis's largest and best-known amusement park. In its earliest years, the Highlands boasted a fine theater and one of the largest public swimming pools in the United States. After the 1904 world's fair closed, several attractions found a new home at the Highlands; the large pagoda--a re-creation of the temple of Nekko, Japan--served as the park's bandstand for several years. Roller coasters are the lifeline of every good amusement park, and the Highlands always had two. The end came for the Highlands in a spectacular fire that decimated almost the entire park on July 19, 1963. Only the Comet roller coaster, the Ferris wheel, the Dodgems, the carousel, and the Aero Jets survived. Forest Park Highlands covers other historic amusement parks in St. Louis as well, starting with the earliest, West End Heights, and ending with Holiday Hill, the last remaining park.

Downtown St. Louis

9780738508160

$24.99

St. Louis, a vibrant and bustling community, has long been dependent on the Mississippi River for trade and commerce, travel, and migration. Within the past century the city's downtown neighborhood has experienced the growth and change that has shaped this Midwestern city into one of the most notable cities in America. Downtown St. Louis is illustrated with over 200 vintage images that present a history as diverse as the residents of the area. Authors Albert Montesi and Richard Deposki survey St. Louis's downtown area, from a pioneer settlement as a fur trading post, to a major American city. Prosperity, decline, and finally renewal are many of the faces worn during the evolution of this unique city.

St. Louis Union Station

9780738519838

$24.99

When St. Louis' Union Station opened to the public in 1894, nearly 10,000 people gathered to celebrate. What they saw rivaled famed stations in the East, with its barrel-vaulted ceiling, sweeping archways, and Tiffany stained-glass windows. Modeled after the walled city of Carcassone, France, Union Station was one of the busiest in the world during its heyday. Follow the history of this great architectural triumph from its original glory days through its demise and rebirth. The days of rail transportation come to life in more than 200 historic images, from steam engines hissing into the 11-acre train shed, to the perky smiles of the renowned "Harvey Girls." Union Station is also seen here as tens of thousands of passengers a day dwindled to mere hundreds. As the automobile and airplane gained momentum in the 1950s and 60s, railroading lost popularity and St. Louis' Union Station fell into disrepair and eventually closed. Now restored to its original splendor, Union Station is again a bustling center of urban entertainment and activity.

Independence

9780738552194

$24.99

Founded in 1827 as the county seat of Jackson County, Independence, "Queen City of the Trails," prospered through outfitting pioneers as they began the journey west on the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails. The city persisted through various travails: a bloody war over slavery, fought between the Kansas Jayhawkers and the Missouri Bushwhackers; the rise of William Quantrill; the enforcement of the infamous Order No. 11; and Civil War action on the town square. By 1900, Independence was a prosperous community, the location of the headquarters of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (renamed the Community of Christ), and the hometown of a young man who became the 33rd president of the United States--Harry S. Truman. This book illustrates the history of Independence in more than 200 vintage images, detailing the people, businesses, churches, schools, organizations, and events that played important roles in the city's past.

St. Louis Olympics, 1904

9780738523293

$24.99

The first American Olympics, held in 1904 in St. Louis, were a vigorous spectacle suited to an energetic and confident nation. The games were wrested away from rival city Chicago and appended to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair. Athletes came from eleven countries and four continents to compete in state-of-the-art facilities, which included a 10,000-seat stadium with gymnasium equipment donated by sporting goods magnate Albert Spalding. St. Louis Olympics, 1904 corrects common misperceptions and presents a fresh view of the games that featured first-time African American Olympians, an eccentric marathon, and documentation by pioneering photojournalist Jessie Tarbox Beals.

Webster Groves

9781467113656

$24.99

Drive down almost any street in Webster Groves and one is filled with a sense of timelessness. Entire neighborhoods are in the National Register of Historic Places, and there are lovingly preserved century homes, beautiful old churches, avenues lined with gardens, and shopping districts more reminiscent of small-town America than a thriving suburb next door to the city of St. Louis. History runs deep here, as it is home to the first chapter of the Red Cross and the first Boy Scout Troop west of the Mississippi, the oldest women's organization in Missouri, the first professional fire department, and the first public library in St. Louis County. North Webster once held the only accredited high school for African American students in St. Louis County. Beginning as a site of country homes for St. Louis professionals, growing through a post-World War II boom that expanded into new neighborhoods, Webster Groves has remained true to its heritage and history.

Southwest Missouri Mining

9780738507644

$24.99

The southwest corner of Missouri made fortunes for many early settlers to the area, and created an economic boom rivaling the Gold Rush. In this new book, author Jerry Pryor creates a pictorial history of the efforts of those who staked everything on the chance of striking a fortune underground in the land west of the Mississippi. As early as the first Native American occupation of the region, mining for ore had always been an essential aspect of life in southwestern Missouri. In the mid-19th century, mining towns sprung up like weeds, with early wanderers hearing tales of fortunes made, sometimes accidentally, while plowing fields rich in ore. Joplin, Webb City, Carterville, and Oronogo all have origins in the mining camps that eventually grew into booming towns and cities. Soon this rich belt of mining land fostered a variety of lifestyles, ranging from the poor man's attempt to support his family under difficult and frightening conditions, to entrepreneurs such as Alfred H. Rogers, who organized the Southwest Missouri Electric Railway Company, the largest inter-city system west of the Mississippi.

Chesterfield

9781467124393

$24.99

Arriving in 1815 by boat at Howell's Landing off the Missouri River was Chesterfield's founder, Col. Justus Post. Chesterfield, Missouri, is a distinct city because it did not grow from a single named community like most. It was once six separate towns, each with its own post office. The history of these communities and families that lived in them interweave to make a remarkable story that still lives on in the city of Chesterfield. Since the beginning, the town has strived to serve its community with exceptional schools, places of worship, public services, and businesses. The railroad, steamboats, and later the airport aided the economy, and the city began to thrive. Chesterfield became incorporated in 1988 with the support of many, including the chamber of commerce, businesses, renowned schools, and dedicated citizens. The city continues to grow because of the seeds that were planted over two centuries ago. The rich history is embedded in the people, streets, and buildings that stand today.

Lake of the Ozarks

9780738561066

$7.99

Lake of the Ozarks boasts a rich history.

Old Jamestown

9781467160209

$23.99

Old Jamestown is an unincorporated CDP (Census Designated Place) in far north St. Louis County, Missouri. Its fascinating history includes a Native American settlement associated with the prehistoric Cahokia Mounds in Illinois, land-grant holders of English and Scottish heritage who arrived in the late 1700s, German immigrant farmers who came during the 1800s, and prominent families who arrived in the mid-1900s. With only two miles separating the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers just north of Old Jamestown, its ferries once provided connections from St. Louis and Florissant to St. Charles County and Illinois. Today, Old Jamestown includes residential subdivisions and nonprofit organizations, but much of it retains its rural ambiance because its karstic topography limits development.

Drury University

9781467109673

$23.99

On September 25, 1873, Dr. Nathan Jackson Morrison, the first president of Drury College, stood in the second-story window of an unfinished building and rang a borrowed boardinghouse dinner bell to announce the opening of the school. The six faculty members and thirty-nine students in attendance that day had to share the simple brick structure with carpenters and plasterers, and the isolated campus consisted of a few hardscrabble acres of prairie dotted with hazel brush and hickory saplings. Today, Drury University sits upon a 90-acre campus and has over 2,200 undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students. The school has a vibrant and innovative academic program, a strong tradition in athletics, and over 30,000 living alumni. For 150 years, Drury University has stood as an institution that blends liberal learning and professional studies in the heart of the Missouri Ozarks.

St. Charles

9780738591148

$24.99

Incorporated in 1809, St. Charles has distinguished itself as a historically significant city with a small-town feel. Located on the banks of the Missouri River, St. Charles has been called the "Williamsburg of the West." Repurposed buildings draw thousands of visitors each year, yet the city's historical importance is more than streets and structures. St. Charles was the scene of notable events, including the 1804 launching of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's exploration of the Missouri River and land in the Louisiana Purchase. The first state capital was located here from 1821 until 1826. Pioneer Daniel Boone settled here and helped create Boone's Lick Trail. It became a major artery for settlers, leading to the development of the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. In 1956, the first section of the Interstate Highway System opened in St. Charles.

Kirkwood

9781467110044

$24.99

In St. Louis in the 1850s, citizens were tiring of the crowded and unhealthy conditions of urban living, but there were few convenient alternatives for those who worked in the city. When the Pacific Railroad decided to build a line through an outlying area then known as Collins Station, Hiram Leffingwell and Richard Elliott seized an opportunity and bought the surrounding land. Using Leffingwell's experience in planning additions to the city, he and Elliott developed the first planned suburban community west of the Mississippi River. The area was named Kirkwood after the chief engineer for the Pacific Railroad, James Kirkwood, who chose the railroad's route. Kirkwood officially incorporated in 1865. Today, it is still referred to as the "Queen of the Suburbs" for its housing stock, convenient transportation, shopping, and excellent schools.

Cover image for Kirkwood, isbn: 9781467110044

Joplin

9781467110723

$24.99

When lead was first discovered in southwestern Missouri around 1830, it had little value, and zinc, called "black jack," was discarded as waste. After the Civil War, mining camps sprang up along the Joplin Creek Valley, which was named for Methodist circuit rider Rev. Harris G. Joplin. As the mining camps merged into neighborhoods and zinc increased in value, Joplin was quickly coined "the city that jack built." Known for being a rowdy boomtown, it was said that Joplin had a bar on every corner and a church across the street. Many early settlers came to Joplin seeking their fortunes in the mines, while others came to make their fortunes off of the miners.

Florissant

9780738532554

$24.99

The first civil government in Florissant was established in 1786, three years before the United States adopted its constitution and George Washington was elected the country's first president. French farmers and fur trappers looked upon the land and called it the "Valle Fleurissant"-which is to say, "the flowering or fertile valley." The community remained small until after World War II. Between 1950 and 1980, the population grew from 3,737 to 76,754. Today the community strives to preserve its proud heritage and build on the strength of its diverse population. The historic images in this book illustrate the city's founding and development, from the first French settlers to the post World War II building boom to the exciting new city of today.

Kansas City

9780738534480

$24.99

Since 1803, when York, a slave in the Lewis and Clark expedition, stood on the bluffs overlooking Kansas City, African Americans have contributed to the city's rich history. Men and women like Tom Bass, Emily Fisher, Sam Sheperd, and Hiram Young built the region in slavery and in freedom. Musicians such as Julie Lee, Bennie Moten, Joe Turner, and Count Basie turned Kansas City into a jazz mecca in the 1920s and '30s. The professional class made their voice heard with the establishment of the Kansas City Monarchs baseball team, the Kansas City Call newspaper, and election of the city's first black mayor, Emanuel Cleaver. With over 200 vintage images, Kansas City recreates this beautiful mosaic of African-American community.

Growing Up in St. Francois County

9780738519043

$24.99

In 1673, Father Marquette and Louis Joliet paddled southward down the Mississippi River and maintained a detailed journal of their observations. Their reports spoke glowingly of vast mineral deposits in the area destined to become Southeastern Missouri. From those earliest known beginnings, and continuing until the outbreak of the Civil War, numerous mining camps flourished. The St. Joseph Lead Company, located in Bonne Terre, St. Francois County, became the world's largest producer of lead ore. With nearly 100 vintage images and personal stories of growing up in Bonne Terre, James Bequette's informative memoir displays the influence the lead company had on the community, and in turn the love the community had for St. Joe. The first image seen by visitors of the town ring true, proclaiming "Welcome to Bonne Terre: Good Earth-Good People."

The Early Ozarks: A Family's Journey

9780738502670

$24.99

Domino Danzero's journey, which began in Italy in 1890, led him penniless to New York. The young immigrant came to the Midwest and found work in the coal mines of Illinois and the restaurants of Chicago. Through his travels and his work he gained employment with the Frisco railroad, where he became the overseer of Harvey Houses and Frisco dining cars throughout the central United States. Photography was his hobby and he was commissioned to take photographs for the Frisco railroad. The turn-of-the-century photographs featured in The Early Ozarks: A Family's Journey portray the humanness of people living in the Ozarks. They provide a glimpse of the
better things in life--food, family, and friends--reflecting fundamental human compassion and the way of living at the early part of the twentieth century.

Sunset Hills

9780738584089

$24.99

Over the course of its history, Sunset Hills was known by many names before its incorporation in 1957. For many families, however, it has always been a constant; some Sunset Hills families are seventh-generation residents on land that was granted or purchased early in America's history. Early settlers were drawn to this community by the salt springs and clay mines. Indian tribes also utilized this area as an early regional site for trade and multi-tribal meetings along the Meramec River. The Meramec Landing Site was historically significant to both the tribes and the settlers, and the community formed eastward from this spot on the river, toward St. Louis. Today, the city encompasses over nine square miles. Largely considered a commuter suburb for St. Louis, Sunset Hills possesses its own rich history and strong sense of community.