St. Louis, like the rest of the nation, was mired in the Depression for most of the 1930s. Times were hard and people did what they could to get by—selling pencils on street corners, standing in soup lines, and seeking relief through New Deal work programs. Industrial laborers fought for better pay and working conditions through unions, some of which had only recently been established.

Explore the history of St. Louis in the 1930s by clicking on buildings in the 3-D model on the left side of the screen.