World War II lifted St. Louis out of the Depression as the city and its suburbs became a center of defense production. The war required enormous sacrifices on the part of ordinary people. Some laid their lives on the line as they fought the Axis powers on foreign soil. Those that remained home had to go without many of the consumer products and conveniences they normally would have enjoyed. Gasoline, meat, sugar, and shoes were rationed. Wartime developments changed the way people used the city—where they shopped, where they worked, and how they moved around.

Explore the history of St. Louis in the 1940s by clicking on buildings in the 3-D model on the left side of the screen.