(2nd floor, Thomas Jefferson Library)
Esley Hamilton donated the collection in May 1995. Larry Lowic collected this material in the process of writing several books and articles on arcHitecture in St. Louis. He also created an exhibit on architecture for the St. Louis Art Museum. Larry Lowic, a native of New York, graduated from Yale with a PHD. He recieved a Fullbright-Hayes Fellowship to study architecture in Italy. Lowic produced the material on St. Louis architecture while teaching art history at Washington University. His book The Architectural Heritage of St. Louis, 1803-1891 is responsible for most of the material in this collection. He was teaching architectural history at Florida A&M when he died in 1988.
The collection contains mostly secondary source material Lowic collected for his book along with notes he made on the material. Although Lowic's book regards architecture, the collection is a valuable resource for early St. Louis history. One series of publications about St. Louis were added to the collection from an earlier accession. Material from this collection regarding Francesco di Giorgio were placed with the material from the earlier accession regarding European architecture.
Papers 1900-1982 ; 524 Folders, 68 boxes
Wabash Railroad executive for 50 years. Most material refers to work done by the Chamber of Commerce Historic Markers Committee. Pamphlets, tourist information and photographs make up the bulk of the collection. Many photographs of areas later razed for the Mansion House, JNEM, and Stadium projects.
67 Boxes
1 Oversize Box
524 Folders
8 Books
++++++
BIOGRAPHY OF J. ORVILLE SPREEN
J. Orville Spreen was born on August 19, 1897. He began working for the Wabash Railway in February 1912 at the age of 15. He started as an office boy in the joint offices of the General
Superintendent of the Missouri District and General Attorney of the Burlington Railroad. He gradually worked his way up the ranks until he attained an executive position with the company. He retired in 1962 after 50 years of service to the Wabash Railroad.
SCOPE AND CONTENT:
A great majority of the J. Orville Spreen collection consists of information compiled for use by the Junior Chamber of Commerce Historic Markers Committee. During the early 1940s the Committee was very active in St. Louis. Most, if not all, of the informationthey used to designate historic sites can be found here. Along with this information, the text revisions of each marker is
included. In the process of designating sites, the Committee collected literature and information concerning St. Louis history and the history of various industries and businesses in St. Louis.
Only a small portion of the collection concerns Spreen's personal and family life. The series entitled Spreen trips includes some information about vacations which Mr. and Mrs. Spreen took. This is, however, the extent of the information concerning Spreen personally. There simply is not that much information available.
The truly valuable part of this collection is the photographs. Each construction stage of the Gateway Arch, the Stadium, and the Mansion House Apartments is captured on film. Spreen photographed all of the buildings which were razed in the course of these projects. The photographs themselves are candid photographs and some are of very poor quality. The real value of these photographs are Spreen's descriptions. He gives the exact location of the
buildings in question and from where the photograph was taken. Often Spreen included a brief history of the building photographed.
of the manuscripts and documents in this collection are
Finally, in addition to Spreen's photographs, he also collected a variety of Dr. William Swekowsky's photographs, which are also an invaluable resource.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS :
Series I, Gateway Arch: This series includes pamphlets and general information on the development of the Arch and the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Dates range from 1938 to 1982. Folders 1 through 7.
Series II, Missouri History: Consists of books, pamphlets, workbooks, and programs and correspondence of the Missouri Historical Society. Dates from 1927 to 1979. Folders 8 through
19.
Series III, Missouri Tourist Information: Any type of tourist literature concerning Missouri can be found here. Pamphlets, flyers, maps, and guides are included. No dates are given on this
material. Folders 20 through 30.
Series IV, St. Louis Area Communities: The material in this series consists of published and unpublished information collected by Spreen concerning areas around the St. Louis area. Dates range from 1925 to the 1970s. Folders 31 through 41.
Series V, St. Louis Historic Markers Committee: This material documents the researches and activities of the Committee. Includes annual reports, brochures, and compiled data on a variety of topics. These topics include downtown, churches, cemeteries, amusement parks, St. Louis neighborhoods, and Laclede's landing. Also included is material used to determine historic sites. Dates include 1931 to 1982. Folders 42 through 167.
Series VI, St. Louis History: General and compiled information on several St. Louis topics such as aviation, banking, the St. Louis bicentennial, businesses, city plans, the metal industry,
Dates range from 1903 to 1982. Folders 168 through 268.
Series VII, Spreen Trips: This collection consists of all the
tourist literature Spreen collected on some of his trips to
different cities between 1955 and 1967. Folders 269 through 273.
Series VIII, Recordings: Only one recording is included here, "Are you getting your money's worth out of your money?" 45 rpm. Not dates. Folder 274.
Series IX, Photographs: Photos of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the Stadium, and the Mansion House Projects are included in this series. Also included are photos of markers, buildings, and sites the Junior Chamber of Commerce Historic Markers Committee
felt were important in the St. Louis area. Dates range from 1890 to 1975. Folders 275 through 523.
Series X, Oversize Documents: Consists of maps, posters, flyers,
St. Louis Today--Reedy's Mirror (May 9, 1912), A St. Louis Heritage: Six Historic Homes, and a dust cover for The Crisis by Winston Churchill. Most documents are not dated. Folder 524.
Series XI, Books: Consists of 8 books which can be found on the bookshelf. Dates range from 1883 to 1930.
(1971- ), Records, 1912-1980
494 folders
Includes administrative and subject files andpublications from the Chamber of Commerce, Metropolitan Plan Commission, St. Louis Research Council, and the Regional Industrial
Development Corporation (RIDC). These organizations promoted regional planning to solve the economic and urban problems of the St. Louis area in transportation, manufacturing, industrial
education, employment, labor, the environment, health, capital investment, and public works.
86 folders
Publications, reports, clippings, and pamphlets on St. Louis City, city government, and local historic sites.
The St. Louis City Data Collection was donated by the St. Louis Public Library in 1985, except for the material in folder 194, which was donated by WHMC Rolla in 1994.
SCOPE AND CONTENT The publications run from annual reports to early visitor guides, The series have been divided by city department or topic.
SERIES DESCRIPTION
Series 1: Department of Personnel and Civil Service Commission. Annual reports, arranged chronologically.
Series 2: Department of Public Safety, Division of Building and Inspection. Annual reports, arranged chronologically.
Series 3: Transportation. Reports on light rail and other transportation topics, arranged chronologically.
Series 4: Public Schools. Reports on land use, population and fiscal issues as they relate to the public schools, arranged chronologically.
Series 5: Division of Health. Annual reports, report on public health in St. Louis, and report of the public assistance committee. Arranged chronologically.
Series 6: City Government. Charter and election information. Arranged chronologically.
Series 7: City Plan Commission. Annual reports arranged chronologically is followed by other reports arranged chronologically.
Series 8: Community Development. Reports and publications arranged chronologically.
Series 9: St. Louis Convention, Publicity, and Visitors Bureau.