A291/HC353: Oral History of the City
Lecture Notes
for Week 4:
SKINKER-DeBALIVIERE NEIGHBORHOOD
Professor John Wolford
Department of Anthropology
University of Missouri-St. Louis
Email: wolfordj@msx.umsl.edu
Websites to explore:
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REVIEW OF PREVIOUS WEEK:
3rd WEEK'S DISCUSSION:
Memory and oral history, by Donald Ritchie (1995):
11-17.
Overview:
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discusses central questions at the heart of the memory debate
in history
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Isn't oral history limited by the fallibility of human
memory? (11-12)
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What should interviewers take into consideration about
memory? (12-14)
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Don't memories tend to grow nostalgic? (14-16)
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What is the relationship between oral history and folklore?
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What distinguishes a "life history" from other interviews?
What makes oral history different, by Alessandro
Portelli (1991); in Perks and Thomson, 1998: 63-74.
Overview:
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discusses nature of orality, which is at the heart
of the significance of oral history
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claims that the meanings inherent in an oral discourse is
more important than the factual content, although that can be probed as
well
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in fact, the speaker's subjectivity is "the unique and precious
element" of oral history, because it uncovers beliefs, wishes, norms, values,
attitudes that shape history
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the discourse on oral history has opened up the subject of
the nature of memory, that memory is a creative process of constructing
meaning
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in analyzing narrative, the analyst must distinguish between
the ironic mode and the epic mode of discourse, modes that seem to characterize
many kinds of narrative
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oral history discourse has three elements: variability, artificiality,
and partiality; understanding the narrative along these lines is crucial
in understanding the meanings lying within the narrative
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ultimately, the historian is the one in control of the oral
history, because s/he is in control of the interview and of the documentation
What is social in oral history?, by Samuel
Schrager (1983); in Perks and Thomson, 1998: 284-299.
Overview:
an oral history session is but one moment in a stream of
storytelling: a point in the process
subject matter, mostly: the IWW strike of lumberjacks in
1917 in Idaho and the surrounding areas of eastern Washington and western
Wyoming
three aspects of oral history can be quarried for social
analysis: 1) the position of the narrator in relationship to the event;
2) comparisons and contrasts between tellers concerning the same event;
and 3) categories used by the teller in both the individualizing and the
generalizing of the event
discusses the importance of "point of view" as an analytic
device to understand the social relationships between people and the events
surrounding and engulfing them
the process of storytelling is a process of working out the
meanings inherent in an experience
agreements in storytelling events among people indicate a
bounded community of value and attitude; divergences indicate a border
between people of different values and attitudes
any story must be understood in the context of other stories
told within the community, whether they seem related or not (e.g.: the
1917 IWW strike and migration stories, while seemingly unconnected, may
imply one another in their narrative structure, sensibilities, values,
worldview, etc.).
suggests that the connectedness of unique stories with other
kinds of stories with broader descriptions and generalizations justifies
the belief that oral history is a distinctive communicative genre
his broad point is that personal and cultural conceptions
of the past are interdependent
Oral history as a social movement: Reminiscence
and older people, by Joanna Bornat; in Perks and Thomson, 1998: 189-205.
Overview:
The elderly are often seen as the primary targets of oral
history, because people tend to conduct personal, unconscious life-reviews
after about 60
[JBW] The focus on elders, however, disregards the
social fact that all ages are unique and have unique memories, which are
themselves lost when ignored or not documented
Reminiscence as an oral historical focus has therapeutic
effects, which can be consciously applied by the oral historian
if an understanding of the therapeutic effects is not
consciously applied, however, the oral historian must realize the effect
of an oral historical project on the narrators
she provides an informative history of the Reminiscence movement
in Great Britain, which parallels an interest in social history in the
United States
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4th WEEK'S DISCUSSION:
Skinker-DeBaliviere Neighborhood, St.
Louis, Missouri
Week
4: 9/12/2000 and 9/14/2000
Harleman, Kathleen M, Georgiana B. Stuart, and Susan K.
Tepas. The neighborhood: a history of Skinker-DeBaliviere.
St. Louis: Printed under the auspices of the Residential Service of the
Skinker-DeBaliviere Community Council, May, 1973.
Discusses:
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the earliest owners of the land: Madame Mary Louise Chouteau
Papin, her heirs, and relatives
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the history of the landmarks: River Des Peres, Forest Park,
World's Fair, and the naming of the streets
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history of the subdividing of the area for residential living:
1901-1907
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the shaping of the area: 1908 - 1920
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the undocumented history, or, the “maturing” of the neighborhood:
1920 - 1973
The earliest owners of the land: Madame Mary Louise Chouteau
Papin and her heirs and relatives
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Large extended family of Madame Chouteau and Pierre Laclede
came to own the land
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deeded originally to Mme Mary Louise Chouteau Papin in 1796
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descended to her children or sold to her relatives
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in the family through much of the 19th century, in all or
part
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transactions from 1873-1901 are unclear
The history of the landmarks: River Des Peres,
Forest Park, World's Fair, Washington University, and the naming of the
streets
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the land was the basis for speculation based on the development
of Forest Park
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Hiram Leffingwell, land speculator and promoter, promoted
the development of a park off of the Catlin Tract (the Lindell Avenue homes
area of today)
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he bought his property in late 1860s for this purpose
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inspired by property valuations around Central Park in NYC
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Forest Park Act passed in 1874, FP opened in 1876
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same year as the separation of city and county
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FP was the focus of StL’s efforts to land the 1892 WF celebrating
Columbus's travels
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failed, but provided the structure and impetus for the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition in 1904
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Washington University
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incorporated in 1853, and situated at 17th and St. Charles
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moved to present location just prior to the World's Fair,
and was incorporated into the WF activities-Olympics at Francis Field
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had not moved formally into the campus by 1904, so buildings
were rented out to the WF
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Naming of the streets—
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primarily named after owners, many descendants or affines
of or connections to Chouteau family
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Kingsbury
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DeGiverville
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Waterman
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DeBaliviere
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Important businessmen
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Lindell (Peter and Jesse, who also owned vast tracts in area)
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McPherson (William M., lawyer & real estate)
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Delmar
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named after the two states 2 bordering landowners came from-MD
& DE
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Landowner
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Others
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Washington-named for George
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Laurel-named for a tree, because it was a continuation of
a subdivision whose streets were named for trees
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Hamilton-for Hamilton Gamble, governor of MO
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Pershing-originally named Berlin for the German city, but
then changed to Pershing after the MO-born general, during the anti-German
sentiment in WW1
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FP Parkway-after the park
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Westminster-after the Cathedral, probably
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Unknown reasons for the naming
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Rosedale
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Nina Place-although the name of a development company later,
that developed Washington Heights Addition 1 (the current Washington Heights)
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History of the subdividing of the area for residential
living: 1901-1907
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the area had been in more or less casual use for decades
before it became developed for residential/commerical use
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the main problem for development was the snaking, erratic
River Des Peres, which ran through the middle of the area [under what is
now Des Peres Avenue]
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1901: Parkview Realty and Improvement Company was
incorporated, and controlled almost the entire area of what is now Skinker-DeBaliviere
neighborhood
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an association of wealthy and connected men who invested
$5.5 million to control this area
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publicly, asserted that they were having financial difficulties:
debt for development, improvements, etc.
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by 1903: Parkview had developed the Catlin Tract, from Union
to Skinker, with streets, sewers, sidewalks, landscaping, etc.
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it would eventually lease the land to the World's Fair for
its Pike area
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1903: Parkview Realty and Improvement Company issued
an apparently private prospectus to form a new company (presumably Beredith
Realty [p.29])
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purpose: to purchase the Parkview area and develop it
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the underlying purpose was to exploit the economic advantages
of the imminent 1904 Worlds' Fair
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1905: Parkview Realty and Improvement Company filed a plat
for the Parkview Subdivision
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the area was set up as a private place, with trustees
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it remained as a trust until 1966, when it moved to agency
control [p. 29]
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1908: first year someone was officially registered as a resident
(although people had been living there for several years before)
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the delay was probably because of a lawsuit with the architect
(Swasey), resolved by 1908
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1905: Parkview Realty and Improvement Company sold
out all their interest in the rest of the area to West End Realty
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Delmar to Forest Park Parkway, Skinker to DeBaliviere, except
for a small portion of the northeast corner, which Parkview had never owned
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this is the bulk of the current Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood
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presumably, Parkview Realty and improvement company maintained
ownership of the Catlin Tract
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The shaping of the area: 1908 - 1920
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Important to note:
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The area was developed
from West to East
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The housing (in general)
became smaller and more dense [from single family to multi-family] from
West to East
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To orient you to block addresses:
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6200 and higher: Parkview
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6000 and 6100 blocks: Rosedale area
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5700-5900: Washington Heights area (the former Washington
Heights 1st Addition)
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1908: First year residents are listed as living in
the area
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17 families in Parkview
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5 families in "Washington Heights Subdivision" [the area
now called the Rosedale neighborhood]
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1909: Washington Heights 1st Addition [most of the
current Washington Heights area, excepting the northeast corner] was platted
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In 1911, this area in particular was developed with
the idea of streetcar access forefronted
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that is, it was targeting renters and middle-class residents
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whereas the current Rosedale area and Parkview Subdivision
targeted upper-class owners
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first apartment buildings went up in 1911
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curiously the developer was Nina Realty Company, not West
End Realty, who had owned it in 1907
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whether it had been sold to Nina Realty the book does not
say
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1912: 1st single-family homes built, and first residents
listed for the current Washington Heights area
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Explosive growth in the first few years, among a diverse
group of people
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people from established families
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2nd generation German, Italian and Irish immigrant families,
moving on up
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professionals
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clergymen
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architects
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Realtors
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physicians
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railroad management
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lawyers
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businessmen
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1912: development of Washington Heights 2nd Addition platted
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Kingsbury and Westminster from DeBaliviere to Laurel
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equivalent to the current Kingsbury Square area
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Edward K. Love Realty Company
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Local schools developed
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Hamilton School [elementary]
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began in 1914-15 school year with portable buildings
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1914-1918: current building was built
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St. Roch's Catholic
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1912: the school building was completed
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Churches
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St. Roch's parish
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1911: purchased the tract on which the church now
stands, at Rosedale and Washington
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1922: the entire church, rectory, and school were
completed and operational
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Grace Methodist
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on NE corner of Waterman and Skinker
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originated as Union Methodist Episcopal Church on Lucas and
Garrison in 19th century
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moved west with the congregation in 1892 to SW corner of
Lindell and Newstead
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moved west with congregation again to current site, where
ground was broken in 1913, completed in 1914
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they moved the entire church, stone by stone
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[New Cote Brilliante] Baptist Church
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formerly the Delmar Baptist Church, as discussed in this
article
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built on the corner of Skinker and Washington in 1918-1919
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oldest congregation, dating back to 1877
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also began on Piety hill, around Lucas and Garrison
The undocumented history, or, the “maturing” of the neighborhood:
1920 - 1973
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covers undocumented history of the area, from the 1920s through
the early 1970s
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includes reminiscences of:
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childhood activities
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shops and other businesses
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restaurants
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individuals
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as eccentric characters
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as important business and community leaders
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characterized by a sense of nostalgia
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also tries to explain the decline from the mid-1950s through
the early 1970s
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continuing westward expansion impulse
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booming housing out in the county
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westward expansion of businesses, to go where the population
was going
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move of on-site landlords, becoming absentee landlords
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destruction of Mill Creek Valley
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displacement of huge numbers of people
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older buildings that needed improvements
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neighborhood associations developed
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1958: Washington Heights Neighbors was the first
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primary initial concern was the attrition of housing value
and the maintenance of housing codes
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additional foci:
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police action
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traffic concerns
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recreation and education
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sanitation
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the area: the current Washington Heights area and Kingsbury
Square area [not Rosedale or Parkview]
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Rosedale-Skinker Improvement Association developed afterwards
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Social/Cultural expansions
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schools expanded their physical presence with increased enrollments
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1963: St. Louis Public Library opened up a branch,
which was moved to the southeast corner of Des Peres and Kingsbury in 1970
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1972: Loop West End People's Clinic opened up
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1966: Skinker-DeBaliviere Community Council was formed
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sites: 5800 Delmar, then to 425 deBaliviere upstairs, then
to 425 DeBaliviere downstairs, then to 404 deBaliviere, and now to 6008
Kingsbury
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1970: Establishment of the Residential Service
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a volunteer realty organization
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formed to ensure high quality of housing and adherence of
housing codes
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activist group to ensure the maintenance of standards
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1970s: people began to move back into the neighborhood
as owners, not as renters
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Kingsbury Redevelopment Corporation created
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by the Skinker-DeBaliviere Community Council
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as a response to battle the deterioration of buildings in
the area
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to redevelop the buildings in the area
**NOTE:
This book was written back in 1973. An updated history is being written
and is available in the publication The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, which
you should read. Copies of this paper will be handed out in class.
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Fox,
Tim. "Skinker-DeBaliviere." In Where We Live, ed. Tim
Fox (St. Louis: Missouri Historical Society Press, 1995): 128-133.
Provides a background to the area and its historical/social
landmarks.
Sites discussed:
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Delmar-DeBaliviere Building
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Bi-State Bus Facility
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Debaliviere Avenue and Delmar Boulevard
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Kingsbury Square
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Kingsbury Boulevard west of DeBaliviere Avenue
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Crossroads School
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Dorr and Zeller Building
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River Des Peres (Des Peres Avenue)
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The Catlin Tract
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Lindell on the south, Forest Park Parkway on the north, Skinker
on the west, and Union on the east
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Parkview Place
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Skinker on the south, Westgate on the north, Millbrook on
the south, and Delmar on the north
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Grace Methodist Church
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Skinker and Waterman Boulevards
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St. Roch's Catholic Church
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Waterman Boulevard and Rosedale Avenue
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New Cote Brilliante Church of God
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Washington and Skinker Boulevards
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Delmar Station [MetroLink]
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Delmar Boulevard and Des Peres Avenue
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Delmar Boulevard
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Wolford,
John. "People and Place in Twentieth-Century St. Louis." Gateway Heritage
(Spring
1999): 56-62.
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This article explains the objectives and methodologies involved
in the ongoing and ambitious neighborhoods project pursued by the Missouri
Historical Society.
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Read the article to understand where Skinker-DeBaliviere
fits into the picture.
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Be ready to discuss it in class.
page created 09/11/2000
last revised: 09/11/2000