For most people hearing about the 1920s conjures images of dancing, excessive drinking, and flappers in pretty, jeweled dresses. The roaring twenties was a time of grand parties, but not for everyone. And the extravagance of the twenties followed a great pandemic, and long-standing food shortages. The St. Louis region embraced the idea of a more careless time, but still continued to struggle, grow, and change.
The Roaring Twenties was really a young person's party. Most people still had to work, take care of their family, and get up in the mornings. These day-to-day responsiblities made attending a party that lasted until dawn a very bad idea for most St. Louisans.
Having enough food or finding the ingredients to prepare food, was an every day struggle for many people in the 1920s. As was health care. The pandemic influenza of 1918 claimed many lives. It left St. Louis and other U.S. cities helpless to stop the spread of the illness, and overwhelmed with the chaos caused by the illness and deaths. In the 1920s people hoped for better services and more inclusive government responses.
Many magic men promised better lives if you only did or consumed whatever they were selling. For those too old to party all night, the idea of an instant cure to life's problems sounded good.
St. Louis was in a growth stage in the 1920s. Not just in building new and better city amenities, but in creating structures that would withstand the fires that had raged in the city's past.
In May of 1927 Charles Lindbergh flew the Spirit of St. Louis on the first non-stop transatlantic flight from Long Island, New York to Paris, France. Charles Lindbergh lived in many places throughout his life but in flying the Spirit of St. Louis and being a great promoter of flying, he became know as an unofficial ambassador of our city.
The Central Library of St. Louis, at 13th and Olive Street, was one of many public services being added by the city. Shown here in 1920, the building still stands today as a free repository of learning and community outreach.
Innovation in the 1920s brought many great ideas to manufacturing and building infrastructure in St. Louis. There were also some not so great ideas, as seen here in the Scott-Newcomb Standard Steam Car. Only one automobile is known to have been built, but there could have been a few more, before the company closed shortly after starting production.
Improved train services of the 1920s allowed commerce to grow, as rail services connected more cities. It also gave an alternate shipping venue to the rivers that had been the best way to move merchandise in the central states.
If one person was to represent all that the 1920s stood for it would be Josephine Baker. Born in St. Louis and very poor much of her young life, she embodied the hard work ethic of St. Louis. Relying on her entertainment abilities, street savvy, and her natural ease, she became an international star.
St. Louis in the 1920s was a river city coming of age in a time of renewed great expectations. Flappers and the endless party were just a small part of life then. These images show our city, the times, and the people who influenced everyday life in St. Louis.
Do you know more history of St. Louis in the 1920s? Share your story with us in the comments below.
If you like experiencing history first hand, check out this riverside city, right here in the Greater St. Louis area.
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