Bismarck Street and Bad Planning

I love how Bismarck Street (now long gone due to urban renewal on the south riverfront in the 1960's) starts and stops thirty feet from its two ends. I know growing up, I assumed the City laid out all of the streets in a careful, Euclidian way, but in reality, just like modern suburban subdivisions, most of the streets in the city of St. Louis were laid out by private developers. In this case, it obviously suited the developer to put the orientation of Bismarck in a totally different place than the previous developer to the north. He also felt that Lyons Street should start at an alley as well.

Lights, South Riverfront

Floating Labs

Lemp Brewery, Revisited

When I get back from the Thanksgiving break, I will be posting extensive photos of several buildings open to the public this last weekend at the historic (and amazing) Lemp Brewery.

Fuel Tanks, South Riverfront

Gasconade Street by the River, South Riverfront

I decided to go left instead of right at the bottom of the exit ramp for Gasconade Street from southbound I-55. I was pleasantly surprised to find what looked like one of the City of St. Louis's trash incinerators. I continued on and found this spectacular wall of rock towering up above me. It is such an isolated area, but intriguing nonetheless.

South Riverfront Residential Survivors

The so-called Kosciusko neighborhood was targeted in the 1960's for new industrial sites in St. Louis. The only problem was that people lived there by the thousands, and they were forced out and their houses demolished. Fascinatingly, a few houses and businesses survive, often completely surrounded by newer industrial buildings. The intersection of De Kalb and Victor, seen here from the air, is a perfect example.Looking at the old Sanborn Fire Insurance maps from one hundred years ago, one can see how many other houses once accompanied these survivors.It's a strange, remote place, where on a Saturday I didn't see a single other person.This tavern, looking like it is from the 1950's, seems to still serve thirsty workers after their shift is over.These Italianate rowhouses got a slathering of concrete thrown on the front of them; the flats next to them look the same as any neighborhood in St. Louis.This interesting building still fronts a railroad track; indeed, street trackage still permeates this neighborhood.Apparently, the building was the wood working shop of Wayne Manufacturing Company. I couldn't find anything on Wayne, except for the obituary of one of its former vice presidents.