This year the city of St Louis is celebrating its 250th birthday. The local history museum is having a exhibit showcasing the many things that make St. Louis unique.
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| The exhibit is showcasing 50 people, 50 places, 50 moments, 50 images and 50 objects that they think represents the diversity and the history of St. Louis:) |
It was fascinating to walk thru and there were many things that I didn't know where distinctly considered St. Louis-an.
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| Charles Lindbergh flight suit |
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| Stan the Man's items. St. Louis is a huge baseball town...Go Cards:)! My Dad has been a life long fan of this team and now my Husband is:) |
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| Mr. Patches Clown suit who was a celebrity in this area. |
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The black widow-- Chuck Barry's guitar. I am told he still plays locally occasionally
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| One of the strangest questions that St Louis is known for is "What high school did you go too?" I have always wondered why on earth this is asked of me when meeting new people and they don't know I am new to the area. The museum gave its version of why this question is so important to the locals. The museum states "As various immigrants came to the city and settled in different parts of the area, each neighborhood had their own unique culture and economic character until well into the 1900's. Asking "what high school did you go too?" is the local people's way of finding what occupation, religious beliefs and cultural norms you were surrounded by while growing up." The museum states and I find this true even today unfortunately that for native St. Louisan's the answer to the question 'Where did you go to high school' (again quoting the museum) "is their way of connecting, uncovering common experiences, or a way to separate, making instant judgements and labeling newcomers as not my kind" As a newcomer to this area I have seen first hand this type of behavior and it is one of the reasons I struggle to fit in this area:( |
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| Seeing the Missouri Emancipation Proclamation |
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| the other baseball team in St Louis which later became the Baltimore Orioles |
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| the first uniform of Ted Drews which still a huge draw in this area known for the best frozen custard. We haven't been here yet, but it is on our to do list;) |
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| The 1904 worlds fair bench and it is still talked about in this area as reminiscent of St. Louis heyday |
We learned so much at the is exhibit about our area and even started to have a better understanding why St. Louis, for being a city, still has many small town idiosyncrasies.
The whole high school thing is a bit weird. Maybe you should make up the name of a mythological high school and tell people that you attended that high school, just to see what their reaction is? :-) Okay, trying not to sound stupid, but who is Stan the Man? People around here drive with bumper stickers that say they, "Met the Man", but I'm pretty sure it is referring to a hot wings or BBQ place....
ReplyDeletebelieve it or not I have tried that only it only informs people I am a stranger here as I went to high school in London (my dad was military) I can't tell you much about Stan the Man except he is a baseball player...I am not a huge sports fan:)
ReplyDeleteHow fun!!
ReplyDeleteThis was most interesting. If they are asking the question of of what High School did you come from and then are judgmental that is small town stuff. We once lived a a very small town in Northern, Utah. It took quite a while to fit into the town and be accepted. It was rather difficult for a while. The sad thing was that most of the people were from our church. It was an interesting three years. However, when we were ready to move I wanted to stay there so bad. I came from a small town and I like the small town environment.
ReplyDeleteI came from big time baseball background.
Blessings for another good post.