Unseen STL History Talks: April 2025
Mayor Raymond Tucker's Gift of Stability to St. Louis
We’re back with another edition of Unseen STL History Talks, and this month we’re spotlighting one of the most influential figures in the city’s history—Mayor Raymond Tucker.
Join us on Thursday, April 17th, from 7 PM to 9 PM (doors open at 6 PM) at Leviathan Bookstore, located at 3211 S. Grand Blvd. between Wyoming and Humphrey. For just a $5 cover at the door, you’ll hear from Dr. Andrew Theising, author of the new book Mid-Mod Mayor: How Raymond Tucker Shaped St. Louis, and Tim Tucker, the mayor's grandson and a longtime leader in local urban development. Together, they’ll explore how Mayor Tucker brought calm, competence, and forward-thinking to a city on the edge of transformation.
The Talks
When Raymond Tucker took office in 1953 and became St. Louis’s 38th mayor, the city struggled to keep pace with a rapidly changing world. And just like much of the country, St. Louis faced a host of challenges—cultural, political, and economic—as well as deeply rooted racial issues. Over the next 12 years, Tucker brought professionalism and a steady hand to City Hall. He wasn’t flashy, but he knew how to get things done. Under his leadership, St. Louis modernized its infrastructure, reimagined its urban landscape, and laid the groundwork for projects like the Gateway Arch and urban renewal initiatives that defined the Mid-Century era.
Andy Theising and Tim Tucker will walk us through this pivotal time in the city's history, exploring how Mayor Tucker tackled issues of race, poverty, and modernization—and how he managed to hold the center while everything around him was shifting. From civil rights to city planning, from engineering blueprints to political maneuvering, they’ll reveal how Raymond Tucker’s legacy is still felt today.
The Speakers
Andrew Theising is an emeritus professor of Political Science and the author of Mid-Mod Mayor: How Raymond Tucker Shaped St. Louis, a new and comprehensive look at a mayor who defined an era. Theising specializes in urban politics, with a research focus on industrial legacy issues in core cities. His work has appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, PBS NewsHour, and beyond. He’s written extensively on East St. Louis, including the award-winning Made in USA: East St. Louis, and has also published works on Florissant’s early Black history and historic homes.
Tim Tucker, grandson of Mayor Raymond Tucker, has had a successful career in urban development. He played a key role in projects like City Museum, the Statler-Renaissance Grand Hotel, and the Cotton Belt Building, Tim has helped shape the city his grandfather once led. A longtime St. Louis resident, he has lived and worked in neighborhoods across the city and served on numerous boards and commissions dedicated to preserving and developing St. Louis’s urban core.
Join us on April 17th!
At a time when the city was navigating the complexities of civil rights, suburban flight, postwar rebuilding, and massive infrastructure change, Raymond Tucker provided something invaluable: stability. His story is a reminder that real change doesn’t always come with fireworks—it often comes from a steady hand at the wheel.
Whether you're a history buff, a civic nerd, or just curious about how our city came to look the way it does today, this conversation will offer fresh insights about an important time in St. Louis history. We hope to see you there!
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