January’s Unseen STL History event, Brick by Chance and Fortune - Revisited, offered an engaging exploration of St. Louis’s rich architectural history, focused on our city’s iconic brick buildings.
After screening the 2011 documentary, we featured a panel discussion with filmmaker Bill Streeter and other experts in architecture and preservation, including Paul Hohman, Toby Weiss, Emery Cox, Laurie Ahrens, and 8th Ward Alderwoman Cara Spencer, with local historian Chris Naffziger serving as moderator. (You can listen to the discussion by clicking on the image at the top of this post.)
Panelists reflected on the film's lasting impact, shared anecdotes about local architecture, and discussed the challenges and triumphs of preserving historic structures.
Streeter noted the resilience of St. Louis' brick buildings and the importance of preservation efforts while expressing regret about archival resources unavailable during the film’s production.
Discussions also addressed pressing issues in North St. Louis, including population decline, disinvestment, and systemic barriers like red-lining that continue to impede restoration efforts. Panelists emphasized the need for government intervention, historic tax credits, and innovative programs to stabilize and rehabilitate neglected properties. We also heard personal stories about favorite buildings, including the Railway Exchange and the Arcade Building, and why these buildings need to be preserved.
Alderwoman Cara Spencer joined us to talk about the legacy of late Alderman Sam Moore, whose passionate efforts to combat brick theft and highlight the preservation needs of his ward were central to the film. She shared anecdotes about Moore, including how he personally organized tours for city officials to witness the challenges his community faced. She emphasized the urgent need for preservation in St. Louis, particularly in North St. Louis, where population decline and financial barriers threaten the survival of historic buildings. Spencer highlighted initiatives like the ARPA funds to stabilize neglected private properties, though she acknowledged recent setbacks (such as mismanagement of funds). She also called for stronger accountability for negligent property owners and more robust investment in restoration programs.
The event concluded with audience questions, touching on topics such as infill construction, the role of climate migration in future urban revitalization (the Midwest may become more populated as people leave areas prone to weather extremes, fires, and flooding), and combating negative perceptions of city living.
Watch Brick by Chance and Fortune
You can watch the documentary featured in this month’s talks, Brick by Chance and Fortune, on YouTube (below) or without ads on Amazon Prime
Spine Bookstore is closing
Unseen STL History’s beloved venue for the past two years, Spine Bookstore and Cafe, will be closing in February. Spine’s owner, Mark Pannebecker, hopes to find a new location and open Spine 2.0 later this year.
In the meantime, future Unseen St. Louis history talks will be held at the new Leviathan Bookstore at 3211 South Grand. (Look for more details in the forthcoming February history talks announcement post coming soon.)
On February 7th, Spine will be hosting a free farewell party from 4-10pm. It would be great to see fans of Unseen STL in the audience!
Here’s the tentative schedule:
5:00-5:15 - Fiction Author Kathy L. Brown
5:15-5:30 - Nonfiction Author Peter Downs
5:30-5:45 - UnSeen STL host Jackie Dana
5:45-6:00 - Storyteller Rockette Fox
6:00-6:15 - Storyteller Nicky Randall
6:15-6:30 - One-Act Host Katie Beyers
6:30-6:45 - Poet David Nemerov
6:45-7:00 - Poet T.J. Chapman
7:00-7:15 - Poet Sean Arnold
7:15-7:30 - Poet Lesley Day
7:30-7:45 - Trivia game w/ host Li Mae
7:45-8:00 - Comedian Tiel Pearce
8:00-8:15 - Comedian Emily Hooper
8:15-8:30 - Comedian Matt Wayman
8:30-8:45 - Comedian Robert Allen Hall
8:45-9:00 - Musician David Loeb
9:00-9:15 - Musician Eric Keeney
9:15-9:30 - Musician Jason Krena
9:30-9:45 - Musician Jared Gab
9:45- ? - CLOSE
How to find more Unseen St. Louis history
Be sure to subscribe to Unseen St. Louis for the latest articles about local history and information about the monthly talks.
For even more history, be sure to follow the Unseen St. Louis page on Facebook. We also have a group on Facebook called STL History & Preservation.
And if you haven’t joined us yet, be sure to sign up for Unseen STL History Adventures on Meetup.
Support Unseen St. Louis
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Whether you engage with Unseen St. Louis on Substack, attend the talks, follow along on Facebook, or join the meetups, your support means everything to me. It’s an honor to share tales of St. Louis's history and hear how much they mean to the community. Thank you for being a part of this journey.
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