Local History

The Local History collecting area focuses on the history of St. Louis and the surrounding regions in Missouri and Illinois. These collections are also in some way connected to WashU — often created, saved, or produced by faculty, staff, students, or alumni.    

Most local history collections focus on life in the 19th and 20th centuries.  Collections documenting urban development and city life are a particular strength. Contemporary (21st century) St. Louis historical events are also preserved, as with the Regional Ferguson Collecting Initiative.  

Collections which focus on the history of WashU itself are in University Archives, although there is significant overlap in some collections.  Early documents from the colonial and territorial era of Missouri are found within the Rare Books and Manuscripts collecting areas.

Eads Bridge Drawing Collection

Begun in 1867 and completed in 1874, the Eads Bridge was named after its designer, James Buchanan Eads. It was the first bridge to span the Mississippi at St. Louis, the first bridge to make significant use of steel, and one of the first bridges in the U.S. to make use of pneumatic caissons. 

The entirety of this collection, 93 drawings from the American Bridge Company and 570 from the Terminal Railroad Association, have been digitized.

Harland Bartholomew and Associates (HBA) Collection

This collection primarily contains city planning reports issued by Harland Bartholomew and Associates (HBA). HBA designed city plans for several hundred urban areas across the United States, along with some international projects. Other items in the collection include the company's correspondence, data files and slides; speeches and articles by Harland Bartholomew. 

St. Louis 1904 World's Fair Collection

The first buildings on the Danforth Campus were used for the 1904 World's Fair. Officially called the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, researchers interested in its history will find a variety of materials in several collections.

Urban League of St. Louis Records

This collection documents a social and civic welfare organization, formed to assist African Americans living in, or moving through St. Louis, Missouri with the Great Migration. First called the Committee for Social Service Among Colored People (1910-1916), in 1917 it became the St. Louis Urban League, and shortly after, affiliated with the national Urban League. The major objectives of the Urban League were to improve the socio-economic and cultural conditions for African Americans, and to promote improved race relations.

William and Gertrude Bernoudy Collection

William (Bill) Adair Bernoudy (1910-1988) was a St. Louis-based architect known for his mid-century modern, organic designs. Gertrude Charlotte Bernoudy (1914-1994), known prior as Gertrude Turnovská (of the Turnovský family) and Gertrude Schenker-Lenart, was a life-long international traveler, arts collector and dealer recognized for her intensive social and cultural involvements. The bulk of the collection consists of residential and commercial architectural project records, along with personal and family materials.

Selected Assets from Local History collections

Browse for additional maps, books, and documents about the St. Louis area.