Historical February–March 2001 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood activists of the 70’s celebrated well into the 80’s. Urban pioneers began to see the fruits of their labors, as new families moved into renovated old homes, and property values stabilized and finally began to rise. And there were lots of changes in the neighborhood.
In fact, for many, the new decade really began in 1981, the year Vince Schoemehl was elected Mayor of St. Louis and Fr. Polizzi became pastor of St. Roch’s.
There were many signs of change.
On Kingsbury, the “Shoe Tree” fell.
As the May, 1980, article written for THE PAPER by Gabrielle DiLorenzo, described, a snowstorm brought an end to a tradition started by one Paul Wilmering during a game of corkball. Matt Shea remembered Wilmering throwing his shoes into the large maple tree at 6132-6138 Kingsbury.
It was quite a sight by 1980.
The tree’s demise is described in the article, reprinted below. One of the most dynamic events in our neighborhood’s history happened in the fall of 1980 when Roy Bell, then president of Rosedale Neighborhood Assn., organized a weekend of tremendously hard work: “THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST PARKWAY”.
The boldness of the concept may in fact have been mirrored in the boldness of the new Mayor, who actually thought that St. Louis could clean up its many littered lots and streets and alleys. Operation Brightside, which permanently enlightened the City. was born the same year.
The pride and astonishment felt by “the Raiders” in their accomplishment is clearly seen in the articles written by Roy Bell and by Terry Zomphier, who lived on DeGiverville and participated in reclaiming the Forest Park Parkway.
Another event which stands out for its boldness and sense of fun was “THE PAPER ROUTE”, a “run” organized by Tom Hoerr in 1980 to benefit our neighborhood newspaper. Its sense of daring and the amazing level of participation gave everyone in the neighborhood a feeling that we had really turned a corner and success was ours. Centered on DeBaliviere, the run demonstrated the rehabilitation of DeBaliviere Place, the Central West End Bank, and the building of Kingsbury Square. And who could forget “Wonder Woman”? So many changes were coming to Skinker-DeBaliviere as the 80’s began, and many of our regulars wrote about the new decade in these pages.
However, one of the most interesting reflections came from then-new neighbors Ray and Joan Breun.
In this issue of our Neighborhood Chronicles, we are pleased to reprint their article, ” First Impressions of a ‘New’ Neighborhood. or Daddy, is There Really a St. Methodist?” And, as past editor Katie Kurtz notes below. this also is a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of our connections with one another in our special neighborhood.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February–March 2001.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Intro dates Raiders event fall 1980 while reprinted letters on page 6 explicitly date October 1981. Original dates preserved.
Original source: SD_Times2001_02.pdf, printed page(s) 5; PDF page(s) 5.
