DOGTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY FACT SHEET AND MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

PURPOSE: To discover, document, educate, and disseminate the history of Dogtown.

FOUNDED: March 16, 2002 by a group of residents and former residents of Dogtown.

MEETINGS: Second Saturday of the month, 10:00 a.m., St. James Rectory, Lower Level, 6401 Wade Ave.

POINTS OF CONTACT:

Nina Kassing Bryans

636-394-1458,
and
bryans3@mindspring.com

John Corbett

314-646-0364

Web Site Bob Corbett: http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/dogtown/dogtown.html

ORIGINS OF THE NAME:

Historical evidence strongly favors the "Watch Dog Theory." In 1876 St. Louis acquired the land of Forest Park. At that time there was a group of miners and their families living in the park and working the coal mines. When mines were shut down, the workers were evicted from their squatter's cottages. They moved south into Cheltenham, which is now called Dogtown, and built small shacks near the corner of West Park and Graham. The men continued to work in the nearby clay mines, leaving their women and children alone in a rather sparsely populated area. They used dogs to protect and defend themselves and their families, and thus, the name Dogtown.

CURRENT PROJECTS:

Web Site http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/dogtown/dogtown.html

History of Dogtown History of Dogtown through grade school class photos, narratives, pictures of old businesses, historical homes, sports teams, maps and historical sites, stories of World War II, etc.

Living History

Video interviews with elderly seniors who live or have lived in Dogtown, capturing the experiences and memories of the early 20th century. To date, DHS has interviewed 17 seniors and their videos have been placed in the DHS achieves.

Century Homes

Celebration of Dogtown homes over l00 years old, certified by the organization with plaques and photos on Web Site. To date, 300 homes that have been certified.

Dogtown Grade Schools

Documented history of the neighborhood grade schools: St. James, Dewey, Roe, and Gratiot. DHS continues to collect, catalogue, and identify grade school class photos from 1903 to the present.

Genealogy

Utilizing the resources at the Missouri Historical Society and the St. Louis County Library, DHS has research and documented the United States census for the years 1900, 1880, 1870, and 1860.

St. James Quilters Association

History of quilting as practiced in Dogtown capturing the creativity, beauty, sociability, and sense of community history. Video of quilts now in DHS archives.

Speakers Series

Free quarterly presentations to the community on topics related to Dogtown history and adjacent places of interest. Programs presented in 2003 include: 150th Anniversary of the Dogtown Rail Line; History of 19th Century Dogtown/Cheltenham: History of St. James Parish; and An Evening with Julie Duane, Musician and Poetess. The 2004 Speakers Series will offer: The 1904 World’s Fair; The Forest Park Highlands Amusement Park; and The Founding of Forest Park. All presentations are held on the third Sunday in January, April, and October at 7:00 pm in the St. James Cafeteria, 1360 Tamm.

Ghost Signs

Restoration of antique signs on brick walls of commercial buildings throughout Dogtown

SPECIAL PROJECT

DHS will host “Civil War Days in Cheltenham” in October, 2004. This will be a reenactment of the raid on the United States Post Office by Confederate Soldiers. Cheltenham (Dogtown) German Immigrants, U.S. Postmaster August Muegge and his wife, were attacked on Sept. 29, 1864 at the Post Office and grocery store. The Sons of Ancestors of the Civil War will produce a two-day reenactment of the raid, Civil War softball, Civil War Ball, and encampment in Franz Park. All programs will be open to the public.

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DHS Membership Application 2004           __________________Date

Name:___________________________________Email:____________________________

Address:_________________________________ Home Phone:______________________

City, State, Zip:_____________________________________________________________

Grade School:________________________Graduation Year:_______________________

Please forward to Didi Gardner, 6201 Wade Ave., St. Louis, MO 63139. Contributions begin at $10 annually.