EastStLouis1h.jpg by Cincy Images

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24-JUL-2005

EastStLouis1h.jpg

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Guest		22-Oct-2018 17:57
I had good times at Monroe, Rock Jr. High and East Side. My favorites were Mr. Nichols, Elmo Bush and Marvin Jones. It was a beautiful city till major companies moved. I loved our house on 1309 Illinois. We had fun racing on bikes, playing baseball on the church lot and jumping rope. We ran errands for the elderly and turned in soda bottles for candy money. I have found children I grew up with, but most are deceased. May GOD bless ESL be blessed to prosper again

Guest		18-Jun-2018 04:41
The realization is When businesses move out of a city it is going To deteriorate

Abe Block		01-Dec-2017 04:17
Ogonoski funeral home stood proudly on Pennsylvania across from the YWCA for many years. It was one of the premier streets in town at one time. I went to the grade school down the street, Longfellow. Then went to Rock and East Side. Was in the first graduating class from the new High School in about 1960. Thought the city was great, but it changed in about 10 years. What great memories. First White Castle on St. Clair and 9ths was a good memory also.

Guest		11-Jun-2016 06:32
East St Louis:I will always cherish it, yet never forget the traumas I experienced during a two year residency. My father was in the military. We, a large family, lived in the Samuel Gompers homes/apartments. I loved the close niche atmosphere of our neighborhood and developed meaningful friendships in this somewhat typical, mid 60s USA, segregated black community. To my great astonishment and sorrow, on Halloween night, a small group of children (me included) were approaching home to end a fun and peaceful evening; when suddenly a gang of black kids came out of nowhere where and brutally beat the only few white kids in the bunch. I'd never seen anything like it in my life. The experience was horrific and that's from the view point of this observer; l can't imagine what scars it left on the victims. Even so, some of my best childhood memories are of the wonderful people and good times I experienced in ESL.

Guest		21-Jul-2015 18:07
East St. Louis is and example of Democrat Politics and Unions killing jobs

Matthew Cruise		03-Nov-2013 01:09
I was born in East St Louis (Centerville) I retired from the army in 1974, now living in Bakersfield, CA, my wife and I visited in July for a wedding, we were in awe of the Murphy building. I am seriously considering buying it next year.

franki short		06-Sep-2013 17:17
man when i look at the pics of esl my heart hurt i was born there i do remember alot of good times i left in 70, only been back once for my brothet funeral, i alway assume when i go it would be officers fun hm who would take care of my boby but now!!!!!

Guest		13-Jan-2013 20:54
I was born in 1952 in East Louis at St. Marys Hospital. We lived on St. Louis Avenue until my parents bought a home in Edgemont. It was a great neighborhood with lots of neighbors and kids to play with. I went to Edgemont grade school, where my mother and aunt had went to. I went to Clark Jr High and E. St. Louis Sr High. I have the best memories of my mom who did not drive taking me and my sister and brother by bus to visit my grandma who lived on 7th street in East St Louis and shoping downtown. I worked right out of highschool at Treesh Neon Sign company which was in downtown E. St Louis and would go every day to have lunch at the Holiday Inn. It is heart breaking to see what has become of whatwas once such a great and prosperious city

Fred Freeman		18-Jul-2012 17:20
I loved growing up in E.St. Louis! I attended church(Mt. Sinai Baptist) and school(Lincoln Sr. High on Bond Ave.). E. St. Louis helped to shape my life and the wonderful memories are cherished posessions! As a young adult, I also lived on Pennsylvania Ave. during the early 70's. I absolutely loved the neighborhood. It is heart breaking to see the city in such disrepair. At least I have wonderful memories and I am greatful for the positive foundation!

Sheila Gargas		18-Apr-2012 22:11
I lived in East St. Louis at 10H Roosevelt Homes back in the 60's. LOVED it!!! Every one of the neighborhood kids played together and we were all in the home before the "Nine O'clock Whistle" blew!! Safe, fun, and CLEAN!! I miss those days...Hawthorn School, Holy Angels School, and Lansdown Jr. High!!!

Guest		07-Feb-2012 06:20
I was born in E St Louis, Il in 1948. It was such a wonderful, safe place to be raised. We moved to Belleville in 1956, only because they were building I-70 and my aunt's house was in the way. My mother, sister, uncle & I moved in with my aunt in her new home. I cried bitter tears when we moved from E St Louis back then. My heart cries even more tears when I now drive on I-70 on my visits home. I have wonderful memories of attending School and church at St Adalberts and many happy times at the Polish Hall.

Termite		24-Oct-2011 18:22
I all so lived in the farms,im 54 now.I grew up in E ST. Louis went to Martin luther King JR High. I loved Frenchvillage Drive In. I think the people who lived in the Farms were lucky. We were such a close family. every one Knew each other. My father built the house we grew up in, its gone now becouse Fema bought everyone out. thats funny my mother showed me pics of the farms flooding before i was born,we had rains flooding street mostly down by the canal. but not enough to make Fema by every one out. I do miss my childhood growing up in the Farms.

Linda E.		17-Apr-2010 02:52
God bless ESL. I'm proud to say that my parents moved into a new house in a new neighborhood in ESL in 1952. It was a great life. Neighborhoods full of children. The American Dream. I was born in ESL in 1955, and we lived there until 1965. We did not leave because of prejudice or 'White Flight,' as some ignorant people try to place the blame for the 'exodus' of white people on. My parents built a house and moved to Belleville because ESL became a war zone. The public grade school kids in our neighborhood at 71st and St.Clair Ave.(Delmar Drive)came home every week with horror stories about grade school kids being beat up, or their faces being submerged in the toilets by gangs of black kids. My friend at St.Theresa's Academy Parochial High School was walking home from school one day (she lived on McKinley in St. Clair Farms) and a black girl she had never seen beat her so savagely that she talks about it to this day-and she's 54 years old. My other friend and her 2 girlfriends, who all went to East Side, accepted a ride home with 3 black boys from school (one of the girls knew one of the boys, so thought it was safe) and all 3 got raped. This was going on and getting worse and worse and worse. Yes, there were wonderful black people around, but the bad ones wouldn't let up, and the Chicago gangs were infiltrating and stirring up the violence, too. So don't tell me that my parents pulled up stakes and moved me and 6 brothers and sisters away because of prejudice and 'white flight.' There was a dang good reason--safety. They were doing their god-given job-to keep their family safe.

Guest		27-Mar-2010 16:32
What beauty in the middle of ugliness. But, I shed no tears and don't mourn the loss of 'my hometown.' I was glad to leave the war zone in the late 60's and will never forget being afraid to use the rest room at my high school after a friend was severely beaten in the restroom and an ambulance was called to take him away. For every story that recalls a fond memory on this blog -- I can counter with an ugly story.

Guest		18-Feb-2010 07:08
Earlier I mentioned that the most beautiful piece of architecture in ESL was torn down. It was my home at 1010 Pennsylvania Avenue. It was also the home of the greatest mayor East Louis ever had. Melbern M. Stephens (1887-95,1897-1903,& 1919-27)Look it up in the history of ESL. He supposedly was so good the people practically begged him to come back. The home later became Ogonoski funeral home. It sat across the street from what is now the Katherine Dunham Musem/Home. While living there I attended St. Adalbert Parochial, and went to Sacred Heart Church. St. Adalbert moved to the buildind across the street from St Theresa's all girl school on 25th street,and behind the church called St. Elizabeths.It's still standinding, and some guy was living in the church and selling carpet out of the basement. I will go back in the summer of '10, and as uusual, I'll get in my car and drive around and reminise, and maybe even shed a tear; because ESL is my home and always will be in my prayers.

Elvira Jones		15-Jan-2010 05:17
Born in St.Louis,Mo.but raised in e.st.louis. Return home as often as possible My cousin and I stood in front of this building @ 5 a.m. in our pajamas drinking coffee and reminiscing about how beautiful this place was in our childhood and how we would love to buy this building and bring it back to life....if only we could win the lotto. Also the Woolworth building on corner from this one.....But the most beautiful piece of architecture of this city has been torn down.(what a shame!!!) I lived there on the historic Pennsylvania ave. For some reason I can't help but return to that street every time I go home and literally cry.

The Possum		29-Oct-2008 18:33
This was clearly the most beautiful piece of architecture in the city. Today, the back of it is collapsing and the stone facde has been significantly vandalized. It would be wonderful to see this facade carefully dismantled and reconstructed on a new building in a city with a future. Old ESL is clearly a lost cause.