Something fun about moving to a new city is getting to know its history. I feel like St. Louis has an especially rich history, thanks in part to the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904. This city has some of the most beautiful historic neighborhoods, parks and architecture.
Ever since we moved here I've been eager to visit the newly restored public library in downtown. A friend and I took a docent-led tour on Monday to learn more about its history {{I'm so thankful for fellow history and architecture nerds buffs.}}
Originally opened on January 6, 1912, the library was designed by architect Cass Gilbert, who also designed the U.S. Supreme Court and the St. Louis Art Museum in Forest Park (coincidentally also going through an expansion right now). The library was built during the City Beautiful movement, a philosophy of North American architecture that took off during the early 1900s. The movement promoted the idea that beautiful buildings fostered a better community and a higher quality of life. It sounds superficial and idealistic, but I love this idea - I think beautiful architecture is a great, uplifting asset of a community.
The ceiling drawings in the main entryway include portraits of St. Louis' namesake Louis IX, Johanes Gutenberg and even the man who invented paperbacks (thank goodness for him).
The Great Hall is a breathtakingly beautiful room. The room used to be where visitors waited while librarians tracked down their books in the stacks. The library tables are original to the old building (which made me think of our darling table), as are many of the light fixtures.
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| The floor of the Great Hall (left) was modeled after the marble floor in the Pantheon in Rome (right). |
Each room in the library is dedicated to a subject area, from law and government to performing arts and sports. My favorite? The fine arts room! Not only are there books on art, but you can also check auction records to see the value of your personal collection, however large or small.
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| Each room also has tapestries made with images of the room's subject matter. |
Look up in the room holding current novels and be inspired by some great literary quotes (and also feel like you're watching the opening scene of Star Wars, am I right?).
The room that made my heart extra happy was the children's books. Quotes from Winnie the Pooh, The Giving Tree and countless other kids' classics decorate the walls. My other favorite feature were some awesome reading nooks (or jungle gym depending on the visitor) - a sort of heaven for anyone that loves to curl up with a good book.
The area of the library that used to house the stacks of books is now open and airy.
White brick and glass walls give this section a contemporary aesthetic in comparison to its adjoining historical structure. Appropriately enough, it contains the more contemporary tools of information: computers. And coffee. Okay, so coffee is not an information tool exactly, but it has come to be an essential expected component of a great reading experience. The area seems to nod to its past while also making way for the information platforms of the present and future.
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I encourage you to grab a friend and explore your city a bit. Whether you're new to town or have lived there for years, pretend you're a tourist now and then and check out the highlights of what your city has to offer. I promise you'll gain a new appreciation for your community and feel more a part of it.
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