History of the Lou - 97.1 FM Talk

In this episode of "History of the Lou," Sue Thomas pays tribute to the legendary Ted Drewes Jr., who recently passed away at the age of 96. Join us as we celebrate the 95th anniversary of Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, a beloved St. Louis institution. Travis Dillon, co-owner of Ted Drewes, shares the fascinating story of the business, from its beginnings with Ted Drewes Sr.'s tennis career and his cr...

It is the 175th anniversary of St. Louis' Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum, and Sue talks to Dan Fuller, the Cemetery Chronicler at Bellefontaine. In the 1840's a group of St. Louisans saw the need for a "rural" cemetery since the city was growing so rapidly, and they started Bellefontaine. Today, it is still an active cemetery, with 314 acres of pastoral beauty and the resting place of some w...

Joe Sonderman returns to the studio this week to talk to Sue Thomas about his new book, "This Day in St. Louis History....the Famous, Infamous, and Everything in Between." What are some of the most important dates in St. Louis history? See if you agree...

This week, Sue Thomas interviews Amy Berra, Curator and Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum about some of the items you can see there. The Cardinals have a rich history, and the HOF Museum is home to 25 THOUSAND items that reflect it! Have you seen the Stanequin? Find out  what's on display and how you can take a tour. 

Sue Thomas first talks to St. Louis Historian Jackie Dana about the history of the Chain of Rocks Bridge and the little buildings that look like castles that you can see from the original bridge. What are they? Then, Public Historian for the Missouri History Museum, Andrew Wanko stops by with two great stories from St. Louis history...the St. Louis Leviathan and the St. Louis Tinfoil. The tinfoil...

This week, Melissa Venator, Assistant Curator of Modern Art at the St. Louis Art Museum joins Sue to talk about the history of the museum! Its building in Forest Park was one of only 2 permanent structures built for the 1904 World's Fair, but the museum's roots go back to the century before. The SLAM is known worldwide, and some of that is thanks to generous St. Louisans...find out who one in part...

In this episode, Sue talks to local historian and author NiNi Harris about Grand Center in St. Louis, and the wonderful theaters like The Fox and Powell Hall. Harris will focus in on the organ in the Fox Theater. Then, Tamara Keefe, owner of St. Louis' own Clementine's Naughty and Nice Ice Cream stops by with Sam Moore from the Missouri History Museum to talk about their collaboration for National...

This week, we talk about food. Suzanne Corbett, author and local food historian touches on some of the culinary history of St. Louis. Did you know, for instance, that President Ulysses S. Grant ate at a local home of a friend so often they got him an engraved cup? Corbett has written "Pushcarts & Stalls: The Soulard Market History Cookbook" and Sue has her give a quick, easy recipe that sounds...

This week, Sue talks to  Andy Karandzieff , third-generation owner of Crown Candy Kitchen ( www.crowncandykitchen.net ) the legendary St. Louis restaurant and confectionery. It was started in 1913 by Andy's grandfather and his friend Pete in Old North St. Louis, and is still successfully operating today. Find out how and why the restaurant decor changed a bit during WWII, and how the St. Louis gem...

In this episode, Sue talks to Andrew Wanko, a Public Historian at the Missouri History Museum about how the Soulard neighborhood and how its famous market came to be. Also, did you know that St. Louis was home to what might have been the most famous restaurant in the American West? Adolphus  Busch ate lunch there every day, the story goes. Find out a little about Tony Faust's Oyster House and how...

On this week's edition of History of The Lou, with Sue Thomas, Sue is joined by Amanda Clark. A Public Historian from the Missouri Historical Society as they discuss the deep history behind one of the most historical bridges in the United States, the Eads Bridge.

This week, Rt. 66 historian and author Joe Sonderman is back in, this time to talk about the history of the Mother Road itself. How did it change from Rt. 60 to 66 and buck convention? Sonderman also talks about the Bunion Derby from the early days of Rt. 66, and the changing roads it took through St. Louis.

This week, Sue talks to St. Louis historian and author NiNi Harris about some of the oldest things in St. Louis, including the Old Cathedral. (Check out her book entitled "Oldest St. Louis" that covers even more.) Then Andy Hahn, the Executive Director of the Campbell House Museum downtown stops by to discuss the history of that house, which was the first one built in the then-fancy neighborhood o...

This week we discuss the history of Grant's Farm with GM Steve Byrd. And yes, we do talk about the Clydesdales! Next, Tom Ridgely, artistic director of the St Louis Shakespeare Festival talks about the surprising history of Shakespeare in St Louis.

In honor of Memorial Day, we find out some of the history behind Soldiers Memorial in downtown St. Louis and Jefferson Barracks in South County. First Sue talks with Mark Sundlov, Director of Soldiers Memorial Military Museum about how the memorial came to be, and then President Roosevelt's official dedication of the site! Then, Tom Hoff, Jefferson Barracks Cultural Site Manager discusses the vari...

On this week's episode of "History of 'The Lou' with Sue"... Two of the men from PGAV responsible for creating the 3-D replica of the 1904 World's Fair grounds, stop by to describe the challenges they faced in creating and printing it. It is now the centerpiece of the new exhibit at the Missouri History Museum. Also, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard is turning 95 this year! Travis Dillon, a co-owner of T...

This week on HOTLWS, Sue is joined by local historian and author Joe Sonderman who takes us through the history of the SS Admiral. It was a fixture on the St. Louis riverfront for decades...where did it come from and where did it go? Next, Andrew Wanko, Public Historian for the Missouri Historical Society introduces us to a man who thought St. Louis should be the capitol of the U.S., and talks abo...

Welcome to the History of the Lou with Sue! Sue Thomas welcomes Andrew Colligan, Head of the Archives at the Missouri Botanical Garden, and Amanda Doyle, author of "Tower Grove Park: Common Ground and Grateful Shade", to learn about the surprising connection between the Missouri Botanical Garden & Tower Grove Park!

Welcome to the History of the Lou with Sue! Sue Thomas welcomes Adam Kloppe, Public Historian at the Missouri History Museum to discuss the 120th anniversary of the Fair. Did you know there was a fancy hotel in Forest Park during the fair? That almost 20 MILLION people came from across the country (before we all had cars) to St. Louis to see it? Was the ice cream cone invented there? We'll find ou...

Welcome to the History of the Lou with Sue! Sue Thomas welcomes Pam Sanfilippo, Program Manager for Museum Services & Interpretation at Gateway National Park, to discuss the incredible history of the Gateway to the West, the St. Louis Arch. In this hour, Pam walks through how the Arch began in the 1930's to today's latest updates. Plus, you'll never guess where KMOX's Fred Bodimer was the day...

Welcome to the History of the Lou with Sue! Sue Thomas introduces herself and the new show before sharing a glimpse of St. Louis traffic reporting history! Then, Andrew Wanko, Public Historian at the Missouri Historical Society and author of "Great River City: How the Mississippi Shaped St. Louis", joins Sue to discuss the Wainwright Building in Downtown St. Louis (was it the first skyscraper?) Ne...