St. Louis

Singer Tina Turner was born on this day in Tennessee. However, around age eleven, her family relocated to St. Louis, the same location where she got her start in the music business.

David Margulois was born in St. Louis. After changing his name to David Merrick, he produced Hello Dolly, 42nd Street, Gypsy, and more. In all, his nearly 100 shows earned him eight Tony awards. 

Kenneth Swyers of Overland slid down the north leg of the Arch to his death. He had parachuted to the top of the Arch as a publicity stunt, but the wind caught his chute and sent him down the side.

The St. Louis School Board fired a male teacher who had filed for divorce. Discussion of such a scandal was sure to bring harm to the students. Of course, women teachers weren't allowed to be married in the first place.

Elijah Lovejoy was born on this date. Lovejoy was a crusading newspaper publisher, who got his start in St. Louis, and he was abolitionist who was killed when a mob came to break up his press in Alton, Illinois. 

The 2020 reader’s choice awards are here.

At the St. Louis Union Station, Harry Truman displayed the famous newspaper headline, "Dewey Defeats Truman."

Colonel Thomas Fiveash Riddick was an influential banker who helped create the St. Louis public schools, was a founder of the Thespian Society and was a delegate to the original Missouri Constitutional Congress. On this date he founded the first Episcopal Church west of the Mississippi.

The tallest national monument in America, St. Louis’s Gateway Arch was completed on this date.