Years of Stories

On this day, March 10, one hundred and sixty-nine years ago, an attempted political assassination of one of St. Louis's most prominent political figures was fumbled. Read about it in this History Happens Here article. http://mohistory.org/blog/loring-pickering-part-1/

     By March 1849, it was clear that the global cholera pandemic had reached St. Louis and the Mississippi Valley. Even though cold, wet weather was still hanging over the region, people were already on the move. Anxious '49ers eager to get to the California gold fields and trains of Oregon-bound families were starting to stream into the city. The river was up and the streets were a muddy mess. Fine conditions for cholera transmission. As the travelers rolled in, the number of cholera victims began to rise too.      This was just the beginning of what would become a public health nightmare for the St. Louis and the region. Soon the weather would warm up, even greater numbers of people would pass through, and the medical community had no clue as to the cause or cure of this devastating disease. The population was helpless and the only hope was that the victims would be strong enough to survive.      This story is but one chapter in string...

On March 13, I will be appearing at The Library Center in Springfield, Missouri. The presentation and book signing begins at 7 PM. Thank you Springfield-Greene County Library for hosting this event. Books will be available for purchase for $20. Cash only please. I look forward to seeing everyone in Springfield!

In 1849, St. Louis was a frontier town at a crossroads. An exploding population was pushing the city, its infrastructure, and its residents to the limit. Fire had decimated a large part of the riverfront, and disease, greed, and crime were running rampant. Gordon culled publications, diaries, government records, and letters to reconstruct one of the most turbulent—and fascinating—years in St. Louis’s history. You can find my book through the following locations: Missouri History Museum Shop or https://missouri-history-museum-shop.myshopify.com/collections/saint-louis-books/products/fire-pestilence-and-death-st-louis-1849-by-christopher-alan-gordon My Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Christopher-Alan-Gordon/e/B079KMGKMD Barnes and Nobles locations or barnesandnoble.com Target.com   OR; Your favorite independent bookstore (Just ask them to contact University of Chicago Press)

Thank you to everyone who has purchased a copy of Fire, Pestilence, and Death: St. Louis 1849! I am receiving a lot of great comments from those who have read it and the professional reviews have been good too! The St. Louis Post-Dispatch printed a good full review in the Sunday Edition, February 18. Here's the link to online version. http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/books-and-literature/reviews/the-year-st-louis-went-through-hell-with-fire-disease/article_cb2a8e45-f95e-5428-902b-e98982edb825.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share Also, great review from Midwest Book Review which included a recommendation that it be included in all university and school libraries.