University City, Missouri: Its People and Events, 1906–1931

University City, Missouri, is a suburb with an intriguing history. Begun two years after the World’s Fair in 1904, the city expanded rapidly. Because it was originally one man’s vision of a city centered around arts and education, University City attracted a dazzling array of trend-setting people, who filled new neighborhoods and encouraged diversity. This book is focused on the people who lived in the expanding community in its first twenty-five years. Although many of these individuals were ordinary citizens, there are quite a few with well-known names, such as Tom Dooley, Dave Garroway, Tennessee Williams, and many others. The book’s ten chapters are chronological, from founder, E. G. Lewis’s part in the formation of the city, through the ‘teens, and into the Great Depression. Much of what is included in this book has never been published before. There are lists containing thousands of names, photos of many of the people and places, and an abundance of biographical information on early residents. The first chapter explains the origins of University City and includes the list of people who signed the incorporation petition, the first taxpayers’ list, and some early newspaper accounts of the city’s first days. Subsequent chapters have city directory listings, residents in the 1910 federal census, World War I soldiers, veterans of other wars, voter registration lists, minorities, and a chronology of the city’s growth. The last chapter contains about one hundred biographies, many accompanied by photos. The every-name index at the end covers more than fifty pages.

Written by C. Edwin and Ilene Kanfer Murray, Published by the Historical Society of University City, 2009, 476 pgs., hardcover