Missouri Historical Society
Encyclopedia
The Missouri Historical Society was founded in St. Louis
in 1866. Founding members created the historical society "for the purpose of saving from oblivion the early history of the city and state."
in St. Louis' Forest Park
, as well as the Library and Research Center. Admission to the museum and library are free to the public. There is a fee for special museum exhibitions, but weekly free admission times are available.
No appointment is needed to view the library and manuscript collections, but might be needed for other collections. Among its unique collections are the 301 freedom suits
of the 19th-century St. Louis Circuit Court Records, the largest group of such case files in the country. These have been scanned into a searchable database that is online for researchers. They document the slaves' petitions for freedom under state law before the American Civil War
.
The research library is housed in an historic 1927 Byzantine revival synagogue building erected by the United Hebrew Congregation
on Lindell Boulevard. (The congregation has moved to Chesterfield where it erected a new building.)
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1866. Founding members created the historical society "for the purpose of saving from oblivion the early history of the city and state."
Organization
The Missouri Historical Society operates the Missouri History MuseumMissouri History Museum
The Missouri History Museum is located in St. Louis, Missouri in Forest Park. The museum is operated by the Missouri Historical Society and was founded in 1866...
in St. Louis' Forest Park
Forest Park (St. Louis)
Forest Park is a public park located in western part of the city of St. Louis, Missouri. It is a prominent civic center and covers . The park, which opened in 1876 more than a decade after its proposal, has hosted several significant events, including the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904 and...
, as well as the Library and Research Center. Admission to the museum and library are free to the public. There is a fee for special museum exhibitions, but weekly free admission times are available.
Library and Research Center
The Library and Research Center houses a regional history collection documenting St. Louis, the Mississippi and Missouri Valleys, the Louisiana Purchase Territory, and the American West. The Library and Research Center collections include:- Library Collections
- Manuscript Collections
- Photographs and Prints
- Architecture Collections
- Broadcast Media Archives
- Museum Collections
No appointment is needed to view the library and manuscript collections, but might be needed for other collections. Among its unique collections are the 301 freedom suits
Freedom suits
Freedom suits were legal petitions filed by slaves for freedom in the United States and its territories before the American Civil War, including during the colonial period. Most were filed during the nineteenth century. After the American Revolution, most northern states had abolished slavery, and...
of the 19th-century St. Louis Circuit Court Records, the largest group of such case files in the country. These have been scanned into a searchable database that is online for researchers. They document the slaves' petitions for freedom under state law before the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
The research library is housed in an historic 1927 Byzantine revival synagogue building erected by the United Hebrew Congregation
United Hebrew Congregation
The United Hebrew Congregation at 13788 Conway Road in St. Louis, Missouri is a Reform Jewish synagogue. It is the first Jewish Congregation established west of the Mississippi River.- History :...
on Lindell Boulevard. (The congregation has moved to Chesterfield where it erected a new building.)