How did we get here?
Most know that St. Louis City was separated from St. Louis County in 1876 in a move that’s come to be known as The Great Divorce. It seems we now know the results of this split all too well — what’s less understood is why the divorce took place. And it’s likely that a better understanding of our forefathers’ decision-making process may help all of us as we try to decide what comes next.
Christopher Gordon is the Director of Library and Collections at the Missouri Historical Society. He has researched this topic and has discovered some very interesting information about the cultural, political and economic forces that were at play in St. Louis when the decision to split was made.
Recently, Christopher graciously agreed to share his findings at an event hosted by Better Together.