history of the neighborhood

Introduction to Mill Creek Valley

Mill Creek Valley was first settled in 1765 by Joseph Miguel Taillon, when he built a mill along a creek that ran from present-day Vandeventer Avenue to the Mississippi River. The area grew immensely during the 19th century alongside the city’s growth as a transportation hub, then an industrial center. First, German immigrants settled in the area, then after the Civil War, African Americans began moving in. Leading up to the Civil War, free Black migrants and individuals who escaped enslavement settled in Mill Creek Valley. The neighborhood continued to prosper and grow in population during the late 19th century, becoming a place of commerce and trade as St. Louis expanded outward from its humble beginnings.

As the area continued to grow, railroads cut through the heart of the neighborhood and Mill Creek Valley residents increasingly served the region’s industries. The neighborhood’s African American population expanded in the post-emancipation world. Still another surge of migrations from The South came during World War II, as the city mobilized during the wartime effort. African American-owned businesses and organizations flourished, and the area became an organizing point of some of the earliest racial justice activism. 

In the early- and mid-twentieth century, Mill Creek Valley flourished with many Black organizations, a hospital, and significant commerce. Some of the prominent institutions included City Hospital No. 2, the original Vashon High School, Booker T. Washington Vocational School, Pine Street YMCA, the People’s Finance Corporation Building. There were also more than forty African American churches, membership from which spread throughout the city. In total there were 800 businesses and around 20,000 residents, most of whom were African American.

On August 7, 1954, Mayor Raymond R. Tucker announced that he would be demolishing 465 acres of Mill Creek Valley, destroying the neighborhood. According to the Post-Dispatch, it was labeled the “No.1 Eyesore” in the city, and the city wanted to open it up for new development.  Mill Creek Valley was one of the primary African American neighborhoods in the city, yet it was viewed as disposable by city leaders. At the point of razing, it was very much a thriving neighborhood with a vibrant commercial district and over 20,000 residents. The ramifications of one of the most significant urban renewal actions would last for generations, and you can still feel its impact today. While much of the neighborhood is gone and the story of Mill Creek Valley is not well-known to most contemporary St. Louisans, one can still see remnants of the neighborhood, and we seek to keep the memory of Mill Creek Valley alive.

Works Cited

 Cambria N, Fehler P, Purnell JQ, Schmidt B. Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide. St Louis, MO: Washington University in St. Louis. 2018. https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/sites.wustl.edu/dist/3/1454/files/2018/06/Segregation-in-St.-Louis-Dismantling-the-Divide-22ih4vw.pdf

Hemphill, Evie. “Remembering Mill Creek Valley, Once Home to 20,000 Black St. Louisans.” St. Louis Public Radio, March 1, 2018. https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/remembering-mill-creek-valley-once-home-20000-black-st-louisans#stream/0f.

Post-Dispatch, Tim O’Neil St. Louis. “65 Years Ago, the Decision to Clear Mill Creek Valley Changed the Face of the City.” STLtoday.com, August 7, 2019. https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/a-look-back-clearing-of-mill-creek-valley-changed-the/article_04738cde-b0f8-5688-a20e-6fd86266d1ac.html.