Jim Kirchherr takes a tour of an empty water tank and learns about the present and history of water treatment in the St. Louis area. The water in the area has always been drawn from local rivers and has a history of being murky and cloudy. This was not a health concern, but when the 1904 World’s Fair approached city leaders in St. Louis wanted to be sure that the water for both drinking and display was crystal clear. They system they put in place back then is still the basic system used today, although the process has been improved and modernized to fit the needs of the area.
Patrick Murphy explores the work of Eero Saarinen, whose work was the subject of an exhibit at the Kemper Art Museum at Washington University. Best known for the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Saarinen also designed the TWA Flight Center and JFK Airport in New York, the main terminal at Dulles Airport in Washington DC, and the CBS Headquarters building (known as Blackrock) in midtown Manhattan. Saarinen’s style, which changed from project-to-project to fit the needs of each design, has made him difficult to classify by architecture and art historians, and lead to a decline of his reputation after his dead in 1961. Now, however, he is seen as a source of inspiration for many architects.
Anne-Marie Berger tires to keep up with some American Cancer Society (ACS) charity runners at the GO! St. Louis Marathon. While the charity runner program has been a part of the Chicago Marathon since 1996, but 2009 at the GO! St. Louis Marathon marked the first ACS charity runner program in the state of Missouri, and it was spearheaded by a young married couple transplanted from Chicago. Jody and Jonathan Alde moved to St. Louis last year and contacted the local branch of the ACS to see about starting the program here. The program has special meaning to the couple, as Jonathan was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer in 2007. There were 14 charity runners who took part in the marathon this year, and they raised more than $15,000 for the American Cancer Society.
Producer Jim Kirchherr explores the history of Forest Park in downtown St. Louis. In 1914, St. Louis celebrated the 150th anniversary of the city. This was a four day event in the form of a grand Pageant and Masque. Charlotte Rumbold, a reformist and city secretary during the early 1900s, tried motivating citizens to come together and play together after working on city projects. Dwight Davis, public parks commissioner of St. Louis, also believed that playgrounds and parks would make healthier living conditions for each person. During the transformation process, most of the buildings in Forest Park were destroyed, while the St. Louis Zoo and the Municipal Theatre are created.
Producer Anne-Marie Berger visits Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park. The department of natural resources has been restoring the park since 2005 for its reopening in June of 2009. Greg Combs, project manager for the Department of Natural Resources, feels that it is important to maintain the landscape once destroyed by a breach of the Taum Sauk reservoir on December 15, 2005. Water destroyed the vegetation neighboring the pump station. Newly restored trails, orientation center, and camp ground facilities are set for the reopening.
Producers Patrick Murphy and Kate Shaw discover Cannon Design. The company has invested $8 million to restore the Power House as their central headquarters. Tom Bergmann, principal for Cannon Design, wanted a contemporary workspace inside an old architectural building to tie the heritage of St. Louis’ past to present times. The company utilizes the structural strength of the building as it grows each year.
Producer Patrick Murphy visits the Lawn Chair Brigade. Steve Butler, director of the Lawn Chair Brigade, arrived in St. Louis in 1993 with a lawn chair and a dream. The ensemble sings famous songs and honors St. Louis icons, performing with lawn chairs. Some participants train forty-five minutes to an hour prior to a parade. A highlight of the year for the group is the Soulard Mardi Gras parade. The Group joins in to celebrate aluminum, nylon, and plastic.
Producer Anne-Marie Berger meets Thomas Kempland. Saint Louis has a vast history of photography. Master photographer J.R. Eike took photographs of historic landmarks, parks, disasters, and events during the early 1900s. Kempland, a collector of memorabilia, discovered J.R. Eikes glass plate collection after visiting a garage sale. The Eike family needed to find someone to preserve negative images. Kempland has uploaded images online for Saint Louis natives to enjoy.
Producer Ruth Ezell visits Laurie Ferrer. In this segment of ‘Facing the Financial Crises,’ Ferrer discusses steps to improve credit scores and ways to lower interest rates through online services. She currently works at University Pediatrics at Cardinal Glennon Children’s hospital. She wants to help others get out of credit card debt and find ways to save money each month.
Producer Anne-Marie Berger visits St. Louis Marathon and Fleet Feet sports. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the St. Louis marathon. Kristen Murphy, manager for Fleet Feet sports and coordinator for the St. Louis marathon, tries to motivate people to ‘get up and running.’ In January, potential runners from across the country signed up to train for a 26 mile marathon. Each training session begins in Tower Grove Park in downtown Saint Louis, MO.
