St. Louis is the second-largest city in Missouri state. The area was initially inhabited by Native Americans before the European Settlement. In the mid-19th century, a large number of German immigrants arrived in the city, and the population was multiplied from 20,000 in 1840 to over 160,000 by the end of the 1860s. After the civil war, the railroad network and several industries such as flour milling, machining, slaughtering, paper making, tobacco processing, and brewing were constructed in the city. St. Louis became home to whiskey distilleries. The city hosted the 1904 World’s Fair and the 1904 Summer Olympics. The Prohibition-era brought heavy losses to the brewing industry of St. Louis, and unemployment rose to peak during the Great Depression. In the 1930s, relief operations were started in the city to aid the unemployment. After World War II, the population reached a peak of more than 880,000 in 1950.

These stunning historical photos show St. Louis from the early 20th century capturing streets, roads, landmarks, cityscapes, and everyday life of people.