A Tale of Two Turnvereine Halls
The fate of much of St. Louis’ historic buildings prove the old real estate adage. It’s all about location, location, location. If the building is in the South St. Louis, it has a better chance of being saved than a building on the North Side. The same could be said for buildings located in the center of the city except a lot of historic buildings have been demolished to make way for some new corporations’ skyscraper. The fate of St. Louis’ two Turnvereine Halls exemplify this trend.
Renovated South St. Louis Turnvereine Hall, Built in 1884 – Courtesy of Google Earth
Frederick Ludwig Jahn started the Turner movement, which was primarily devoted to gymnastics, as a way to restore German pride after the humiliation of the Germanic states by Napoleon. While it started out as a gymnastic movement, the movement eventually included all types of physical culture. Jahn was also a fierce German nationalist, which would lead the movement to become politically active.
In St. Louis, the Halls were home to both amateur and professional athletes of note. George Baptiste represented the Northside Hall in wrestling competitions.
Inside of the South St. Louis Turnvereine Hall circa 1900 from the Yeckel Collection
Europe experienced a number of attempted revolutions in 1848. The revolutionary activity in Germany was particularly intense. After the revolution, many German nationalist left Germany. A number of Turners emigrated to the United States and brought the movement with them. Turnvereine Halls sprang up in many cities including St. Louis and Milwaukee. A detailed history of the St. Louis Halls can be read on the Landmark Association of St. Louis website by clicking here.
Hyde Park Turnvereine Hall from 2002. Built in 1870, the grandest of the structure is still visible – Courtesy of Geo St. Louis
The first Turner Hall was built at 1926 Salisbury on the North Side in the Hyde Park neighborhood during 1870. Hyde Park was originally a German enclave called Bremen. The Turner Hall suffered the fate of many of the North Side’s historic buildings. It lay vacant since at least 1989. In 2007, years of neglect lead to almost a total building collapse. The building has since been demolished completely. The Land Revitalization Authority (LRA) has taken over the vacant site.
Crumbling North Side Turner Hall in 2007 – Courtesy of Geo St. Louis
The second Turner Hall was built at 10th and Carroll Street on the South Side in the La Salle Park neighborhood during 1884. It has never been vacant. Developers turned it into condos sometime before 1998. The building has been well maintained.
What is Left of the Facade and Rest of the Building in 2009 – Courtesy of Geo St. Louis
The fate of the Turner Halls and their neighborhoods are emblematic of the problems for the built environment in St. Louis. Some of the reasons are tied to race. The North Side is seen as the African-American side of town. For most of modern history, this area has been neglected by cit officials who were following the 1947 City Plan. Some of the initiatives have been well-intended but counter productive.
Site of the North Side Turnvereine Hall Today. Heart breaking but probably welcome for neighbors – Courtesy of Google Earth
What can be done to prevent more stories such as this one? Will the North Side redevelopment help or make things worse? What do you think? You can leave a comment or ask a question about this or any post on my Facebook page and Twitter profile.
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