Views of Early St. Louis, 1840-ca. 1898

Summary

Creator:

Boehl, Emil, 1839-1919

Abstract:

Views of Early St. Louis contains 27 photographs of scenes from St. Louis, Missouri, between 1840 and 1895 that were assembled by German American photographer Emil Boehl during the late-1890s, including several photographic reproductions of various works by other artists such as Daguerrean photographer Thomas M. Easterly.

Extent:

27 photographs in 1 album

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Jakob Dopp, May 2022

Background

Scope and Content:

Views of Early St. Louis contains 27 photographs of scenes from St. Louis, Missouri, between 1840 and 1895 that were assembled by German American photographer Emil Boehl during the late-1890s, including several photographic reproductions of various works by other artists such as Daguerrean photographer Thomas M. Easterly.

The album (35 x 45 cm) has red leather covers with “Views of Early St. Louis” stamped in gold on the front. Of the 27 photographs included in this album, 15 are pasted-in while 12 were printed directly onto the album pages. Images vary in size, with some taking up nearly an entire album page.

The following list represents the album’s contents in order of appearance and includes image titles (with supplied titles appearing in brackets), additional captions, various forms of Emil Boehl’s photographer credits, image descriptions, and original sources for images known to have been photographically reproduced by Boehl:

1) 4th St. From Washington Ave. S. 1840 / E. Boehl Phot

• Street scene looking south down 4th Street from Washington Avenue in 1840. People can be seen on horseback and mingling outside of residences. Several buildings are depicted, including steepled churches and the Old Courthouse. Photographic reproduction of a watercolor by commercial artist Albert Byron Greene in 1889. Writing present in the bottom right-hand corner of the original watercolor reads: “Made for Mrs. McKee Mar. 89. A. B. Greene.”

2) Chouteau Pond, 1850. Now Cupplee Station. / E. Boehl Phot

• View of Chouteau Pond in 1850. “Back of Chouteau Mansion on Clark Ave bet. 11th & 12 sts” inscribed on back of page. Photographic reproduction of original daguerreotype by Thomas M. Easterly, ca. 1850.

3) St. Louis Levee. 1850 / E. Boehl, Phot

• View of numerous steamboats docked at St. Louis Levee. Photographic reproduction of original daguerreotype by Thomas M. Easterly, ca. 1852/53.

4) Fort Near Mullanphy Str. 1850 / E. Boehl Phot

• View of the Old Spanish Fort (later Roy’s Mill, Riverfront). The steamer Wyoming can be seen near the riverbank. Photographic reproduction of original daguerreotype by Thomas M. Easterly, ca. 1850.

5) Pierre Chouteau Residence East Side of Main Street south of Washington Avenue Built in 1832 / E. Boehl Photo N. E. Cor. 9th & Pine St.

• View of the house of Pierre Chouteau on Main Street beside the Durkee & Bullock Banking House (possibly ca. 1865)

6) Old Planters Hotel 1865. / E. Boehl Phot

• View of the Planter’s House Hotel on 4th Street in 1865.

7) Built 1838-39. Past Service. Christ Church. S.W. Cor. 5th (now Broadway & Chestnut)

• View of Christ Church, demolished in 1860. Photographic reproduction of original lithograph by J. C. Wild published in 1840.

8) Built 1838-39. Past Service. Christ Church. S.W. Cor. 5th (now Broadway & Chestnut)

• View of Christ Church, demolished in 1860. Photographic reproduction of original lithograph by J. C. Wild published in 1840.

9) Old Cathedral 1868. / E. Boehl Phot.

• View of the Old Cathedral (also known as the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France) located on Walnut Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets. “2nd & Walnut” inscribed on back of page.

10) Chouteau Mansion. Taken Feb 12/68. / E. Boehl. Phot.

• View of the Pierre Chouteau Mansion on Clark Avenue between 11th and 12 Streets. “Bet 11th & 12th on Clark Ave” inscribed on back of page.

11) Old High School - 1870 / E. Boehl. Phot.

• View of the first public high school in St. Louis located at the corner of 15th and Olive Streets. Large crowd of people gathered in foreground. “15th & Olive” inscribed on back of page.

12) Jail 6th & Chestnut 1870 / E. Boehl - Phot St. Louis.

• View of the old jailhouse located at the corner of 6th and Chestnut Streets. Illustrated clouds added through negative retouching. “Later Lynch’s Slave yard” inscribed on back of page.

13) James H. Lucas’ Residence S.W. Cor. 9th & Olive 1870. / E. Boehl, Phot: 9th & Pine

• View of the house of James H. Lucas located at the southwest corner of 9th and Olive Streets. Image appears to be a photographic reproduction of another photograph. Partially cutoff writing present in the bottom left-hand corner of the original photograph reads: “…[B? or S?] [?] Lucas 1898.”

14) Fourth Street north of Olive 1872 / E. Boehl, Photo. 514 Washington Av.

• Street scene looking north up 4th Street from Olive Street showing numerous pedestrians, buildings, and a trolley car.

15) Olive Street, betw: 6th & 7th 1872

• View of a residence on Olive Street between 6th and 7th Streets. Image appears to be a photographic reproduction of another photograph.

16) Broadway from Olive South. 1874 / E. Boehl, Phot. 514 Wash. Ave.

• Street scene looking south down Broadway from Olive Street showing numerous buildings and wagons.

17) Centre Market, 7th & Poplar 1875. / E. Boehl, Phot.

• View of Centre Market building located at 7th and Poplar Streets.

18) [Fair Grounds Race Track?] 1876

• Lacking title. Possibly view of Fair Grounds Race Track, ca. 1876.

19) Pope’s Col. 1876. / E. Boehl Phot.

• View of St. Louis Medical College building (also known as Pope’s College) at 7th and Clark Avenue in 1876. Image appears to be a photographic reproduction of another photograph.

20) [Mercantile Library] 1880 / E. Boehl, Phot.

• View of the St. Louis Mercantile Library building. Image appears to be a photographic reproduction of another photograph.

21) From Court House N.W. 1880 (S ?) / E. Boehl, Phot. 514 Wash. Ave.

• Bird’s-eye view of downtown St. Louis. Numerous buildings visible, including the old St. Louis Post Office (Custom House). One building near the foreground is marked with an “x” while an inscription on the roof of the building reads: “Broadway”; an additional inscription in the upper left-hand corner reads “x EHL. Born 1839.”

22) [Grand Republic steamer] / E. Boehl Phot-1890.

• View of the Grand Republic steamer.

23) 12th St: from Washington Av: South / E. Boehl Phot: 1892

• Street scene looking south down 12th Street from Washington Avenue showing horse-drawn carriages, numerous buildings, and a large crowd in the background gathered around the Statue of Liberty Replica at 12th and Pine Streets.

24) Pope’s Theatre 1895. / E. Boehl Phot.

• View of Pope’s Theater with a group of people standing outside. “9th & Olive” inscribed on back of page.

25) Lindell Hotel - 1895. / E. Boehl Photo. 514 Washington Av.

• “Wash. Ave bet.” inscribed and crossed out on back of page; “68?” inscribed on back of page

26) [St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall, 1892]

• View of the St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall seen from the corner of Olive and 14th Streets

27) “The Elephant” at Graniteville. / E. Boehl, Phot. 514 Wash. Ave.

• View of The Elephant Rocks in the Saint Francois Mountains (now Elephant Rocks State Park). Graffiti can be seen etched into the rocks, while an unidentified man (possibly Emil Boehl) stands at center.

Biographical / Historical:

Emil Boehl was born in Calvörde, Germany, in 1839. He immigrated to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1854, and later served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Following the conclusion of his military service, he opened a photography studio in St. Louis with Lawrence H. Koenig (1839-?) in 1864; their partnership lasted until 1897. He also married Koenig’s sister Catherine Koenig Boehl (1844-1923) in 1864. Boehl was known for his scenic views of St. Louis as well as for making photographic reproductions of images made by Daguerrean photographer Thomas Easterly and selling them without crediting Easterly as the original creator. He died in St. Louis in 1919 and is buried at Hillcrest Abbey Crematory and Mausoleum alongside his wife.

Acquisition Information:

Purchased from Daniel/Oliver, April 2022 F-1415.1 .

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Materials

The Emil Boehl Photographs of St. Louis Collection at the University of Missouri-St. Louis Mercantile Library contains approximately 115 photographs attributed to Boehl. A comparable collection of Boehl photographs is also located in the St. Louis Public Library Rare Books and Special Collections.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Photographs shelf.
Buildings--Missouri--Saint Louis--1840-1900.
Churches--Missouri--Saint Louis--1840-1900.
Forts & fortifications--Spanish--Missouri--1850.
Hotels--Missouri--Saint Louis--1860-1900.
Jails--Missouri--Saint Louis--1870.
Levees--Missouri--Saint Louis--1850.
Libraries--Missouri--Saint Louis--1880.
Mansions--Missouri--Saint Louis--1850-1870.
Markets--Missouri--Saint Louis--1870-1880.
Racetracks--Missouri--Saint Louis--1870-1880.
Rock formations--Missouri--Saint Louis--1870-1880.
Schools--Missouri--Saint Louis--1870-1880.
Steamboats--American--Missouri--1850-1890.
Streets--Missouri--Saint Louis--1840-1900.
Theaters--Missouri--Saint Louis--1890-1900.

Formats:

Bird's-eye views.
Daguerreotypes--Reproductions.
Gelatin silver prints.
Lithographs--Reproductions.
Photograph albums.
Photographic prints.
Photographic prints--Reproductions.
Watercolors--Reproductions.

Names:

Grand Republic (Ship)
Lindell Hotel (Saint Louis, Mo.)
Old Cathedral (Saint Louis, Mo.)
St. Louis Medical College.
St. Louis Mercantile Library Association--Buildings.
Chouteau, Pierre, 1758-1849--Homes and haunts.
Lucas, James H., 1800-1873--Homes and haunts.
Easterly, Thomas M. (Thomas Martin), 1809-1882.
Greene, A. B. (Albert Byron), 1849-1919.
Wild, J. C. (John Caspar), approximately 1804-1846.

Places:

Saint Louis (Mo.)