Mill Creek: Black Metropolis

From its origin at the turn of the 20th century to its destruction in 1959 in the name of urban renewal, Mill Creek Valley was a center for Black life in St. Louis. With a population of nearly 20,000 people and more than 5,000 buildings, Mill Creek was a city within a city, noted for its vibrant commercial life, rich culture, and popular entertainment venues. How is it, then, that almost no trace of Mill Creek remains in St. Louis today?

What you'll see

Mill Creek: Black Metropolis explores the rich history of a St. Louis neighborhood that historians have likened to New York's legendary Harlem. It was the home of St. Louis's major Black newspapers, the offices of numerous Black professionals, a center of social activism, and the birthplace of ragtime. All this richness thrived amid and despite racial segregation, providing African Americans common ground and refuge from the daily slights and indignities of a stark color divide in 20th-century St. Louis.

We did not leave Mill Creek. Mill Creek was taken from us.

Audio description and video narration are available for visitors to play on their own devices. Presented by James S. McDonnell Foundation with additional support provided by Bank of America.