#MOWeirdWednesdays
Missouri is the only home to both subspecies of a truly weird creature: the hellbender!
Otherwise known as the “snot otter” or “devil dog”, these strange amphibians breathe through the pores on their skin, even though they have lungs. To see one in real life, visit the St. Louis Zoo’s Herpetarium. They are the first organization in the world to successfully breed captive Ozark hellbenders and have released thousands back into the wild to help increase their population!
Learn more about the hellbender and Missouri’s other wildlife in “Missouri Weird and Wonderful!”
Click here to order your copy today: www.reedypress.com/shop/missouri-weird-and-wonderful/
#MoWeirdWednesdays
Long before the days of Amazon Prime, the Pony Express, based out of St. Joseph, MO, was the nation’s express delivery provider. From 1860–1861, young men mounted their horses to deliver letters and packages from the East Coast to California in 10 days or less, which many said was impossible!
Learn more about the Pony Express and Missouri’s other historical events in "Missouri Weird and Wonderful"!
Click here to order your copy today: www.reedypress.com/shop/missouri-weird-and-wonderful/
#MoWeirdWednesdays
“Cool Papa Bell was so fast he could get out of bed, turn out the lights across the room and be back in bed under the covers before the lights went out.” - Satchel Paige
James “Cool Papa” Bell was a legendary baseball player who may have been the fastest to ever play the game. He could round the bases in 12 seconds flat and once stole 175 bases in a 200-game season!
Bell played in the Negro Leagues from 1922–1946, and he spent a lot of his career in Missouri playing for the Compton Hill Cubs, St. Louis Stars, Kansas City Monarchs, and Kansas City Stars.
Learn more about “Cool Papa” Bell at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and in Missouri Weird and Wonderful!
To learn more about the book or place an order, click here: www.reedypress.com/shop/missouri-weird-and-wonderful/
🥁 Drum roll, please! 🥁
Introducing our newest look into the wonders of the Show Me State: Missouri Weird and Wonderful by Amanda Doyle and illustrated by Dan Zettwoch!
Follow along every Wednesday for #MOWeirdWednesdays to learn more about the famous people, innovations, animals, and spectacles of this great state. Be sure to share your favorite fascinating facts about Missouri in the comments below!
To learn more about the book and place a pre-order, click here: www.reedypress.com/shop/missouri-weird-and-wonderful/
"Missouri Weird and Wonderful" is a fast-paced, fact-filled collection of the most fascinating parts of life in our state, with a kid’s-eye point of view. Written by Amanda Doyle and illustrated by Dan Zettwoch, this book brings sports, history, wildlife, food, inventions, architecture, natural wonders, and just plain fun to life. Find out how much MO you know!
Save the date for "MOFun Family Party and Book Launch," Sunday, 10/15, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the patio at The Royale.
You can also preorder your copy here: https://www.reedypress.com/shop/missouri-weird-and-wonderful/
We are so excited to be back at Art In The Park on Sunday! Come see us from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Francis Park. 📚🌳
Happy 6-30 day! It would take just about 687 copies of "The Gateway Arch" stacked end-to-end to reach the top of the Gateway Arch, which is 630 feet tall. 😊
Learn more about St. Louis's architectural claim to fame—from concept to construction—in the new book, "The Gateway Arch: An Illustrated Timeline", by Architect John C. Guenther: https://www.reedypress.com/shop/gateway-arch-an-illustrated-timeline/
📣 LIVE FROM MASL 📣
Author Amanda E. Doyle and illustrator Dan Zettwoch talk about their upcoming book, “Missouri Weird and Wonderful”! 🤩📚
Places to Pray: St. Ambrose Catholic Church
The current St. Ambrose was built in 1926 and, with its Lombard Romanesque architecture, occupies its place in the heart of the Hill as if it were transported there right from Italy. This church is well loved, and filled with special touches—including the stained glass windows with local family names etched into them—that tie in directly with the community that surrounds it.
You can learn more about St. Ambrose and other churches, shrines, monasteries, and more in "Places to Pray: Holy Sites in Catholic Missouri" by Patrick Murphy. Available here: https://www.reedypress.com/shop/places-to-pray/
Joey on the Hill: St. Ambrose Catholic Church
Joey on the Hill: St. Ambrose Catholic Church
Often described as the religious and community anchor of The Hill, St. Ambrose has seen many Italian, Italian American, and other priests assigned here, proving the church’s role as the cornerstone of The Hill over the past 119 years. Assigned in 2021, new Pastor Fr. Jack Siefert is fully aware of the challenge and is very much up to it. Older and now-deceased Hill residents started their life journey with baptism, confirmation, and marriage within The Hill-made brick walls of this historic edifice. Using the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan (the city’s Patron Saint) as a guide, architect Angelo Corrubia designed this Lombard Romanesque masterpiece, which was dedicated in 1926 and cost $150,000.
The five-bell church tower on Wilson is almost an exact duplicate of St. Ambrose’s bell tower in Milan. Feel free to start your walk slowly while gazing at the Italian and American flags, the memorials at your feet, and the Italian Immigrants statue on the left, designed by renowned sculptor Rudy Torrini. Looking closer at the statue you’ll see a note on the husband’s lapel, on which is written the family name, Italian city of origin, and “St. Louis,” so folks in New York could put them on the right train. If the church is open with no events scheduled, feel free to take in the awe-inspiring interior.
Joey on the Hill takes you to some of the most iconic spots in St. Louis's Italian neighborhood, The Hill. You can learn more about The Hill in Joe's book, "The Hill: A Walk through History," available here: https://www.reedypress.com/shop/the-hill-a-walk-through-history/
Watch more Joey on the Hill videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4SDtxGvEbZ7vCGqsORGqTHprkxO4uOKf
Joey on the Hill: Shaw's Coffee LTD.
Joey on the Hill: Shaw's Coffee Ltd.
Founded in 1999 by Walter and Gail Boyle, this former Riggio bank building showcases their high-quality micro-roasting process.
Peeking through the window reveals the stately relaxing décor, ample greenery, and the large coffee bean-roasting equipment. You should also try the house-made pastries.
As Riggio for most of the 20th century, it was a place where immigrants obtained loans, established savings accounts, found housing, got legal advice, prepared for citizenship, and even purchased steamship tickets. Shaw’s Coffee even retained the original safe deposit vault as a seating area.
Joey on the Hill takes you to some of the most iconic spots in St. Louis's Italian neighborhood, The Hill. You can learn more about The Hill in Joe's book, "The Hill: A Walk through History," available here: https://www.reedypress.com/shop/the-hill-a-walk-through-history/
Watch more Joey on the Hill videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4SDtxGvEbZ7vCGqsORGqTHprkxO4uOKf
