Central West End in St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Gaslight Square

Born late 50's - Died late 60's

Photographed By Jason Voigt, September 6, 2019

1. Gaslight Square Marker

Inscription.

Gaslight Square. Born late 50's - Died late 60's. For 10 years, Boyle and Olive was the center of St. Louis' entertainment universe. The Square gained its national reputation as a magnet for the beat and the hip. Later, it became home to legendary and local performers in comedy, drama, and jazz - both hot and cool. , (left) , THE OWNERS , Charlie Becker-Joe and Charlie's . Joe Scopolite-Joe and Charlie's . Spider Burks-The Other Side . Jack Carl-2 plain . Sam Clark-Montileone's . Ralph Montileone's-Montileone's . Wade deWoskin-Port St. Louis . Sam Dietsch-Golden Eagle . George Edick-Roaring 20's . Herb Glazier-Golden Eagle . Jorge Martinez-Jorge's . Frank Moskus-Moskus @ the Gaslight . Jack Parker-O'Connell's . Gayle Tibe-The Dark Side . Charlie Wells-Tiger's Den, THE PLACES , Bella Rosa . Carriage House . Cellar Door . Columbus Corners . Crystal Palace . Everyman Coffee House . The Dark Side . Gaslight Bar . Golden Eagle . Jacks Or Better . Joe and Charlie's . Jorge's . The Left Bank . Smoky Joe's Grecian Terrace . Your Father's Mustache . The Red Carpet . Kotobuki . The Laughing Buddha . Marty's . O'Connell's . Opera House . The Other Side . Roaring 20's . Montileone's . Mister D's . Tiger's Den . Tortilla Flats . Vanity Fair . Port St. Louis . Three Fountains . 2 cents Plain, (center) , THE PIONEERS , Richard Mutrux- . Musical Arts Building . Gaslight Bar . Three Fountains . Paul Mutrux- . Three Fountains . Jay, Fran and Fred Landesman- . Crystal Palace . Alex Bayou- . Smoky Joe's . Grecian Terrace . Jimmy Massucci- . Golden Eagle . Opera House . Vanity Fair, THE CHARACTERS , Seventeen-the boiled shrimp vendor . Nelson Algren-"Walk on the Wild Side" . Lil Sparber-The "Queen of Gaslight" . Ernie Trova-renowned sculptor . "Smoky Joe" Cunningham-the local celebrity . Dick Draper-the "Mayor" . Allen Ginsburg-the beat poet, (right) , THE LEGENDARY PERFORMERS , Lenny Bruce . Phyllis Diller . The Smothers Brothers . Dick Gregory . Nichols and May . Stiller and Meara . Alan Arkin . George Carlin . Jackie Leonard . Professor Irwin Corey . Paul Mazursky . Miles Davis . Gene Krupa . and Judy Collins . Gypsy Rose Lee . Dakota Staton, THE ACTORS , Bob Dorough . Jack Murdoch . Tom Aldredge . Marvin Miller . George Maharis . Joe Cusanelli . Del Close . Zane Kessler, THE LOCAL MUSICIANS , Jules Blatter . Davey Bold . Marty Bronson . Keisha Davis . Ted Flicker . Eddie Fritz . Sam Gardner . Lee Hyde . Dolly Jonah . Jeanne Kittrell . Bob Kuban . Fran Landesman . Gene Lynn . Prentice Minner . Connie Morris . Singleton Palmer . Billy Peek . St. Louis Ragtimers . Mugsy Sprecher . Jeter Thompson . Trebor Tichenor . Quartet Tres Bien . Jeanne Trevor . Carol Beth True . Dave Venn . Peanuts Whalum . Mae Wheeler . Josh White . Robert Wild . Tommy Wolf

For 10 years, Boyle and Olive was the center of St. Louis' entertainment universe. The Square gained its national reputation as a magnet for the beat and the hip. Later, it became home to legendary and local performers in comedy, drama, and jazz - both hot and cool.

(left)
THE OWNERS
Charlie Becker-Joe and Charlie's • Joe Scopolite-Joe and Charlie's • Spider Burks-The Other Side • Jack Carl-2 plain • Sam Clark-Montileone's • Ralph Montileone's-Montileone's • Wade deWoskin-Port St. Louis • Sam Dietsch-Golden Eagle • George Edick-Roaring 20's • Herb Glazier-Golden Eagle • Jorge Martinez-Jorge's • Frank Moskus-Moskus @ the Gaslight • Jack Parker-O'Connell's • Gayle Tibe-The Dark Side • Charlie Wells-Tiger's Den

THE PLACES
Bella Rosa • Carriage House • Cellar Door • Columbus Corners • Crystal Palace • Everyman Coffee House • The Dark Side • Gaslight Bar • Golden Eagle • Jacks Or Better • Joe & Charlie's • Jorge's • The Left Bank • Smoky Joe's Grecian Terrace • Your Father's Mustache • The Red Carpet • Kotobuki • The Laughing Buddha • Marty's • O'Connell's • Opera House • The Other Side • Roaring 20's • Montileone's • Mister D's • Tiger's Den • Tortilla Flats • Vanity Fair • Port St. Louis • Three Fountains

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

• 2 cents Plain

(center)
THE PIONEERS
Richard Mutrux- • Musical Arts Building • Gaslight Bar • Three Fountains • Paul Mutrux- • Three Fountains • Jay, Fran & Fred Landesman- • Crystal Palace • Alex Bayou- • Smoky Joe's • Grecian Terrace • Jimmy Massucci- • Golden Eagle • Opera House • Vanity Fair

THE CHARACTERS
Seventeen-the boiled shrimp vendor • Nelson Algren-"Walk on the Wild Side" • Lil Sparber-The "Queen of Gaslight" • Ernie Trova-renowned sculptor • "Smoky Joe" Cunningham-the local celebrity • Dick Draper-the "Mayor" • Allen Ginsburg-the beat poet

(right)
THE LEGENDARY PERFORMERS
Lenny Bruce • Phyllis Diller • The Smothers Brothers • Dick Gregory • Nichols and May • Stiller and Meara • Alan Arkin • George Carlin • Jackie Leonard • Professor Irwin Corey • Paul Mazursky • Miles Davis • Gene Krupa • and Judy Collins • Gypsy Rose Lee • Dakota Staton

THE ACTORS
Bob Dorough • Jack Murdoch • Tom Aldredge • Marvin Miller • George Maharis • Joe Cusanelli • Del Close • Zane Kessler

THE LOCAL MUSICIANS
Jules Blatter • Davey Bold • Marty Bronson • Keisha Davis • Ted Flicker • Eddie Fritz • Sam Gardner • Lee Hyde • Dolly Jonah • Jeanne Kittrell • Bob

Brick wall containing the plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Jason Voigt, September 6, 2019

2. Brick wall containing the plaque

Facing north on Olive Street

Kuban • Fran Landesman • Gene Lynn • Prentice Minner • Connie Morris • Singleton Palmer • Billy Peek • St. Louis Ragtimers • Mugsy Sprecher • Jeter Thompson • Trebor Tichenor • Quartet Tres Bien • Jeanne Trevor • Carol Beth True • Dave Venn • Peanuts Whalum • Mae Wheeler • Josh White • Robert Wild • Tommy Wolf

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce.

Location. 38° 38.713′ N, 90° 14.907′ W. Marker is in St. Louis, Missouri. It is in Central West End. Marker is at the intersection of North Boyle Avenue and Olive Street, on the left on North Boyle Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Saint Louis MO 63108, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 4446 Westminster Place (approx. 0.3 miles away); Cathedral Chapel (approx. 0.3 miles away); In Memory of Delphine Madill (approx. 0.4 miles away); Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne (approx. 0.4 miles away); Pope John Paul II in St. Louis (approx. half a mile away); Welcome to the Hopewell Rain Gardens (approx. half a mile away); World's Largest Chess Piece (approx. 0.7 miles away); Pershing Place (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Louis.

More about

Other side of the brick wall image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Jason Voigt, September 6, 2019

3. Other side of the brick wall

Free-standing columns, similar to what was at the Grecian Terrace, make up part of the marker.

this marker. It is not known when this plaque or marker was put up. The plaque was re-arranged and re-painted in recent years

Regarding Gaslight Square. Gaslight Square got its name from the gas-lit street lamps (over 100 of them) that graced that section of the city. It was two blocks of several saloons, restaurants, shops, cabarets, etc. Originally it was to give the person a taste for old-fashioned, 1800s Victorian look but with a youthful feel. In addition to the personalities that were mentioned on the plaque, Gregg Allman (and his brother, Duane Allman, who would both later be famous for the Allman Brothers Band), Woody Allen and Jackie Mason were also performers at Gaslight Square. Starting in 1965, the good times at the Square were slowly coming to an end, as numerous factors including crime and urban decay would lead to its eventual demise. The last business, O'Connell's, would move out of Gaslight Square in 1972. The vacant buildings sat, decaying for decades, until 2005 when a real-estate development company announced the buildings would be torn down and replaced with residential living.

Also see . . . Living St. Louis - Gaslight Square episode (25 minutes). This is a video providing a look at what was once St. Louis' thriving entertainment district from the 1950s

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

to the late 1960s. Several personalities (business owners, performers, etc.) were interviewed for this piece, talking about memories of the Gaslight Square experience, and the rise and fall. This was an episode of "Living St. Louis" a local show on KETC (St. Louis PBS affiliate) (Submitted on September 9, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 9, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 692 times since then and 127 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 9, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.