Murphy-Blair National Historic District

Murphy-Blair National Historic District. Neighborhood: Old North Saint Louis. , The Murphy-Blair neighborhood dates back to 1816, and the purchase of land by Army officer William Christy and three unique public circles creation for specific uses - Clinton Place, for education, Jackson Place for recreation, and Marion Place for worship. After world war two people didn't want cold-water flats or shotgun houses. They wanted three bedrooms and a lawn mower., The Murphy-Blair Historic District is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in St. Louis. It was the independent village of North St. Louis until its 1841 merger with the City of St. Louis. During the late 1800s-1900s it was called the "near northside" because of its proximity to the downtown central business district. The name, Murphy-Blair was bestowed at the end of the Civil War as part of the City's urban renewal plan. In the 1980s it reclaimed Old North St. Louis to acknowledge the community's history, improve its image, and create a distinct cultural identity. Several iconic businesses and structures add to the community's enduring cultural heritage and deep-rooted history., In 1913, Greek immigrants and best friends, Harry Karandzieff, a Macedonian immigrant, and his business partner Pete Jugaloff, opened Crown Candy Kitchen, as a soda fountain that also served candy reminiscent of their Grecian heritage. The name was deliberately obscure to avoid any reference to their ethnicity or birthplace. After a year, Harry became the sole owner. The friends had built a reputation for their delicious, molded chocolate Santas and Easter Bunnies. In 1925, Harry started making ice cream to drum up business during the summer. By 1920, customers persistently asked why it was called a "kitchen" when it served no food., Harry's son, George took over in 1951. His wife Bessie recalls living above the shop and walking down to Woolworths and the city's first J.C. Penney's at 2604 N. 14th Street with her boys Andy, Mike, and Tom. George added sandwiches and a few other food items to the menu with the "heart-stopping BLT" sandwich becoming an instant favorite.