Steve McQueen in the Great St. Louis Bank Robbery • Public Domain A lethal heist gone wrong took place on this date in 1953. At the corner of Kingshighway and Arensal a crew led by 60-year-old Fred William Bowerman entered Southwest Bank and attempted to carry out a robbery. At the time to robbery got underway, Bowerman was #46 on the FBI’s most wanted list for his previous exploits, which included a bank robbery in South Bend, Indiana. Employees who noticed what was happening were able to trigger a silent alarm as well as phone the police without being detected. The criminals began loading up ..read more

The American Natya Festival, now in its fifteenth year, is a three-day celebration of Indian artistic tradition. Performers from around the United States and India will dazzle audiences with spirited song and dance and elaborate costumes. Part of the Soorya Dance Company’s mission is to make traditional Indian art forms accessible to American audiences. With this in mind, Artistic Director Prasanna Kasthuri chose to place English dialogue over classical Indian melodies. By Caroline Dohack The 15th American Natya Festival, a three-day festival celebrating classical dance from India and South As ..read more

The richly diverse Current River State Park features almost two miles of beautiful river frontage, offering ample opportunity for swimming, floating, and fishing as well as hiking, backcountry camping, and interpretive programming. The intact Alton Club Lodge and about twenty buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 as a rare example of private retreats once common along the Current River. Photo courtesy of Susan Flader When Gov. Arthur Hyde and his new game and fish commissioner Frank Wielandy began searching in 1924 for sites to purchase for Missouri’s first ..read more

Rock climbing devotees pride themselves on inclusivity and positivity. No one is too old, too big, or too small to try the sport, and there’s no shortage of opportunities for those seeking a fresh perspective on some of Missouri’s most-loved places. Outdoor climbing provides opportunities to enjoy nature while getting in a workout that challenges mind and body. Writer Mary Andino reaches the top. Photo by Morgan Miller By Mary Andino To fully appreciate a familiar, well-trodden place, sometimes we need to look at it from a fresh perspective and see it from a new point of view. If you’ve visite ..read more

They say the house always wins, but community takes the jackpot at Vintage Vegas Casino Night. Sponsored by Vision Carthage, the event features food, drink, and plenty of casino-style fun. Proceeds benefit local charitable initiatives. By Kim Hill Those lucky to be in the vicinity of Carthage, Missouri, can enjoy live casino gaming without traveling to Las Vegas when Vision Carthage sponsors its first Vintage Vegas Casino Night on Saturday, April 27.  “We really have nothing like this fundraiser with a casino-night theme in our community,” says Vision Carthage Executive Director Leanna C ..read more

These two Cape Girardeau painters write and illustrate children’s books in an unconventionally collaborative way. Their method is a fast-paced give-and-take that requires absolute trust, open minds, and a willingness to pick up and pivot. Barb Bailey began painting with Aaron Horrell shortly after approaching him about displaying her art in his Cape Girardeau gallery, the Painted Wren. By Kelsie Schrader Barb Bailey has been working on a painting for two hours. Sitting at a table in the middle of a quiet art gallery, she adds stroke after stroke to her painting. This painting is of a goat in a ..read more

Big things are always happening in Missouri. In this week’s headline roundup, we’ve got big bugs, big fish, big money, and your big chance to land on national TV. There’s always something exciting happening in our fair state. Here’s a roundup of a few of our favorite recent headlines. Spot a story you’d like to share? Send it to newsletter editor Caroline Dohack for possible inclusion in a future issue. How the moon brought the bucks to Missouri As part of its “Eventful Economy” series, Mastercard released data showing how credit card sales increased along the path of totality during the solar ..read more

Back for Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis, cabaret duo Amy Jo Jackson and Brian Nash will explore the depths of the diva archetype with a brand-new show. Judy Garland, Fanny Brice, and Annie Lennox are just a few of the figures represented. For Grand Dames: A Celebration of the Diva, Jackson will portray a plentitude of prima donnas spanning decades and genres. Photo courtesy of Allison Stock Photography By Caroline Dohack There’s something supernatural about the diva. Oh, there’s the voice. And the hair, the makeup, the sequins, the extravagances, and maybe a scandal or two. But there’s ..read more

Once referred to as the Thermopylae of the West, the Battle of Pilot Knob was one of the bloodiest in the Civil War in Missouri, and it marked the beginning of the end for the Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. Sterling Price. Nearly fifty thousand people—perhaps the largest crowd ever to attend a state park event—gathered for the sesquicentennial reenactment in 2014. Photo by Ben Nickelsen The time-gentled remains of Fort Davidson lie in the shadows of the granite knobs of the St. Francois Mountains, near Pilot Knob, Missouri, in the Arcadia Valley. Standing on the grass-covered slope of what ..read more

​​Missouri magazine, a precursor to Missouri Life, caught up with legendary baseball manager Whitey Herzog in 1995. Herzog, who died April 15, 2024, developed an audacious playing style called Whiteyball, which propelled the St. Louis Cardinals through three pennants and a World Series championship. By Jonathan Pitts Check out the PDF here Featured photo courtesy of Sean Winters. Article originally published in the Fall 1995 issue of Missouri Magazine. The post Looking Back at a Legend appeared first on Missouri Life Magazine ..read more