View from our balcony

We never go out on our front balcony.  We're guessing there used to be a door to go out there, but now the only way out is through the window.  Recently I crawled out there to get a closer shot of the glorious tree in our front yard.  The view from up there was great.

This is our view of Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Church down the street.  The building is spectacular, and is undergoing major renovation.  It boasts the tallest steeple in the city, and is the second largest church building, second to the Cathedral Basilica on the central west end.  It was built by German immigrants living in our neighborhood in the early 1900s.  It is a jewel in our city to be sure.

Saint Louis is nicknamed the "Rome of the West" because of its deeply Catholic heritage.  This carries over into today.  I marvel at the architecture of my own neighborhood and think often about the immigrant families who lived here.  Most of the houses around me are between 100-150 years old, and were built by friends and relatives who immigrated here together after the civil war in Germany.  Let me tell you, they just don't build them like this anymore, but oh, how I wish they did!

From my balcony, I got a better view of some of the architectural details of our building.  I am amazed by the craftsmanship, and I cannot fathom how they built such places without our modern technologies. 



I often wonder about the families who lived here originally.  Who were they?  Where did they come from?  Why did they come here? What did it look like back then?

 

I love old homes.  I believe in restoration.  I hope I always get to live somewhere that has such deep roots and such a rich history.