Title: St. Louis Poetry Center Archive, 1984-2015
Predominant Dates:1984-2015
ID: MS/MS/ms147
Primary Creator: St. Louis Poetry Center
Extent: 3.0 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 07/18/2012
Languages: English
The St. Louis Poetry Center began in 1946 when Mrs. Fred Armstrong saw the need to establish "a facility for writers as a means for stimulating the writing of poetry." She became the Poetry Center's first Chairman, and meetings were held on Sundays at the downtown Public Library. Writers Tennessee Williams and William Inge were in attendance during the early days of the organization. From the downtown Public Library the Poetry Center moved to Bishop Tuttle Memorial in the renown Christ Church Cathedral, and from there, starting Sunday, October 20, 1974, the Center moved to Clayton Federal Savings Bank in Webster Groves, 11 E. Lockwood, where it held monthly workshops (on the second floor) .
The first concert was given at the Garden Club's (then) new building in Shaw's Garden, now Missouri Botanical Gardens, in 1960. In 1963, the St. Louis Poetry Center was incorporated (the Center's attorney at that time was a Mr. William Armstrong) with two Boards: Board of Directors for Center Administration, and Board of Chancellors, the latter of which has since been discontinued.
Among the long term members of the Center, are the successful poets and artists, Loy Ledbetter, Ed Boccia, Lucy Hazelton, Marlene Miller, and (the Late) Bev Hopkins. The St. Louis Poetry Center, the oldest poetry center of its kind West of the Mississippi River, holds its Work Shops on the third Sunday of each month, September through April. In May the Center holds its annual Poetry Concert.
Access Restrictions: Open
Use Restrictions:
Users of the collection must read and agree to abide by the rules and procedures set forth in the Materials Use Policies.
Providing access to materials does not constitute permission to publish or otherwise authorize use. All publication not covered by fair use or other exceptions is restricted to those who have permission of the copyright holder, which may or may not be Washington University.
If you wish to publish or license Special Collections materials, please contact Special Collections to inquire about copyright status at (314) 935-5495 or spec@wumail.wustl.edu. (Publish means quotation in whole or in part in seminar or term papers, theses or dissertations, journal articles, monographs, books, digital forms, photographs, images, dramatic presentations, transcriptions, or any other form prepared for a limited or general public.)
Acquisition Source: Gift of the St. Louis Poetry Center (Nancy Hughes)
Acquisition Method:
Accession number 2012.019
Accession number MSS2016-014. Gift of the St. Louis Poetry Center (Nancy Hughes), June 10, 2016
Related Materials: See also the Lorin Cuoco Papers
Preferred Citation: Name of the Collection, Washington University Libraries, Department of Special Collections
Processing Information: Processed July 2012 and July 2016
