University City, Missouri, is an exceptional suburban community. It was founded in 1906 by Edward Gardner Lewis, who built an honest-to-God temple of Karnak, installed the biggest searchlight in the world on top of his publishing headquarters, & placed two handsome lions atop the city's monumental gates. Lewis created a grand Beaux Arts style plaza, a famous art pottery, advanced designs for subdivisions, & the headquarters of an adventurous feminist movement. He also went bankrupt, & later went to prison, but his ...
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University City, Missouri, is an exceptional suburban community. It was founded in 1906 by Edward Gardner Lewis, who built an honest-to-God temple of Karnak, installed the biggest searchlight in the world on top of his publishing headquarters, & placed two handsome lions atop the city's monumental gates. Lewis created a grand Beaux Arts style plaza, a famous art pottery, advanced designs for subdivisions, & the headquarters of an adventurous feminist movement. He also went bankrupt, & later went to prison, but his accomplishments set the pattern for the city's development. Progressive ideas later put to practice were a city master plan in 1922 & a public accommodations ordinance in 1960, as the city became racially integrated. An extraordinary collection of writers, painters & musicians live & work here. A music conservatory, university, library & many parks are all community amenities. The record of this remarkable city is described in "Legacy of Lions".
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