Quirky, provocative, awe-inspiring, and just plain bizarre describe the scenes captured in this often comical, always fascinating pictorial. The images in this singular collection depict one-of-a-kind moments that we’ll never see again, mainly because they reflect a specific place in time in history. Glimpses of everyday work, family, and public life—not to mention scenes of leisure, sport, and entertainment—convey what made each period unique. Informative captions place each scene in context and give substance to moments that range from mundane to wondrous and, in some cases, downright wacky.

Authors Cameron Collins and Jaime Bourassa bring their knowledge of St. Louis and their unique take on its photographic history to Scenes of Historic Wonder. Join them in this visual look back at the interesting and offbeat in St. Louis.