I was born and raised in St. Louis County. In 2009, I graduated from the Journalism School at the University of Missouri–Columbia.

 

I have lived in Kirkwood since 2011 with my wife, Christine; son, Teddy; daughter, Josie; dog, Lucy; and two cats, Truman and Jack.

 

For all of my adult life, I have been extremely passionate about St. Louis history. I love touring the beautiful mansions in the Central West End. I have read nearly every St. Louis and Missouri history book available.

 

Going to a local park begins with a brisk walk for exercise and turns into me spending hours researching what that monument off in the distance represents.

 

I may come across the name of an early settler in a book about Town & Country history, then I want to know everything about that individual. Who were his children? Besides owning land, with what else was he involved? What areas of town, subdivisions, or streets are named after him?

 

A perfect day for me could involve driving around Florissant with my mom to explore the parts of town in which my family lived prior to me being born.

 

I am also an avid reader. I read EVERYTHING. Magazines, newspapers, newsletters, flyers, brochures, etc. This includes everything from West Newsmagazine and the Webster-Kirkwood Times to the Chesterfield Out & About magazine and the Town & Country newsletter.

 

My passion for St. Louis and love for reading combined with my curious nature resulted in the creation of this book.

 

Thank you to my mother (also an avid reader), Robin Snitzer, for saving me every publication she reads and for buying me nearly every St. Louis history book for birthdays and Christmas.

 

Thank you to my wife for putting up with me and acting like she is interested in my unprompted, unprovoked St. Louis history tours whenever we go anywhere.

 

One day I will give her a date night that doesn’t involve me telling her that the restaurant at which we are dining is in a registered historic building.

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