ST. LOUIS – If you were to write a book on Joe Edwards, you’d have a number of chapters on entrepreneurial undertakings over the years.
For instance, how one man turned an almost mile-long stretch of road into one of the top ten destinations in the world.
You’d also have to include a few chapters on another aspect of Edwards as a St. Louis historian.
“There’s something about St. Louis that is so remarkable that we have produced so many brilliant people that have affected our culture on a national level more than another city,” says Joe Edwards. “Maybe the old Eastern cities like New York or Boston or Philly [are similar], but other than that, we’re much better at how far we’ve contributed. More than Chicago, more than LA, and more than San Francisco. It shows a great variety of background people, men and women, Black and white.”
The forever young rock-and-roll fan and friend to many began the nonprofit St. Louis Walk of Fame in 1988. Ever since then, it’s added more names, like Nelly, John Goodman, Betty Grable, Tennessee Williams and Josephine Baker.
“It was very important to me to have that informational plaque along with their star,” says Edwards. “I like Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, but it’s just not the same as the St. Louis Walk of Fame.”
Just in time for the holidays, Edwards decided it was time to update his tome on St. Louis history. He’s been working on an updated St. Louis Walk of Fame book with his daughter Hope.
It’s a literal “who’s who” in this literary endeavor.
“There’s Yogi Berra on one page with his photo and career,” says Edwards. “It’s hard to do it in ten lines. And then Chuck Berry on the opposite page, so Berra and Berry.”
Even if you don’t know your St. Louis history, you can dive into the book and take a walk down Delmar to get to know the Gateway City and the people who were influenced by this river town.
“St. Louisans need to be proud of their heritage, and this book kind of gives you all the reasons to tout it to all their friends around the country,” says Edwards. “I live in St. Louis. We’re pretty cool.”
The new and improved Walk of Fame book is available at Blueberry Hill and many St. Louis-area book stores.
