NiNi and Shelia

Last weekend we had the wonderful experience of interviewing NiNi Harris and her sister Shelia. NiNi is a local historian who has written several books about St. Louis history and is a big fan of St. Louis brick. Shelia is a retired school teacher who is now an active artist whose work is inspired by the architecture of St. Louis.

NiNi lives with her husband in the house where she grew up. When you see the murals that NiNi and Shelias father painted on the interior walls of this house over 50 years ago you begin to understand where these two got some of their creative energy. NiNi has written ten books on St. Louis history, most of which are available in local bookstores and the various museum shops around St. Louis. Shelia currently has an exhibit of her current work–a series of water colors of the neighborhood that once stood on the Arch grounds called “Faces of the Riverfront” in the Old Court House in downtown St. Louis. On Sunday March 21 at 2:00 PM they will be participate in an old time radio style reading called Voices of the Riverfront which will recall snippets of 200 years of Riverfront history. Which will also take place at the Old Court House.

The interviews with both women went very well. They are both passionate and knowledgeable people, and it was a delight to get to know them a little bit. NiNi has several historical walking tours she likes to give and if you ever get the opportunity to take one with her do it. I was able to indulge in one after the interviews were over and it was both informative and fun. Below you can see some photos from that walk as well as some other photos I took of NiNi and her home.