The Fall of the House of Lemp, a St. Louis Brewing Empire

Hulking buildings on St. Louis' Cherokee street represent a story of rags to riches to tragedy for a family of German immigrants. At one time, the Lemp Brewery was one of the largest in the United States. The family and brewery's rise and fall is history that deserves to be remembered.

This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As images of actual events are sometimes not available, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.

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Script by Tracy Douglas

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[glennsaborosch]

I enjoyed the history of the Lemp family and brewery. I've been to the Lemp Mansion dinner theater, it was a fine night out. My German ancestors came from East Prussia and settled in St.Louis in 1882. They lived near the McKinley bridge on N.Ninth street. They, as an ever expanding family, would picnic at a place in Illinois called the Alpine Club Grounds near Madison. My other German ancestors were Niedringhauses, from Blasheim, Westphalia. As a local truck driver in St.Louis, I was fortunate to have a route near Anheuser Busch, and the Lemp buildings for the last year of my career. Thanks for your informative videos.

[gungadin]

The greatest historians are great storytellers. You sure are a great storyteller and historian. I've learned more history from you than all my years of public education.

[mgabrysSF]

I attended a wedding reception at the Leno mansion. Ty for including STL

[michaelbrennan]

Born and raised in St. Louis. The Lemp Mansion is known for being the most haunted place in town and the beer is still remembered among older St Louisans. While most older St Louisans know of Lemp and Falstaff, most today would be surprised to learn that it was at one time bigger than Anheuser-Busch.

[aaronadkins]

Thx for showcasing a St. Louis treasure. Just a block from Budweiser, the mansion now serves a fantastic Sunday dinner. Also, every Halloween, the mansion hosts a party. You can tour the "haunted caves that once held Americas first lager. There is even a swimming pool fed by a spring down in the cave. You can even spend the night in the mansion if you not afraid of ghosts!

[joealbert]

I lived in St Louis for 13 years and always wondered about the Lemp story. Thanks for bringing it to light.

[roxismith]

Thank you for sharing the story of one of the most amazing families in St Louis. The mansion is still one of the most haunted places in St Louis.

[Dingomush]

I was in one of the old Lemp shipping buildings this past winter to audition for a band. The building is being sub-let by several different bands from around the St.Louis area. Being that the building is in an industrial area and there are no homes within earshot of the place, it is open for the bands to come in to their rented rooms 24hrs a day to do their practicing. I thought that this was a great use of an old building, plus think of how many neighbors throughout the city are not being kept up at night complaining to the police about the noise. I must admit at this point that the place is a bit creepy. Odd corridors, blocked out windows, that type of thing. What is looks like is that they tried to use it as a self storage place and each customer built their own enclosure. Now each band rents an enclosure, each space is lockable, and the building has security, pretty slick. (No, I didn’t get offered the position.)

[cdjhyoung]

I never realized that prohibition had ties to anti-German sentiments. Thanks HG for this nugget of knowledge.

[kristenheuer]

My husband's family first came to the US in 1838. He moved to St. Louis, and later central MO. Most of the family still live in the area

[themagicslinky]

The quality of the videos seem to ever improve, but the quality of the stories and the storytelling? You nail it every time, thank you for this interesting piece

[hoozurmama]

Your channel has quickly become on of my favorites. St. Louis is my hometown so I know the Lemp story but learned a few new things. I've even had dinner in the mansion. Hopefully they will redevelop the brewery. The Cherokee neighborhood is great.

[macmedic]

In New Orleans, the Falstaff name is far from forgotten. The chimney of the brewery has large neon letters spelling out the name, and also functions as a weather forecast:
A weather ball atop the three-sided sign is lit according to the conditions: green for fair weather; red for cloudy or overcast; flashing red for rain; and flashing red and white if storms are on the way. The blinking neon Falstaff letters light up top to bottom if the temperature is dropping, bottom to top if the temperature is climbing.
The brewery itself is now apartments, and the chimney is next to I-10 as you enter downtown from the west.

[keziahneisz]

My grandpa on mom’s side Gustav Becker was the last employee to close the doors and lock up Falstaff Co. My dad’s people the Neisz’s immigrated from Germany in the 1820s & settle in St Louis. They all worked for Lemp at some point or another. Lemp Brewery/mansion has always been just one of those iconic relics in the make up of St Louis. I love that you covered this History Guy. I know it’s a rough City nowadays but it does have such a rich history that deserves to be remembered.

[rollinwithunclepete]

Driving along I-55 and seeing those Lemp brewery buildings rear-up around the bend is something awesome! Thanks, THG

[amywalker]

My son and I love your videos. We love history!

[thstalley]

My great grandfather emigrated from Alsace to south St. Louis in 1872. He was a cooper and had many choices of breweries in south St. Louis to work within walking distance of his uncle’s house in what is now called the Kosciusko neighborhood. He chose Griesdieck Brothers, where Falstaff was eventually brewed, and built a house a couple of blocks away from that brewery. My father was born in an alley house behind that house, and grew up next door in a two family flat. I still use my dad’s Griesdieck bottle opener on beers that I enjoy at home.

Thanks for stirring these memories, History Guy! I’ve enjoyed all of your videos, but this one hit so close to home that it is my all time favorite. Thanks again!

[marlinweekley]

Very interesting having grown up in St Louis . My Dad’s (a veteran of WW2 ) beer was Falstaff when i was a kid in the 50s and early 60s. During the war my mother and grandmother moved from the country into St Louis to work. They lived on Cherokee Street. I remember going into the slums not far from there as a kid to visit an aunt who lived in the slums. What a memory. Stepping over drunks passed out in the allies with garbage and trash everywhere, climbing the rickety “wooden” (rot held together by termites holding hands) to her room. But what i remember most is the smell(s). The AB brewery, stock pen and garbage and summer heat combined to produce an indescribable smell that i can smell clearly to this day. I vaguely knew of the Lemp brewery but hadn’t thought about it or our family history in St Louis in years. Thanks for bring me back to my St. Louis roots History Guy. 👍

[poncho]

Another great episode. As a former St Louis resident who has attended dinner plays at the mansion I thought I knew much of the Lemp brewery’s history. But of course THG always has more to teach us, and leave us better for it. Many thanks.

[jimmyvee]

I just watched one of your videos from awhile back and you had 6400 subs at the time. You're massive rise in popularity is a testament to the quality of your content and your abilities as a storyteller. I couldn't be happier that you're getting the recognition you deserve for the hard work you're putting in. Well done.