The Missouri Historical Society asked, "Why does St. Louis have so many Stained Glass Windows?
"From towering mansions down to the smallest shotgun houses, stained-glass windows are everywhere in St. Louis."
This is true enough if you drive around various older neighborhoods. In fact our Collinsville house has two stained glass windows in the living room which were a big part of the house's selling points back when we bought it.
Here is an answer to this question:
As late-19th century society discovered how germs and bacteria spread, the endless layers of curtains and drapes found in Victorian-era homes suddenly seemed like breeding grounds for sickness. People wanted them gone, but in a dense city like St. Louis, they were vital for privacy.
At the same time, the Arts and Crafts artistic movement began sweeping the country. This new style replaced the Victorian era’s gaudy frilliness with warm textures, clean lines, and imagery inspired by nature. St. Louisans needed an affordable product that let them rip down the dusty curtains, while keeping both their privacy and their hip sense of style. Since stained-glass windows bathed your home in light filtered through fashionable artwork, they were the perfect solution.
St. Louis’s residential stained-glass windows were industrial objects. They were mass produced by the thousands in block-long factories like Wendling Art Glass Company, Kerwin Ornamental Glass Company, and the Huttig Sash and Door Company.
