ST. LOUIS — The Vashon Center on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University was officially opened on Tuesday April 11, 2023, and was celebrated by former and current HSSU students, local elected officials, and community members who gathered at the remodeled center.
The newly renovated center is home to the Wolff Jazz Institute and the National Black Radio Hall of Fame on the upper level. The lower level is designated for HSSU classrooms and support spaces.
It is also a new repository for historical documents from former Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr., the late attorney Frankie Muse Freeman, and the late Dr. Henry Givens Jr. President Emeritus of Harris-Stowe State University.
“The important part of building a city’s character is and sense of community is its history, and acknowledging its history is by preserving historic buildings such as the Vashon Recreation Center,” said Bernie Hayes, curator at the Wolff Jazz Institute and longtime St. Louis American columnist.
The historic building dates back to 1937 when the center opened its doors to the St. Louis community. Then, there were a few public recreational centers available for Blacks in St. Louis and the Vashon Community Center was one of them. The center served residents in the Mill Creek Valley neighborhood and surrounding communities. The idea behind facilities like the Vashon Community Center was to create a place for Black families and youth for cultural events, sports, and education.
“It is truly a great day to be a hornet,” said Dr. Latonia Collins Smith, President of Harris State University. “We have been waiting for this for such a long time, what a humbling moment to stand before each of you today to mark this very special occasion.”
The president of the university said this is a very important step in preserving St. Louis’ history.
Audrey Ellermann says her daughter was part of a youth national program that was held at the Vashon Center that taught students leadership skills. “It was great to see how excited the children were to be a part of the program that helped them become responsible adults,” said Ellerman.
Ellermann said her daughter participated in the gymnastics program as well. She expressed gratitude for the community center because back then those types of sports weren’t always available for young Black kids.
Neil Westbrooks, a former Mill Creek Valley community member, lived in the historical neighborhood in 1942. He tells the St. Louis American he spent a great deal of his time at the Vashon Recreation Center and the Tandy Recreation Center. His father managed both centers, and he was a boxing and basketball coach. Westbrooks says when it was time for him to learn how to swim his father sent him to the Vashon Center.
“It's like being with family here, you saw kids you went to grade school with, high school, or church,” said Westbrooks.
He said the theater and Homer G. Phillips Hospital were within walking distance of the rec center.
An alum of HSSU, Flossie Henderson class of 1975 said that she didn’t think this day would ever come. “The building stayed closed for so many years and nearby institutions wanted to buy the property, but Dr. Givens would not let this property go,” said Henderson.
“He would not let this property go, he had a vision for it long before the Wolff family gave their collection to the college. He knew the land and the school had value.”
She said when the Wolff family decided to give the university the jazz collection Dr. Givens had the vision to house the collection at the Vashon Center.
The center was designed by Alfred Osburg who also designed the historic Soulard Market, the nearly 16,000 square foot building renovations cost close to 3 million dollars, and state funding, donations from the National Park Service, and institutional dollars all helped bring this historical site back to life.
“This is such a historic area and it holds so much hope and promise for our community,” said Alderwoman Laura Keys.
She says a great tribute to the former community of Mill Creek Valley.
Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.