Named one of 2011’s “best regional books” by St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

At one point in time, East St. Louis was the boomtown of the St. Louis Metropolitan area, promising to be both a hub of industrial markets and a desirable residential area. In 1960, it was honored with the “All-America City” designation, yet today, it has been dubbed “the most distressed small city in America.” Comprising a selection of insightful essays, The Making covers East St. Louis’ turbulent history over the past century and a half, from the Mississippi River’s role in the city’s formation to racial tensions, the industrial decline, and its enduring cultural impact. This book is the first in the East St. Louis Sesquicentennial Series, which aims to examine the city’s influence, document and preserve its history, and provide meaningful reference for historians to come.