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The Last Children of Mill Creek
Vivian Gibson grew up in Mill Creek Valley, a segregated working-class neighborhood of St. Louis that was razed in 1959 to build a highway, an act of racism disguised under urban renewal as “progress.” The three rooms of her childhood home were heated by a wood-burning stove; her family had no hot water or furnace, but what Gibson lacked in material comforts she made up for in imagination. A moving memoir of family life at a time very different from the present, The Last Children of Mill Creek chronicles the everyday lived experiences of Gibson’s large family -- her seven siblings, her crafty, college-educated mother, and her hard-working father -- and the friends, shop owners, church ladies, teachers, and others who made Mill Creek into a warm, tight-knit African-American community. In Gibson’s words, “This memoir is about survival, as told from the viewpoint of a watchful young girl -- a collection of decidedly universal stories that chronicle the extraordinary lives of ordinary people.”
150 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2020
84 people are currently reading
1388 people want to read
About the author
Vivian Gibson
1 book30 followersVivian Gibson was raised in Mill Creek Valley―454 acres in the heart of downtown St. Louis that comprised the nation’s largest urban-renewal project, beginning in 1959. She started writing short stories about her childhood memories of the dying community after retiring at age 66. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
August 14, 2025
My most favorite things in the world—women’s stories of survival and success, St. Louis and all its fraught histories of place and race and politics, and the beauty and pain and loss within sibling, family, and community relationships—all in one little book. I was deeply moved by this personal history of St. Louis, my city that I love. Wow!!!!
February 14, 2020
In this memoir, Gibson shares stories about growing up in Mill Creek Valley—a segregated neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri—before a massive urban-renewal project emptied the once thriving community of its 20,000 residents and 800 businesses.
The book begins with an introduction giving an overview of Mill Creek's origins interspersed with anecdotes focusing mostly on the author's mother, and discusses what the book is about and how it came to be. It felt casual and conversational, and immediately made me want to get cozy and settle in for a lengthy reading session. (Which is exactly what I did.) That conversational tone carried on throughout the book. It reminded of how, when I was a little girl, I used to go over to the houses of a few elderly ladies who lived in the neighborhood. I loved listening to them talk about their families, because it felt like storytime to me. That same pleasant feeling was evoked as I read this book, and it made for a wonderful reading experience.
The Last Children of Mill Creek describes the final years of a community marked for destruction. The focus of the book is not on that impending doom, however. Stories about her large family (which included her parents, paternal grandmother, and seven siblings) are shared alongside vibrant details of everyday life in the close-knit community. Mill Creek and its former inhabitants sprang back to life through Gibson's words, taking the reader back to a time where sundown laws and segregation domineered the lives of African-Americans.
Photos of Mill Creek
I couldn't help but be struck with a sense of loss, so to speak, when the author shared that she knew little about her parent's early lives. It made me reflect on how important those unknown details become after the loss of a loved one... and how easily the opportunities for those stories to be told slip away, often without notice. There have been so many times I regretted not knowing what shaped the early lives of people I loved. There were so many little things I wish I knew, unknown things that only became important to me after my chance to hear those stories was forever lost. If anything, it serves as a reminder to request those stories, and not to fall into the trap of thinking you have plenty of time and can do it later—because time always run out when you least expect it.
I realize the above may seem off-topic for a review, but it's actually highly relevant in illustrating the thoughts I had while reading this book. A single sentence informed the reader that there was much she didn't know about her parents... and yet, that sentence lingered in my thoughts throughout the entirety of the book, and was something I connected with on a deeply personal level.
One of the reasons I read books like this is to try to understand, as best I can, how racism impacts the lives of people who experience it. It's important to me to try to see the world through their eyes, so that I'm able to consider things not only from my own perspective, but that of others whose experiences are vastly different from my own.
I also look for the things I can easily connect with and understand, because I feel that is equally important. As people become increasingly divided over political and social issues in the U.S. and other countries across the world, the need for empathy and understanding are more crucial than ever—and I believe that begins with a willingness to discover the ways in which we are alike, as opposed to focusing solely on our differences.
I loved this book. In addition to be a great read, it sparked a several lines of thought (as shown above) that I expect to reflect upon for some time. The family stories are every bit as enthralling as the details surrounding the demise of the Mill Creek community, both of which I found fascinating to read.
Highly recommended for readers of memoirs/personal narratives dealing with segregation and racism with a strong focus on family life.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Belt Publishing via Netgalley.
The book begins with an introduction giving an overview of Mill Creek's origins interspersed with anecdotes focusing mostly on the author's mother, and discusses what the book is about and how it came to be. It felt casual and conversational, and immediately made me want to get cozy and settle in for a lengthy reading session. (Which is exactly what I did.) That conversational tone carried on throughout the book. It reminded of how, when I was a little girl, I used to go over to the houses of a few elderly ladies who lived in the neighborhood. I loved listening to them talk about their families, because it felt like storytime to me. That same pleasant feeling was evoked as I read this book, and it made for a wonderful reading experience.
The Last Children of Mill Creek describes the final years of a community marked for destruction. The focus of the book is not on that impending doom, however. Stories about her large family (which included her parents, paternal grandmother, and seven siblings) are shared alongside vibrant details of everyday life in the close-knit community. Mill Creek and its former inhabitants sprang back to life through Gibson's words, taking the reader back to a time where sundown laws and segregation domineered the lives of African-Americans.
Photos of Mill Creek
I couldn't help but be struck with a sense of loss, so to speak, when the author shared that she knew little about her parent's early lives. It made me reflect on how important those unknown details become after the loss of a loved one... and how easily the opportunities for those stories to be told slip away, often without notice. There have been so many times I regretted not knowing what shaped the early lives of people I loved. There were so many little things I wish I knew, unknown things that only became important to me after my chance to hear those stories was forever lost. If anything, it serves as a reminder to request those stories, and not to fall into the trap of thinking you have plenty of time and can do it later—because time always run out when you least expect it.
I realize the above may seem off-topic for a review, but it's actually highly relevant in illustrating the thoughts I had while reading this book. A single sentence informed the reader that there was much she didn't know about her parents... and yet, that sentence lingered in my thoughts throughout the entirety of the book, and was something I connected with on a deeply personal level.
One of the reasons I read books like this is to try to understand, as best I can, how racism impacts the lives of people who experience it. It's important to me to try to see the world through their eyes, so that I'm able to consider things not only from my own perspective, but that of others whose experiences are vastly different from my own.
I also look for the things I can easily connect with and understand, because I feel that is equally important. As people become increasingly divided over political and social issues in the U.S. and other countries across the world, the need for empathy and understanding are more crucial than ever—and I believe that begins with a willingness to discover the ways in which we are alike, as opposed to focusing solely on our differences.
I loved this book. In addition to be a great read, it sparked a several lines of thought (as shown above) that I expect to reflect upon for some time. The family stories are every bit as enthralling as the details surrounding the demise of the Mill Creek community, both of which I found fascinating to read.
Highly recommended for readers of memoirs/personal narratives dealing with segregation and racism with a strong focus on family life.
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Belt Publishing via Netgalley.
February 22, 2020
Gibson proffers a beautiful story of her neighbors in St. Louis that was razed in 1959 for a highway. She shares vignettes of her childhood, the youngest daughter of a family of 10. She brings the neighborhood to life with her observations of its inhabitants, including her family. It's a loving testimony to a time and place that will never be again. I wish she would have shared more of her own personal story after she moved to NYC, as well as her siblings' stories. Perhaps there will be a follow up memoir. Thanks to NetGalley and Belt Publishers for the advance copy.
February 11, 2020
When the historic black neighborhood of Mill Creek in St. Louis started to be razed in the late 1950s, author Vivian Gibson's family had already moved out six months earlier. Her father had been badly hurt on one of his jobs, which fortunately did not leave him disabled; but still entitled him to a settlement that gave the family enough money to move. Getting out of Mill Creek was not what they really wanted, but a better and newer house. It was well known, too, Mill Creek was going to be torn down, after being labeled a slum by the powers that be.
This memoir is not really about that "urban renewal" project, or even about where everyone relocated and their feelings about doing so. No, this story is about Mill Creek before it was demolished, and about what it was like for the children growing up there. Ms. Gibson grew up in a family with seven siblings. Her mother was loving, resourceful and college educated. Her father was strict, a hard worker who had three jobs, and a man who loved his children in his own way. The neighborhood was a tight-knit one, where the kids stayed outside to play until the lamp posts lit up.
Chores were endless, both at home and at their father's church. Well, not totally endless. The children obviously did have time to play, watch TV, listen to music, etc. But chores appeared to take priority over most everything else. The author doesn't talk about all they had to do in a disparaging way, either. They children tried to make doing chores fun, and Ms. Gibson was proud of all the cooking skills she was learning as a child. Besides hard work, church, education, resourcefulness, and a "positive self-image" were also considered important.
All of that could have been tedious reading coming from a mediocre writer, but fortunately Vivian Gibson is a wonderful storyteller. She is a keen observer of relationship dynamics, too. The end of the memoir came too soon, and one could only wish she would have continued writing about life in her new neighborhood, which eventually went from integrated to segregated. There is a "conclusion" chapter, however, where Ms. Gibson talks about her adult life, and tells what happened to other family members. By that time, you definitely wanted to know what happened to everyone.
(Note: I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the author or publisher.)
This memoir is not really about that "urban renewal" project, or even about where everyone relocated and their feelings about doing so. No, this story is about Mill Creek before it was demolished, and about what it was like for the children growing up there. Ms. Gibson grew up in a family with seven siblings. Her mother was loving, resourceful and college educated. Her father was strict, a hard worker who had three jobs, and a man who loved his children in his own way. The neighborhood was a tight-knit one, where the kids stayed outside to play until the lamp posts lit up.
Chores were endless, both at home and at their father's church. Well, not totally endless. The children obviously did have time to play, watch TV, listen to music, etc. But chores appeared to take priority over most everything else. The author doesn't talk about all they had to do in a disparaging way, either. They children tried to make doing chores fun, and Ms. Gibson was proud of all the cooking skills she was learning as a child. Besides hard work, church, education, resourcefulness, and a "positive self-image" were also considered important.
All of that could have been tedious reading coming from a mediocre writer, but fortunately Vivian Gibson is a wonderful storyteller. She is a keen observer of relationship dynamics, too. The end of the memoir came too soon, and one could only wish she would have continued writing about life in her new neighborhood, which eventually went from integrated to segregated. There is a "conclusion" chapter, however, where Ms. Gibson talks about her adult life, and tells what happened to other family members. By that time, you definitely wanted to know what happened to everyone.
(Note: I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the author or publisher.)
March 15, 2020
This is the kind of book that I consider an easy read.
Short and full of interesting stories, written wonderfully so that you just want to keep flipping the pages.
This book gave a very real look into the past and a compelling look into family dynamics.
I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend.
Short and full of interesting stories, written wonderfully so that you just want to keep flipping the pages.
This book gave a very real look into the past and a compelling look into family dynamics.
I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend.
April 5, 2020
Ready for a family chronicle of survival against the odds? Want an inside scoop on what counts as real wealth? Care to hear the facts of what was behind the mask of 1950s “urban renewal” in St. Louis, the “Gateway City to the West?” You’ll find all this in The Last Children of Mill Creek. Vivian Gibson takes us along on the journey she traveled with her two hard-working parents and seven siblings. She lets us share her roundtrip ticket that gets its start in St. Louis, Missouri and returns this fascinating woman—a full circle rollercoaster ride of emotions—to the roots of her childhood where we are her captive audience. Despite what she laments as too “few in-depth conversations” with her mother, she has pieced together a patchwork quilt of a story that frames and examines the Ross family. The Last Children of Mill Creek is an up-close and personal look at an African American family. This book, part memoir-part history lesson, drives home the value of storytelling. We each contribute to the mosaic of life. Vivian Gibson has shared her love offering and we are blessed that she did! --Deborah Walker
June 23, 2025
A short but interesting memoir of the authors experience growing up in a neighborhood deemed blighted by St. Louis officials in the 1950s. I’m glad I read this!
March 5, 2020
"The Last Children of Milk Creek" is Vivian Gibson's debut novel and was an absolutely wonderful book. She was the 5th of eight kids raised in the 1940s in Mill Creek Valley, located in downtown St. Louis.
"I thought we had plenty of time for talking - Until we didn't."
The author recreates the everyday experiences of the family and the stores in Mill Creek. A tight-knit place where everyone knew the other. She tells of the chores they each had abd that if it wasn't done or done right when their father came in at night, he would get them all up to do it. I especially liked the story she told of being out with the neighborhood kids and their father standing on the porch whistling for them to come home. He just wanted them all in the yard . He worked two jobs and sometimes didn't see them until the end of the week.
Her mother raised the kids at home while she created handmade crafts to sell. Their father's mother lived with them as well.
I really enjoyed this memoir and the stories told.
Thank you to Publisher and NetGalley for the eARC
"I thought we had plenty of time for talking - Until we didn't."
The author recreates the everyday experiences of the family and the stores in Mill Creek. A tight-knit place where everyone knew the other. She tells of the chores they each had abd that if it wasn't done or done right when their father came in at night, he would get them all up to do it. I especially liked the story she told of being out with the neighborhood kids and their father standing on the porch whistling for them to come home. He just wanted them all in the yard . He worked two jobs and sometimes didn't see them until the end of the week.
Her mother raised the kids at home while she created handmade crafts to sell. Their father's mother lived with them as well.
I really enjoyed this memoir and the stories told.
Thank you to Publisher and NetGalley for the eARC
April 12, 2020
Enjoyed this easy read memoir about segregation and the hardships this family faced. Thank you Net Galley for the Advanced Reader Copy.
April 5, 2020
Thank you to Belt Publishing and Net Galley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available April 30 2020
In her deft and nuanced autobiography, "The Last Children of Mill Creek," author, entrepreneur and fashion designer Vivian Gibson reflects on her childhood in the primarily black neighborhood of Mill Creek, which was later destroyed by gentrification. With simple yet meaningful examples, Gibson illustrates the Great Migration, her parent's shrewdness to provide for all her siblings and the mischief her siblings engaged in and ultimately the turns of gentrification and "urban renewal" which slowly eroded the neighborhood. In doing so, Gibson shares with us a hidden chapter of black American history. By turns thoughtful and engaging, Gibson's down to earth language and frank storytelling will be sure to win you over!
Available April 30 2020
In her deft and nuanced autobiography, "The Last Children of Mill Creek," author, entrepreneur and fashion designer Vivian Gibson reflects on her childhood in the primarily black neighborhood of Mill Creek, which was later destroyed by gentrification. With simple yet meaningful examples, Gibson illustrates the Great Migration, her parent's shrewdness to provide for all her siblings and the mischief her siblings engaged in and ultimately the turns of gentrification and "urban renewal" which slowly eroded the neighborhood. In doing so, Gibson shares with us a hidden chapter of black American history. By turns thoughtful and engaging, Gibson's down to earth language and frank storytelling will be sure to win you over!
September 19, 2021
I'm thankful Mrs. Gibson provided faces and stories of those in Mill Creek, showing a glimpse into the reality this who lost so much but learned to keep it moving in the midst of adversity. While I'm significantly younger than Mrs. Gibson, I found pieces of my family's story throughout, which energizes me to spotlight the richness and beauty of black culture even more.
March 30, 2024
Really rich
March 30, 2024
i love memoirs
January 31, 2023
So glad I read Vivian’s memoir. It’s an important story to know.
February 3, 2025
I had started this book many times, but I finally re-read it and finished it today. A beautifully told story through the eyes of a child… Full of moments of love in the face of struggle… I think every St. Louisian should read this book!
April 30, 2022
I loved it! You provide so many wonderful details about your childhood, your siblings, and your parents. It’s as if I could see them. I could even see your mother’s feet and her long legs. I could hear your father‘s voice when he told you and your siblings to wash the dishes. I love the scenes where you described how you girls ironed clothes and the meticulous manner in which you had to make the starch. I could see you and your sisters getting your hair pressed just as my two sisters and I did. I could see your brothers playing outside and poking things with their sticks. The author mentioned how she struggled with reading and shared that she was a slow reader as a child. It is amazing how things turned around. From a struggling reader to an award-winning author. What a triumph!
August 30, 2020
This is an enjoyable read full of the history of the Mill Creek neighborhood and giving readers a colorful picture of the people who lived there during the author's childhood. Vivian's large family comes to life, living in poverty but making do, the kids having fun in their own way like kids everywhere. Her parents scraped a living through multiple jobs and artistic ingenuity until a disabling accident promotes her father to a better position, enabling a move to a larger and better house in time for their old neighborhood to be condemned for a major highway to be built.
Most of the book is about life in this mostly Black neighborhood during Vivian's childhood in the 1950s, interesting insight for me and likely most readers, especially for anyone familiar with St. Louis--most of us have probably never heard of Mill Creek or barely remember its existence. With so many street references, even I wished a map was included. I did want to know more than the basics of the people moving out and where they went, although that would be a bigger story of Black St. Louis. The book does talk a little about white flight and mentions the now infamous Pruitt-Igoe housing complex. Overall, Vivian Gibson did a lot of research and created a little gem for her family and for St. Louis, to richly capture a time and place--and the people--that should be remembered as part of lived history.
Most of the book is about life in this mostly Black neighborhood during Vivian's childhood in the 1950s, interesting insight for me and likely most readers, especially for anyone familiar with St. Louis--most of us have probably never heard of Mill Creek or barely remember its existence. With so many street references, even I wished a map was included. I did want to know more than the basics of the people moving out and where they went, although that would be a bigger story of Black St. Louis. The book does talk a little about white flight and mentions the now infamous Pruitt-Igoe housing complex. Overall, Vivian Gibson did a lot of research and created a little gem for her family and for St. Louis, to richly capture a time and place--and the people--that should be remembered as part of lived history.
July 5, 2020
A heartfelt memoir that I was happy to have been recommended (via Anne Trubek's excellent newsletter, "Notes from a Small Press"). Every detail feels true to the bone, and it's evident throughout that this family history was a labour of love.
My star rating based on personal preference — a folksiness in the memoir sections detracted, for me, from slightly bigger picture observations about so-called "urban renewal" of St. Louis. (For example, the infamous Pruitt–Igoe projects don't come up except in passing in final chapter). The razing of Mill Creek community hangs like a spectre over the whole book, but ends up being quickly covered and taking a backseat to multi-generational family history. (For some reason I expected more of a 1:1 ratio of micro and macro scale ... and the descriptions of St. Louis in the 1950s were so evocative it left me wanting more of that!). But, readers who really revel in memoir and/or closely-observed family stories should enjoy this.
My star rating based on personal preference — a folksiness in the memoir sections detracted, for me, from slightly bigger picture observations about so-called "urban renewal" of St. Louis. (For example, the infamous Pruitt–Igoe projects don't come up except in passing in final chapter). The razing of Mill Creek community hangs like a spectre over the whole book, but ends up being quickly covered and taking a backseat to multi-generational family history. (For some reason I expected more of a 1:1 ratio of micro and macro scale ... and the descriptions of St. Louis in the 1950s were so evocative it left me wanting more of that!). But, readers who really revel in memoir and/or closely-observed family stories should enjoy this.
June 18, 2020
This is Vivian Gibson's touching and engrossing memoir (not novel) about growing up in a segregated neighborhood in St. Louis in the 1950s. It's well-written and clear-eyed but best of all, Gibson has a knack for really making you feel as though you are there along with her -- the second-youngest of eight children raised in three rooms (800 square feet) by her hard-working, demanding father and creative, resilient mother. She gives indelible portraits of each family member and many others in her community besides. In the late Fifties, Mill Creek Valley and its vibrant community were summarily eradicated in the name of urban renewal and replaced by a freeway. Importantly, through Gibson and others like her, memories of a very particular time, place, and experience remain. The book engaged me completely from the first page and I recommend it without reservation.
July 21, 2020
This is a memoir about growing up in a segregated community of Mill Creek. I thought about this book as a snapshot of a certain period of time for this family. I got a good sense of who this family was and some of the things that affected their lives, but there was something else I wanted in the book. Maybe I was missing some background information that would've made me appreciate the book more or maybe I was hoping for more explanations, I don't quite know what it was. This book was just alright for me.
January 20, 2022
I read this for book club and I can't say that it is my typical genre to read. Mill Creek, a community where Busch Stadium now stands, was demolished in the late 1950s. While not my favorite book, we had a great discussion in book club which I really enjoyed. The real strength of this book is the spark that it ignites in conversations shared.
Cons: This book felt like I was at someone else's family reunion where the author was greatly enjoying sharing her tales about people/places I didn't know and would never meet or be able to visit. The people in the story are never developed (as there is no plot in the book), so it was hard to feel invested beyond being a fly on the wall, listening in on a story that I came in on partway through. At the same time, the level of detail was a bit much for me. There might be a full page description of someone who would never resurface later in the book or how they ironed. Yet I didn't feel that I got to know even her siblings. There was no explanation for the education system so I didn't understand why all the siblings were attending (and often changing) different schools. I wish there were more photographs to help tell her story but maybe those photos do not exist (there are some on the authors website). I also thought the book would tell more of the plight of the family once they were relocated away from Mill Creek - but that was really only the last chapter.
Pros: Gibson presents a detailed picture of her family's day to day life as told through the lens of her childhood eye. She has fond memories. In an interview with the author posted to Youtube, she says that within their community, her parents had shielded her from racism and the book shows the love within her family despite their financial hardships. It had the charm and detail seen in Little House on the Prairie with the descriptions and imagery created (but without a plot and exchanging the prairie for 1950s St Louis). The family had 3 rooms yet her mother was hard working and generous and even had other children sometimes stay with them. Gibson slept holding her shoes so she could drop them to the floor during the night to scare off the rats when she wanted to go to the bathroom. Their father worked long hours and was abusive. They would iron with a homemade bottle of spray starch. They had 2 TVs that were stacked - one with sound and the other with a picture. They rented their basement out for $5 a week and an upstairs room for $7 a week. Their dad would sometimes find what would become treasured gems while dumpster diving (paint, nails and an almost complete set of encyclopedias). They had no chairs or couch. Mama had to do all of her crafting on her bed. Like 80% of Mill Creek, bathrooms were outhouses out back. When her father was hospitalized, the hospital toiletries and packaged sugars he sent home were a real treat. Gibson's role model was an older girl who went to college and went on to get her PhD.
I think the greatest asset of the book is that it created a desire for me to learn more about Mill Creek which I did via Google. Between the book and googling, I learned that their neighborhood and community (in every sense of the word) was demolished in the name of "urban renewal". Mill Creek housed black families who, for the most part, did now own their properties so there was little motivation for the land owners to fix them up. Mill Creek had 5,600 dwelling units across 465 acres. There were 20,000 people. Half the homes lacked running water and 80% had no bathroom. After WW2, the returning men needed jobs. Highway jobs were given to white men who then moved to the suburbs. The highway was created without thinking about the impact of the neighborhood that was being demolished. The initial bond was voted down because white families were afraid that black families would move into their neighborhoods. Families in Mill Creek (if they owned the house) were paid for the value of their home plus $100 moving expenses. Thirty percent of families went to the Pruitt Igoe project but (I think) that was only for women and children.
Gibson's family moved to Hamilton Heights (north of the CWE) in 1958 and had 8 rooms with plumbing, a lawn and furniture. Yet they could not afford the oil to heat it. As blacks moved into the area, white flight took hold but the community they had experienced in Mill Creek was lost.
There is a good review of this book by Ellen Wayland Smith in the LA Review of Books with discussion questions. Her comment was that this book is different than other Black narratives. ... not defined by a confrontation with whiteness. (This book) is joyful, nostalgic, mischievous - a love letter to her childhood." I think this is a great summary. The review summarizes the end of the book this way: "The confrontation with whiteness arrives. And yet, it does so only as the curtains closes; Gibson denies it a place at the center of her story."
St. Louis has established the Brickline Greenway to honor Mill Creek Valley.
Cons: This book felt like I was at someone else's family reunion where the author was greatly enjoying sharing her tales about people/places I didn't know and would never meet or be able to visit. The people in the story are never developed (as there is no plot in the book), so it was hard to feel invested beyond being a fly on the wall, listening in on a story that I came in on partway through. At the same time, the level of detail was a bit much for me. There might be a full page description of someone who would never resurface later in the book or how they ironed. Yet I didn't feel that I got to know even her siblings. There was no explanation for the education system so I didn't understand why all the siblings were attending (and often changing) different schools. I wish there were more photographs to help tell her story but maybe those photos do not exist (there are some on the authors website). I also thought the book would tell more of the plight of the family once they were relocated away from Mill Creek - but that was really only the last chapter.
Pros: Gibson presents a detailed picture of her family's day to day life as told through the lens of her childhood eye. She has fond memories. In an interview with the author posted to Youtube, she says that within their community, her parents had shielded her from racism and the book shows the love within her family despite their financial hardships. It had the charm and detail seen in Little House on the Prairie with the descriptions and imagery created (but without a plot and exchanging the prairie for 1950s St Louis). The family had 3 rooms yet her mother was hard working and generous and even had other children sometimes stay with them. Gibson slept holding her shoes so she could drop them to the floor during the night to scare off the rats when she wanted to go to the bathroom. Their father worked long hours and was abusive. They would iron with a homemade bottle of spray starch. They had 2 TVs that were stacked - one with sound and the other with a picture. They rented their basement out for $5 a week and an upstairs room for $7 a week. Their dad would sometimes find what would become treasured gems while dumpster diving (paint, nails and an almost complete set of encyclopedias). They had no chairs or couch. Mama had to do all of her crafting on her bed. Like 80% of Mill Creek, bathrooms were outhouses out back. When her father was hospitalized, the hospital toiletries and packaged sugars he sent home were a real treat. Gibson's role model was an older girl who went to college and went on to get her PhD.
I think the greatest asset of the book is that it created a desire for me to learn more about Mill Creek which I did via Google. Between the book and googling, I learned that their neighborhood and community (in every sense of the word) was demolished in the name of "urban renewal". Mill Creek housed black families who, for the most part, did now own their properties so there was little motivation for the land owners to fix them up. Mill Creek had 5,600 dwelling units across 465 acres. There were 20,000 people. Half the homes lacked running water and 80% had no bathroom. After WW2, the returning men needed jobs. Highway jobs were given to white men who then moved to the suburbs. The highway was created without thinking about the impact of the neighborhood that was being demolished. The initial bond was voted down because white families were afraid that black families would move into their neighborhoods. Families in Mill Creek (if they owned the house) were paid for the value of their home plus $100 moving expenses. Thirty percent of families went to the Pruitt Igoe project but (I think) that was only for women and children.
Gibson's family moved to Hamilton Heights (north of the CWE) in 1958 and had 8 rooms with plumbing, a lawn and furniture. Yet they could not afford the oil to heat it. As blacks moved into the area, white flight took hold but the community they had experienced in Mill Creek was lost.
There is a good review of this book by Ellen Wayland Smith in the LA Review of Books with discussion questions. Her comment was that this book is different than other Black narratives. ... not defined by a confrontation with whiteness. (This book) is joyful, nostalgic, mischievous - a love letter to her childhood." I think this is a great summary. The review summarizes the end of the book this way: "The confrontation with whiteness arrives. And yet, it does so only as the curtains closes; Gibson denies it a place at the center of her story."
St. Louis has established the Brickline Greenway to honor Mill Creek Valley.
July 14, 2020
(I want to thank NetGalley, Belt Publishing, and the author for this ARC, which I received in exchange for an honest review.)
Vivian Gibson writes a memoir about her family and her childhood. Her anecdotes show how life was in Mill Creek, a neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri, that was destroyed in 1959 as part of an urban renewal project that wanted to get rid of the "slum" and build a highway. In that way, Gibson tries to portray this African-American community through the stories of her parents, her siblings, her friends, her neighbors, and herself.
What I liked: It is clear that the author did research to show an accurate picture of Mill Creek in the '50s, and that is certainly valuable in a memoir. I also believe it is important to learn about groups that have been marginalized, as their voices hadn't been heard as often as those from the privileged groups. I mean, we all know many stories about how cities have been "improved" or "modernized", but we rarely hear what hundreds of people (in this case, 20,000 neighbors!) who live in those areas lose in the process. In that way, the author writes this memoir to save for future generations the soul of a community that was destroyed by racism and poor urban planning. That is why it is important to understand the experiences of people from Mill Creek and what their community meant to them.
What I did not like: The style of this book was to heavy on the descriptions for my taste. The stories that Gibson tells are interesting and charming, but sometimes it was hard to read because it is a long list of anecdotes. So, the reader can learn a lot about the daily life of the Ross family, but there is not a plot. The experience was like looking at a photo album with someone explaining to you what happened in each picture, so it is pretty cool, but it is not like a movie that uses images to tell a single story. Also, I would have wanted to learn more about the destruction of Mill Creek, since this process is only explained in the last 10% of the book.
Vivian Gibson writes a memoir about her family and her childhood. Her anecdotes show how life was in Mill Creek, a neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri, that was destroyed in 1959 as part of an urban renewal project that wanted to get rid of the "slum" and build a highway. In that way, Gibson tries to portray this African-American community through the stories of her parents, her siblings, her friends, her neighbors, and herself.
What I liked: It is clear that the author did research to show an accurate picture of Mill Creek in the '50s, and that is certainly valuable in a memoir. I also believe it is important to learn about groups that have been marginalized, as their voices hadn't been heard as often as those from the privileged groups. I mean, we all know many stories about how cities have been "improved" or "modernized", but we rarely hear what hundreds of people (in this case, 20,000 neighbors!) who live in those areas lose in the process. In that way, the author writes this memoir to save for future generations the soul of a community that was destroyed by racism and poor urban planning. That is why it is important to understand the experiences of people from Mill Creek and what their community meant to them.
What I did not like: The style of this book was to heavy on the descriptions for my taste. The stories that Gibson tells are interesting and charming, but sometimes it was hard to read because it is a long list of anecdotes. So, the reader can learn a lot about the daily life of the Ross family, but there is not a plot. The experience was like looking at a photo album with someone explaining to you what happened in each picture, so it is pretty cool, but it is not like a movie that uses images to tell a single story. Also, I would have wanted to learn more about the destruction of Mill Creek, since this process is only explained in the last 10% of the book.
August 14, 2023
This beautiful memoir recounts the author's childhood in Mill Creek, an urban neighborhood in St. Louis that was razed in 1959 in order to build a highway. Raised in a warm and close-knit African American community, Vivian was the next to youngest of eight children. Her father worked multiple jobs and her college-educated mother worked out of the home to support their family. This is an incredibly moving portrait of everyday Americans living their lives and depicts a bygone world that is a result of the Great Migration and that was destroyed by racism and the push for urban renewal.
Gibson's memoir is written with such vivid detail that truly brings her childhood to life and pays tribute to the love and tenacity of her family and community. I particularly liked how Gibson presented her childhood story through a child's lens, without overexplaining or layering adult meaning to her memories, but instead allowing her reader to fill in the blanks. For instance, a poor classmate describing her parents' movements bed at night, which she innocently relays to her mother when she gets home: "I laughed when I relayed Janice's story to my mother after school. Mama didn't laugh; she just cleared her throat and nodded her head" (91). Gibson is a natural storyteller with a knack for conveying her memories in the most moving way.
This memoir was such a moving tribute to the author's parents. Her father worked two jobs, with just a short break in between when he would return home for a quick dinner. He used his two weeks' vacation time every year to work season work for the post office. Meanwhile, her mother worked out of the home making beautiful, handcrafted hats, leather handbags, and other crafts. Restrained by the 800 square foot in which their family of 10 lived, their mother worked out of a suitcase that she stored under her bed at night. Her deep regret over never having more meaningful conversations with her mother was poignantly felt, yet she so clearly saw her parents for who they were and how hard they worked to serve their family.
Gibson's memoir is written with such vivid detail that truly brings her childhood to life and pays tribute to the love and tenacity of her family and community. I particularly liked how Gibson presented her childhood story through a child's lens, without overexplaining or layering adult meaning to her memories, but instead allowing her reader to fill in the blanks. For instance, a poor classmate describing her parents' movements bed at night, which she innocently relays to her mother when she gets home: "I laughed when I relayed Janice's story to my mother after school. Mama didn't laugh; she just cleared her throat and nodded her head" (91). Gibson is a natural storyteller with a knack for conveying her memories in the most moving way.
This memoir was such a moving tribute to the author's parents. Her father worked two jobs, with just a short break in between when he would return home for a quick dinner. He used his two weeks' vacation time every year to work season work for the post office. Meanwhile, her mother worked out of the home making beautiful, handcrafted hats, leather handbags, and other crafts. Restrained by the 800 square foot in which their family of 10 lived, their mother worked out of a suitcase that she stored under her bed at night. Her deep regret over never having more meaningful conversations with her mother was poignantly felt, yet she so clearly saw her parents for who they were and how hard they worked to serve their family.
April 9, 2024
I live in St Louis County. I was raised in the suburb of Affton; I experienced childhood in the 1950’s. At that time Affton was lily white. I never knew a black person until I started high school in 1962. I went to a girl’s s school in the city on West Pine just off of Grand Ave.
It was so interesting learning about the prejudice that existed during that time. I was involved in theater in high school (college, too). After our play my freshman year, the cast gathered at a pizza restaurant in North City. We were all seated and the waitress was taking our order. All of a sudden, cast members were standing and proceeding to leave the restaurant. Someone said to me, “Come on, Miller, we are leaving.” My response was, “ But I haven’t ordered yet.” You see, two of our cast mates were black. The waitress explained she could serve everyone except the two black girls. They would have to leave. No, all thirty of us left. I was shocked and angry at the blatant racism I experienced
that night. I have never forgotten it.
I’m hoping Vib reads some of her reviews. I loved the book. It was a story that needs to be told and I hope many St. Louisians read it. Cross my fingers.
Years later I was fortunate to take a Caribbean cooking class from Vib through Dierberg’s Cooking School. It was my all time favorite cooking class because I continue to love those recipes and still prepare them. Her jerk chicken and mango salsa is loved by anyone who that has dined with us.
I am in a book club and her book is our selection this month. I tried to reach her but was unable. I wanted to invite her to our book club to speak. If she would contact me through Goodreads, I would be so pleased.
I baked her banana bread and am taking that to book club for everyone to share during our discussion.
Thank you, Vib for sharing the beautiful story of your childhood and your strong loving family.
It was so interesting learning about the prejudice that existed during that time. I was involved in theater in high school (college, too). After our play my freshman year, the cast gathered at a pizza restaurant in North City. We were all seated and the waitress was taking our order. All of a sudden, cast members were standing and proceeding to leave the restaurant. Someone said to me, “Come on, Miller, we are leaving.” My response was, “ But I haven’t ordered yet.” You see, two of our cast mates were black. The waitress explained she could serve everyone except the two black girls. They would have to leave. No, all thirty of us left. I was shocked and angry at the blatant racism I experienced
that night. I have never forgotten it.
I’m hoping Vib reads some of her reviews. I loved the book. It was a story that needs to be told and I hope many St. Louisians read it. Cross my fingers.
Years later I was fortunate to take a Caribbean cooking class from Vib through Dierberg’s Cooking School. It was my all time favorite cooking class because I continue to love those recipes and still prepare them. Her jerk chicken and mango salsa is loved by anyone who that has dined with us.
I am in a book club and her book is our selection this month. I tried to reach her but was unable. I wanted to invite her to our book club to speak. If she would contact me through Goodreads, I would be so pleased.
I baked her banana bread and am taking that to book club for everyone to share during our discussion.
Thank you, Vib for sharing the beautiful story of your childhood and your strong loving family.
February 19, 2021
This was a really lovely memoir, with love for the author's family shining through in every page.
I don't think you need to live in St Louis to appreciate the sense of place in this book, or the way that location shaped lives. (Although if you do, it's nice to hear about places you know and to see someone else remembering them, too!) And many people in St Louis don't know about Mill Creek Valley, or understand the racist motivations for unhousing thousands of people for "progress."
I also don't think of this as a story of being a black child- but rather, just being a child. (Note: that is not to say I'm disregarding her blackness, or how being black shaped her childhood) For a book discussion group with older white women, I think it's so, so important to hear stories from people who don't look like them, and to hear that their stories run parallel or often sound the same. I think we need that- it humanizes people and takes away "the othering." And that's what so many of them said- "we did that, too!" The surprise and realization- it's important.
This story, this memoir, is shaped by the destruction of a community, redlining, and racism- but that's not really what it's about. It's about a little girl and her family. Her memories. It's like sitting down with an older family member and hearing them tell you stories, which I always loved growing up, and miss quite a bit.
Sidenote: The author is the most lovely person, who has been open to interviews and book club discussions, sharing her memories and her stories. I highly recommend her for a book discussion group.
I don't think you need to live in St Louis to appreciate the sense of place in this book, or the way that location shaped lives. (Although if you do, it's nice to hear about places you know and to see someone else remembering them, too!) And many people in St Louis don't know about Mill Creek Valley, or understand the racist motivations for unhousing thousands of people for "progress."
I also don't think of this as a story of being a black child- but rather, just being a child. (Note: that is not to say I'm disregarding her blackness, or how being black shaped her childhood) For a book discussion group with older white women, I think it's so, so important to hear stories from people who don't look like them, and to hear that their stories run parallel or often sound the same. I think we need that- it humanizes people and takes away "the othering." And that's what so many of them said- "we did that, too!" The surprise and realization- it's important.
This story, this memoir, is shaped by the destruction of a community, redlining, and racism- but that's not really what it's about. It's about a little girl and her family. Her memories. It's like sitting down with an older family member and hearing them tell you stories, which I always loved growing up, and miss quite a bit.
Sidenote: The author is the most lovely person, who has been open to interviews and book club discussions, sharing her memories and her stories. I highly recommend her for a book discussion group.
June 15, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I was raised in white poverty of the rural south and found it interesting to compare and contrast the culture and climate of this family to my own. This family's history is a successful story of what hard work, creativity and the support of a loving family and friends can do to uplift the human spirit. Instead of complaints about the restrictions of poverty, racism, and the many hardships faced this author relishes what was undoubtedly the nexus of her successful and creative adult life. It is a refreshing story that should serve as in inspiration to all races and cultures of what is out there if you are willing to work hard to overcome …..ie the American dream.
Ms. Gibson richly describes the characters is this book and the writing flows beautifully. I would encourage the reading of this book especially to those who are interested in the culture and history of the 20th century of the south.
Ms. Gibson richly describes the characters is this book and the writing flows beautifully. I would encourage the reading of this book especially to those who are interested in the culture and history of the 20th century of the south.
May 15, 2020
The "The Last Children of Mill Creek" by Vivian Gibson is a memoir of the author's life growing up in an area of St. Louis that was destroyed in the late 1950s to build a highway. Gibson recounts the ups and downs of growing up in a large family in a poor, segregated neighborhood in the Mill Creek neighborhood of St. Louis. While there were many forces acting against the family from the outside and some challenging family dynamics, Gibson's mother and community members provided a lot of strength and support. I really enjoyed the book, but I was definitely hoping for a greater intertwining of and a more in-depth discussion of the historical details relating to the destruction of the neighborhood. Sadly, the depiction of overcrowded, segregated, underfunded schools is not a scenario that stayed in the past. Overall, this was a good and interesting read.
May 29, 2021
A Wonderful Family Story
As a St Louis native and as a child in the 1950's and seeing the destruction of Mill Crrek Valley, which even at a young age,.I found so sad. Why would they tear down all those big old homes and make all those people move. And, then the majority of it sat as acres of empty lots. I.have always had issues with Mayor Tucker and his cronies for this decision. There were better ways to improve this neighborhood. When I saw a review of Vivien's book in Missouri Life Magazine the other day, I had to read it. I grew.up in the area near where they eventually moved and it was while riding the streetcar with my downtown, that saw Mill Creek and learned of what was done before our very.eyes.Her story is beautiful and I could picture each part. Her love of family shines through. She touched my heart ❤
As a St Louis native and as a child in the 1950's and seeing the destruction of Mill Crrek Valley, which even at a young age,.I found so sad. Why would they tear down all those big old homes and make all those people move. And, then the majority of it sat as acres of empty lots. I.have always had issues with Mayor Tucker and his cronies for this decision. There were better ways to improve this neighborhood. When I saw a review of Vivien's book in Missouri Life Magazine the other day, I had to read it. I grew.up in the area near where they eventually moved and it was while riding the streetcar with my downtown, that saw Mill Creek and learned of what was done before our very.eyes.Her story is beautiful and I could picture each part. Her love of family shines through. She touched my heart ❤
October 5, 2022
This is a wonderfully written memoir of growing up in a Black neighborhood in the 1950s. The solid, safe, and supportive community was abruptly destroyed in 1959, as part of "urban renewal" in preparation for building a freeway. It's a very readable slice of history prior to 1959, and without preaching it lays waste to the idea of "slum clearance" as anything beneficial for anyone. As the book ends, the family is funneled into another neighborhood designated for Black families. Fearmongering by real estate agents in that neighborhood led to white flight and property devaluation. Families who could not manage a down payment in the new neighborhood ended up in a new public housing development, which turned out to be of unlivable design and which was demolished withing twenty years. But all that comes at the end. This short memoir is a good read and an informative one.
November 17, 2023
I loved this book even more than I expected. For some reason I was expecting a more typical non-fiction book about redlining full of facts and figures. And those books are great. This book was really more like the author's memoir. And it just so happens her family lived through some pretty serious redlining.
Vivian Gibson is the 7th child in a family of 8. She was born around the same time as my parents into a black neighborhood in St. Louis. Their family went without a lot of luxuries that are common today. But there were still poorer families on the other side of the tracks. And there were wealthier families in their neighborhood, too. And in 1959 it was all declared "blight" and torn down to make way for an expressway. St. Louis did as a lot of other cities did and, to quote the book, traded "one slum for another slum."
Vivian Gibson is the 7th child in a family of 8. She was born around the same time as my parents into a black neighborhood in St. Louis. Their family went without a lot of luxuries that are common today. But there were still poorer families on the other side of the tracks. And there were wealthier families in their neighborhood, too. And in 1959 it was all declared "blight" and torn down to make way for an expressway. St. Louis did as a lot of other cities did and, to quote the book, traded "one slum for another slum."
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