The Chris Moeller Archives

Miles Davis grew up in middle-class East St. Louis during the 1930s and '40s, the son of a prominent local dentist. The Davis family home has fallen into a state of great disrepair, but this isn't one of those stories about long, gradual decline in the industrial city. The decay is just in the last two years.

This is why we can't pause for even a moment to save our vital structural landmarks. The Davis house has never been declared a historic site by the city (or by its state or federal government, for that matter), and now after only a brief period of vacancy, vandals are taking it down bit by bit. Here's some "Blue" Miles to play for atmosphere (in a separate window) while you look at the photos and read about the crumbling house in the link above. The online story from the Riverfront Times in St. Louis really should have included a soundtrack from the very beginning. (And it wouldn't be St. Louis without a couple racist pricks spewing in the comment thread.)