Episode 61: Life and Work on the Mississippi – Bonnie Stepenoff (Water & Waterways, Part 1)

Water. Did you ever stop to think just how important water is to your everyday life? From health, sanitation, and nutrition, to transportation, recreation, and cultural identity, water is just as important today as it has been for countless people for generations. Whether it’s the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, or the endless list of rivers, creeks, ponds, lakes, and even fountains that dot Missouri’s landscape, this series is all about water. So, with that, let’s dive right in to Water & Waterways. This episode features Bonnie Stepenoff, professor emerita of history at Southeast Missouri State University, discussing Big Spring, Thad Snow, and life and work along the Mississippi River.

Episode Image: St. Louis, Missouri, Riverfront, ca. 1880 [Charles Trefts Photographs (P0034), SHSMO]

About the Guest: Bonnie Stepenoff holds a PhD in History from the University of Missouri. She is professor emerita of history at Southeast Missouri State University. She is the author of several books, including “The Dead End Kids of St. Louis: Homeless Boys and the People Who Tried to Save Them,” “From French Community to Missouri Town: Sainte Genevieve in the Nineteenth Century,” “Thad Snow: A Life of Social Reform in the Missouri Bootheel,” “Big Spring Autumn,” and “Working the Mississippi: Two Centuries of Life on the River.” She is also the editor of “From Missouri: An American Farmer Looks Back.”