St. Joseph, Missouri, was a well-known portal to the West from the Eastern United States. By the end of the Victorian era, at the turn of the 20th century, St. Joseph had grown into a wealthy city. Industries began to flourish, including catalog, manufacturing, and warehouse businesses, gradually making the town not only a stopping point for the exhausted and hungry traveler, but also an attractive destination in its own right. These industries left a vast collection of photographic postcards behind, and some of the most interesting ones have been included in this photo album of the area's past. Focusing mainly on St. Joseph's architecture of the early 1900s, this book brings the older St. Joseph back to life and highlights the major events of the early 20th century. Many of the pictures in the book originate from Marshall White's private collection. The Robidoux Row Museum and Cole Woodbury have also generously allowed their photographs and postcards to be used. Authors Robyn L. Davis and J. Marshall White, both members of the St. Joseph Historical Society and working for St. Joseph News-Press, have succeeded in creating a book that brings young and old a step closer to understanding their own past, and introduces visitors to what has created St. Joseph's unique charm.