Ep 3-31: The Hundred Days That Shook St. Louis

As Franklin D. Roosevelt steps into the White House amid the worst economic collapse in American history, St. Louis braces for the impact—and the possibilities. Monsignor and Teresa trace the opening months of the New Deal, from bank holidays and emergency legislation to the sudden surge of hope that swept across the nation. They explore how federal programs like the CCC, PWA, and FDIC reshaped daily life, how beer’s return on April 7 brought unexpected cheer to St. Louisans, and how massive public works projects left a permanent mark on the city’s landscape. Yet even as Washington mobilized, local Catholic leaders—especially Archbishop Glennon and the tireless Father Dempsey—stepped forward with their own bold initiatives. This episode sets the stage for the extraordinary Catholic response that would soon define St. Louis during the darkest years of the Depression.