St. Louis, as we know it, would not be the same without its distinct layered history enriched by the confluence of immigrant communities whose cultures and tradition have been chiseled onto the city’s narrative through the years.

A new book, The Irish in St. Louis: From Shanty to Lace Curtain, explores the story of the city’s Irish community, from the time the first immigrants arrived in the mid-19th century to lively anecdotes from their descendants who are thriving today.