Matthew Evans
Margaret Smith
DHSS-HUM-230
6 April 2026
Bulldozing a Path – North Saint Louis and the NGA
This is a documentary that examines the construction of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) campus in North St. Louis and its impact on the local community. This was created by independent filmmakers and researchers, the project combines historical research, archival materials, and oral history interviews to explore how urban development projects can displace residents, erase community history, and reshape neighborhoods.
The primary goal of the project is to document the experiences of residents affected by displacement in North St. Louis. By highlighting both the social and cultural consequences of such projects, the documentary asks critical questions about who truly benefits from development and what is lost when neighborhoods are demolished. It emphasizes the tension between economic goals and the well-being of long-standing communities.
The intended audience includes scholars and students of urban history, race and inequality, and geography, as well as St. Louis residents and members of the general public, urban planning, and community preservation. Through a combination of interviews with residents, archival research, the filmmakers are able to provide a layered perspective that connects the historical sense of communities with the present-day effects of large-scale development.
The project concludes that, while the NGA campus has been promoted as revitalization, it exemplifies a recurring pattern of displacement in North St. Louis. Neighborhoods, particularly those historically populated by Black residents, are cleared, and cultural memory is often lost along with the physical homes. Despite this, the documentary highlights the resilience and resistance of affected communities, showing that even in the face of displacement, local identities persist.
Strengths of the documentary include its use of firsthand accounts and archival materials, which lend authenticity and historical depth, as well as its ability to situate one development project within a larger pattern of urban transformation. Weaknesses include limited discussion of potential economic benefits and a relatively short format that constrains the depth of its history.
Overall, Bulldozing a Path enhances understanding of North St. Louis by adding historical context to display urban development, emphasizing both the promises of investment and the human and cultural costs of redevelopment. The project provides knowledge of the region, providing familiar narratives about revitalization and challenging viewers to consider the real impacts of large-scale development on communities.