This story was part of St. Louis Public Radio’s award-winning anniversary project, ‘LIVING #FERGUSON 5 Years After the Killing of Michael Brown Jr.’

Reporters at St. Louis Public Radio interviewed more than 20 people for this project. Some spoke to us alone, others alongside friends and family. All were directly touched by the inequalities that #Ferguson’s eruption showcased to the world. Several themes emerged during the interviews. Those themes became the chapters of this project. Our goal was to allow the people we interviewed to speak for themselves, giving their thoughts, observations, fears and hopes with minimal editing or interjections. We thank them for their time, honesty and trust.

This story is part of St. Louis Public Radio’s anniversary project, ‘25 years later: Remembering the Great Flood of '93.’

Along Augusta Bottom Road, in rural St. Charles County, sits the town of Nona. A century-old general store is about all that’s left, and Michael Bauermeister, its owner. More than three decades ago Bauermeister converted the building into his woodshop. He and his wife, Gloria, brought their two young sons here in 1987. Michael set up the shop on the main floor, and he and his family lived in the 900-square foot apartment above. The only downside was that the building was in an area that was prone to flooding.