Matt, I don't recall whether the records from St. Ann's are kept in a separate place or not.....but, being an alumna of that venerable institution in 1948 and being put up for adoption....and then having found my own biological family, what I can tell you is that if someone was born there and put up for adoption and a Catholic family adopted the child, it's likely the adoption took place through Catholic Family Services (formerly Catholic Charities or something like that) under the auspices of the archdiocese of St. Louis. Their social worker office when last I dealt with them 12-15 years ago were someplace on or near Lindell Blvd. and they had my entire adoption file, including my mother's pre-natal records, my own birth records, etc. Having said that, I must add that while they tried to be "helpful" in an enlightened, social worker-y kind of way, they sat there with MY life and MY history on THEIR desk in a closed room (my friend was NOT allowed to come in with me to help serve as my memory) and basically tried to keep all the secrets but answer with non-identifying information any question I had. I am not sure if the hospital was only for "unwed mothers" or indigent Catholic women who had to give up their babies, but I believe they also had a regular maternity department early on. I spent over a year there, part of the"baby glut" as it is called in adoption circles, and returned when I was 3 to "pick out" my sister. I can still see the place, smell the "convent wax" , see the statues in the halls, picture the room where I first lived and where we "got" my sister. Too bad the place is torn down. It was an important institution for many, many people. Good luck! Start with the archdiocesan social workers department. Contact me off-line if I can help. In a message dated 9/13/04 2:59:26 PM, matthewgentry@charter.net writes: > >Looking for records from St.Ann's Foundling Asylum - ST. LOUIS, MO for >May 5, 1939. Any idea where these may be located? > >Matt Gentry