St. Louis Facts

St. Louis experienced a population boom during the late 1800s when German and Italian immigrants settled in large numbers, and thanks to the work of several visionary thinkers, the city became home to the first concrete stadium (Francis Field at Washington University), the first skyscraper (the Wainwright Building) and the first ice cream cone (served at the 1904 World's Fair), among other novel creations. A mix of Old World charm and modern life continues to be a hallmark of this vibrant Midwestern city, in which each neighborhood has its own history and unique character.

Downtown

This area offers most visitors their first impression of the city, greeting them with its signature Gateway Arch,...

...served as a gateway to the west after the Louisiana Purchase and as a major port for steamboats traveling the Mississippi. Today the city's landmark is the soaring, shining steel Gateway Arch, designed by Eero Saarinen in 1966 to commemorate Thomas Jefferson's vision of westward expansion. Though visitors often make it their first stop, there's plenty more beckoning, including expansive Forest Park with its first-rate museums, one of the nation's top botanical gardens, and numerous attractions geared toward children, many of them free, making St. Louis a prime family destination.