"Gateway City to the East and West" Saint Louis by atufft

St Louis was founded at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers by French Fur traders in 1764, just twelve years before the founding of San Francisco (1776) on the Pacific coast. The city grew by it's influence as a gateway north and south along the Mississippi, but more importantly as a departure point on the west bank of the river for those heading west. By the end of the 19th century, St. Louis was the fourth largest city in the USA, having also become a major industrial center. Today, the city ranks 52nd in size within the USA, and faces major revitalization challenges, but remains a major land transportation hub. While modern I-270 skirts past the city to the north, interstate freeways 70, 64, 55, 44, as well as US highways 50 and 57, all converge into a maze of ramps and some five bridges spanning the Mississippi River, over downtown, and within the shadow of the Gateway Arch Monument. Like a hub in a wheel with spokes, St. Louis has direct land transportation connections to Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville, Memphis, Tulsa, and Kansas City. Having a metro area population of some 2 million, St Louis remains best connected with sister city of similar size, Kansas City, in the west, along I-70, the most populated corridor in the state of Missouri. St Louis is also well served by a Charles Lindbergh international airport that is, by comparison to other American cities, rather close to downtown. But, ultimately, it's most important transportation claim to fame remains the collection of rusty barges and riverboat casinos along the Mississippi River waterfront.

Downtown St Louis

I visit the city frequently, but in December 2009 friends local to the area offered t9o show me around town. We visited the Gateway Arch, easily the city's biggest attraction, dined at Calico's downtown, wondered through Union Station, and then toured by car various neighborhoods of the city. I promise to improve upon these high contrast images taken on a dreary and cold winter day, as the city clearly is more fun during spring and fall. The advantage of a winter visit would certainly be easy parking and a much shorter line at the Gate Arch Monument, but during my particular visit I witnessed the difficulties the urban core faces at the height of a terrible economic recession. There were many closed restaurants and buildings of grand architectural distinction now standing virtually vacant.