Saint-Louis (in English Saint Louis or St Louis ) is a city in the Missouri with the the United States, named according to Louis IX of France. The city counts 352.572 inhabitants and is the 18th greater agglomeration of the United States, with 2.848.399 inhabitants in 2005.

History

Colonial period (XVIIe - XVIIIe centuries)

At the 17th century, the area of Saint-Louis is explored by the Canadians and the French. In 1673, Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette begin the exploration of the Mississippi river; a few years later, it is Cavelier of the Room which descends the river to its mouth. This last takes possession of the valley by baptizing it “  Louisiane  ”, in the honor of Louis XIV. The septentrional area of Louisiana is also called High-Louisiana or Pays of Illinois. A French establishment is founded in 1699 not far from the site of Cahokia. The French build a whole of forts (Fort of Chartres, Kaskaskia, Prairie of the Rock). Catholic priests establish a mission near the current site of Saint-Louis, in 1703.

The city is officially rested by the French merchant Pierre Laclède - or Pierre Laclède Liguest - and his young assistant and son-in-law néo-orléanais Auguste Chouteau the February 15th 1764. In 1765, Saint-Louis becomes the capital of High-Louisiana. Between 1766 and 1768, it is managed by the French lieutenant governor Louis Saint-Angel of Bellerive. But the treated of Paris, signed the February 10th 1763, devotes the defeat of the French in the Guerre Seven Year old: France loses many territories in North America, of which those of Eastern bank of the Mississippi which is yielded to the the United Kingdom. As for Western bank of the river, it returns to the Spain. After 1768, Saint-Louis is thus controlled by Spanish governors and continuous to be it even after the signature of the secret treaty of San Ildefonso, on October 1st 1800, which restores the territory in France. The January 18th 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte, then consul with life, decides not to keep this immense territory. Louisiana is sold to the United States young people the April 30th 1803 against the sum of 80 franc million (15 million dollars). American sovereignty between in force the December 20th 1803 (cf act of the Louisiana Purchase ).

The expansion at the XIXe century

Saint Louis belongs to the United States since 1803; at that time, it counted approximately 1000 inhabitants. The following year, celebrates it Lewis forwarding and Clark leaves Saint Louis and explores the Western American to the Pacifique coast. The men are of return on September 23rd, 1806, after a long voyage which initiated thereafter the Conquête of the West. The great period of the steamers opens in 1817 when the " Zebulon Mr. Pike" arrive in the city. Saint Louis becomes the last port on the Mississippi, which is in the middle of the 19th century, the second port of the United States behind that of New York. Missouri becomes officially a State of the United States in 1820 and Saint Louis is the most populated city.

In 1849, an epidemic of Cholera and a large fire strike the city. Following these two catastrophes, the municipal authorities decide to impose a code of town planning and to improve management of waste water. The population grows then quickly thanks to the immigration of German, Italian and Irish families: in 1860, one counts 160.000 inhabitants, whereas the city has existed only for hundred years.

The American Civil War (1861-1865) affects the economy of the port, even if the arsenals produce warships for the Union. The July 4th 1876, the town of Saint Louis votes its separation with the rural county of Saint Louis and becomes an independent municipality ( independent city ). During second half of the 19th century, Saint Louis provides to the nation a series of business men and celebrities (Sara Teasdale, T.S. Eliot, Tennessee Williams) who make the reputation of the city; several companies are founded there (the company Ralston-Purina, Anheuser-Busch, International Shoe and Brown Shoe Company). With Chicago and New York, Saint Louis obtains the first Gratte-ciel: the Wainwright Building, drawn by the architect Louis Sullivan leaves ground in 1892. Nikola Tesla makes a public demonstration of radio communication in 1893. The city is struck by a Tornade into 1896 which destroys several districts and causes the death of 255 people.

XXe century

According to the census of 1900, Saint Louis is the fourth most populated city of the United States. In 1904, it accommodates a World Fair then the III {{E}} Games Olympic of the modern era. Saint Louis knows an important industrialization. The diffusion of the car makes it possible the suburbs to be spread out around the center. The middle-classes then start to flee the commune, so that it loses half of its population between 1950 and 2000. The project of town planning Pruitt-Igoe (1955-1972) is a failure.

Geography

Saint Louis is (38.648056, -90.212222)

The city is built on a site of terraces of low altitude which dominate banks of the the Mississippi, just in the south of the Confluence between this river and its Affluent the Missouri. The river of the Fathers and the Meramec also converge there. The neighborhoods present the aspect of fertile meadows and easily flooded plains. The geological structure is of ic type Karst, with caves and sources. The area is rich in coal, Argile, Calcaire and Dolomie, which gives construction materials.

Saint Louis is on a fault, which exposes it to seisms, generally weak. The seismologists estimate that an earthquake of magnitude 6 can arrive from here at 2040 and could make extensive damage in the city.

Climate

Climate in Saint-Louis east of the continental type, because the city is inside the continent of North America. In the absence of mountainous barrier near, it is subject to the influences of the masses of air polar in winter and tropical in summer. The annual thermal amplitude is of 26,1°C. The average temperatures recorded at the station of the airport are of 13,5°C over the year. Annual precipitations are about 980 millimetres. The winters are rather cold and dry (−6 °C in January), springs are sprinkled, the summers are hot and wet (32 °C in July). The be Indian can last until the end of November. The record of recorded cold is of -30 °C, the maximum temperature of 47,2 °C. The two last heatwaves (1995 and 1999) killed out of the hundreds of people.

Although the Of the Fathers which passes downtown was channeled at the 20th century, the risings of the Mississippi, inflated by all its affluents at the time of exceptional rains, are always to fear. A system of dams and walls of protection thus protect the city in the event of rise from water of the river. At the time of the Flood of American Midwest of 1993, the level of the river reached 6 m above the threshold of flood it, a historical level in 228 years. The wall of protection against the risings, high of 16 m and built to contain the volume of water of the more importance flood of the Mississippi occurred 1844, succeeded in avoiding the overflow of accuracy.

Natural environment

Before the foundation of the city by the French, the area of Saint Louis was covered by the meadow and the Forêt of Chêne, Amélanchier, blood Cornouiller and of maple. The plane trees of Occident pushed on banks of the rivers. There remains part of these primary forests in Forest Park.

Fauna is composed of Coyote S, stags of Virginia, gray squirrels, oppossums. In the parks, one can observe the Bernache of Canada, the Canard mallard, the Grande brush and the Grand héron. The Goeland S often follow the barges on the Mississippi river. The Sea eagle with white head and of many varieties of Amphibian S (Bufo americanus) and of insects (Cicadidae, Coccinellidae, mosquitos) populates banks of the river. Saint Louis is on the passage of the migratory birds which can be observed with Tower Grove Park.

The metropolitan surface of Saint Louis is 18th by its population, with a total of 2.764.054 inhabitants in 2004.

Districts

The town of Saint Louis is composed of 79 districts which are not inevitably administrative entities:

Economy

The city concentrates the head offices of various companies: Anheuser-Busch which has many drink marks (Budweiser), Energizer Holdings, the chain of Fast-food industry Hardee' S… the area of Saint Louis accommodates also Monsanto, celebrates it company Multinationale specialized in the vegetable Biotechnologie. The company of hiring of vehicles Rent-HAVE-Because is based with Clayton. One also counts the direction of McDonnell Douglas and the Sabreliner company. The city has an regional office of the Federal fund of the United States.

In spite of the disindustrialization which touched Saint Louis, the agglomeration still has several factories in various sectors: production units car (DaimlerChrysler with Peg wood; General Motors with Wentzville and Ford with Hazelwood). The pharmaceutical sector and of health profits from synergies with the medical school of the university Washington.

Education

Higher education

Monuments

There exist many museums and monuments at Saint Louis: the museum of the city ( City Museum ) offers a large variety of exposures. The house of Eugene Field is located in the downtown area. The museum of the history of Missouri ( Missouri History Museum ) presents in other subjects forwarding Lewis and Clark or the exposure of 1904. The Fox theater on Grand boulevard has a frontage of Byzantine style.

There are several churches in the city, but most important basilica-cathedral (" is the ; New Cathedral"). It is to build in the Byzantine style and Néoroman. The interior is decorated with one of the greatest programs with mosaic S with the world.

The Cathédrale Saint-Louis (1834), also known like the Old Cathedral ( Old Cathedral ) is the oldest catholic cathedral in the west of the Mississippi. It is beside the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial . The district of the hill ( The Hill ) is an old Italian district. The Soulard Market district is one of the oldest districts of the city (1779-1842).

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is the symbol of the city: built near the starting place of forwarding Lewis and Clark, it was classified national memorial on December 21st, 1935. It is managed by the National Park Service (NPS). The arch was built in 1954 and symbolizes the door of the West. This park commemorates the purchase of French Louisiana by the United States, the establishment of the first cathedral in the west of the Mississippi and the debate on the slavery raised by Dred Scott Sandford. It is on banks of the Mississippi, and shelters off the Museum Westward Expansion. He is visited each year by four million people. The large arch measures 192 meters height; it was drawn by the Finnish architect Eero Saarinen. The tourists can reach the top to have the most beautiful sight on Saint Louis.

Twinning

Celebrity S

  • T.S. Eliot, poet

  • Shelley Winters, actress
  • Grace Bumbry, singer of opera
  • Naomi Shihab Nye, poet
  • Nelly, rappor

Born in Saint-Louis

  • 1906 : Joséphine Baker, singer (+ 1975)
  • 1911: Vincent Price, actor
  • 1920: Clark Terry, jazzman
  • 1922: Redd Foxx, actor (+ 1991)
  • 1926: Chuck Berry, singer of r' B
  • 1929: Moses Gunn, movie actor (+ 1993)
  • 1936: John Danforth, politician
  • 1941: Dick Gephardt, politician
  • 1942: Marsha Mason, actress of cinema
  • 1947
    • Ass Peebles, singer of drunk person
    • Kevin Kline, actor
  • 1980

Sports


See too

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