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Fun Facts About Saint Louis, MO

It’s named for King Louis IX. The city was founded in 1764 as a French fur-trading village by Pierre Laclede, who honored the patron saint of then-French king Louis XV by naming what would become a 2.8 million person metropolitan area after him.

St. Louis was already a 40-year-old river town when Thomas Jefferson signed the Louisiana Purchase. Explorers Lewis and Clark began their westward trip from the area in 1804.

Speaking of the zoo, the attraction was born after a bird exhibit for the 1904 World’s Fair proved to be hugely popular. The flight cage was initially commissioned by the Smithsonian, and instead of dismantling and shipping it back to D.C., St. Louis bought the exhibit for $3500.

One of the most popular tourist attractions in St. Louis is the Gateway Arch. On a clear day, visitors can see almost 30 miles in each direction from the top. While you’re taking in the views, don’t panic if the arch feels like it’s moving. The structure was designed to sway as much as 18 inches and to withstand earthquakes.

Besides being where the St. Louis Zoo got its start, the 1904 World’s Fair, held in the city’s Forrest Park neighborhood, was the first time the world saw electric plugs, the X-ray machine, and the ice cream cone.

Brewing company Anheuser Busch has called St. Louis home since 1852. Its signature Clydesdales are housed at Grants Farm, a local tourist attraction.

The chain that the rest of the country knows as Panera started as the St. Louis Bread Company in 1993. The company retains its original name in the St. Louis area.