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ST. LOUIS

City Structure: St. Louis actually consists of two cities, divided by the Mississippi river. Two bridges separate E. St. Louis from St. Louis City. Both cities are industrialized and heavily polluted, the river serving as a docking area for barge transport. There are about 355,000 residents in the City of St. Louis and the St. Louis Metropolitan area has a population of over 2.5 million

East St. Louis is an area of urban blight, city in financial distress, cops, and fire departments virtually nonexistent. This is Sabbat and Anarch terrritory. St. Louis City, urban growth, nice neighborhoods, bars on the Landing, entertainment complexes, theatres, restaurants, and sports arena. Organization and History (1979-1999) Twenty years ago the resident Kindred disappeared. Many rumors float around as to the cause; a Camarilla purge of non-loyal kindred, Sabbat War Parties, the beginings of Gehenna, or an unknown elder sleeping below the city rising up to wreak havok and vengeance upon the city. Survivors of the era either won't tell or don't know the details of what really happened. Since then, small bands of Kindred have entered the city, gravitating toward either the east or the west side. Recently a number of kindred groups have sent emissaries into the city to determine the viability of creating a base there. The absence of any structure would seem to make it an untapped resource. There are, however, some problems: obviously the Kindred that have lived there were unsuccessful with establishing a base, for reasons unknown.

(1999-2000)

Many kindred spilled into the city, each with express goals to establish a claim and domain there. Many have never been seen again. The Camarilla established a small hold and presence within the main city. A Council was formed, a Prince appointed, and steps were taken to remove the Sabbat and Anarch threats from the city. The east side of the River, E. St. Louis meanwhile became the domain of the Sabbat, who's goals were to spread out their influence and remove the presence of their own enemies. Fierce fighting between the sects ensued. Neither side was willing to give an inch, even the Independents were not immune to the secret war being played out between the city's resident sects. Though this war did not escape the attention of certain mortal groups, the bloodshed and the circumstances enough to send the red flags up to other Watcher groups, the city now has become more dangerous. Only the hardiest, or foolheartiness of Kindred dare to try to stake a claim in the area.

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ST. LOUIS...

St Louis was founded in 1764 as a fur trading post by Pierre Laclede, recipient of a land grant from the King of France. The City gained fame in 1803 as the jumping-off point for the Louisiana Purchase Expedition of Meriweather Lewis and William Clark. Throughout the 19th Century, St. Louis became an important center of commerce and trade, attracting thousands of immigrants eager to find a new life on the edge of the frontier.

The City was incorporated in 1823 and its current boundaries were established in 1876, when voters approved separation from St Louis County and establishment of a Home Rule Charter. By the 1890s, St. Louis was the nation's fourth largest city.

One of the City's greatest moments came in 1904, when it hosted a World's Fair, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. More than 20 million people are estimated to have visited the fair during its seven-month run. Throughout the 20th Century, continued private and public development activity has resulted in St. Louis becoming a major regional, national and international center for banking, manufacturing, health care, and brewing.

St. Louis is located on 60 square miles just south of the "Meeting of the Rivers," where the Missouri and Illinois Rivers join the Mississippi River. The City is at the center of a 12 county, 7,000 square mile metropolitan area that includes approximately 2.5 million people. The area is a relatively short distance by airplane, automobile from such other cities as Kansas City (250 miles), Chicago (300 miles) Indianapolis (250 miles) and Memphis (300 miles).

While most of the City's terrain is marked is generally flat with gently rising low hills, the riverfront area is subject to annual flooding along the Mississippi River. The downtown business district is protected by a levee and a flood wall that has never been topped.

The City itself, St. Louis, is home for approximately 396,000 (1990 Census) individuals, 51% of whom are white, 48% are black and 1% are other races. Many parts of the City reflect their immigrant backgrounds, with Italian, German and Irish neighborhoods still prominent. A growing Asian population has recently begun to settle in the City's southside along South Grand Avenue. St. Louis is characterized by its distinctive neighborhoods and the diverse and rich architectural styles of its housing. Devided into 79 neighborhoods, the City also boasts 104 parks, totaling 3,000 acres, the largest of which is the 1,300-acre Forest Park on the western edge of the City. There are also 10 recreation centers located throughout the City.

Other Attractions

Laclede's Landing (Riverfront)

In 1764, a French fur trapper named Pierre LaClede established Saint Louis as trading post on the west banks of the Mississippi River. Business was good from the beginning. Soon the village became the center of commerce with furs as the main source of exchange for goods.

Today, Laclede's Landing, a nine - block industrial area that once housed companies producing coffee, leather goods, mattresses, tobacco, whiskey, candy and machinery for the barges, features some of the most unique restaurants and sidewalk cafes in Saint Louis. The historic area is located north of the Gateway Arch. Visitors to Laclede's Landing can experience the charm of cobblestone streets and century old brick and cast iron facade buildings as they browse through specialty gift shops.

During the day, the historical district is also home to people who work at the many offices located on the edge of the Mississippi River. At night, horse drawn carriages and live music add to the atmosphere of one of the premier entertainment areas in Saint Louis. Nearby, sightseeing excursions and gaming boats offer additional choices for entertainment.

Directions: Laclede's Landing is located between I-70 and the Mississippi River and tucked comfortably between the landmark Eades Bridge and the Dr. Martin Luther King Bridge just north of the Gateway Arch and east of the Trans World Dome.

Gateway Arch (Riverfront)

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Park was established on the banks of the Mississippi River, on December 21, 1935, to commemorate the westward growth of the United States between 1803 and 1890. Cost for the $30 million national monument was shared by the federal government and the City of St. Louis. The park features the Gateway Arch, designed by architect Eero Saarinen who won the design competition in 1947. The stainless steel structure rises 630 feet high from a 60-foot foundation and spans 630 feet at ground level. Its classic weighted catenary curve sways 1/2" - 1" in 20 mph wind. Construction on the nation's tallest memorial began in 1961 with the "topping out" in 1965 and dedication in 1966.

The floor plan of the Underground Visitor Center follows a circular pattern with galleries depicting a 100-year span of westward expansion and the Tucker Theatre. Additional attractions include two passenger trams to the observation room at the top and the Museum of Westward Expansion. Cost to ride the trams to the top is $6 adults and $2.50 for children ages 3 to 12.

Films:
Monument to the Dream - A documentary film by Charles Guggenheim on the construction of the Arch is shown daily in the Tucker Theatre.

The Great American West comes to life on the Arch's Odyssey Theatre's four story high screen featuring a 70 mm projection system and THX Sound. Show times are daily, beginning at 10 am through 5 pm. Tickets are available at the Arch Ticket Center.

Central West End (Westside of downtown)

One of St. Louis' featured business districts hosts an assortment of fine restaurants, multi-cultural galleries, specialty shops on Euclid Avenue, Maryland Plaza and McPherson Ave.

The Central West End is an eclectic, cosmopolitan showplace of St. Louis. Located in the central corridor of the City, just north of Forest Park, the area is a popular gathering place. A fine selection of restaurants and sidewalk cafes are nestled in with notable art galleries, antique shops, specialty shops, boutiques and bookstores.

St. Louis artist Wiktor Szostalo oversees the installation of "The Angel of Harmony", a stainless steel sculpture of an African-American angel.

The area was created during the period of the City's westward expansion in the late 19th century and the building boom of the 1904 World's Fair. During this time, private streets with beautiful, luxurious residences were built. Today, the stately homes on tree-lined streets maintain the prestigous neighborhood.

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, located at 4431 Lindell Blvd., contains the world's largest collection of mosiac art, covering 83,000 square feet. The cathedral, designated a basilica in 1997, was built between 1907 and 1909. The interior mosaics took a father and son team nearly 80 years to create using than 41 million pieces of tile in over 7,000 colors. A Mosaic Museum, located in the lower level of the cathedral, traces the contruction and installation of tiles. The glittering green dome is a landmark feature of the Central West End.

The Angel of Harmony, a 1,100-pound stainless steel sculpture of an African-American angel, commissioned by the Archdiocese of St. Louis, was recently installed outside the cathedral. The sculpture, with massive uplifted wings comprised of copper and brass wind chimes, is the gift of Adelaide Schlafly in memory of her late husband, Daniel. The angel's arms are outstretched over three children of different ethnic and racial backgrounds playing a "Hymn of Peace" on diverse instruments. Quotations from the New Testament, Pope John Paul II, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and a dedication to Mr. Schlafly are inscribed on the base.

A life-size bronze sculpture of Pope John Paul II, by artist Rudy Torrini, sits on a red Missouri granite base outside the cathedral. The sculpture was commissioned by the Archdiocese of St. Louis to commemorate the Papal Visit, January 1999. For more information, call (314) 458-4343.

The Chase Park Plaza at Kingshighway between Lindell and Maryland Plaza has been rennovated for upscale private residences. The complex features restaurants, a movie theatre and banquet facilities. The area is accessible by MetroLink. Visitors can transfer to the Forest Park Shuttle Bug for a tour of Forest Park's recreational and cultural attractions.

Saint Louis Forest Park (West of downtown)

In 1876, Forest Park was created from 1,371 acres of land west of downtown St. Louis. By the 1890s, the public park was widely used for recreation with bicycle paths, baseball diamonds and lawn tennis courts. An expanded lake provided parkgoers with an opportunity for boating in the summer and skating in the winter. Funds were raised to develop the St. Louis Zoo by the Forest Park Zoological Association.

The western half of the metropolitan park was used as the site for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. Today, the Saint Louis Art Museum occupies one of the few remaining structures built for the Fair. The Jefferson Memorial Building houses the History Museum and the Missouri Historical Society. The building was the first memorial built to honor Thomas Jefferson and was funded with proceeds from the 1904 Fair.

A natural amphitheater near Art Hill was developed as The Muny in 1917 with proceeds from a theatrical production called the Pageant and Masque which was performed on a stage built over part of the Grand Basin.

In 1936, an Art Deco-style Conservatory opened in Forest Park. The Jewel Box is surrounded by rose gardens, lily ponds, statuary and monuments and houses seasonal displays.

The site of a razed Mounted Police Station became space for the McDonnell Planetarium which was completed in 1963. In 1984, the city sold the Planetarium to the Museum of Science and Natural History. The building, renamed the St. Louis Science Center, is connected by a highway overpass and tunnel to its new headquarters, south of Forest Park.

Private donors to Forest Park Forever paid for the $1.1 million restoration of the World's Fair Pavilion. The current renovation is the first of three scheduled phases of Forest Park Master Plan. Forest Park is used by more than 10 million visitors a year. Forest Park Forever was founded in 1986 to work in partnership with the Department of Parks, Recreation & Forestry to rehabilitate and maintain the Forest Park as the "Crown Jewel" of the metropolitan area.

St Louis Art Museum (within Forest Park)

The Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the leading art museums with more than 100 galleries. The building was designed by famed architect Cass Gilbert as the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1904 World's Fair in Forest Park. Standing atop Art Hill, it is the "crown" jewel" of the 1,370-acre park. The Grand Basin is the lake at the foot of Art Hill and served as the focal point of the 1904 World's Fair. An exhibit of the 1904 World's Fair can be seen at the Missouri Historical Society, located in the Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest Park.

The Museum's collections feature more than 30,000 art treasures from ancient times to the present. Highlights include art of the Renaissance, masterpieces of Impressionism, American European Art, Asian art, Period Rooms, the Egyptian mummy, and world-renowned collections of pre-Columbian and German Expressionist art.

The Museum is open Tuesday, 1:30 - 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday - Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The Museum and its galleries are accessible to persons with disabilities. Admission to the Museum and permanent collection is always free. However, special programs have fees or require pre-registration.

St Louis Zoo (within Forest Park)

The St. Louis Zoo, a state-of-the-art biopark, is home to more than 3,000 animals and features Jungle of the Apes and Big Cat Country. Additional attractions include the Emerson Electric Children's Zoo, The Living World educational center, sea lion shows and bird house. The World's Fair Flight Cage at the Zoo and the Saint Louis Art Museum, located north east of the Zoo, are the two structures remaining in Forest Park that were built for the 1904 World's Fair. An exhibit of the 1904 World's Fair can be seen at the Missouri Historical Society, located in the Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest Park.

A miniature Zooline Railroad weaves through tunnels and past favorite animals exhibits on a 1 1/2 mile trip around the Zoo. The four trains on the Zooline operate with an engineer and conductor, accompanied by a fireman seated alongside the engineer. Passengers can purchase a ticket at one of four stations, leave the train to visit animal exhibits and then re-board.

This year, the Zooline Railroad will be the best way for visitors to get a good look a the River's Edge and Raja's new home - Dana Brown Lords of the Forest - under construction. The Zoo's four adult females and Raja will not be visible to the public until they move into their new home when Phase I of River's Edge opens in summer of 1999. The Zoo is also building the Monsanto Insectarium which will open in 2000.

The Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. year-round except December 25 and January 1. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Zoo is open on Tuesdays until 8 p.m. General admission to the Zoo is FREE. Some events and special programs may have an admission cost.

Union Station (Western Downtown)

Saint Louis Union Station is a National Historic Landmark with the expansive 11.5 acre trainshed features a hotel, a unique marketplace of shops, assortment of fine restaurants and cafes, live entertainment and a lake with boats.

A massive, Romanesque-style building, designed by architect Theodore Link in 1894, was once the largest and busiest railroad terminal in the world. In 1976, the Saint Louis Union Station was designated a National Historic Landmark. After an extensive $150 million restoration, the facility reopened in 1985 with a hotel, shops, restaurants and a lake ... all under one roof.

Today, the Grand Hall features a barrel-vaulted ceiling of unsurpassed gilt work, stained glass over the entrance, scale models of trains and statues. Visitors can discover the Station's past and present with a self-guided walking tour through one of the nation's most significant rail stations and restoration projects. Additional activies are featured throughout the year including historic and refurbished train displays, children's entertainment, sports events and exhibits.

Across from Union Station is Aloe Plaza and the magnificent Carl Milles' Fountain with elaborate bronze sculptural pieces representing the meeting of the rivers.

Directions: Union Station is located at 1820 Market Street, between 18th and 20th Streets. The historic building is north of I-64 and just four blocks west of Kiel Center. The landmark is within walking distance of Busch Stadium and the Gateway Arch.

Lambert International Airport (Northwest area of the city)

St. Louis International Airport has introduced new procedures for ground transportation to make it easier for passengers leaving and entering the Main Terminal. Changes affect rental cars, taxis, shuttle services, and a curbside pick-up area for passengers.

All licensed cabs will pick up passengers from the yellow level of the hourly parking garage near Exit MT14, which is next to the baggage claim area. A customer who summons taxi service in advance should proceed to the brown level of the hourly parking garage by using the escalator or elevator near Exit MT14.

Hotel shuttle buses will now stop at Exit MT18 near the Airport Police Station. Lambert provides free shuttle service to the East Terminal and bus port from Exit MT12 and to Lambert's intermediate and long-term parking lots from Exit MT11. Private, off-Airport parking vendors will provide shuttle service to their facilities from the center island of Baggage Claim Drive near Exit MT11.

Rental car companies will continue to operate from counters near the baggage claim area but will provide shuttle bus service to their respective pick-up facilities where customers will also return cars. Rental cars shall no longer be returned to the Main Terminal.

A five-minute, curbside pick-up area for passengers will be located at the western end of Baggage Claim Drive at Exit MT17. Driver need to remember that unattended vehicles are subject to being ticketed or towed at the owner's expense.

For more information, call the Lambert Information Hotline - 314-851-0987 or visit their web site at www.lambert-stlouis.com

Old Federal Courthouse (downtown)

In 1826, construction of the original Federal Style Courthouse began on land donated for use as a public square by Auguste Chouteau and J.B.C. Lucas. Construction on the existing Greek Revival style Courthouse began in 1839 and continued through several transitions until 1862. The courthouse was the scene of many rallies, speeches and several important trials, including the suit by Dred Scott for freedom from slavery and Suffragist Virginia Louisa Minor for the right to vote.

In 1940, the city of St. Louis deeded the Old Courthouse to the Federal Government.Today, this nineteenth-century courthouse features restored courtrooms, a beautifully-decorated dome, Dioramas, the "Gateway To The West" film and galleries depicting the history of St. Louis. The Old Courthouse is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week. Admission is free.

Kiel Center (Western downtown)

Saint Louis is a sports town. The St. Louis Kiel Center, a contemporary building of glass and steel in the downtown area, is the home of St. Louis Blues NHL hockey team, the St. Louis Ambush indoor soccer club and the Saint Louis University Billikens basketball. The facility hosts over 200 entertainment and professional sports events every year.

Triangle Park, across from the Kiel Center, features dramatic sculptured steel pieces standing at the top of the tree-lined stairs leading from the MetroLink station.

A multimodal hub for St. Louisans and visitors is also taking shape across from the Kiel Center. The centerpiece of the new Transportation Center is a new 20,000 sq. ft. terminal that will be elevated over the track. Stairs and elevators will connect the terminal to the platforms below for boarding the trains. An enclosed pedestrian concourse will run from the terminal to the Kiel Center and MetroLink Station.

America's Center, TWA Dome (downtown)

The America's Center, a multi-purpose facility, features 502,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and includes a three-level Lecture Hall with 1,411 seats, a 28,000 sq. ft. Grand Ballroom, an Executive Conference Center, and 162,313 sq. ft. of exhibit space in the adjacent Trans World Dome. The 70,000 seat domed stadium is home to the NFL St. Louis Rams.

The business district of downtown Saint Louis continues to grow and reshape its skyline with dramatic new structures of marble, granite and glass. At the turn of the century, Saint Louis was known as the small industrial capital of the world. Washington Avenue, which passes in front of the America's Center, was once a prosperous canyon of architecturally beautiful brick buildings housing shoe, clothes and fashion manufacturers.

Directions: America's Center is located at 701 Convention Plaza, just north of downtown and east of I-70. The Trans World Dome is adjacent to the Center and faces Broadway. The facility is west of historic Laclede's Landing and the landmark Eades Bridge. The Center is approximately six blocks north of Busch Stadium, home of St. Louis Cardinals baseball.

Anheuser-Busch Brewery (South of downtown)

Saint Louis - Tours of Anheuser-Busch headquarters take visitors on a memorable journey through part of America's brewing heritage. Located at I-55 and Arsenal Street, the brewery is also home to one of three traveling Budweiser Clydesdales teams. The century-old stables, featuring stain glass windows and a massive chandelier house an eight-horse hitch and a beer wagon weighing four tons.

Visitors can tour the historic Brew House and see the copper kettles, wall murals, ornate wrought-iron railings and hop vine chandeliers. A multimedia presentation highlights the brewing process. The tour continues through the Bevo Packaging Plant, where high-speed bottling and canning lines can be viewed. Free tours are available year round. Call 314-577-2626 for additional information.