by Denise Calaman

Created on: January 20, 2009   Last Updated: October 19, 2010

The midwestern city of St Louis Missouri, is a popular tourist destination today. Modern, clean and family friendly, the city attracts thousands of tourists each year. Many tourists come to St Louis to visit the city's many historic sites. Think of St Louis, Missouri and you will no doubt think of the Gateway Arch, riverboats and the writings of Mark Twain. St Louis is located at the confluence (joining) of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. While there is no doubt that the rivers played a very important part in the Midwestern lives of the residents of St Louis, there are many other fascinating historical sites to visit in the city of St. Louis and the surrounding areas. Here are just a few "can't miss" historic attractions that you may want to visit the next time you visit St Louis:  

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial -

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is located on the Mississippi River riverfront and is made up of three unique exhibits: the famous Gateway Arch, the Museum of Westward Expansion and St Louis's Old Courthouse. At 630 feet high the Gateway Arch is the nation's tallest national monument. The Arch represents the "Gateway to the West". It is the most recognizable national monument in the United States when seen in pictures. Since its completion in 1965, each year over 1 million visitors visit the arch and take the tram to the top and look out over the city to look west into the horizon. From this vantage point, it is easy to envision the pioneers in their Conestoga wagons packed with everything they owned making their way west passing through St. Louis.

While at the riverfront, you may also visit the Museum of Westward Expansion that will give you a better idea of what the journey was like, traveling west for so many Americans. The museum houses some rare artifacts and exhibits from Lewis and Clark's expedition west.

St Louis's Old Courthouse is where Virginia Minor's case came to trial in 1870 in which women asked for the right to vote. The Courthouse also has another famous case, the Dred Scott Case in which the judge decided that slaves were property and had no legal rights. Many slaves were auctioned on the courthouse steps but ironically the courthouse was used as part of the Underground Railroad.

Forest Park-

Since it opened in 1876, Forest Park in St Louis has remained one of America's largest recreation parks. It is the second largest in the United States today, 500 acres larger that Central Park in New York City.

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