by Pennee Struckman

Created on: January 27, 2009

To appreciate the many historical places in St Louis, Missouri, it is important to know some history of the city. The city is located on the New Madrid fault and is built on a series of caves. These caves extend from the heart of the city southward along the Mississippi River to the Mermac River. In 1812, St. Louis experienced the most severe earthquake ever recorded, an 8.0. This quake caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards. Fissures gushed water and collapsed the ground, destroying many of the city's buildings.

In May of 1849, a steamboat caught fire. The fire quickly spread to 22 other steamboats and several barges. The fire leaped from the boats to the buildings on shore, and complettedly destoryed 430 buildings in the 6 block area from the waterfront into the city.

In 1896, St Louis experienced an F4 tornado, one of 4 tornadoes of this magnitude ever recorded. The historic Soulard Market was destroyed, along with many of the cities buildings. St. Louis continued, and reflects a city of survival, abandonment, revisitation and restoration. Called the "Gateway to the West", the city sits almost midpoint of the Mississippi River, and was a hub of river traffic in the westward push of US settlement. Rail traffic converged here, carrying coal, grain and produce to all parts of the nation.

So, when you come to the city, you will see historic structures dating back only to the mid 1800's, although this historic city is much older. Standing on the riverfront under the famous Arch, you can see a huge double layer bridge with ornate arches. The Eads Bridge was the first large bridge across the Mississippi for rail traffic, and when completed in 1874, the Eads Bridge was the longest arch bridge in the world, with an overall length of 6,442 feet (1,964 m). The ribbed steel arch spans were considered daring, as was the use of steel as a primary structural material: it was the first such use of true steel in a major bridge project.

Soulard Market, the City's only remaining outdoor market, is the oldest outdoor market west of the Mississippi. Started on donated land in 1838, the market has withstood floods, earthquakes and tornados. The Soulard Market building, erected in 1920, stands on the original market site. The Soulard district, a City of St. Louis Historic District and on the National Register of Historic Places, is well known for its festive and sometimes boisterous Mardi Gras and Bastille Day celebrations.
St Louis offers an exceptional venue of historic

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