St. Louis

{{Main|History of St. Louis}}

{{For timeline}}

{{Quote box |width=20em |align=right|bgcolor=#B0C4DE

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|fontsize=90% |quote={{flag|Kingdom of France}} 1690s–1763
{{flag|Kingdom of Spain|1785}} 1763–1800
{{flag|French First Republic}} 1800–1803
{{flag|United States|1804}} 1803–present

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File:Old_Chouteau_Mansion,_St._Louis._Mo_(cropped).jpg is in St. Louis. Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent, Chouteau, and Pierre Laclède founded St. Louis in 1764.]]

{{Main|History of St. Louis before 1762}}

The area that became St. Louis was a center of the Native American Mississippian culture, which built numerous temple and residential earthwork mounds on both sides of the Mississippi River. Their major regional center was at Cahokia Mounds, active from 900 to 1500. Due to numerous major earthworks within St. Louis boundaries, the city was nicknamed as the "Mound City". These mounds were mostly demolished during the city's development. Historic Native American tribes in the area encountered by early Europeans included the Siouan-speaking Osage people, whose territory extended west, and the Illiniwek.{{cite web |title=Discovering the Historical Native American Tribes that Inhabited St. Louis. |url=https://nativetribe.info/discovering-the-historical-native-american-tribes-that-inhabited-st-louis/ |website=Native Tribe Info |access-date=14 March 2025 |date=13 June 2023}} Sugarloaf Mound in South St. Louis was rematriated to the Osage Nation in 2025.{{cite news |last1=Renner |first1=Charlotte |title=Sugarloaf Mound returns to Osage Nation in historic land transfer |url=https://www.laduenews.com/family-and-education/sugarloaf-mound-in-st-louis-area-returns-to-osage-nation/article_222df242-de65-11ef-82d0-77229d556e87.html |work=Ladue News |date=6 February 2025 |language=en}}

European exploration of the area was first recorded in 1673, when French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette traveled through the Mississippi River valley. Five years later, La Salle claimed the region for France as part of La Louisiane, also known as Louisiana. The earliest European settlements in the Illinois Country (also known as Upper Louisiana) were built by the French during the 1690s and early 1700s at Cahokia, Kaskaskia, and Fort de Chartres. Migrants from the French villages on the east side of the Mississippi River, such as Kaskaskia, also founded Ste. Genevieve in the 1730s.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

In 1764, after France lost the Seven Years' War, Pierre Laclède and his stepson Auguste Chouteau founded what was to become the city of St. Louis.Hoffhaus. (1984). Chez Les Canses: Three Centuries at Kawsmouth, Kansas City: Lowell Press. {{ISBN|0-913504-91-2}}. (French lands east of the Mississippi had been ceded to Great Britain and the lands west of the Mississippi to Spain; Catholic France and Spain were 18th-century allies. Louis XV of France and Charles III of Spain were cousins, both from the House of Bourbon.Pacte de Famille#The third Pacte de Famille{{Circular reference|date=August 2019}}) The French families built the city's economy on the fur trade with the Osage, and with more distant tribes along the Missouri River. The Chouteau brothers gained a monopoly from Spain on the fur trade with Santa Fe. French colonists used African slaves as domestic servants and workers in the city.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

During the negotiations for the 1763 Treaty of Paris, French negotiators agreed to transfer France's colonial territories west of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers to New Spain to compensate for Spanish territorial losses during the war. These areas remained under Spanish control until 1803, when they were transferred to the French First Republic. During the American Revolutionary War, St. Louis was unsuccessfully attacked by British-allied Native Americans in the 1780 Battle of St. Louis.[https://web.archive.org/web/20010223093542/http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/attack.htm www.usgennet.org.] Attack On St. Louis: May 26, 1780.

{{Main|History of St. Louis (1763–1803)}}

The founding of St. Louis was preceded by a trading business between Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent and Pierre Laclède (Liguest) in late 1763. St. Maxent invested in a Mississippi River expedition led by Laclède, who searched for a location to base the company's fur trading operations. Though Ste. Genevieve was already established as a trading center, he sought a place less prone to flooding. He found an elevated area overlooking the flood plain of the Mississippi River, not far south from its confluence with the Missouri and Illinois rivers. In addition to having an advantageous natural drainage system, there were nearby forested areas to supply timber and grasslands which could easily be converted for agricultural purposes. Laclède declared that this place "might become, hereafter, one of the finest cities in America". He dispatched his 14-year-old stepson, Auguste Chouteau, to the site, with the support of 30 settlers in February 1764.{{cite book |last1=Wade |first1=Richard C.|title=The Urban Frontier: The Rise of Western Cities, 1790–1830 |date=1959 |location=Cambridge |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=0-252-06422-4 |pages=3–4|edition=1996 Illini Books}}

Laclède arrived at the future town site two months later and produced a plan for St. Louis based on the New Orleans street plan. The default block size was 240 by 300 feet, with just three long avenues running parallel to the west bank of the Mississippi. He established a public corridor of 300 feet fronting the river, but later this area was released for private development.

File:St-louis-attack.jpg in 1780.]]

For the city's first few years, it was not recognized by any governments. Although the settlement was thought to be under the control of the Spanish government, no one asserted any authority over it, and thus St. Louis had no local government. This vacuum led Laclède to assume civil control, and all problems were disposed in public settings, such as communal meetings. In addition, Laclède granted new settlers lots in town and the surrounding countryside. In hindsight, many of these original settlers thought of these first few years as "the golden age of St. Louis".{{cite book |last1=Van Ravenswaay |first1=Charles |title=St. Louis: An Informal History of the City and Its People, 1764-1865 |date=1991 |publisher=Missouri History Museum |isbn=9780252019159 |pages=26}} In 1763, the Native Americans in the region around St. Louis began expressing dissatisfaction with the victorious British, objecting to their refusal to continue to the French tradition of supplying gifts to Natives. Odawa chieftain Pontiac began forming a pan-tribal alliance to counter British control over the region but received little support from the indigenous residents of St. Louis. By 1765, the city began receiving visits from representatives of the British, French, and Spanish governments.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

St. Louis was transferred to the French First Republic in 1800 (although all of the colonial lands continued to be administered by Spanish officials), then sold by the French to the U.S. in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. St. Louis became the capital of, and gateway to, the new territory. Shortly after the official transfer of authority was made, the Lewis and Clark Expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson. The expedition departed from St. Louis in May 1804 along the Missouri River to explore the vast territory. There were hopes of finding a water route to the Pacific Ocean, but the party had to go overland in the Upper West. They reached the Pacific Ocean via the Columbia River in summer 1805. They returned, reaching St. Louis on September 23, 1806. Both Lewis and Clark lived in St. Louis after the expedition. Many other explorers, settlers, and trappers (such as Ashley's Hundred) would later take a similar route to the West.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Main|History of St. Louis (1804–1865)|History of St. Louis (1866–1904)}}

{{see also|St. Louis in the American Civil War}}

File:White men pose, 104 Locust Street, St. Louis, Missouri in 1852 at Lynch's Slave Market - (cropped).jpg at 104 Locust Street.]]

The city elected its first municipal legislators (called trustees) in 1808. Steamboats first arrived in St. Louis in 1817, improving connections with New Orleans and eastern markets. Missouri was admitted as a state in 1821. St. Louis was incorporated as a city in 1822, and continued to develop largely due to its busy port and trade connections.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

File:City of Saint Louis and Riverfront, 1874.jpg

File:St. Louis, Mo. tornado May 27, 1896 south broadway.JPG

Immigrants from Ireland and Germany arrived in St. Louis in significant numbers starting in the 1840s, and the population of St. Louis grew from less than 20,000 inhabitants in 1840, to 77,860 in 1850, to more than 160,000 by 1860. By the mid-1800s, St. Louis had a greater population than New Orleans.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Settled by many Southerners in a slave state, the city was split in political sympathies and became polarized during the American Civil War. In 1861, 28 civilians were killed in a clash with Union troops. The war hurt St. Louis economically, due to the Union blockade of river traffic to the south on the Mississippi River. The St. Louis Arsenal constructed ironclads for the Union Navy.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Slaves worked in many jobs on the waterfront and on the riverboats. Given the city's location close to the free state of Illinois and others, some slaves escaped to freedom. Others, especially women with children, sued in court in freedom suits, and several prominent local attorneys aided slaves in these suits. About half the slaves achieved freedom in hundreds of suits before the American Civil War began in 1861. The printing press of abolitionist Elijah Parish Lovejoy was destroyed for the third time by townsfolk. He was murdered the next year in nearby Alton, Illinois.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

After the war, St. Louis profited via trade with the West, aided by the 1874 completion of the Eads Bridge, named for its design engineer. Industrial developments on both banks of the river were linked by the bridge, the second in the Midwest over the Mississippi River after the Hennepin Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis. The bridge connects St. Louis, Missouri to East St. Louis, Illinois. The Eads Bridge became a symbolic image of the city of St. Louis, from the time of its erection until 1965 when the Gateway Arch Bridge was constructed. The bridge crosses the St. Louis riverfront between Laclede's Landing, to the north, and the grounds of the Gateway Arch, to the south. Today the road deck has been restored, allowing vehicular and pedestrian traffic to cross the river. The St. Louis MetroLink light rail system has used the rail deck since 1993. An estimated 8,500 vehicles pass through it daily.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

On August 22, 1876, the city of St. Louis voted to secede from St. Louis County and become an independent city, and, following a recount of the votes in November, officially did so in March 1877.{{Cite web |url=https://www.stlmag.com/news/politics/st-louis-great-divorce-history-city-county-split-attempt-to-get-back-together/ |title=St. Louis' Great Divorce: A complete history of the city and county separation and attempts to get back together |date=March 8, 2019 |last=Cooperman |first=Jeannette |website=St. Louis Magazine |access-date=April 8, 2021 |archive-date=April 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210420161447/https://www.stlmag.com/news/politics/st-louis-great-divorce-history-city-county-split-attempt-to-get-back-together/ |url-status=live}} The 1877 St. Louis general strike caused significant upheaval, in a fight for the eight-hour day and the banning of child labor.{{cite book |last1=McCabe |first1=James Dabney |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=auNCAAAAIAAJ |title=The History of the Great Riots: The Strikes and Riots on the Various Railroads of the United States and in the Mining Regions Together with a Full History of the Molly Maguires |last2=Winslow |first2=Edward Martin |year=1877 |location=Philadelphia |publisher=National Publishing Company|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124212529/https://books.google.com/books?id=auNCAAAAIAAJ |archive-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live}}{{pn|date=April 2024}}

Industrial production continued to increase during the late 19th century. Major corporations such as the Anheuser-Busch brewery, Ralston Purina company and Desloge Consolidated Lead Company were established at St. Louis which was also home to several brass era automobile companies, including the Success Automobile Manufacturing Company;Clymer, Floyd. Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877–1925 (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950), p. 32. St. Louis is the site of the Wainwright Building, a skyscraper designed in 1892 by architect Louis Sullivan.

{{Main|History of St. Louis (1905–1980)}}

File:Louisiana_Purchase_Exposition_St._Louis_1904.jpg.]]

In 1900, the entire streetcar system was shut down by a several months-long strike, with significant unrest occurring in the city & violence against the striking workers.{{Cite book |last=Arenson |first=Adam |title=The great heart of the republic: St. Louis and the cultural Civil War |date=2015 |publisher=University of Missouri Press |isbn=978-0-8262-2064-6 |edition=1st |location=Columbia (Mo.)}}

In 1904, the city hosted the World's Fair and the Olympics, becoming the first non-European city to host the games.{{cite web |title=1904 Summer Olympics |publisher=International Olympic Committee |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1904 |access-date=April 20, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815120301/http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1904 |archive-date=August 15, 2008 |url-status=live}} The formal name for the 1904 World's Fair was the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Permanent facilities and structures remaining from the fair are located in Forest Park, and other notable structures within the park's boundaries include the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Zoo and the Missouri History Museum, and Tower Grove Park and the Botanical Gardens.

After the Civil War, social and racial discrimination in housing and employment were common in St. Louis. In 1916, during the Jim Crow Era, St. Louis passed a residential segregation ordinancePrimm, James. Lion of the Valley: St. Louis, Missouri, 1764-1980. St. Louis, Missouri: Missouri History Museum Press. 1998. Print saying that if 75% of the residents of a neighborhood were of a certain race, no one from a different race was allowed to move in.Smith, Jeffrey. "A Preservation Plan for St. Louis Part I: Historic Contexts" St. Louis, Missouri Cultural Resources Office. Web. Retrieved November 13, 2014. That ordinance was struck down in a court challenge, by the NAACP,NAACP. Papers of the NAACP Part 5. The Campaign against Residential Segregation. Frederick, MD: University Publications of America. 1986. Web after which racial covenants were used to prevent the sale of houses in certain neighborhoods to "persons not of Caucasian race".{{Clarify|date=December 2021|reason=Who are these racists and in what way did racial covenants restrict house sales?}} Again, St. Louisans offered a lawsuit in challenge, and such covenants were ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948 in Shelley v. Kraemer."Shelley House". We Shall Overcome: Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement. National Park Service. Retrieved November 10, 2014.

In 1926, Douglass University, a historically black university was founded by B. F. Bowles in St. Louis, and at the time no other college in St. Louis County admitted black students.{{Cite book |last=Early |first=Gerald Lyn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IRLhcVs_pJUC |title=Ain't But a Place: An Anthology of African American Writings about St. Louis |date=1998 |publisher=Missouri History Museum |isbn=978-1-883982-28-7 |pages=307–314 |language=en}}

In the first half of the 20th century, St. Louis was a destination in the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South seeking better opportunities.{{cn|date=June 2024}} During World War II, the NAACP campaigned to integrate war factories. In 1964, civil rights activists protested at the construction of the Gateway Arch to publicize their effort to gain entry for African Americans into the skilled trade unions, where they were underrepresented. The Department of Justice filed the first suit against the unions under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

Between 1900 and 1929, St. Louis, had about 220 automakers, close to 10 percent of all American carmakers, about half of which built cars exclusively in St. Louis. Notable names include Dorris, Gardner and Moon.Hemmings, American City Business Journals, accessed January 22, 2022 [https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/the-best-of-the-little-three-1903-st-louis-runabout] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124144740/https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/the-best-of-the-little-three-1903-st-louis-runabout|date=January 24, 2022}}

In the first part of the century, St. Louis had some of the worst air pollution in the United States. In April 1940, the city banned the use of soft coal mined in nearby states. The city hired inspectors to ensure that only anthracite was burned. By 1946, the city had reduced air pollution by about 75%.{{cite news|last1=O'Neil|first1=Tim|title=Nov. 28 1939: The day 'Black Tuesday' rolled into St. Louis|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/archives/nov-the-day-black-tuesday-rolled-into-st-louis/article_00c3b6cd-ba69-5a19-b498-fbc29f9630c4.html|access-date=December 8, 2016|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=November 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202041856/http://www.stltoday.com/news/archives/nov-the-day-black-tuesday-rolled-into-st-louis/article_00c3b6cd-ba69-5a19-b498-fbc29f9630c4.html|archive-date=December 2, 2016|url-status=live}}

File:FromLacledesLanding.JPG (completed 1965) is visible from Laclede's Landing, the remaining section of St. Louis's commercial riverfront.]]

De jure educational segregation continued into the 1950s, and de facto segregation continued into the 1970s, leading to a court challenge and interdistrict desegregation agreement. Students have been bused mostly from the city to county school districts to have opportunities for integrated classes, although the city has created magnet schools to attract students.{{cite web|url=http://www.tcf.org/Publications/Education/freigovel.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040621102044/http://www.tcf.org/Publications/Education/freigovel.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 21, 2004|title=St. Louis: Desegregation and School Choice in the Land of Dred Scott|access-date=October 1, 2010}}

St. Louis, like many Midwestern cities, expanded in the early 20th century due to industrialization, which provided jobs to new generations of immigrants and migrants from the South. It reached its peak population of 856,796 at the 1950 census.{{cite web|url=http://stlouis.missouri.org/heritage/History69/|title=Physical Growth of the City of St. Louis|access-date=July 27, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726220826/http://stlouis.missouri.org/heritage/History69/|archive-date=July 26, 2010|url-status=live}} Suburbanization from the 1950s through the 1990s dramatically reduced the city's population, as did restructuring of industry and loss of jobs.{{cn|date=June 2024}} The effects of suburbanization were exacerbated by the small geographical size of St. Louis due to its earlier decision to become an independent city, and it lost much of its tax base. During the 19th and 20th century, most major cities aggressively annexed surrounding areas as residential development occurred away from the central city; however, St. Louis was unable to do so.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

Several urban renewal projects were built in the 1950s, as the city worked to replace old and substandard housing. Some of these were poorly designed and resulted in problems. One prominent example, Pruitt–Igoe, became a symbol of failure in public housing, and was torn down less than two decades after it was built.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} The degradation and razing of Mill Creek Valley in this time was featured as an example of disenfranchisement in the 2024 Reparations Commission Report.{{Cite web |last=Hays |first=Gabrielle |date=2024-12-04 |title=In St. Louis, a new reparations report details how the city can act on racial injustice |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/in-st-louis-a-new-reparations-report-details-how-the-city-can-act-on-racial-injustice |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=PBS News |language=en-us}}

Since the 1980s, several revitalization efforts have focused on Downtown St. Louis.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Main|History of St. Louis (1981–present)}}

The urban revitalization projects that started in the 1980s continued into the new century. The city's old garment district, centered on Washington Avenue in the Downtown and Downtown West neighborhoods, experienced major development starting in the late 1990s as many of the old factory and warehouse buildings were converted into lofts. The American Planning Association designated Washington Avenue as one of 10 Great Streets for 2011.{{Cite web |date=2011-10-04 |title=Washington Avenue is Named "Great Street" by American Planning Association |url=https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/Washington-Avenue-is-Named-Great-Street.cfm |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=stlouis-mo.gov |language=en |archive-date=January 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114205234/https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/Washington-Avenue-is-Named-Great-Street.cfm |url-status=live }} The Cortex Innovation Community, located within the city's Central West End neighborhood, was founded in 2002 and has become a multi-billion dollar economic engine for the region, with companies such as Microsoft and Boeing currently leasing office space.{{Cite web |last=Kukuljan |first=Steph |date=2022-03-21 |title=Cortex, facing unprecedented challenges, plots new course. 'This is an evolution,' says chief. |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/cortex-facing-unprecedented-challenges-plots-new-course-this-is-an-evolution-says-chief/article_db2258b1-9860-58d1-94cf-bbff7160bca3.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=STLtoday.com |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115030941/https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/cortex-facing-unprecedented-challenges-plots-new-course-this-is-an-evolution-says-chief/article_db2258b1-9860-58d1-94cf-bbff7160bca3.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Bean |first=Randy |title=Meet Me In St. Louis – The Reemergence Of An Innovation Hub |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2020/03/26/meet-me-in-st-louis--the-reemergence-of-an-innovation-hub/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=November 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115030952/https://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2020/03/26/meet-me-in-st-louis--the-reemergence-of-an-innovation-hub/ |url-status=live }} The Forest Park Southeast neighborhood in the central corridor has seen major investment starting in the early 2010s. Between 2013 and 2018, over $50 million worth of residential construction has been built in the neighborhood.{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Doug |date=2018-04-29 |title=These longtime St. Louis residents are digging in as their neighborhood takes off |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/these-longtime-st-louis-residents-are-digging-in-as-their-neighborhood-takes-off/article_5e8244f1-742d-5a7a-b173-fff8f930f088.html |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=STLtoday.com |language=en |archive-date=January 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120002744/https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/these-longtime-st-louis-residents-are-digging-in-as-their-neighborhood-takes-off/article_5e8244f1-742d-5a7a-b173-fff8f930f088.html |url-status=live }} The population of the neighborhood has increased by 19% from the 2010 to 2020 Census.{{Cite web |title=Forest Park South East Census Data {{!}} City of St. Louis |url=https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/research/census/data/neighborhoods/neighborhood.cfm |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=stlouis-mo.gov |language=en |archive-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518142148/https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/research/census/data/neighborhoods/neighborhood.cfm |url-status=live }}

The St. Louis Rams of the National Football League controversially returned to Los Angeles in 2016. The city of St. Louis sued the NFL in 2017, alleging the league breached its own relocation guidelines to profit at the expense of the city. In 2021, the NFL and Rams owner Stan Kroenke agreed to settle out of court with the city for $790 million.{{Cite web |date=2016-01-06 |title=Rams owner Kroenke rips St. Louis market as he seeks LA move |url=https://apnews.com/article/f8703bf3a7d7495ebea1884c8a71f04e |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=May 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524060119/https://apnews.com/article/f8703bf3a7d7495ebea1884c8a71f04e |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2021-11-24 |title=$790M settlement in lawsuit over Rams' St. Louis departure |url=https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-business-los-angeles-st-louis-1cff28235e3d10777a86103d983cd2f1 |access-date=2023-11-29 |website=AP News |language=en |archive-date=November 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124092827/https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-business-los-angeles-st-louis-1cff28235e3d10777a86103d983cd2f1 |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Geography of St. Louis}}

{{Further|Landmarks of St. Louis}}

{{see also|List of public art in St. Louis}}

{{main|Architecture of St. Louis}}

{{see also|List of tallest buildings in St. Louis}}

File:Wainwright building st louis USA.jpg (1891), is an important early skyscraper designed by Louis Sullivan.]]

File:Lafayette Square St-Louis.jpg are built with a blending of Greek Revival, Federal and Italianate styles.]]

The architecture of St. Louis exhibits a variety of commercial, residential, and monumental architecture. St. Louis is known for the Gateway Arch, the tallest monument constructed in the United States at {{convert|630|ft|m}}.{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/21/st-louis-reasons-to-love_n_4993763.html |work=Huffington Post |first=Marcos |last=Saldivar |title=26 Reasons St. Louis Is America's Hidden Gem |access-date=March 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324041004/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/21/st-louis-reasons-to-love_n_4993763.html |archive-date=March 24, 2014 |url-status=live}} The Arch pays homage to Thomas Jefferson and St. Louis's position as the gateway to the West. Architectural influences reflected in the area include French Colonial, German, early American, and modern architectural styles.

Several examples of religious structures are extant from the pre-Civil War period, and most reflect the common residential styles of the time. Among the earliest is the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France (referred to as the Old Cathedral). The Basilica was built between 1831 and 1834 in the Federal style. Other religious buildings from the period include SS. Cyril and Methodius Church (1857) in the Romanesque Revival style and Christ Church Cathedral (completed in 1867, designed in 1859) in the Gothic Revival style.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

A few civic buildings were constructed during the early 19th century. The original St. Louis courthouse was built in 1826 and featured a Federal style stone facade with a rounded portico. However, this courthouse was replaced during renovation and expansion of the building in the 1850s. The Old St. Louis County Courthouse (known as the Old Courthouse) was completed in 1864 and was notable for having a cast iron dome and for being the tallest structure in Missouri until 1894. Finally, a customs house was constructed in the Greek Revival style in 1852, but was demolished and replaced in 1873 by the U.S. Customhouse and Post Office.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Because much of the city's commercial and industrial development was centered along the riverfront, many pre-Civil War buildings were demolished during construction of the Gateway Arch. The city's remaining architectural heritage of the era includes a multi-block district of cobblestone streets and brick and cast-iron warehouses called Laclede's Landing. Now popular for its restaurants and nightclubs, the district is located north of Gateway Arch along the riverfront. Other industrial buildings from the era include some portions of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, which date to the 1860s.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

St. Louis saw a vast expansion in variety and number of religious buildings during the late 19th century and early 20th century. The largest and most ornate of these is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, designed by Thomas P. Barnett and constructed between 1907 and 1914 in the Neo-Byzantine style. The St. Louis Cathedral, as it is known, has one of the largest mosaic collections in the world. Another landmark in religious architecture of St. Louis is the St. Stanislaus Kostka, which is an example of the Polish Cathedral style. Among the other major designs of the period were St. Alphonsus Liguori (known as The Rock Church) (1867) in the Gothic Revival and Second Presbyterian Church of St. Louis (1900) in Richardsonian Romanesque.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

By the 1900 census, St. Louis was the fourth largest city in the country. In 1904, the city hosted a world's fair at Forest Park called the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Its architectural legacy is somewhat scattered. Among the fair-related cultural institutions in the park are the St. Louis Art Museum designed by Cass Gilbert, part of the remaining lagoon at the foot of Art Hill, and the Flight Cage at the St. Louis Zoo. The Missouri History Museum was built afterward, with the profit from the fair. But 1904 left other assets to the city, like Theodore Link's 1894 St. Louis Union Station, and an improved Forest Park.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

One US Bank Plaza, the local headquarters for US Bancorp, was constructed in 1976 in the structural expressionist style. Several notable postmodern commercial skyscrapers were built downtown in the 1970s and 1980s, including the former AT&T building at 909 Chestnut Street (1986), and One Metropolitan Square (1989), which is the tallest building in St. Louis.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

During the 1990s, St. Louis saw the construction of the largest United States courthouse by area, the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse (2000). The Eagleton Courthouse is home to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The most recent high-rise buildings in St. Louis include two residential towers: One Hundred in the Central West End neighborhood and One Cardinal Way in the Downtown neighborhood.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Further|Neighborhoods of St. Louis}}

File:LafayetteSquareHouses.jpg houses are in Lafayette Square.]]

File:Blueberry_Hill_patio.jpg is a neighborhood close to Washington University, bordering the city and St. Louis County.|alt=]]

The city is divided into 79 officially-recognized neighborhoods.[http://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/neighborhood-stabilization-office/neighborhoods/index.cfm Neighborhoods of the City of St. Louis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512222340/http://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/public-safety/neighborhood-stabilization-office/neighborhoods/index.cfm |date=May 12, 2012}}, StLouis-mo.gov

File:St Louis Rivers.png

According to the United States Census Bureau, St. Louis has a total area of {{convert|66|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|62|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|4.1|sqmi}} (6.2%) is water.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 20, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021170230/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt|archive-date=October 21, 2013|df=mdy-all}} The city is built on bluffs and terraces that rise 100–200 feet above the western banks of the Mississippi River, in the Midwestern United States just south of the Missouri-Mississippi confluence. Much of the area is a fertile and gently rolling prairie that features low hills and broad, shallow valleys. Both the Mississippi River and the Missouri River have cut large valleys with wide flood plains.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Limestone and dolomite of the Mississippian epoch underlie the area, and parts of the city are karst in nature. This is particularly true of the area south of downtown, which has numerous sinkholes and caves. Most of the caves in the city have been sealed, but many springs are visible along the riverfront. Coal, brick clay, and millerite ore were once mined in the city. The predominant surface rock, known as St. Louis limestone, is used as dimension stone and rubble for construction.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Near the southern boundary of the city of St. Louis (separating it from St. Louis County) is the River des Peres, practically the only river or stream within the city limits that is not entirely underground.[http://www.rftstl.com/2000-12-06/news/a-sewer-runs-through-it/ St. Louis – News – A Sewer Runs Through It] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311021411/http://www.rftstl.com/2000-12-06/news/a-sewer-runs-through-it/ |date=March 11, 2007}}. Most of River des Peres was confined to a channel or put underground in the 1920s and early 1930s. The lower section of the river was the site of some of the worst flooding of the Great Flood of 1993.{{Cite web |last=US Department of Commerce |first=NOAA |title=The Great Flood of 1993 |url=https://www.weather.gov/lsx/1993_flood#:~:text=On%20August%201st,%201993,%20the%20Mississippi%20River,49.58%20feet,%20the%20highest%20stage%20ever%20recorded. |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.weather.gov |language=EN-US}}

The city's eastern boundary is the Mississippi River, which separates Missouri from Illinois. The Missouri River forms the northern line of St. Louis County, except for a few areas where the river has changed its course. The Meramec River forms most of its southern line.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Further|Geography of St. Louis#Climate}}

File:The Captains' Return statue and Eads Bridge.JPG

The urban area of St. Louis has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa); however, its metropolitan region even to the south may present a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa), which shows the effect of the urban heat island in the city.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} The city experiences hot, humid summers and chilly to cold winters.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} It is subject to both cold Arctic air and hot, humid tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} The average annual temperature recorded at nearby Lambert–St. Louis International Airport, is {{convert|57.4|°F|1}}. {{convert|100|and|0|°F|0}} temperatures can be seen on an average 3 and 1 days per year, respectively. Precipitation averages {{convert|41.70|in|mm|sigfig=2}}, but has ranged from {{convert|20.59|in|mm|abbr=on}} in 1953 to {{convert|61.24|in|mm|abbr=on}} in 2015. The highest recorded temperature in St. Louis was {{cvt|115|°F}} on July 14, 1954, and the lowest was {{cvt|-22|°F}} on January 5, 1884.

St. Louis experiences thunderstorms 48 days a year on average.{{cite web |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=43427&refer=&units=us |title=Historical Weather for St. Louis, Missouri |access-date=October 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916194311/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=43427&refer=&units=us |archive-date=September 16, 2012 |url-status=live}} Especially in the spring, these storms can often be severe, with high winds, large hail and tornadoes. Lying within the hotbed of Tornado Alley, St. Louis is one of the most frequently tornado-struck metropolitan areas in the U.S. and has an extensive history of damaging tornadoes. Severe flooding, such as the Great Flood of 1993, may occur in spring and summer; the (often rapid) melting of thick snow cover upstream on the Missouri or Mississippi Rivers can contribute to springtime flooding.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{More citations needed section|date=December 2024}}

File:Tower Grove Park Scene 1.jpg in spring]]

File:Missouri_Botanical_Garden_-_Seiwa-en.JPG]]

Before the founding of the city, the area was mostly prairie and open forest. Native Americans maintained this environment, good for hunting, by burning underbrush. Trees are mainly oak, maple, and hickory, similar to the forests of the nearby Ozarks; common understory trees include eastern redbud, serviceberry, and flowering dogwood. Riparian areas are forested with mainly American sycamore.

Most of the residential areas of the city are planted with large native shade trees. The largest native forest area is found in Forest Park. In autumn, the changing color of the trees is notable. Most species here are typical of the eastern woodland, although numerous decorative non-native species are found. The most notable invasive species is Japanese honeysuckle, which officials are trying to manage because of its damage to native trees. It is removed from some parks.

Wildlife includes urbanized coyotes, white-tailed deer, eastern gray squirrel, cottontail rabbit, and the nocturnal Virginia opossum. Large bird species are abundant in parks and include Canada goose, mallard duck, and shorebirds, including the great egret and great blue heron. Gulls are common along the Mississippi River; these species follow barge traffic.

Winter populations of bald eagles are along the Mississippi River around the Chain of Rocks Bridge. The city is on the Mississippi Flyway, used by migrating birds, and has a large variety of small bird species, common to the eastern U.S. The Eurasian tree sparrow, an introduced species, is limited in North America to the counties surrounding St. Louis. The city has special sites for birdwatching of migratory species, including Tower Grove Park.

Common frog species include the American toad and species of chorus frogs called spring peepers, which are found in nearly every pond. Some years have outbreaks of cicadas or ladybugs. Mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and houseflies are common insect nuisances, especially in July and August; because of this, windows are almost always fitted with screens. Invasive populations of honeybees have declined in recent years. Numerous native species of pollinator insects have recovered to fill their ecological niche, and armadillos are throughout the St. Louis area.[http://herald-review.com/news/local/armadillos-finding-st-louis-and-surrounding-area-nice-place-to/article_3b52d19c-433c-53f0-a823-3da7776924ab.html "Warmer weather attracting Armadillos"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20131030095930/http://herald-review.com/news/local/armadillos-finding-st-louis-and-surrounding-area-nice-place-to/article_3b52d19c-433c-53f0-a823-3da7776924ab.html |date=October 30, 2013}}, accessed October 28, 2013

{{US Census population

|1810= 1600

|1830= 4977

|1840= 16469

|1850= 77860

|1860= 160773

|1870= 310864

|1880= 350518

|1890= 451770

|1900= 575238

|1910= 687029

|1920= 772897

|1930= 821960

|1940= 816048

|1950= 856796

|1960= 750026

|1970= 622236

|1980= 453805

|1990= 396685

|2000= 348189

|2010= 319294

|2020= 301578

|estyear=2024

|estimate=279695

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016|archive-date=May 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507121432/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|url-status=live}}
2020 Census

}}

File:Race and ethnicity 2010 St. Louis.png

File:Pruitt-Igoe-overview.jpg was a large housing project constructed in 1954, which became infamous for poverty, crime and segregation. It was demolished in 1972.]]

St. Louis grew slowly until the American Civil War, when industrialization and immigration sparked a boom. Mid-19th century immigrants included many Irish and Germans; later there were immigrants from southern and eastern Europe. In the early 20th century, African American and white migrants came from the South; the former as part of the Great Migration out of rural areas of the Deep South. Many came from Mississippi and Arkansas. Italians, Serbians, Lebanese, Syrians, and Greeks settled in St. Louis by the late 19th-Century.{{cite web|url=https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/visit-play/stlouis-history.cfm|title=A Brief History of St. Louis|access-date=July 26, 2023|archive-date=July 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726081313/https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/visit-play/stlouis-history.cfm|url-status=live}}

After years of immigration, migration, and expansion, the city reached its peak population in 1950. That year, the Census Bureau reported St. Louis's population as 82% White and 17.9% African American.{{cite web|title=Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/twps0076.html |access-date=April 21, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812191959/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/twps0076.html |archive-date=August 12, 2012}} After World War II, St. Louis began losing population to the suburbs, first because of increased demand for new housing, unhappiness with city services, ease of commuting by highways, and later, white flight.{{cite web|last=Gibson |first=Campbell |title=Population of the 100 largest cities and other urban places in the United States: 1790 to 1990 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |date=June 1998 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0027.html |access-date=December 12, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314031958/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0027.html |archive-date=March 14, 2007}} St. Louis's population decline has resulted in a significant increase of abandoned residential housing units and vacant lots throughout the city proper; this blight has attracted much wildlife (such as deer and coyotes) to the many abandoned overgrown lots.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} As of the 2020 Census, St. Louis has lost 64.8% of its population since the 1950 United States census. During this period, the population of Greater St. Louis, which includes more than one county, has grown every year and continues to do so.

File:Ethnic Origins in St. Louis, MO.pngAccording to the 2010 United States census, St. Louis had 319,294 people living in 142,057 households, of which 67,488 households were families. The population density was {{convert|5,158.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. About 24% of the population was 19 or younger, 9% were 20 to 24, 31% were 25 to 44, 25% were 45 to 64, and 11% were 65 or older. The median age was about 34 years,

The African-American population is concentrated in the north side of the city (the area north of Delmar Boulevard is 94.0% black, compared with 35.0% in the central corridor and 26.0% in the south side of St. Louis{{cite web|url=http://dynamic.stlouis-mo.gov/census/corridor.cfm|title=Census|website=Dynamic.stlouis-mo.gov|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170724040727/http://dynamic.stlouis-mo.gov/census/corridor.cfm|archive-date=July 24, 2017|url-status=live}}). Among the Asian-American population in the city, the largest ethnic group is Vietnamese (0.9%), followed by Chinese (0.6%) and Indians (0.5%). The Vietnamese community has concentrated in the Dutchtown neighborhood of south St. Louis; Chinese are concentrated in the Central West End.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=U.S. Census website|website=United States Census|access-date=October 5, 2018|archive-date=December 27, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/https://www.census.gov/|url-status=live}} People of Mexican descent are the largest Latino group, and make up 2.2% of St. Louis's population. They have the highest concentration in the Dutchtown, Benton Park West (Cherokee Street), and Gravois Park neighborhoods.{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP3&prodType=table |title=Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin: 2010 |publisher=United States Census |access-date=October 8, 2013}}{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}} People of Italian descent are concentrated in The Hill.

In 2010, St. Louis's per-capita rates of online charitable donations and volunteerism were among the highest among major U.S. cities.{{cite web |last=Druart |first=T. |title=Convio ranks most generous online cities |publisher=convio |date=February 2010 |url=http://www.convio.com/convio/news/releases/convio-ranks-generous-cities-2009.html |access-date=August 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927015722/http://www.convio.com/convio/news/releases/convio-ranks-generous-cities-2009.html |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |url-status=live}}

{{as of|2010}}, 91.05% (270,934) of St. Louis city residents age 5 and older spoke English at home as a primary language, while 2.86% (8,516) spoke Spanish, 0.91% (2,713) Serbo-Croatian, 0.74% (2,200) Vietnamese, 0.50% (1,495) African languages, 0.50% (1,481) Chinese, and French was spoken as a main language by 0.45% (1,341) of the population over the age of five. In total, 8.95% (26,628) of St. Louis's population age 5 and older spoke a mother language other than English.{{cite web|url=http://www.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results |title=St. Louis (city) County, Missouri |publisher=Modern Language Association |access-date=August 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815140430/http://www.mla.org/cgi-shl/docstudio/docs.pl?map_data_results |archive-date=August 15, 2013}}

{{see also|History of the Bosnians in St. Louis}}

About fifteen families from Bosnia settled in St. Louis between 1960 and 1970. After the Bosnian War started in 1992, more Bosnian refugees began arriving and by 2000, tens of thousands of Bosnian refugees settled in St. Louis with the help of Catholic aid societies. Many of them were professionals and skilled workers who had to take any job opportunity to be able to support their families. Most Bosnian refugees are Muslim, ethnically Bosniaks (87%); they have settled primarily in south St. Louis{{Cite news|last=Ellis|first=Stefanie|date=2022-01-17|title=St Louis: The US city transformed by heartbreak|work=BBC|url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220117-st-louis-the-us-city-transformed-by-heartbreak|access-date=2022-02-04|archive-date=February 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220205150213/https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220117-st-louis-the-us-city-transformed-by-heartbreak|url-status=live}} and South County. Bosnian-Americans are well integrated into the city, developing many businesses and ethnic/cultural organizations.{{cite web|url=http://www.stlbosnians.com/event/the-bosnian-community-in-st-louis-by-imam-muhamed-hasic/|title=The Bosnian Community in St. Louis by Imam Muhamed Hasic|website=Stlbosnians.com|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912112923/http://www.stlbosnians.com/event/the-bosnian-community-in-st-louis-by-imam-muhamed-hasic/|archive-date=September 12, 2018|url-status=live}}

An estimated 70,000 Bosnians live in the metro area, which is tied with Chicago for largest population of Bosnians in the United States and the largest Bosnian population outside their homeland. The highest concentration of Bosnians is in the neighborhood of Bevo Mill and in Affton, Mehlville, and Oakville of south St. Louis County.{{cite web|last=Gilsinan|first=Kathy|title=Why Are There So Many Bosnians in St. Louis?|url=http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2013/02/why-are-there-so-many-bosnians-st-louis/4668/|work=The Atlantic Cities|publisher=Atlantic Media Company|access-date=February 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217204738/http://www.theatlanticcities.com/politics/2013/02/why-are-there-so-many-bosnians-st-louis/4668/|archive-date=February 17, 2013|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=ABOUT US |url=https://bs.bhaccchicago.org/about-us |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=bhacc |language=en |archive-date=July 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701141725/https://bs.bhaccchicago.org/about-us |url-status=live }}

Bosnian Muslim Romani people have also settled in St. Louis.{{cite book|title=Danger! Educated Gypsy: Selected Essays|page=130|isbn=978-1-907396-30-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HOycWJwdyLgC&pg=PA130 |last1=Hancock |first1=Ian |date=2010 |publisher=Univ of Hertfordshire Press }}

{{Main|Crime in St. Louis}}

Since 2014 the city of St. Louis has had, {{as of|2017|April|lc=y}}, one of the highest murder rates, per capita, in the United States,{{cite news|title=Millennials really like St Louis|url=https://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21720664-addition-countrys-highest-murder-rate-city-boasts-vibrant-start-up|access-date=April 14, 2017|newspaper=The Economist|date=April 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413184035/http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21720664-addition-countrys-highest-murder-rate-city-boasts-vibrant-start-up|archive-date=April 13, 2017|url-status=live}} with 188 homicides in 2015 (59.3 homicides per 100,000){{cite web |url=https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/crime-in-the-u.s.-2015/tables/table-6 |title=Crime in the United States, 2015 |publisher=FBI.gov (Uniform Crime Reports) |access-date=April 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322171022/https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/crime-in-the-u.s.-2015/tables/table-6 |archive-date=March 22, 2017 |url-status=live}}Bosman, Julie and Mitch Smith (December 28, 2016). Article comparing Chicago's annual homicide statistics to those of other American cities, including St. Louis, [https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/28/us/chicago-murder-rate-gun-deaths.html New York Times.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331214442/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/28/us/chicago-murder-rate-gun-deaths.html |date=March 31, 2017}} and ranks No. 13 of the most dangerous cities in the world by homicide rate. Detroit, Flint, Memphis, Birmingham, and Baltimore have higher overall violent crime rates than St. Louis, when comparing other crimes such as rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.{{Cite web|date=2020-01-02|title=NeighborhoodScout's Most Dangerous Cities - 2020|url=https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/blog/top100dangerous|access-date=2020-06-08|website=NeighborhoodScout|language=en-US|archive-date=March 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308110815/https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/blog/top100dangerous|url-status=live}} These crime rates are high relative to other American cities, but St. Louis index crime rates have declined almost every year since the peak in 1993 (16,648), to the 2014 level of 7,931 (which is the sum of violent crimes and property crimes) per 100,000. In 2015, the index crime rate reversed the 2005–2014 decline to a level of 8,204. Between 2005 and 2014, violent crime has declined by 20%, although rates of violent crime remains 6 times higher than the United States national average and property crime in the city remains 2 {{frac|1|2}} times the national average.{{cite web |url=http://www.morganquitno.com/methodology01.htm |title=Methodology |publisher=Morganquitno.com |access-date=March 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511075835/http://www.morganquitno.com/methodology01.htm |archive-date=May 11, 2011 |url-status=live}} St. Louis has a higher homicide rate than the rest of the U.S. for both whites and blacks and a higher proportion committed by males. {{as of|2016|October}}, 7 of the homicide suspects were white, 95 black, 0 Hispanic, 0 Asian and 1 female out of the 102 suspects. In 2016, St. Louis was the most dangerous city in the United States with populations of 100,000 or more, ranking 1st in violent crime and 2nd in property crime. It was also ranked 6th of the most dangerous of all establishments in the United States, and East St. Louis, a suburb of the city itself, was ranked 1st.{{cite web|url=https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/|title=2015|website=Ucr.fbi.gov|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830025557/https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015|archive-date=August 30, 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.slmpd.org/images/Homicide_Stats_for_Website.pdf | publisher=St. Louis Police Department | title=SLMPD 2016 UCR Homicide Analysis |access-date=October 18, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019003806/http://www.slmpd.org/images/Homicide_Stats_for_Website.pdf |archive-date=October 19, 2016 |df=mdy-all}} The St. Louis Police Department at the end of 2016 reported a total of 188 murders for the year, the same number of homicides that had occurred in the city in 2015.Murphy, Doyle (January 3, 2017). [http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2017/01/03/st-louis-murder-toll-hit-188-in-2016-tying-2015s-unusually-high-number "St. Louis Murder Toll Hit 188 in 2016--Tying 2015's Unusually High Number."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116171953/http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2017/01/03/st-louis-murder-toll-hit-188-in-2016-tying-2015s-unusually-high-number |date=January 16, 2017}} Riverfront Times (RFT). Retrieved January 15, 2017. According to the STLP At the end of 2017, St. Louis had 205 murders but the city recorded only 159 inside St. Louis city limits.{{cite web |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/focused-police-presence-in-north-st-louis-better-relationships-with/article_7ba12d3a-ed23-5ecb-b92f-db8c8cc8bb39.html |title=Focused police presence in north St. Louis, better relationships with protesters among new chief's goals |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |date=January 3, 2018 |access-date=January 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180206033621/http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/focused-police-presence-in-north-st-louis-better-relationships-with/article_7ba12d3a-ed23-5ecb-b92f-db8c8cc8bb39.html |archive-date=February 6, 2018 |url-status=live}}St. Louis Crime tracker-City snapshot, https://graphics.stltoday.com/apps/crime/index.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171211201618/https://graphics.stltoday.com/apps/crime/index.html |date=December 11, 2017}} Retrieved January 30, 2018 The new Chief of Police, John Hayden said two-thirds (67%) of all the murders and one-half of all the assaults are concentrated in a triangular area in the North part of the city.

Yet another factor when comparing the murder rates of St. Louis and other cities is the manner of drawing municipal boundaries. While many other municipalities have annexed many suburbs, St. Louis has not annexed as much suburban area as most American cities. According to a 2018 estimate, the St. Louis metro area included about 3 million residents and the city included about 300,000 residents. Therefore, the city contains about ten percent of the metro population, a low ratio indicating that the municipal boundaries include only a small part of the metro population.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/17/upshot/crime-statistics-south-bend-st-louis-misleading.html |last=Asher |first=Jeff |date=December 17, 2019 |title=South Bend and St. Louis, Where Crime Statistics Can Mislead |access-date=July 14, 2020 |newspaper=The New York Times |archive-date=September 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913002557/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/17/upshot/crime-statistics-south-bend-st-louis-misleading.html |url-status=live}}

{{main|Economy of St. Louis}}

The gross domestic product of Greater St. Louis was $209.9 billion in 2022, up from $192.9 billion the previous year. Greater St. Louis had a GDP per capita of $68,574 in 2021, up 10% from the previous year.{{Cite web |last=U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |date=2001-01-01 |title=Total Gross Domestic Product for St. Louis, MO-IL (MSA) |url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/NGMP41180 |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis}}{{Cite web |last=U.S. Census Bureau |date=1969-01-01 |title=Resident Population in St Louis, MO-IL (MSA) |url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/STLPOP |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis}} As of November, 2024, the education and health services industries employed the greatest number of people in the region, followed by the trade, transportation, and utilities industries and professional and business services.{{Cite web |title=St. Louis, MO-IL Economy at a Glance |url=https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.mo_stlouis_msa.htm |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Bureau of Labor Statistics |language=en}}

File:StLouisABPackaging_Plant.JPG packaging plant is in St. Louis.]]

As of 2024, Greater St. Louis is home to six Fortune 500 companies: Centene Corporation, Reinsurance Group of America, Emerson Electric, Edward Jones, Graybar Electric, and Ameren. An additional ten other area companies are listed on the Fortune 1000: Post Holdings, Olin Corporation, Core & Main, Stifel Financial, Peabody Energy, Arch Resources, Energizer Holdings, Caleres, Spire, and Belden.

Other major corporations headquartered in the region include Anheuser-Busch, Bunge Global, Wells Fargo Advisors, Enterprise Holdings, World Wide Technology, Arco Construction, McCarthy Holdings, Clayco Construction, Apex Oil, Alberici, and Schnuck Market.{{Cite web |title=St. Louis' top 150 privately held companies |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/subscriber-only/2024/10/03/st-louis-top-150-privately-held-companies.html |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}{{Cite web |last=MURPHY" |first="ANDREA |title=Forbes America's Top Private Companies 2024 List |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/top-private-companies/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=Forbes |language=en}} Notable corporations with operations in St. Louis but headquarters elsewhere include Boeing, Bayer, Mastercard, U.S. Bank, and BMO Bank.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis is one of two federal reserve banks in Missouri.{{cite web |title=About Us | The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis |url=http://stlouisfed.org/about%5Fus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219214747/http://stlouisfed.org/about%5Fus/ |archive-date=December 19, 2010 |access-date=March 14, 2011 |publisher=St. Louis Fed}}

St. Louis is a center of medicine and biotechnology.{{cite web |title=St. Louis Health Care |url=http://www.stlrcga.org/x438.xml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527143319/http://www.stlrcga.org/x438.xml |archive-date=May 27, 2013 |access-date=May 24, 2013 |publisher=RCGA St. Louis |df=mdy-all}} The Washington University School of Medicine is affiliated with Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the fifth largest hospital in the world. Both institutions operate the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center.{{cite web |title=Siteman Cancer Center, About Us |url=http://www.siteman.wustl.edu/about-us.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512083147/http://www.siteman.wustl.edu/about-us.aspx |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |access-date=May 24, 2013 |publisher=Siteman Cancer Center}} The School of Medicine also is affiliated with St. Louis Children's Hospital, one of the country's top pediatric hospitals.{{cite web |title=Ratings and Rankings |url=http://www.stlrcga.org/x2208.xml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106000813/http://www.stlrcga.org/x2208.xml |archive-date=January 6, 2007 |access-date=May 24, 2013 |publisher=RCGA St. Louis}} Both hospitals are owned by BJC HealthCare. The McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University played a major role in the Human Genome Project.[http://genome.wustl.edu Home – The Genome Institute at Washington University] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019135215/https://www.genome.wustl.edu/|date=October 19, 2019}}. Genome.wustl.edu. Retrieved on August 16, 2013. Saint Louis University Medical School is affiliated with SSM Health's Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital and Saint Louis University Hospital. It also has a cancer center, vaccine research center, geriatric center, and a bioethics institute. Several different organizations operate hospitals in the area, including BJC HealthCare, Mercy, SSM Health Care, and Tenet. Other health care and biotechnology institutions with operations in the region include Pfizer, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Bayer, Sigma-Aldrich, Mallinckrodt, and Multidata Systems International.

Several once-independent pillars of the local economy have been purchased by other corporations. Among them are Anheuser-Busch, purchased by Belgium-based InBev; Missouri Pacific Railroad, merged with the Omaha, Nebraska-based Union Pacific Railroad in 1982;{{cite web|url=http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/heritage/mopac/index.htm|title=Missouri Pacific Railroad|website=Up.com|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817054351/http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/heritage/mopac/index.htm|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live}} McDonnell Douglas, whose operations are now part of Boeing Defense, Space & Security; Trans World Airlines, which was headquartered in the city for its last decade of existence prior to being acquired by American Airlines; and Ralston Purina, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Nestlé.{{cite web |url=http://www.stlrcga.org/x2212.xml |title=Ratings and Rankings – Area Companies |publisher=Stlrcga.org |access-date=March 14, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129211233/http://stlrcga.org/x2212.xml |archive-date=November 29, 2010 |df=mdy-all }} The May Department Stores Company was purchased by Federated Department Stores, now Macy's, although it still has its regional headquarters in the area. Most of the assets of Furniture Brands International were sold to Heritage Home Group in 2013, which moved to North Carolina.{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2014/04/30/heritage-home-formerly-furniture-brands-moving-hq.html|title=Triad bound? Heritage Home moving HQ to North Carolina|last1=Kirn|first1=Jacob|last2=Acieri|first2=Katie|work=Triad Business Journal|date=April 30, 2014|access-date=May 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531090639/http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2014/04/30/heritage-home-formerly-furniture-brands-moving-hq.html|archive-date=May 31, 2014|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2015/05/19/heritage-home-group-names-interim-ceo.html|title=Heritage Home Group names interim CEO|last=Arcieri|first=Katie|work=Triad Business Journal|date=May 19, 2015|access-date=December 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523061431/http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2015/05/19/heritage-home-group-names-interim-ceo.html|archive-date=May 23, 2015|url-status=live}}

File:JeffersonLake BJC.jpg is affiliated with the Washington University School of Medicine.|alt=]]Cortex Innovation Community in Midtown is the region's largest innovation hub. Cortex is home to offices of Square, Microsoft, Aon, Boeing, and Centene. Cortex has generated 3,800 tech jobs in 14 years, and once built out, is projected to generate $2 billion in development and create 13,000 jobs for the region.{{cite web |url=https://www.brookings.edu/blog/metropolitan-revolution/2016/05/05/in-st-louis-a-gateway-to-innovation-and-inclusion/ |title=In St. Louis, a gateway to innovation and inclusion |first=Julie |last=Wagner |access-date=18 September 2018 |date=5 May 2016 |work=Brookings |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919061811/https://www.brookings.edu/blog/metropolitan-revolution/2016/05/05/in-st-louis-a-gateway-to-innovation-and-inclusion/ |archive-date=September 19, 2018 |url-status=live }} The nonprofit Arch Grants is attracting new startups to the region, while the nonprofit LaunchCode trains future tech workers.{{cite web |last1=Toler |first1=Lindsay |date=Jan 22, 2014 |title=Launch Code: How 42 "Unqualified" People Landed Dream Tech Jobs in St. Louis |url=http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2014/01/launch_code_program_apprentice_terrence_bowen.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613041604/http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2014/01/launch_code_program_apprentice_terrence_bowen.php |archive-date=June 13, 2015 |access-date=August 10, 2017 |website=Daily RFT |publisher=Riverfront Times |df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2012/02/21/arch-grants/|title=Arch Grants Raises $2.5M To Turn St. Louis Into A Startup Hub; Square Co-founder Signs On|first=Rip|last=Empson|website=TechCrunch |date=February 21, 2012 |access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709221309/https://techcrunch.com/2012/02/21/arch-grants/|archive-date=July 9, 2017|url-status=live}}

According to the St. Louis Business Journal, the top employers in Greater St. Louis as of March 29th, 2023 are:{{Cite web |title=St. Louis' largest employers |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/subscriber-only/2024/03/29/st-louis-largest-employers.html |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=www.bizjournals.com}}

According to St. Louis's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city only as of 2021 are:{{Cite web |date=February 13, 2023 |title=Office of the Comptroller 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) |url=https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/comptroller/documents/2022-comprehensive-annual-financial-report.cfm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827001242/https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/comptroller/documents/2022-comprehensive-annual-financial-report.cfm |archive-date=August 27, 2023 |access-date=August 26, 2023 |website=City of St. Louis, MO}}

File:Cathedral_Basilica_of_Saint_Louis_(St._Louis,_MO)_-_exterior,_quarter_view_2.jpg]]

{{Main|Culture of St. Louis}}

{{see also|Cuisine of St. Louis|List of museums in St. Louis}}

The same year as the 1904 World's Fair, the Strassberger Music Conservatory Building was constructed at 2300 Grand. Otto Wilhelmi was the architect. In 1911, the conservatory had over 1,100 students.{{Cite web |title=Old Strassberger Music Conservatory Building - City Landmark #83 |url=https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/city-landmarks/old-strassberger-music-conservatory-building.cfm |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=stlouis-mo.gov |language=en |archive-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901002916/https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/city-landmarks/old-strassberger-music-conservatory-building.cfm |url-status=live }} The building is presently in the National Register of Historic Places.{{Cite web |title=Strassberger's Conservatory |url=https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Strassberger%27s%20Conservatory.pdf |website=Missouri State Parks |access-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901002908/https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Strassberger%27s%20Conservatory.pdf |url-status=live }} A well known graduate was Alfonso D'Artega.{{CN|date=April 2025}}

With its French past and waves of Catholic immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries, from Ireland, Germany and Italy, St. Louis is a major center of Roman Catholicism in the United States. St. Louis also boasts the largest Ethical Culture Society in the United States and is one of the most generous cities in the United States, ranking ninth in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=studies.metro.main|title=Charity Navigator - 2015 Metro Market Study|website=Charitynavigator.org|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829184817/https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=studies.metro.main|archive-date=August 29, 2017|url-status=live}} Several places of worship in the city are noteworthy, such as the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, home of the world's largest mosaic installation.{{cite web|url=http://explorestlouis.com/visit-explore/discover/25-things-to-do-in-st-louis/|title=25 Things to Do in St. Louis|access-date=February 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213060248/http://explorestlouis.com/visit-explore/discover/25-things-to-do-in-st-louis/|archive-date=February 13, 2012|url-status=live}}

File:StLouisArtMuseumMO.jpg is in Forest Park.]]

Other churches include the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, the oldest Roman Catholic cathedral west of the Mississippi River and the oldest church in St. Louis; the St. Louis Abbey, whose distinctive architectural style garnered multiple awards at the time of its completion in 1962; and St. Francis de Sales Oratory, a neo-Gothic church completed in 1908 in South St. Louis and the second largest church in the city.

The city is identified with music and the performing arts, especially blues, jazz, and ragtime. The St. Louis Symphony is the second oldest symphony orchestra in the United States. Until 2010, it was also home to KFUO-FM, one of the oldest classical music FM radio stations west of the Mississippi River.The station was sold by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod for $18 million, funded in part through a donation by then-St. Louis Cardinals star Albert Pujols, and converted to contemporary Christian music.[https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/civil-religion/deidre-pujols-sounds-off-on-christian-radio/article_72a3db58-2521-11e1-91c2-0019bb30f31a.html Deidre Pujols sounds off on Christian radio, STLtoday.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822041408/http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/civil-religion/deidre-pujols-sounds-off-on-christian-radio/article_72a3db58-2521-11e1-91c2-0019bb30f31a.html |date=August 22, 2014}}, December 12, 2011 Opera Theatre of St. Louis has been called "one of America's best summer festivals" by the Washington Post. Former general director Timothy O'Leary was known for drawing the community into discussions of challenging operas. John Adams's "The Death of Klinghoffer", which touched off protests and controversy when performed by the Metropolitan Opera in 2014, had no such problems in St. Louis three years before, because the company fostered a citywide discussion, with interfaith dialogues addressing the tough issues of terrorism, religion and the nature of evil that the opera brings up. St. Louis's Jewish Community Relations Council gave O'Leary an award. Under O'Leary, the company—always known for innovative work—gave second chances to other major American operas, such as John Corigliano's "The Ghosts of Versailles", presented in 2009 in a smaller-scale version.{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/washington-national-opera-lands-a-star-timothy-oleary-to-become-general-director/2017/09/22/af27e7e6-9f95-11e7-8ed4-a750b67c552b_story.html |title=Washington National Opera lands a star: Timothy O'Leary to become general director - the Washington Post |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022172109/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/washington-national-opera-lands-a-star-timothy-oleary-to-become-general-director/2017/09/22/af27e7e6-9f95-11e7-8ed4-a750b67c552b_story.html |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |url-status=live}}

The Gateway Arch anchors downtown St. Louis and a historic center that includes: the Federal courthouse where the Dred Scott case was first argued, an expanded public library, major churches and businesses, and retail.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} An increasing downtown residential population has taken to adapted office buildings and other historic structures. In nearby University City is the Delmar Loop, ranked by the American Planning Association as a "great American street" for its variety of shops and restaurants, and the Tivoli Theater, all within walking distance.{{Cite web |title=Delmar Loop: University City & St Louis, Missouri |url=https://www.planning.org/greatplaces/streets/2007/delmarloop.htm |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=American Planning Association |language=en}}

Unique city and regional cuisine reflecting various immigrant groups include toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake, provel cheese, the slinger, the Gerber sandwich, and the St. Paul sandwich. Some St. Louis chefs have begun emphasizing use of local produce, meats and fish, and neighborhood farmers' markets have become more popular. Artisan bakeries, salumeria, and chocolatiers also operate in the city.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

St. Louis-style pizza has thin crust, provel cheese, and is cut in small squares.{{cite web|url=http://www.imospizza.com|title=Imo's Pizza - The Square Beyond Compare|website=Imospizza.com|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825043950/https://www.imospizza.com/|archive-date=August 25, 2017|url-status=live}} Frozen-custard purveyor Ted Drewes offers its "Concrete": frozen custard blended with any combination of dozens of ingredients into a mixture so thick that a spoon inserted into the custard does not fall if the cup is inverted.{{cite web |url=http://www.teddrewes.com/home/default.aspx |title=Ted Drewes Frozen Custard - Home |access-date=March 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140208055816/http://teddrewes.com/home/default.aspx |archive-date=February 8, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}

{{main|Sports in St. Louis}}

{{see also|Soccer in St. Louis}}

St. Louis hosts the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball and the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League. In 2019, it became the eighth North American city to have won titles in all four major leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL) when the Blues won the Stanley Cup championship. It has collegiate-level soccer teams and is one of three American cities to have hosted the Summer Olympic Games. A third major team, the St. Louis City SC of Major League Soccer, began play in 2023.

Pro teams in the St. Louis area include:

File:Busch Stadium 2022.jpg is in downtown St. Louis.]]

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/history/timeline|title=St Louis Cardinals Franchise Timeline|website=St Louis Cardinals|access-date=March 1, 2022|archive-date=March 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302013549/https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/history/timeline|url-status=live}} The Cardinals have won 19 National League (NL) titles (the most pennants for the league franchise in one city) and 11 World Series titles (second to the New York Yankees and the most by any NL franchise), recently in 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/history/postseason-results|title=St Louis Cardinals Postseason results|website=St Louis Cardinals|access-date=March 1, 2022|archive-date=March 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302013911/https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/history/postseason-results|url-status=live}} They play at Busch Stadium. Previously, the St. Louis Browns played in the American League (AL) from 1902 to 1953, before moving to Baltimore, Maryland to become the current incarnation of the Orioles. The 1944 World Series was an all-St. Louis World Series, matching up the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park, won by the Cardinals in six games. It was the third and final time that the teams shared a home field. St. Louis also was home to the St. Louis Stars, also known as the St. Louis Giants from 1906 to 1921, who played in Negro league baseball from 1920 to 1931 and won championships in 1928, 1930, and 1931, and the St. Louis Maroons who played in the Union Association in 1884 and in the National League from 1885 to 1889. In 1884, The St. Louis Maroons won the Union Association pennant and started the season with 20 straight wins, a feat that was not surpassed by any major professional sports team in the United States until the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors season when they started their NBA season with 24 straight wins.

File:St. Louis blues home enterprise center.jpg is in downtown St. Louis.]]

The St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL) play at the Enterprise Center. They were one of the six teams added to the NHL in the 1967 expansion. The Blues went to the Stanley Cup finals in their first three years, but got swept every time. Although they were the first 1967 expansion team to make the Stanley Cup Finals, they were also the last of the 1967 expansion teams to win the Stanley Cup. They finally won their first Stanley Cup in 2019 after beating the Boston Bruins in the final. This championship made St. Louis the eighth city to win a championship in each of the four major U.S. sports. Prior to the Blues, the city was home to the St. Louis Eagles. The team played in the 1934–35 season.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

St. Louis has been home to four National Football League (NFL) teams. The St. Louis All-Stars played in the city in 1923, the St. Louis Gunners in 1934, the St. Louis Cardinals from 1960 to 1987, and the St. Louis Rams from 1995 to 2015. The football Cardinals advanced to the NFL playoffs four times (1964, 1974, 1975 and 1982), never hosting in any appearance. They did, however, win the 1964 Playoff Bowl for third place against the Green Bay Packers by a score of 24–17. The Cardinals moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1988. The Rams played at the Edward Jones Dome from 1995 to 2015 and won Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000. They also went to Super Bowl XXXVI but lost to the New England Patriots. The Rams then returned to Los Angeles in 2016.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

The St. Louis Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) played at Kiel Auditorium from 1955 to 1968. They won the NBA championship in 1958 and played in three other NBA Finals: 1957, 1960, and 1961. In 1968 the Hawks moved to Atlanta. St. Louis was also the home to the St. Louis Bombers of the Basketball Association of America from 1946 to 1949 and the National Basketball Association from 1949 to 1950 and the Spirits of St. Louis of the American Basketball Association from 1974 to 1976 when the ABA and NBA merged.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

File:City Park, Saint Louis.jpg is in downtown St. Louis.]]

Major League Soccer's St. Louis City SC began play in 2023 at Energizer Park. Their MLS Next Pro affiliate is St. Louis City 2, which began play in 2022 and also plays at Energizer Park. Formerly, USL Championship's Saint Louis FC played in the area from 2015 to 2020 at World Wide Technology Soccer Park.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/08/25/saint-louis-fc-fold-usl-mls-expansion-st-louis-city |title=USL's Saint Louis FC to Fold With St. Louis MLS Expansion Club on the Way |last=Straus |first=Brian |date=2020-08-25 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=2025-01-23}}

The St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL began play in 2020, using The Dome at America's Center as their home field. After a two-year hiatus of the league, the Battlehawks returned in 2023, when the XFL resumed play.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

St. Louis hosts several minor league sports teams. The Gateway Grizzlies of the independent Frontier League play in the area in Sauget, IL. The St. Louis Trotters of the Independent Basketball Association play at Matthews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club. The St. Louis Ambush indoor soccer team plays in nearby St. Charles at the Family Arena as a part of the Major Arena Soccer League. The St. Louis Slam play in the Women's Football Alliance at Harlen C. Hunter Stadium.

The region hosts INDYCAR, NHRA drag racing, and NASCAR events at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway in Madison, Illinois. Thoroughbred flat racing events are hosted at Fairmount Park Racetrack near Collinsville, Illinois.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

St. Louis has hosted the Final Four of both the women's and men's college basketball NCAA Division I championship tournaments, and the Frozen Four collegiate ice hockey tournament. Saint Louis University has won 10 NCAA men's soccer championships, and the city has hosted the College Cup several times. In addition to collegiate soccer, many St. Louisans have played for the United States men's national soccer team, and 20 St. Louisans have been elected into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. St. Louis also is the origin of the sport of corkball, a type of baseball in which there is no base running.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Although the area does not have a National Basketball Association team, it hosts the St. Louis Phoenix, an American Basketball Association team.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Club Atletico Saint Louis, a semi-professional soccer team, competes within the National Premier Soccer League and plays out of St. Louis University High School Soccer Stadium.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

File:SinquefieldCup2015.jpg chess tournament is hosted annually in St. Louis.]]

St. Louis is home to the Saint Louis Chess Club where the U.S. Chess Championship is held. St. Louisan Rex Sinquefield founded the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis (which was renamed as St. Louis Chess Club later) and moved the World Chess Hall of Fame to St. Louis in 2011. The Sinquefield Cup Tournament started at St. Louis in 2013. In 2014 the Sinquefield Cup was the highest-rated chess tournament of all time. Former U.S. Chess Champions Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura have lived in St. Louis. Former women's chess champion Susan Polgar also resides in St. Louis.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Main|Parks in St. Louis}}

{{for|parks in the region|Parks in Greater St. Louis}}

File:Forest_Park,_St_Louis.jpg features a variety of attractions, including the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, and the St. Louis Science Center.]]

The city operates more than 100 parks, with amenities that include sports facilities, playgrounds, concert areas, picnic areas, and lakes. Forest Park, located on the western edge of city, is the largest, occupying 1,400 acres of land, making it almost twice as large as Central Park in New York City. The park is home to five major institutions, including the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Science Center, the Missouri History Museum, and the Muny amphitheatre. Another significant park in the city is Gateway Arch National Park, which was known as Jefferson National Expansion Memorial until 2018 and is located on the riverfront in downtown St. Louis. The centerpiece of the park is the {{convert|630|ft|m|adj=mid|0}} tall Gateway Arch, a National Memorial designed by noted architect Eero Saarinen and completed on October 28, 1965. Also part of the historic park is the Old Courthouse, where the first two trials of Dred Scott v. Sandford were held in 1847 and 1850.

File:JewelBox2013.jpg is a greenhouse and event venue in Forest Park.]]

Other parks include the Missouri Botanical Garden, Tower Grove Park, Carondelet Park, and Citygarden. The Missouri Botanical Garden, a private garden and botanical research facility, is a National Historic Landmark and one of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States. The Garden features 79 acres of horticultural displays from around the world. This includes a Japanese strolling garden, Henry Shaw's original 1850 estate home and a geodesic dome called the Climatron. Immediately south of the Missouri Botanical Garden is Tower Grove Park, a gift to the city by Henry Shaw. Citygarden is an urban sculpture park located in downtown St. Louis, with art from Fernand Léger, Aristide Maillol, Julian Opie, Tom Otterness, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Mark di Suvero.Tim Bryant, "[https://archive.today/20090704020513/http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/building-blocks/uncategorized/2009/07/citygarden-an-immediate-hit-with-visitors/ Citygarden an immediate hit with visitors]." St. Louis Post-Dispatch. July 1, 2009.David Bonetti, "[https://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/visualarts/story/EFB03D819B8415B7862575E2000ACAB1?OpenDocument Spectacular Citygarden is opening on schedule in St. Louis] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701021430/http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/visualarts/story/EFB03D819B8415B7862575E2000ACAB1?OpenDocument |date=July 1, 2009}}", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 28, 2009. The park is divided into three sections, each of which represent a different theme: river bluffs; flood plains; and urban gardens. Another downtown sculpture park is the Serra Sculpture Park, with the 1982 Richard Serra sculpture Twain.[http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov//parks/parks_div/serra.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623155228/http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov//parks/parks_div/serra.html|date=June 23, 2011}}

St. Louis is one of the 41 independent cities in the U.S. that does not legally belong to any county.{{Cite web|url=http://www.itl.nist.gov/fipspubs/fip6-4.htm|title=Counties and Equivalent Entities of the United States, Its Possessions, and Associated Areas; Change Notice No. 7|access-date=May 27, 2006|year=2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929074056/http://www.itl.nist.gov/fipspubs/fip6-4.htm|archive-date=September 29, 2013|url-status=dead}} St. Louis has a strong mayor–council government with legislative authority and oversight vested in the Board of Aldermen and with executive authority in the mayor and six other elected officials.{{cite web |url=http://stlouis-mo.gov/government/elected-officials.cfm |title=City of St. Louis Elected Officials |publisher=Stlouis-mo.gov |date=July 8, 2010 |access-date=March 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406092135/http://stlouis-mo.gov/government/elected-officials.cfm |archive-date=April 6, 2012 |url-status=live }} The Board of Aldermen is made up of 14 members (one elected from each of the city's wards) plus a board president who is elected citywide.[http://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/aldermen/about/index.cfm Guide to the Board of Aldermen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028005547/http://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/aldermen/about/index.cfm |date=October 28, 2013}}, StLouis-mo.gov The 2014 fiscal year budget topped $1 billion for the first time, a 1.9% increase over the $985.2 million budget in 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/morning_call/2014/07/citys-budget-tops-1-billion-for-first-time.html |title=City's budget tops $1 billion for first time |work=Business Journal |date=July 1, 2014 |access-date=July 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714235017/http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/morning_call/2014/07/citys-budget-tops-1-billion-for-first-time.html |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |url-status=live}} 238,253 registered voters lived in the city in 2012,{{cite web |url=http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/registeredvoters.asp?rvmID=0012 |title=SoS, Missouri – Elections: Registered Voters in Missouri 2012 |publisher=Sos.mo.gov |access-date=November 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025023240/http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/registeredvoters.asp?rvmID=0012 |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |url-status=live}} down from 239,247 in 2010, and 257,442 in 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/registeredvoters.asp?rvmID=0008 |title=SoS, Missouri – Elections: Registered Voters in Missouri 2008 |publisher=Sos.mo.gov |access-date=April 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111116213949/http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/registeredvoters.asp?rvmID=0008 |archive-date=November 16, 2011 |url-status=live}}

File:Alderwoman Cara Spencer.jpg

The mayor is the chief executive officer of the city and is responsible for appointing city department heads including; the director of public safety, the director of streets & traffic, the director of health, the director of human services, the director of the airport, the director of parks & recreation, the director of workforce development, the director of the Community Development Agency, the director of economic development, the director of public utilities, the director of the Civil Rights Enforcement Agency, the register, and the assessor, among other department-level or senior administrative positions. The President of the Board of Aldermen is the second highest-ranking official in the city. The President is the presiding officer of the Board of Aldermen which is the legislative branch of government of the city.

Municipal elections in St. Louis are held in odd-numbered years, with the primary elections in March and the general election in April. The mayor is elected in odd-numbered years following the United States presidential election using a top-two approval voting primary.{{cite news |last=Schlinkmann |first=Mark |date=2021-03-01 |title=St. Louis mayoral candidates, voters deal with new rules in Tuesday's primary |url=https://www.stltoday.com/life-entertainment/local/wellness/st-louis-mayoral-candidates-voters-deal-with-new-rules-in-tuesday-s-primary/article_4335d64e-7dc2-5f6b-832e-d02edc54477b.html |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |location=St. Louis |access-date=2024-05-24}} The aldermen representing odd-numbered wards are up for election at the same time as the mayor. The president of the board of aldermen and the aldermen from even-numbered wards are elected in the off-years. The Democratic Party has dominated St. Louis city politics for decades. The city has not had a Republican mayor since 1949, and the last time a Republican was elected to another citywide office was in the 1970s. {{as of|2015}}, all 28 of the city's aldermen are Democrats.{{cite web|url=http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/2015/05/first-time-all-28-aldermen-are-democrats/|title=First Time All 28 Aldermen Are Democrats – UrbanReview - ST LOUIS|website=webcache.googleusercontent.com|access-date=December 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616121145/http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3AN5ob6C_jyuAJ%3Awww.urbanreviewstl.com%2F2015%2F05%2Ffirst-time-all-28-aldermen-are-democrats%2F+&ct=clnk&gl=us|archive-date=June 16, 2019|url-status=live}}

Forty-eight individuals have held the office of mayor of St. Louis, four of whom—William Carr Lane, John Fletcher Darby, John Wimer, and John How—served non-consecutive terms. The most terms served by a mayor was by Lane, who served 8 full terms plus the unexpired term of Darby. The current mayor is Cara Spencer, who took office on April 15, 2025. She is the city's third consecutive female mayor. Her predecessor Tishaura Jones who took office April 20, 2021, was the first African-American woman to hold the post. Jones succeeded Lyda Krewson, the first female mayor of the city, who retired in 2021 after serving for four years. The longest-serving mayor was Francis Slay, who took office April 17, 2001, and left office April 18, 2017, a total of 16 years and six days over four terms in office. The shortest-serving mayor was Arthur Barret, who died 11 days after taking office.

Although St. Louis separated from St. Louis County in 1876, some mechanisms have been put in place for joint funding management and funding of regional assets. The St. Louis Zoo-Museum district collects property taxes from residents of both St. Louis City and County, and the funds are used to support cultural institutions including the St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Art Museum and the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Similarly, the Metropolitan Sewer District provides sanitary and storm sewer service to the city and much of St. Louis County. The Bi-State Development Agency (now known as Metro) runs the region's MetroLink light rail system and bus system.

{{Infobox law enforcement agency

| agencyname = St. Louis City Sheriff's Department

| commonname =

| abbreviation = STL-SO

| patch =

| badge = STLCSO.jpg

| patchcaption = The current patch of the St. Louis City Sheriff's Office

| motto = Professionalism, Honesty, Integrity, and Courage

| mottotranslated =

| formedyear = 1876

| preceding1 =

| employees = 216

| budget = US$11,972,997.00 [FY 2025]{{cite web |url= https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/budget/documents/upload/FY2025-AOP-Judicial-Offices.pdf |title=Public Safety: Annual Operating Plan |publisher=Board of Aldermen |page=3 |date= July 9, 2024 |accessdate= July 9, 2024 |archive-date=November 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113010659/https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/budget/documents/upload/FY20-AOP-Courts.pdf |url-status=live}}

| legaljuris = St. Louis, Missouri

| governingbody = 22nd Judicial Circuit

| constitution1 =

| police =

| local =

| headquarters = Civil Courts Building, 10 N Tucker Blvd 8th Floor, St. Louis, MO 63101

| sworntype = Deputies

| sworn = 165

| unsworntype = Corrections and Civilian

| unsworn =

| electeetype =

| minister1name =

| minister1pfo =

| minister4name =

| minister4pfo =

| minister5name =

| minister5pfo =

| chief1name = Alfred Montgomery (D)

| chief1position = Sheriff

| chief2name =

| chief2position =

| chief3name =

| chief3position =

| chief4name =

| chief4position =

| chief5name =

| chief5position =

| chief6name =

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| parentagency = Board of Aldermen's Committee on Public Safety, 22nd Judicial Circuit

| child1agency =

| lockuptype = Justice Center

| lockups = St. Louis City Justice Center, 200 S. Tucker Blvd, St. Louis, Missouri

| vehicle1type = Marked and Unmarked

| vehicles1 = Ford Transport Vans, Chevrolet Transport Vans, Ford Police Interceptor

| boat1type =

| boats1 =

| aircraft1type =

| aircraft1 = 0

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| unittype = Division

| unitname = {{collapsible list |title=5 | Civil Process Information |Court Information | Land Tax Sales | Conceal and Carry Firearm Permit| Sheriff's Office Events | Eviction Procedures and Policy | Courtroom Security

| stationtype =

| stations =

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| website = https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/sheriff/index.cfm / Sheriff's Office - City of St. Louis official website]

}}

}}

The City of St. Louis Sheriff's Office (STLSO or STLCSO) primarily provides security services for the courtrooms, and serves court documents and issues gun carry permits. In 2022, it gained the ability to make arrests and traffic stops.{{Cite web |last1=S |first1=Nicole |last2=ers |title=New certification to allow St. Louis City deputies to make arrests, traffic stops |url=https://www.kmov.com/2022/05/24/new-certification-allow-st-louis-city-deputies-make-arrests-traffic-stops/ |access-date=2022-11-13 |website=KMOV |date=May 24, 2022 |language=en |archive-date=November 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113010653/https://www.kmov.com/2022/05/24/new-certification-allow-st-louis-city-deputies-make-arrests-traffic-stops/ |url-status=live}}

{{PresHead|place=St. Louis, Missouri|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=October 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|archive-date=March 23, 2018|url-status=live}}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|19,342|94,458|3,179|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|21,474|110,089|2,809|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|20,832|104,235|7,420|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|22,943|118,780|2,343|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|24,662|132,925|1,517|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|27,793|116,133|712|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|24,799|96,557|3,396|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|22,121|91,233|8,649|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|25,441|102,356|19,607|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|40,906|110,076|732|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|61,020|112,318|0|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|50,333|113,697|6,721|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|58,367|118,703|2,714|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1972|Democratic|72,402|119,817|0|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|58,252|143,010|19,652|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|59,604|207,958|0|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|101,331|202,319|0|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|130,045|202,210|0|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|144,828|235,893|427|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|120,656|220,654|2,460|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|134,411|204,687|821|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|168,165|233,338|948|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|127,887|260,063|8,880|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|123,448|226,338|7,319|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|161,701|176,428|1,065|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1924|Republican|139,433|95,888|29,276|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1920|Republican|163,280|106,047|13,325|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1916|Republican|83,798|74,059|4,175|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|46,509|58,845|34,973|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1908|Republican|74,160|60,917|5,473|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1904|Republican|57,547|51,858|6,387|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1900|Republican|60,597|59,931|4,046|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1896|Republican|65,708|50,091|1,197|Missouri}}

{{PresRow|1892|Republican|35,528|34,669|942|Missouri}}

{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|33,656|27,401|1,969|Missouri}}

St. Louis is split between 8 districts in the Missouri House of Representatives: the 76th, 77th, 78th, 79th, 80th, 81st, 82nd, and 84th districts.{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Maps/StatewideHouseMap(FilingOnly).pdf|title=Statewide House Map|publisher=Missouri Secretary of State|date=January 21, 2022|access-date=August 9, 2023|archive-date=August 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810232028/https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Maps/StatewideHouseMap(FilingOnly).pdf|url-status=live}} The 5th Missouri Senate district is entirely within the city, while the 4th is shared with St. Louis County.{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Maps//2022JRCStatewideSenateDistrictMap.pdf|title=Statewide Senate Map|publisher=Missouri Secretary of State|date=Mar 15, 2022|accessdate=August 9, 2023|archive-date=March 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307011319/https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections//Maps//2022JRCStatewideSenateDistrictMap.pdf|url-status=live}}

At the federal level, St. Louis is the heart of {{ushr|MO|1}}, which also includes part of northern St. Louis County.{{cite web |url=http://www.mdn.org/2012/DATA/MAPS/ |title=Missouri's New Congressional District Maps |publisher=Missouri Digital News |access-date=January 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121226002316/http://www.mdn.org/2012/DATA/MAPS/ |archive-date=December 26, 2012 |url-status=live }} A Republican has not represented a significant portion of St. Louis in the U.S. House since 1953. The city shifted from Republican voting to a Democratic stronghold at the presidential level since 1928. George H. W. Bush in 1988 was the most recent Republican to win even a quarter of the city's votes in a presidential election.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri are based in the Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse in downtown St. Louis. St. Louis is also home to a Federal Reserve System branch, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) also maintains major facilities in the St. Louis area.{{cite web|title=Who We Are |publisher=National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency |date=August 4, 2008 |url=https://www1.nga.mil/About/WhoWeAre/Pages/default.aspx |access-date=January 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226234207/http://www1.nga.mil/ABOUT/WHOWEARE/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=February 26, 2009}}

{{Main|Education in St. Louis}}

{{for|education in the region|Education in Greater St. Louis}}

File:WUBrookings.JPG is at Washington University in St. Louis.]]

The city is home to three national research universities, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis, as classified under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has been ranked among the top 10 medical schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report for as long as the list has been published, and as high as second, in 2003 and 2004. U.S. News & World Report also ranks the undergraduate school and other graduate schools, such as the Washington University School of Law, in the top 20 in the nation.{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis-2520 |title=Overview of Washington University in St. Louis |work=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=December 19, 2019 |archive-date=July 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190704014936/https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis-2520 |url-status=live}}

St. Louis Metropolitan Region is home to St. Louis Community College. It is also home to several other four-year colleges & universities, including Harris–Stowe State University, a historically black public university, Webster University, Missouri Baptist University, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy (the former Saint Louis College of Pharmacy), Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE), and Lindenwood University.

In addition to Catholic theological institutions such as Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and Aquinas Institute of Theology sponsored by the Order of Preachers, St. Louis is home to three Protestant seminaries: Eden Theological Seminary of the United Church of Christ, Covenant Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America, and Concordia Seminary of the St. Louis-based Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

File:SLUH.JPG was founded in 1818. Its current building was built in 1924.]]

The St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS), which covers the entire city,{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29510_st_louis/DC20SD_C29510.pdf|title=2020 census - school district reference map: St. Louis city, MO|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=July 22, 2022|archive-date=July 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722203746/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29510_st_louis/DC20SD_C29510.pdf|url-status=live}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29510_st_louis/DC20SD_C29510_SD2MS.txt Text list] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722203641/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29510_st_louis/DC20SD_C29510_SD2MS.txt |date=July 22, 2022 }} operates more than 75 schools, attended by more than 25,000 students, including several magnet schools. Since 2017, SLPS operates under full accreditation from the state of Missouri, having previously lost its accreditation in 2007.{{Cite web |title=Accreditation / Timeline |url=https://www.slps.org/domain/10182 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250416211303/https://www.slps.org/domain/10182 |archive-date=2025-04-16 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=www.slps.org |language=en}} The Board of Education of the city of St. Louis oversees the district.{{Cite web |title=Board of Education of the City of St. Louis / About the Board |url=https://www.slps.org/Page/30737 |archive-url=https://archive.ph/4pp2T |archive-date=2025-04-16 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=www.slps.org |language=en}} Since 2000, charter schools have operated in the city of St. Louis using authorization from Missouri state law. These schools are sponsored by local institutions or corporations and take in students from kindergarten through high school.{{cite web |url=http://www.slps.org/ |title=Slps.org |publisher=Slps.org |access-date=March 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501181951/http://www.slps.org/ |archive-date=May 1, 2009 |url-status=live }} In addition, several private schools exist in the city, and the Archdiocese of St. Louis operates dozens of parochial schools in the city, including parochial high schools. The city also has several private high schools, including secular, Montessori, Catholic and Lutheran schools. St. Louis University High School – a Jesuit preparatory high school founded in 1818 – is the oldest secondary educational institution in the U.S. west of the Mississippi River.{{cite web|url=https://www.sluh.org/about/history|title=Private Catholic School - Chesterfield - History|website=Sluh.org|access-date=January 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118043309/https://www.sluh.org/about/history|archive-date=January 18, 2017|url-status=live}} The state-operated K-12 boarding school Missouri School for the Blind is in St. Louis.

{{main|Media in St. Louis}}

File:St._Louis_Post-Dispatch_headquarters.JPG building is in downtown St. Louis.]]

Greater St. Louis commands the 24th-largest media market in the United States.{{Cite web |title=Nielsen Media Research Television Markets listed numerically courtesy of the Master Station Index at TVJobs.com |url=https://www.tvjobs.com/cgi-bin/markets/market2.cgi |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=www.tvjobs.com |archive-date=November 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127133747/https://www.tvjobs.com/cgi-bin/markets/market2.cgi |url-status=dead }} All of the major U.S. television networks have affiliates in St. Louis, including KTVI 2 (Fox), KMOV 4 (CBS, with MyNetworkTV on channel 32.1), KSDK 5 (NBC), KETC 9 (PBS), KPLR-TV 11 (The CW), KNLC 24 (MeTV), KDNL 30 (ABC), WRBU 46 (Ion), and WPXS 51 Daystar Television Network. Among the area's most popular radio stations are KMOX (AM sports and talk, notable as the longtime flagship station for St. Louis Cardinals broadcasts), KLOU (FM oldies), WIL-FM (FM country), WARH (FM adult hits), and KSLZ (FM Top 40 mainstream).Arbitron (June 2011). St. Louis also supports public radio's KWMU, an NPR affiliate, and community radio's KDHX. All-sports stations, such as KFNS 590 AM "The Fan" and WXOS "101.1 ESPN" are also popular. KSHE 95 FM "Real Rock Radio" has broadcast rock music since November 1967 - longer than any other radio station in the United States.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the region's major newspaper. Others in the region include Ladue News, West Newsmagazine, the Webster-Kirkwood Times, and the Call Newspapers which all serve parts of St. Louis County. Three weeklies serve the African-American community: the St. Louis Argus, the St. Louis American, and the St. Louis Sentinel. St. Louis Magazine, a monthly magazine, covers topics such as local history, cuisine, and lifestyles, while the weekly St. Louis Business Journal provides coverage of regional business news. St. Louis was served by an online newspaper, the St. Louis Beacon, but that publication merged with KWMU in 2013.[https://www.stlbeacon.org/#!/coverpage] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720014459/http://stlbeacon.org/|date=July 20, 2013}} The primary alternative newspaper was the Riverfront Times before it was closed in 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-22 |title=Riverfront Times sale and layoff of news staff signals end of 46-year era for St. Louis alt-weekly |url=https://www.stlpr.org/2024-05-22/rft-sold-riverfront-times-rip-alt-weekly-staff-laid-off |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=STLPR |language=en}}

Many books and movies have been written about St. Louis. A few of the most influential and prominent films are Meet Me in St. Louis and American Flyers,{{cite web|last1=Tucker|first1=Justin|title=Top 10 Films Set (or Partially Set) in St. Louis|url=http://insidestl.com/top-10-films-set-or-partially-set-in-st-louis|website=Inside St. Louis|access-date=April 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508171915/http://insidestl.com/top-10-films-set-or-partially-set-in-st-louis|archive-date=May 8, 2016|url-status=live}} and novels include The Killing Dance, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Runaway Soul, The Rose of Old St. Louis, and Circus of the Damned.

Because St. Louis was a prime location for immigrants to move to, much of the early social work depicting immigrant life was based on St. Louis, such as in the book The Immigrant in St. Louis.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{See also|Transportation in Greater St. Louis}}

File:St. Louis, MO.jpg crosses the Mississippi in Downtown St. Louis.]]

Road, rail, ship, and air transportation modes connect the city with surrounding communities in Greater St. Louis, national transportation networks, and international locations. St. Louis also supports a public transportation network that includes bus and light rail service.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{see also|Streets of St. Louis}}

Four interstate highways connect the city to a larger regional highway system. Interstate 70, an east–west highway, runs from the northwest corner of the city to downtown St. Louis. The north–south Interstate 55 enters the city at the south near the Carondelet neighborhood and runs toward the center of the city, and both Interstate 64 and Interstate 44 enter the city on the west, running parallel to the east. Two of the four interstates (Interstates 55 and 64) merge south of Gateway Arch National Park and leave the city on the Poplar Street Bridge into Illinois, while Interstate 44 terminates at Interstate 70 at its new interchange near N Broadway and Cass Ave. A small portion of the Interstate 270 outer belt freeway runs through the northern end of the city.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

The 563-mile Avenue of the Saints links St. Louis with St. Paul, Minnesota.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Major roadways include the north–south Memorial Drive, located on the western edge of Gateway Arch National Park and parallel to Interstate 70, the north–south streets of Grand Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue, both of which run the length of the city, and Gravois Road, which runs from the southeastern portion of the city to downtown and used to be signed as U.S. Route 66. An east-west roadway that connects the city with surrounding communities is Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, which carries traffic from the western edge of the city to downtown.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

{{Main|MetroLink (St. Louis)|l1=MetroLink}}

File:St Louis Metrolink train.jpg Red Line train leaves St. Louis Union Station.]]

File:University City-Big Bend MetroLink station.jpg

File:MetroLink map Oct2008.svg

The St. Louis metropolitan area is served by MetroLink (known as Metro) and is the 11th-largest light rail system in the country with {{convert|46|mi|abbr=on}} of double track light rail. The Red Line and The Blue Line both serve all the stations in the inner city, and branch to different destinations beyond in the suburban areas. Both lines enter the city north of Forest Park on the western edge of the city or on the Eads Bridge in downtown St. Louis to Illinois. All of the system track is in independent right of way, with both surface level and underground subway track in the city. All stations are independent entry, and all platforms are flush-level with trains. Rail service is provided by the Bi-State Development Agency (also known as Metro), which is funded by a sales taxes levied in the city and other counties in the region.{{cite web|url=http://www.metrostlouis.org/InsideMetro/QuickFacts/metrolink.asp |title=Metro – Inside MetroLink |publisher=Metro |access-date=October 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911065930/http://www.metrostlouis.org/InsideMetro/QuickFacts/metrolink.asp |archive-date=September 11, 2008}} The Gateway Multimodal Transportation Center acts as the hub station in the city of St. Louis, linking the city's light rail system, local bus system, passenger rail service, and national bus service. It is located just east of the historic grand St. Louis Union Station.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

File:Western Perspective of St. Louis Lambert International Airport T1.jpg

St. Louis is served by two passenger airports. St. Louis Lambert International Airport, owned and operated by the City of St. Louis, is 11 miles northwest of downtown along highway I-70 between I-170 and I-270 in St. Louis County. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state. In 2016, when the airport had more than 255 daily departures to about 90 domestic and international locations, it served more than 15 million passengers.{{cite web|url=http://www.flystl.com|title=Lambert – St. Louis International Airport > Home - View_Blog|website=Flystl.com|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811060429/https://www.flystl.com/|archive-date=August 11, 2017|url-status=live}} The airport serves as a focus hub city for Southwest Airlines; it was once a hub for Trans World Airlines and a focus-city for American Airlines and AmericanConnection. The airport has two terminals with a total of five concourses. International flights and passengers use Terminal 2, whose lower level holds the Immigration and Customs gates. Passengers can move between the terminals on complimentary buses that run continuously, or via MetroLink for a fee. It was possible to walk between the terminals until Concourse D was closed in 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.travelpulse.com/st-louis-airport-reopens-one-concourse-remains-closed.html|title=St. Louis Airport Reopens, One Concourse Remains Closed|date=April 25, 2011|work=Travelpulse.com|access-date=November 22, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324031349/http://www.travelpulse.com/st-louis-airport-reopens-one-concourse-remains-closed.html|archive-date=March 24, 2012|url-status=live}}

MidAmerica St. Louis Airport is the secondary passenger airport serving the metropolitan area. Located 17 miles east of the city downtown core, the airport serves domestic passengers. Air cargo transportation is available at Lambert International and at other nearby regional airports, including MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, Spirit of St. Louis Airport, and St. Louis Downtown Airport.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

River transportation is available through the Port of St. Louis, which is 19.3 miles of riverbank on the Mississippi River that handles more than 32 million tons of freight annually. The Port is the second largest inland port by trip-ton miles, and the third largest by tonnage in the United States, with more than 100 docks for barges and 16 public terminals on the river.{{cite web |url=https://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/sldc/slpa/ |title=St. Louis Port Authority |publisher=Stlouis-mo.gov |date=April 16, 2013 |access-date=February 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221200627/https://stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/sldc/slpa/ |archive-date=February 21, 2014 |url-status=live}} The Port Authority added two new small fire and rescue craft in 2012 and 2013.

{{main|Transportation in St. Louis#Railroad Service}}

File:Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis Freight Train.jpg freight train passes under the Hampton Avenue viaduct.]]

Inter-city rail passenger train service in the city is provided by Amtrak at the Gateway Multimodal Transportation Center downtown. Amtrak trains terminating in the city include the Lincoln Service to Chicago and the Missouri River Runner to Kansas City, Missouri. St. Louis is an intermediate stop on the Texas Eagle route which provides long-distance passenger service between Chicago, San Antonio, and three days a week, to Los Angeles.amtrak.com

St. Louis is the nation's third largest freight rail hub, moving Missouri exports such as fertilizer, gravel, crushed stone, prepared foodstuffs, fats, oils, nonmetallic mineral products, grain, alcohol, tobacco products, automobiles, and automobile parts.{{cite web |url=http://www.missourieconomy.org/pdfs/rail.pdf |title=Rail Freight |last=Brite |first=Tony |publisher=Missouri Economic Research and Information Center |access-date=January 28, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629024300/http://www.missourieconomy.org/pdfs/rail.pdf |archive-date=June 29, 2014 |df=mdy-all}} Freight rail service in St. Louis is provided on tracks owned by Union Pacific Railroad, Norfolk Southern Railway, Foster Townsend Rail Logistics – formerly Manufacturers Railway (St. Louis), Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis, Affton Trucking,{{cite web|url=http://www.afftontrucking.com|title=Affton Trucking|website=Afftontrucking.com|access-date=August 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802103355/http://www.afftontrucking.com/|archive-date=August 2, 2017|url-status=live}} and the BNSF Railway.

The Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (reporting mark: TRRA) is a switching and terminal railroad jointly owned by all the major rail carriers in St. Louis. The company operates 30 diesel-electric locomotives to move railcars around the classification yards, deliver railcars to local industries, and ready trains for departure.{{cite web |url=http://www.terminalrailroad.com/About/TRRAHistory.aspx |title=TRRA History |publisher=Terminalrailroad.com |access-date=February 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202102733/http://www.terminalrailroad.com/About/TRRAHistory.aspx |archive-date=February 2, 2014 |url-status=live}} The TRRA processes and dispatches a significant portion of railroad traffic moving through the city and owns and operates a network of rail bridges and tunnels including the MacArthur Bridge (St. Louis) and the Merchants Bridge.{{cite web |url=http://www.terminalrailroad.com |title=TRRA Home |publisher=Terminalrailroad.com |access-date=February 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201174355/http://www.terminalrailroad.com/ |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |url-status=live}} This infrastructure is also used by inter-city rail and long-distance passenger trains serving St. Louis.

{{main|MetroBus (St. Louis)|l1=MetroBus}}

File:MetroBus at St Louis Science Center.jpg

Local bus service in the city of St. Louis is provided by the Bi-State Development Agency via MetroBus, with more than 75 routes connecting to MetroLink light rail transit and stops in the city and region. The city is also served by Madison County Transit, which connects downtown St. Louis to Madison County, Illinois. National bus service in the city is offered by Greyhound Lines, Burlington Trailways and Amtrak Thruway, with a station at the Gateway Transportation Center, and Megabus, with a stop at St. Louis Union Station.

Taxicab service in the city is provided by private companies regulated by the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission. Rates vary by vehicle type, size, passengers and distance, and by regulation all taxicab fares must be calculated using a taximeter and be payable in cash or credit card.{{cite web |url=http://www.stl-taxi.com/documents/VHC83WITHDIRECTORSRULESandallcurrentupdates37-7-11.pdf |title=Vehicle for Hire Code |access-date=July 17, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327191809/http://www.stl-taxi.com/documents/VHC83WITHDIRECTORSRULESandallcurrentupdates37-7-11.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2012 |df=mdy-all}} Solicitation by a driver is prohibited, although a taxicab may be hailed on the street or at a stand.

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{{Main category|People from St. Louis}}

{{Main list|List of people from St. Louis}}

St. Louis has 16 sister cities:{{cite web|url=https://worldtradecenter-stl.com/st-louis-sister-cities-program/|title=St. Louis Sister Cities|publisher=St. Louis Center for International Relations|access-date=March 24, 2022|url-status=live|df=mdy-all|archive-date=December 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217221246/https://worldtradecenter-stl.com/st-louis-sister-cities-program/}}

• Bologna, Italy
• Bogor, Indonesia
• Brčko, Brčko District, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Donegal, County Donegal, Ireland
• Galway, County Galway, Ireland
• Georgetown, Guyana
• Lyon, France
• Nanjing, China
• Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
• Saint-Louis, Senegal
• Samara, Russia
• San Luis Potosí, Mexico
• Stuttgart, Germany{{cite web|url=http://www.stuttgart.de/item/show/14673/1|title=Stuttgart Städtepartnerschaften|access-date=July 27, 2013|work=Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart, Abteilung Außenbeziehungen|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808023714/http://stuttgart.de/item/show/14673/1|archive-date=August 8, 2013|url-status=live}}
• Suwa, Japan
• Szczecin, Poland{{cite web|url=http://bip.um.szczecin.pl/UMSzczecinBIP/chapter_11296.asp|title=Kontakty partnerskie Miasta Szczecin|access-date=July 29, 2013|work=Urząd Miasta Szczecin|language=pl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818001351/http://bip.um.szczecin.pl/umszczecinbip/chapter_11296.asp|archive-date = August 18, 2012}}
• Wuhan, China

{{Div col |colwidth = 18em }}

• 1939 St. Louis smog
• Caves of St. Louis
• Cuisine of St. Louis
• Delmar Divide
• Downtown St. Louis
• Laclede's Landing, St. Louis
• Downtown West, St. Louis
• Great Flood of 1993
• Heat wave of 2006 derecho series
• History of the Jews in St. Louis
• LaClede Town
• LGBT culture in St. Louis
• List of mayors of St. Louis
• List of neighborhoods of St. Louis
• List of tallest buildings in St. Louis
• National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Louis (city, A–L), Missouri
• National Register of Historic Places listings in St. Louis (city, M-Z), Missouri
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis
• Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
• St. Louis Fire of 1849
• St. Louis in the Civil War
• List of Veiled Prophet Parade themes
• USS St. Louis, 7 ships

{{div col end}}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Further|History of St. Louis#Further reading}}

• Berger, Henry W. St. Louis and Empire: 250 Years of Imperial Quest and Urban Crisis. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2015.
• Ekberg, Carl J., and Sharon K. Person, St. Louis Rising: The French Regime of Louis St. Ange de Bellerive. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2015.
• Gordon, Colin. Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008. {{ISBN|9780812220940}}
• Primm, James Neal. Lion of the Valley: St. Louis, Missouri, 1764-1980 (1998) a major scholarly history [https://archive.org/details/lionofvalleystlo00prim online]

{{sister project links |collapsible=yes|voy = St. Louis }}

• {{official website|http://stlouis-mo.gov/government}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120606084615/http://www.stlrcga.org/ St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association]
• Historic maps of St. Louis in the [http://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A138981 Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection] at the University of Missouri

{{Geographic location

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|North = St. Louis County

|Northeast = Madison County, Illinois

|East = Mississippi River

|Southeast = St. Clair County, Illinois

|South = St. Louis County

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|West = St. Louis County

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{{St. Louis}}

{{St. Louis MSA}}

{{Stl neighborhoods}}

{{St. Louis Radio}}

{{St Louis TV}}

{{Missouri}}

{{Olympic Summer Games Host Cities}}

{{Midwestern United States}}

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Category:1764 in New France

Category:Cities in Greater St. Louis

Category:Cities in Missouri

Category:Former colonial and territorial capitals in the United States

Category:French colonial settlements of Illinois Country

Category:Independent cities in the United States

Category:Inland port cities and towns of the United States

Category:Missouri counties on the Mississippi River

Category:Missouri counties on the Missouri River

Category:Missouri populated places on the Mississippi River

Category:Populated places established in 1764

Category:Regions of Greater St. Louis

Category:Pre-statehood history of Missouri