We had a list of things we wanted to do right downtown St. Louis so were delighted to hear of an RV park in the heart of the city. A slab of concrete with full hookups was exactly what we got, and worked out perfectly. The staff was friendly and the showers and laundry on site were clean. Since we have an RV (not a truck and trailer), and didn't tow a car, we were grateful Uber was up and running (just three weeks prior!). This was even faster (and in most cases cheaper) than public transportation. Every single driver was so interesting, adding stories and information that made our visit more complete.
A visit to the Arch felt necessary. The famous icon of St. Louis commemorates our nation's expansion west. It was built between 1963-1965 and is the largest single stainless steel structure in the world. Steve nerded out on the mad welding skilz on that project and we decided to the head to the top. The ride was a combination Ferris wheel, elevator and roller coaster pod that breezed us up. Honestly, the view was a little underwhelming, especially since the park ranger at the top was super grumpy. It's a view though, through windows 16inches high (since that's the largest window that can withstand the pressure of the arch angle!) and demands contemplation. What was that view like in 1803?!
At a bargain price, the Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States and opened up so many opportunities for trade and pioneering. Jefferson estimated that it might take 1,000 generations for (Anglo) Americans to fully migrate across the continent. It was less than 90 years. I can't think about this acquisition without considering how in growing our own country we displaced so many others, but that isn't what made it a controversial purchase. Many didn't think Jefferson had the constitutional authority to purchase land. The original plan was simply to purchase New Orleans from France, and secure the port for further trading, but Napolean was ready to sell more land to fund his battles, so threw in the huge piece of land for what would be equivalent to less than 42 cents an acre! In spite of its controversial beginnings, the purchase turned out to be one of Jeffersons most significant contributions to the United States.
The park pays tribute to the many cultures that make us America. Sadly, there was a LOT of construction going on and a big section was closed.
Visiting the Courthouse, also a part of the national park property, was a very moving experience. The building itself was incredible. Standing in the center of the dome, my voice could be heard three up to the third balcony! This was where many town meetings, elections, and slave auctions took place. An incredibly important in American history started in the old courthouse. Dred Scott and his wife Harriet were denied their freedom after eleven years of court battles that took place here. As slaves, their owner had traveled with them to free states. They argued that their time spent in those free states entitled then their freedom. They lost the court battle, but their case fired up abolitionist and brought slavery to the attention of the country.
Just three months following the courts denial of their freedom, their owner gave them emancipation.
If you know us, then you know how much we love the adventure of food, and that doesn't change when we travel. St. Louis has a reputation for BBQ so we figured we should try it out. Jackson wasn't feeling well, and after a day of adventuring it seemed unwise to eat out. The benefit of staying right in town allowed Steve to bike over to Pappy's Smokehouse and bring back a feast for us to eat at home.
Thanks to the good people of St. Louis most of the museums are free! We spent the afternoon at the Missouri History Museum, located in Forest Park, a city park larger than Central Park! The museum is built on the site of the original entrance to the Worlds Fair in 1904 (formally known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, celebrating the centennial of the purchase). The St Louis Worlds fair claims to have introduced the first ice cream cone and the hot dog bun. It also popularized peanut butter, iced tea cotton candy, and Dr. Pepper.
An exhibit on coffee peaked my interest. Originally from Seattle, I had not considered any association between St. Louis and coffee. A portion of the exhibit was on tour from Seattles own Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. The French had introduced coffee to St Louis in the 18th century, and today it continues to be a city in love with coffee. In 1920 the Gateway City was the home to 75 roasting companies! It's location and dedication to commerce made it a perfect city for a the coffee trade. Jackson was entertained by a series of commercials by Dana Brown of Safari Coffee, and Claire designed her own coffee logo.
Thanks to this coffee exhibit, we found fantastic coffe at Sump on our way out of town!
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