Discover the Gateway to Fun: Top 11 St. Louis Facts You Never Knew!

1. Brewery Tours and Clydesdales

Thirsty for a little history with your hops? Beer-lovers, prepare for a pilgrimage: The Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis, founded in 1852 by German immigrant Adolphus Busch, offers tours of the National Historic Landmark District where you can witness beer being made, packaged, and even catch a glimpse of the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales horsing around.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Population Peak in 19th Century

If there were a time-traveling census bureau, St. Louis would be grinning like a Mississippi riverboat gambler at its population peak: Once upon the mid-19th century, St. Louis was the fourth-largest city in America and even outshone New Orleans, thanks to its bustling trade and thriving port economy.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know Chicago's founding father, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, was a French-African explorer who transformed the city into the thriving metropolis it is today? Dive into the fascinating history of where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan. 🌊🏙️

=> Fun Facts about Chicago

3. Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse

In St. Louis, where Thomas Jefferson's dreams and Eero Saarinen's stainless steel fantasies collide in a glorious arching monument, visitors seeking to expand their horizons are met with equal doses of history and modern marvels: The 630-foot Gateway Arch, emblematic of westward expansion, shares its home at the Gateway Arch National Park with the Old Courthouse, the historic site of the mid-19th-century Dred Scott case championing civil rights, while serving as a shining piece of mid-20th-century Modern design, completed in 1965 for a cool $15 million.
Source => nps.gov

4. Birth of Toasted Ravioli

In a twist of culinary fate that would make even the clumsiest of Top Chefs proud, an inebriated cook stumbled upon the secret to indulging the taste buds of a whole city: Voilà, toasted ravioli was born! Legend says that Mama Campisi's restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri, is where a tipsy chef accidentally dropped a ravioli into the fryer, creating a gastronomical revelation that has since become a tasty St. Louis classic, with its origins hotly contested between Mama Campisi's and Angelo's restaurant in the city's Italian-American neighborhood, "The Hill."
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Chess Party Central

Who said chess couldn't be a party? St. Louis is the queen of the chess scene: This city is home to the World Chess Hall of Fame and the Saint Louis Chess Club, making it a national and international hotspot for chess enthusiasts of all skill levels to explore the game's history, impact on art and culture, and even partake in unique programs like Monthly Music Series, Toddler Tuesday, and Saturday Family Day.
Source => cwescene.com

6. Wild Harmony at the Zoo

What do you get when you throw lions, tigers, zebras, and giraffes together in a blender, press Liquefy, and let it sit for a while? No, not an entirely wild smoothie, but a picture-perfect day at the Saint Louis Zoo: Home to a majestic area called Red Rocks, visitors can observe predators and prey mingling amongst boulders, trees, and birds creating a beautiful portrayal of natural harmony, making this the ultimate St. Louis hotspot for your next weekend adventure.
Source => stlzoo.org

7. Sky-High Gateway Arch

Forget that magical beanstalk towering into the clouds, St. Louis has got something even better to abracadabra your skyward dreams come true: The Gateway Arch, which is the tallest national monument in the United States and the tallest stainless steel monument in the world! Standing at a jaw-dropping 630 feet, this city symbol was completed in 1965 to commemorate the United States' westward expansion. So, pack those legumes away and hop on a tram ride to the top for breathtaking, panoramic views of the city and the mighty Mississippi River.
Source => missourilife.com

8. St. Louis' Olympic History

Before Michael Phelps made waves, St. Louis was an Olympic heavyweight: Hosting the first-ever U.S. Olympiad in 1904, St. Louis has continued to nurture its Olympic legacy by organizing national Senior Olympics, State Games of America, U.S. Olympic Festivals, Olympic Trials, and torch relays, with the St. Louis Sports Commission striving to attract Olympic-related events and actively celebrating their Olympic heritage.
Source => stlsports.org

9. Square-Cut Pizza Rebellion

If you've ever thought that slicing a pizza into triangles was too mainstream, St. Louis has got a cheesy surprise waiting for you: Their signature pizza boasts a razor-thin crust, sliced into rebellious squares, and is smothered in a fusion of white cheddar, Swiss cheese, and smoked provolone known as Provel cheese.
Source => houseofnasheats.com

10. Ice Cream Cone Serendipity

In a twist only Ben and Jerry might have dreamed up, the humble beginnings of the ice cream cone were concocted in a moment of sweet serendipity: born at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, a Syrian concessionaire named Ernest A. Hamwi wrapped his waffle-like pastry around ice cream when a nearby vendor ran out of dishes, leading to the tasty treat's esteemed future and launch of specialized baking equipment for their mass-production.
Source => idfa.org

11. Ghostly Sightings Await

Next time you visit the Ghostbusters' vacation spot, St. Louis: Don't be surprised if you bump into a few specters wandering around! From the unnerving Lemp Mansion to the spine-chilling Zombie Road, visitors have encountered shadowy figures believed to be lost souls of orphan children, the eerie spirit of Della Hamilton McCullough – who met her end by a train in 1876, and the shivers-inducing "The Zombie Killer" looming in the shadows.
Source => moonrisehotel.com