It’s no secret- we love St. Louis! It’s our hometown’s 250th year, so in celebration we decided to pull together a few of the fun St. Louis and Missouri facts and trivia that we found while reveling in the city we adore.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the nation’s second oldest symphony orchestra.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis features the largest collection of mosaics in the world- with 41 million pieces of tile!
Missouri is known as the “Show Me State”. The ‘Show Me State’ expression may have began in 1899 when Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver stated, “I’m from Missouri and you’ve got to show me.”
At the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, Richard Blechyden, served tea with ice and invented iced tea.
At the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, the ice cream cone was invented. An ice cream vendor ran out of cups and asked a waffle vendor to help by rolling up waffles to hold ice cream.
Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis, Missouri is the largest beer producing plant in the nation.
Many of the city’s main attractions are free. The Art Museum, The History Museum, and the Zoo are all free to the public.
President Harry S. Truman was born in Lamar, May 8, 1884.
The first train of the Atlantic-Pacific Railway, which became the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, or “Frisco,” arrived in 1870.
Saint Louis University received a formal charter from the state of Missouri in 1832, making it the oldest University west of the Mississippi.
St. Louis was the site of the demonic possession incident that inspired the book, and later the movie, “The Exorcist.”
Panera, originally called St. Louis Bread Company, was founded in St. Louis. In St. Louis it is still exclusively called the St. Louis Bread Company, or commonly “Bread Co.”
Daniel Boone lived longer in Missouri than in any other state and regarded Missouri as his home.
The first successful parachute jump to be made from a moving airplane was made by Captain Berry at St. Louis, in 1912.
The Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales were originally a gift from August Busch to his father marking the end of the prohibition.
St. Louis’ Old Courthouse features the first cast iron dome ever built.
St. Louis is also called, “The Gateway to the West” and “Home of the Blues.”
The soft drink Dr. Pepper was introduced at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. 7-Up also was invented in St. Louis.
St. Louis’ population today is just over 350,000 residents with the metro area populating 2.8 million.
The tallest monument built in the U.S., the Gateway Arch, in St. Louis, is 630 feet tall.
Creve Coeur’s name means broken heart in French, comes from nearby Creve Coeur Lake. Legend has it that an Indian princess fell in love with a French fur trapper, but the love was not returned. According to the story, she then leapt from a ledge overlooking Creve Coeur Lake; the lake then formed itself into a broken heart.
Did you know St. Louis was full of so much history? Whether you’re here for a short term stay, or you’re a St. Louis native, chances are you’ve experienced some of what makes St. Louis such a unique, historical city. Enjoy all of the amenities of your fully furnished apartment, but take some time to explore St. Louis during your stay! Which Missouri fact is your favorite? Be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
