St. Louis
In 1804, Lewis and Clark left St. Louis to begin their historic exploration of the newly acquired Louisiana Territory. Today, the city known as the "Gateway to the West" celebrates that heritage and continues to hold the promise of life ready to be discovered and fulfilled. Nestled securely on the west bank of the mighty Mississippi River, the City of St. Louis and surrounding areas offer those who choose to call it home, a unique opportunity to enjoy both urban amenities and a "hometown" lifestyle.
The City of St. Louis, along with Washington D.C., is the only other city in the nation that does not exist inside a county. From its origins as a fur-trading post established by French-Canadian trappers in 1764, St. Louis has grown into the transportation hub for the mid-West, financial center for the Central Mississippi River Valley and home to a variety of industries and employers including Monsanto, Ralston-Purina and Anheuser-Busch. Home to 27 distinct districts, the City of St. Louis is filled with hundreds of Victorian homes, many on the National Register of Historic Places and long-established neighborhoods with distinguished and charming residences. Restaurants offering the finest in domestic and ethnic cuisines, art galleries, coffee shops, florists, bakeries, a giant farmer's market, numerous jazz and blues clubs and a surprising amount of green space make living in-town a rich and rewarding experience.