Downtown St facts for kids

Template:Infobox St. Louis neighborhood

Downtown St. Louis is the main city center of St. Louis, Missouri. It's a busy place for tourism and fun, and it's a very important part of the larger St. Louis area. Downtown is bordered by Cole Street to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, Chouteau Avenue to the south, and Tucker Boulevard to the west. Many big companies have their main offices here, like Stifel Nicolaus, HOK, and Laclede Group.

History of Downtown St. Louis

How St. Louis Downtown Began

The story of Downtown St. Louis starts with the founding of the city itself. Pierre Laclede chose this spot on the bluffs next to the river. It was a great place for trade and travel. It was also high enough to avoid most floods and easy to defend. Laclede saw the downtown area as perfect for a busy fur trade with local Native American groups.

In the early days, Laclede was like the unofficial leader of St. Louis. Even though the settlement was named after King Louis IX of France, many people called it "Laclede Village." Laclede planned the city streets and helped build the first buildings.

Growth and Changes in Early St. Louis

Growth was slow at first. But things changed when France gave up its lands east of the Mississippi River to Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Many French people moved to St. Louis to avoid British rule. By 1776, St. Louis had 300 residents and almost 75 buildings. By 1804, the population grew to 900.

After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, many people from the United States moved to the village. As these newcomers set up an American style of government, French influence and language slowly faded. However, the main French trading families still held power.

St. Louis Becomes a Trading Hub

When steamboats arrived in 1817, St. Louis became a very important center for American trade. Goods could travel from the Gulf of Mexico all across the country using the big river system. By 1836, the city had 15,000 people. But it still didn't have basic things like banks, libraries, or public schools. Downtown streets were renamed after important American settlers.

By the mid-1800s, the downtown area became more about businesses than homes. More people started living in the western parts of the city. The main business areas were on Main Street (now First Street), Washington Avenue, and Walnut Street. The Great St. Louis Fire of 1849 destroyed much of this business district. But the city recovered and became a major trade center in the Midwest again.

Downtown Building Boom and Decline

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Downtown St. Louis saw a lot of new buildings go up. This was because businesses needed more space. Downtown was a very busy place for trade. But by the mid-1900s, the downtown area started to decline. Businesses moved west and to the suburbs.

During the 1970s, many old buildings were torn down to make parking lots. For example, in 2004, the historic St. Louis Century Building was demolished for a parking deck. Today, the main downtown area has shifted a bit south. But the historic downtown still exists. People are now working hard to save and appreciate the important old buildings in the area.

Universities in Downtown St. Louis

Both of St. Louis's major universities started in the downtown area. St. Louis University was founded in 1818. Its first classes were held in a rented stone house on Market Street. The university closed for a short time but reopened two years later. It grew a lot, building many new structures. The university moved to its current location in 1888.

Washington University was founded in 1853 as Eliot Seminary. It got its current name in 1857. The first school opened on its downtown campus at 17th Street and Washington Avenue in 1856. Like St. Louis University, Washington University later moved from downtown. It moved to its current campus in the west in 1904.

Downtown Renewal Efforts

After the 1950s, St. Louis, like many other American cities, faced challenges. Industries changed, jobs were lost, and many people moved to the suburbs. This led to economic decline and fewer people living in the city. Since the early 1990s, the city has worked to improve the downtown area. Over $4 billion was invested downtown between 1999 and 2006. Recently, the population has grown for the first time in 40 years. Many new homes and businesses are being built.

Government and Services

The United States Postal Service has its main St. Louis Post Office in Downtown St. Louis. You can find it at 1720 Market Street. Also, the St. Louis City Hall, where the city government works, is located downtown at 1200 Market Street.

Economy of Downtown St. Louis

One City Centre, which was once the main office for Trans World Airlines

Many well-known companies have their headquarters in Downtown St. Louis. The Hardee's chain restaurant company moved its main office here in 2001.

Other big companies like Nestlé Purina PetCare and Peabody Energy Corporation are also based in Downtown St. Louis. Ralcorp and its former company Post Foods have their main offices in the Bank of America Plaza downtown.

Before it joined with American Airlines, Trans World Airlines had its main office in One City Centre. The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis is also located downtown. It's a regional bank that helps manage money for the central United States.

Education in Downtown St. Louis

St. Louis Public Schools has its main offices in Downtown St. Louis. The St. Louis University School of Law (SLU LAW) moved from the main SLU campus to a new building on N. Tucker Boulevard in 2013. In 2015, Webster Groves-based Webster University opened a downtown campus on Olive Street.

Downtown St. Louis Population

In 2010, the people living in Downtown St. Louis were made up of different groups: