List of landmarks of St. Louis facts for kids

A picture of the Eads Bridge being built in 1870. It's a famous St. Louis Landmark!

A St. Louis Landmark is a special title given to important historic buildings and places in St. Louis, Missouri. The city's leaders, called the Board of Aldermen, decide which places get this title. These landmarks are chosen because they are important to the city's history, culture, or look.

Once a place is a landmark, it's protected. This means that if anyone wants to change it, even for small repairs or to tear it down, they need special permission from the St. Louis Preservation Board. This helps keep these important places safe for future generations. Many St. Louis Landmarks are also recognized by the U.S. government, which can help with money for their upkeep.

How Places Become Landmarks
National Recognition for Landmarks
Historic Districts in St. Louis
- Local Historic Districts
- Certified Local Historic Districts
Images for kids
See also

How Places Become Landmarks

The Mayor chooses eight people to be on the Preservation Board. This board suggests places that should become landmarks. Then, the Board of Aldermen votes on these suggestions.

People can ask the Preservation Board to consider a property. This can be the owner, a city leader, or the city's Cultural Resources Office. The board looks at several things to decide if a place is important enough to be a landmark:

Does it have a special history or cultural meaning for the city, state, or country?
Did an important historical event happen there?
Was it designed by a famous architect or artist who greatly influenced the area?
Does it have unique design, details, materials, or craftsmanship?
Is it a well-known and familiar part of a neighborhood or the city because of its location or look?
Are there important old artifacts found there, or are they likely to be found there?
Is it a piece of art in a public space?

However, some places are not under the Preservation Board's control. These include properties owned by the St. Louis Public Library, the St. Louis City Board of Education, the state of Missouri, or the United States government.

National Recognition for Landmarks

Some St. Louis Landmarks are so important that they also get a special title from the U.S. government: National Historic Landmark. This means they are very significant to the history of the entire country.

Many other St. Louis Landmarks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is another way the U.S. government recognizes and helps protect historic places.

It's interesting to know that not all St. Louis Landmarks are on the National Register, and not all national landmarks in St. Louis are city landmarks. For example, Gateway Arch National Park and Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site are very important national sites in St. Louis, but they are not listed as city landmarks.

Historic Districts in St. Louis

Besides individual buildings, St. Louis also has special areas called Historic Districts. These are neighborhoods or groups of buildings that are important together. The city has 18 of these districts. Eight of them are also "Certified Local Historic Districts," which means they meet certain national standards.