Numbered streets of St facts for kids

The numbered streets of St. Louis, Missouri, are a special part of the city's layout. They begin near the Mississippi River and their numbers get higher as you travel west. You'll mostly find these streets in the Downtown area and the Downtown West neighborhood.

Exploring St. Louis's Numbered Streets

1st Street: A Path Near the Arch

1st Street is a street that has a few breaks in it. One big break is where the Gateway Arch National Park is located, home to the famous Gateway Arch.

South of the Arch, 1st Street starts at Poplar Street. It goes through the Kosiusko neighborhood until it reaches Victor Street, where it stops. It then starts again at Potomac Street and eventually changes into Gasconade Street. To the north, 1st Street runs from Washington Avenue up to North Market Street. This is a different street from the main Market Street downtown. 1st Street also appears briefly in the Near North Riverfront area before becoming Kissock Avenue.

3rd Street: Becoming Memorial Drive

In the 1930s, a part of 3rd Street that was next to the Gateway Arch National Park was changed. It became what is now known as Memorial Drive. North of Biddle Street, 3rd Street joins up with Broadway and continues all the way to the city limits.

5th Street: The Famous Broadway

5th Street is officially known as Broadway. This is one of the most important and well-known streets in St. Louis.

Broadway stretches far to the south, reaching Lemay in St. Louis County. There, it changes into Kingston Drive. To the north, Broadway meets 3rd Street and runs alongside it. It continues until Riverview Boulevard, where it then becomes Bellefontaine Road. As a major road, Broadway passes by several important places in the north, including O'Fallon Park, Bellefontaine Cemetery, and Calvary Cemetery.

12th Street: Now Tucker Boulevard

12th Street used to be called 12th Boulevard. Today, it is officially known as Tucker Boulevard. It was renamed after a former mayor of St. Louis, Raymond R. Tucker. This street is extra wide and acts as a border between the Downtown area and the Downtown West neighborhood.

17th Street: A Busy Spot

17th Street is known for a specific 7-11 convenience store that is located near the Plaza Square Apartments. Because it's the only convenience store in that area, many people walk there.

18th Street: Connecting Key Landmarks

18th Street in Downtown St. Louis.

18th Street in St. Louis, Missouri runs from north to south through the Downtown West area. Truman Parkway turns into 18th Street at Chouteau Avenue.

It continues north, passing over the Union MetroLink Station. It also runs between the St. Louis Post Office and Union Station. Further north, 18th Street goes through the Gateway Mall. Here, it separates the Mall's Neighborhood Room from Aloe Plaza. It then continues past the Salvation Army's Railton Building. 18th Street ends in Carr Square, where it meets O'Fallon Street.

22nd Street: Future Plans

22nd Street has a section near the I-64 highway that is currently broken. As part of a project by Paul McKee called the NorthSide project, this broken section is planned to be fixed and rebuilt. There are also plans for a large office building to be built there, connecting it to an expanded Gateway Mall.

23rd Street: An Irregular Path

23rd Street is a street that is not continuous. It is broken up in many different places. One of these breaks was caused by the site of the former Pruitt–Igoe housing complex.

24th Street: A Street That Disappeared

Over time, 24th Street has mostly disappeared from the city's layout.

25th Street: A New Appearance

25th Street appears north of downtown. It was created where Jefferson Avenue curves, making space for another road.

Images for kids

• 

  at dawn at 17th and Chestnut

• 

  at dawn at 18th and Market