Everyone knows St. Louis is famous for the Gateway Arch, but we have compiled a list of five things you didn’t know came from St. Louis.
Ice Cream Cones
Although created in New York in 1896, it was independently created at the World Fair in St. Louis in 1904. An ice cream vendor at the fair borrowed waffles from a vendor next to him, shaped them into a cone and the rest is history. Now we can enjoy portable sweets in an edible container!
Anheuser-Busch Brewery
Did you know that St. Louis is the home of the original Anheuser-Busch Brewery, one of the largest beer companies in the world? Started in the 1860s by German immigrants Eberhard Anheuser and Adolphus Busch, guests can tour the brewery and visit the Clydesdales in their 1885 stable! Next time you crack a cold one, you can thank St. Louis.
The 1904 Summer Olympics
The third modern Olympic games in history were originally supposed to be held in Chicago. However, it made the switch to St. Louis to coincide with the World Fair. The games looked quite different than they do now. Few of the world’s leading athletes participated, and attendance was low. Many exhibits were based around indigenous people and Native Americans participating in primitive competitions. Although it may not be the brightest moment in history, it led the way for modern games.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Louis and Clark embarked on a journey on May 14, 1804. They would travel across North America and back 8,000 miles to find the Northwest Passage. On their journey, they would discover 300 new plant and animal species, and compiled volumes of information on the soil, climate, and peoples of the newly acquired American territory. Did you know that this journey began in St. Louis, MO?
Americas First Public Kindergarten
It’s hard to imagine an America without public kindergarten. But before 1873 this was a reality. It wasn’t until a St. Louis local; Educator Susan Blow took an interest in German educational ideas. Particularly a school for young children originally called the Child Nurture and Activity Institute, later renamed the Kindergarten, or “Garden of Children.”
Book a stay at the Charles F. Knight Center to see more of St. Louis’s rich history!
