St. Louis

St. Louis is an independent city and a major U.S. port in the state of Missouri, built along the western bank of the Mississippi River, which marks Missouri's border with Illinois. The city had an estimated 2018 population of 302,838 and is the cultural and economic center of the Greater St. Louis area, home to nearly 3,000,000 people, making it the largest metropolitan area in Missouri and the 19th-largest in the United States.

History

Prior to European settlement, the area was a major regional center of Native American Mississippian culture. The city of St. Louis was founded in 1764 by French fur traders Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau, and named after Louis IX of France. In 1803, the United States acquired the territory as part of the Louisiana Purchase. During the 19th century, St. Louis became a major port on the Mississippi River; at the time of the Civil War, it was the third-largest city in the Confederacy.

Economy

The economy of metropolitan St. Louis relies on service, manufacturing, trade, transportation of goods, and tourism. The city is home to several major corporations, including Anheuser-Busch, Express Scripts, Centene, Boeing Defense, Emerson, Energizer, Peabody Energy, Ameren, Post Holdings, Monsanto, Reinsurance Group of America, Edward Jones Investments, GoJet, Purina, and Sigma-Aldrich, nine of which are Fortune 500 companies.

Culture

St. Louis is known for its music and performing arts scenes. The Fox Theatre, St. Louis Symphony, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and St. Louis Metropolitan Opera are among the city's large venues for music and theater. St. Louis also boasts a number of popular tourist attractions such as the Gateway Arch, St. Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, and the St. Louis Art Museum.

Sports

St. Louis is home to two major league sports teams. The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball, while the St. Louis Blues are a popular National Hockey League team.

Education

St. Louis is home to three national research universities, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and University of Missouri–St. Louis. In addition to these, a number of other private and public institutions exist such as Webster University and Lindenwood University.

Also see

► Healthcare providers in Missouri

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