Explore the history and resilience of downtown St. Louis, challenging negative perceptions and celebrating the city’s rich heritage and vibrant communities.
Based on historical records, just before the spectacular 1904 World’s Fair at Forest Park, St. Louis was a burgeoning city with a thriving riverfront trade and a growing population. At that time, the city’s residents of the past often viewed the rural areas of St. Louis County with disdain, preferring to distance themselves from the countryside. This attitude culminated in the separation known as the Great Divorce, which occurred in 1876, when the city of St. Louis officially broke away from the surrounding county.
History:
The City of St. Louis officially separated from St. Louis County in 1876 (becoming fully finalized in early 1877) after a contentious vote and recount. Known locally as the “Great Divorce,” this split made St. Louis an independent city entirely separate from any county jurisdiction.
Metropolitan St. Louis:
St. Louis, Missouri, is a city with a remarkable history and a personality all its own. Founded in 1764 by French fur traders Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau, St. Louis grew from a small settlement along the Mississippi River into a major center of transportation, commerce, manufacturing and culture.
Known as the “Gateway to the West,” St. Louis played an important role in the westward expansion of the United States. Today, that legacy is symbolized by the world-famous Gateway Arch, which rises 630 feet above the Mississippi River and welcomes visitors from around the world.
The St. Louis region is much larger than the city itself. The St. Louis metropolitan area stretches across eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois and includes numerous communities such as St. Charles, Chesterfield, Florissant, University City, Kirkwood, Belleville and Edwardsville. The metropolitan area is home to roughly 2.8 million people, making it one of the largest metropolitan regions in the Midwest.
St. Louis has also made an enormous contribution to American culture. It is famous for its blues and jazz traditions, St. Louis-style barbecue, toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake and St. Louis-style pizza. The region has produced legendary figures in music, sports, business and the arts, while institutions such as Forest Park, the Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Missouri History Museum contribute to the area’s cultural identity.
Sports are another important part of the region’s character. St. Louis has long been home to passionate fans of the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues and St. Louis CITY SC.
Although St. Louis has faced population loss, economic changes and neighborhood challenges over the decades, the metropolitan region remains an important economic and cultural center. Its historic neighborhoods, diverse communities, universities, medical institutions, corporations and growing redevelopment projects continue to shape its future.
St. Louis is more than a city—it is a metropolitan region with a deep past, a distinctive culture and a future that continues to evolve.
Missouri’s Golden City
Given all the praise for being Missouri’s second-largest city and the leading metropolitan area—with the biggest airport, media presence, and sports market—it’s interesting that many residents, especially in St. Louis County, harbor such strong negative feelings toward downtown. I believe the reasons are complex, but a significant factor is that the county and city leaders seem to be disconnected, almost as if they’re drinking from different cups, leading to a divide that fuels local frustrations.
Crime Stigma
They oppose any involvement with our city government. However, what they don’t realize is that if we join forces, we could eliminate the longstanding crime stigma that the last three mayors of St. Louis have struggled to erase.
It’s a gradual process, but since Tishaura Jones took office, there’s been a noticeable shift. When it comes to crime and downtown St. Louis, that’s the first concern raised by members of St. Louis County.
“I wouldn’t step foot downtown at night.” “You couldn’t pay me to go downtown St. Louis—too many bad things are happening.”
These all are some of the quotes that I see often in these Facebook groups.
Facebook and Disc Community Foundation
As an advocate for my city through the Disc Community Foundation, our media nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting tourism, we work diligently to foster a positive image of the city’s tourism scene. In addition, we have reached out to Explore St. Louis and the St. Louis Sports Commission.
However, they feel that some of the local stakeholders tend to favor ideas that flatter them or align closely with their specific interests, which can limit the diversity of initiatives they support.
Racism and Busch Stadium
I won’t be using racism as a factor here, but I’ll leave it to you to draw your own conclusions. On a different note, I could go on about the legendary fans who come to Busch Stadium from all over the country. They truly treat Busch Stadium and the nearby Ballpark Village like it’s “Ballpark Heaven.”
Merger of St. Louis City and St. Louis County
Local opposition and negative perceptions hinder downtown and Busch Stadium’s reputation, making a city-county merger unlikely. Many residents lack understanding of the benefits and potential of unification, risking legislation failure.
Additionally, rising crime in North City and viral political conflicts, including County Executive Page’s interest in relocating the County Seat from Clayton, further complicate efforts.
Public Opinions on the City-County Merger: Pros and Cons
Many residents are supportive of the proposed city-county merger, highlighting benefits like returning city governance to the county and elevating the city to the 10th largest in population. Supporters believe it would eliminate the “dangerous city limit” label and promote growth.
However, critics warn that the merger could drain county resources and exacerbate existing issues, citing concerns over St. Louis City’s government challenges. Others have expressed worries about rising downtown crime and city policies.
Why Merging the City and County of Wellston and Pagedale Makes Sense for Better Public Safety
One of the main reasons for proposing the merger between Wellston and Pagedale is to improve resource allocation and public safety. Currently, Why are there 15 police cars in Wellston and Pagedale? I observed two police vehicles parked at a liquor store, simply chatting, while the St. Louis City Police Department was engaged in a high-speed chase nearby.
With a combined population of over 8,000 residents, these small communities could better utilize their law enforcement resources by consolidating services. This would enhance police presence and response times where they’re needed most, rather than duplicating efforts across multiple jurisdictions.
The same logic applies to neighboring areas such as Riverview, which faces challenges with governance and corruption, as well as Glasgow Village, Belle Fountain Neighbors, Jennings, and Spanish Lake—small suburban towns that could benefit from annexation and increased police support through city consolidation.
In conclusion, I still stand on what I said, the people who are against the merger are listening to Taxi Driver’s theme music and drunk in a local bar. If you can’t see the advantage of this merger, then you need to go to alcoholic anonymous.
#StLouis #DowntownStLouis #CityPride #MissouriHistory #UrbanRenewal #CommunityStrong #LocalHeritage #StLouisCounty #CityVsSuburbs #ResilientCities
Senior Editor, Digital Manager, Blogger, has been nominated for awards several times as Publisher and Author over the years. Has been with company for almost three years and is a current native St. Louisan.
