Laclede's Landing just north of the Arch
by Greg Kluempers
Title
Laclede's Landing just north of the Arch
Artist
Greg Kluempers
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The building on the right side of the photo with the white front is called the Christian Peper Tabacco Building. It was built in 1874. It now houses The Spaghette Company, other commercial offices and apartments.
In 1763, a French merchant and former soldier of France named Pierre Laclede, along with his fourteen-year-old lieutenant Auguste Chouteau and a crew of 30, set out from New Orleans to explore the Illinois Country and establish a fur trading post. In 1764, Laclede chose the first elevated site below the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, along the terraced bluffs that formed the west bank of the Mississippi River, north of the River des Peres and south of the Missouri River. In 1784, the site was cleared and temporary cabins were built under the supervision of Auguste Chouteau. Pierre Laclede named the settlement St. Louis in honor of the patron saint of the king of France.
The village of St. Louis contained three long streets that ran parallel to the Mississippi River: La Grande Rue, now First Street; Rue de l'Eglise, now Second Street; and Rue des Granges, now Third Street and numerous short streets that crossed these, perpendicular to the river. Soon the village became the center of commerce with furs as the main source of exchange for goods.
Today, Laclede's Landing, a nine - block industrial area that once housed companies producing coffee, leather goods, mattresses, tobacco, whiskey, candy, and machinery for the barges, features some of the most distinctive restaurants and sidewalk cafes in Saint Louis. Visitors to Laclede's Landing can experience the charm of cobblestone streets and century old brick and cast iron façade buildings as they browse through specialty gift shops.
During the day, the historical district is also home to people who work at the many offices located on the edge of the Mississippi River. At night, horse-drawn carriages and live music add to the atmosphere of one of the premier entertainment areas in St. Louis. Nearby, sightseeing excursions and gaming boats offer additional choices for entertainment.
Uploaded
August 12th, 2013
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