Diamond Jubilee: LaClede's Landing, St. Louis

July 2021

All that remains of "Old St Louis" is the small neighborhood of LaClede's Landing down on the Mississippi. The area now is filled with shops and restaurants with a lovely path to walk along the river. It made me realize that St Louis is actually built far above the floodplain of the river (good choice), so it has escaped the ravages of flooding over the years.

The quest for founding the city of St. Louis began in 1763, when a French merchant named Pierre Laclède Liguest, who had a monopoly on all trade along the Missouri River, left New Orleans in search of a place to establish a trading post. After storing his supplies for the winter at Fort de Chartres near present Prairie du Rocher, Illinois, Laclede set out with Auguste Chouteau, his 14-year-old lieutenant, in pursuit of a site. Despite his original plan to establish a post near the mouth of the Missouri River, Laclede abandoned that idea after deeming the spot to be swampy marsh that frequently flooded. But just 20 miles downstream from the lowland, he came upon a bluff that rose almost 40 feet above the water, just downriver from the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. When Laclede and Chouteau scrambled up the bluff to survey the area, they saw a forest of huge trees. To the west was a vast prairie with many small streams, and the southern view provided more streams and bluffs. The men also noticed the village of Cahokia, just across the Mississippi. Laclede decided to establish his post there and put notches in a handful of trees before heading back to the winter camp. In early February 1764, after the icy river broke up enough to allow boat passage, Chouteau, accompanied by 30 men, returned to the bluff, with instructions from Laclede to clear the land of trees in order to build a trading post. With the felled trees, the crew constructed a warehouse and cabins. When Laclede visited in April to check on the progress, he gave the settlement the name “St. Louis” as a nod to King Louis IX of France. The 1763 Treaty of Paris surrendered all territory east of the Mississippi to the British. The French villagers in Illinois, not wanting to be forced under British rule, soon crossed the river to settle around Laclede’s trading post. By year’s end, St. Louis boasted a population of 40 families.

https://www.lacledeslanding.com/discover/history/

After such a great experience on the Gateway Mall and under the Gateway Arch, the last bits of Old St. Louis were a let down if only because of how little is left. The neighborhood forced me to consider how much had been lost to build the massive memorial to "Manifest Destiny" that I had, moments before, enjoyed so thoroughly. Although I loved the arch, its construction came at a price.

The area by the river provides excellent views of both the Arch and Ead's Bridge (19th century, still in use). It was my first time actually to stand on the banks of the Mississippi - all other visits had been "drive-by's". I was surprised how small the river is at that point yet supports a great deal of barge traffic. Judging from the banks, it was running very low, too.

I stopped in a place for a coffee and snack to have a rest - I had walked a lot. Most places were closed due to COVID. I felt grateful to find something open.

Overall, although small, LaClede's Landing was another highlight of the visit. St Louis had so much going for it....