Landing gives a glimpse of St. Louis history

In 1763, Pierre Laclede, along with his 14-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.

The next year, Laclede selected a site below the union of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, along the bluffs that formed the west bank of the Mississippi River.

In 1784, the location was cleared and temporary cabins were built. Laclede named the settlement St. Louis in honor of the patron saint of the king of France. 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 St. 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.

The Landing is within walking distance from Busch Stadium, the Edward Jones Dome and The Gateway Arch.

Restaurants

As the name implies, The Drunken Fish is a great place for cocktails and sushi.

This Japanese eatery boasts arguably the best sushi in St. Louis, along with great music and a trendy atmosphere. For more of a quiet, family-friendly atmosphere, try the Old Spaghetti Factory.

This friendly restaurant features a homey atmosphere and delicious pasta dishes. For burgers, pizza, sandwiches and soups, try Joey B’s.

This restaurant is known as a great sports bar for after a Cardinals game. Stop in Hannegan’s Restaurant and Pub for an interesting atmosphere and great food.

The interior of Hannegan’s is modeled after the Senate dining room, with each booth having a plaque dedicated to a Senator who voted to repeal Prohibition.

The Royal Dumpe is the nation’s longest-running dinner theatre. Here, transport to Medieval times with pageantry and costumes.

Entertainment

At night, horse-drawn carriages and live music add to the atmosphere. Ride a replica of a 19th century steamboat on a Gateway Riverboat Cruise.

The steamboats depart frequently during the day from the levee below the Arch.

Additionally, there are specialty dinner cruises that offer stunning views of the city.

Choices include live music with explosive percussion on the St. Louis Fireworks Cruise, a vibrant band on the Blues Cruise and even a Lock-N-Dam Cruise for those curious to investigate how Missouri manipulates its river.

Or stay on shore and pedal along the river on the Riverfront Trail bike path, which passes through The Landing’s streets.

Attractions

A visit to St. Louis would not be complete without visiting the Arch.

Since 1965, when construction workers placed the final piece of steel at the apex of the Arch, over 25 million sightseers have journeyed to its top.

The Arch towers as the 630-foot tall gatekeeper to the Midwest, the tallest monument  in the United States and the fourth-most visited tourist attraction in the world.

Also, be sure to visit the Old Courthouse, which housed many pivotal Civil Rights cases especially during the Civil War.

Here, African American slave Dred Scott fought for his legal right to freedom; the first trials in his case occurred in 1847 and 1850.

Also at the Old Courthouse, Virginia Minor challenged the 14th amendment, which excluded women from voting.