The city of St. Louis, also known as the "Gateway to the West" or the "Gateway City," is located on the eastern border of Missouri at the Mississippi River. The city is named for King Louis IX of France. In 1678, LaSalle claimed the entire Mississippi River valley for France and named it Louisiana. Pierre Laclède de Liguest founded the area where St. Louis now sits as a fur trading post. The city came under the reign of French and then Spanish authorities until the transfer from France to the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
The City of St. Louis voted to split from St. Louis County on August 22, 1876. Prior to that date, the city and county both comprised the same land area. In 1896, St. Louis was hit by one of the nation's deadliest and most destructive tornadoes. The city responded to this destructive force and rebuilt. In 1904, St. Louis hosted its second World's Fair and the Olympic games. The 1904 Olympics was the first held in a United States city.
The St. Louis metropolitan area now has a population of almost 3,000,000 people. Its most recognizable feature, the Gateway Arch, was constructed between 1962 and 1965. St. Louis is the home of many of the country's largest businesses. Urban blight has taken its toll on St. Louis, much as it has other large cities across the United States. St. Louis has recently started revitalizing its downtown area and as a result the city is responding with new developments.
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