St. Louis Official Visitors Guide 2009

about St. Louis’ wild nightlife. Musical genius Scott Joplin brought his ragtime music to St. Louis in the late 1800s, and Joplin’s contemporary, W. C. Handy, wrote the “St. Louis Blues” while standing on the Mississippi Riverfront here, establishing a unique St. Louis sound that can be heard in area nightclubs today. Visitors can tour the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site for an in-depth look at the man, his music and African-American life in St. Louis at the turn of the 20th century. neighborhood or by visiting the Ville Monument, which pays tribute to the neighborhood’s famous sons and daughters. The story of Native Americans in St. Louis begins before the arrival of explorers and pioneers, when the region was home to an enormous city that thrived from A.D. 700 until sometime after A.D. 1300. Today at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and Interpretive Center, visitors can enter the world of the Mound builders within sight of the Gateway Festival of Nations For contemporary theatrical entertainment from an Afro-centric perspective, visitors can see performances by the St. Louis Black Repertory Company, which has been called America’s best AfricanAmerican theatre group. Near the Black Rep in the Grand Center arts and entertainment district, the Portfolio Gallery displays work by up-and-coming black artists. African-Americans have also played an important role in St. Louis’ sports history. George Poage became the first African American to win an Olympic medal, in the Olympic Games held in St. Louis in 1904. Tennis great Arthur Ashe graduated from high school in St. Louis. James “Cool Papa” Bell, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, played for St. Louis in the Negro National League and was known as the fastest man in the game. The world’s greatest female athlete, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, lives and works in St. Louis today. Visit the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation Walk of Fame to honor St. Louisans who have been trailblazers in the community. Learn about even more of St. Louis’ African-American icons, many of whom grew up in the historic Ville neighborhood, by strolling the St. Louis Walk of Fame along Delmar Boulevard in The Loop (800) 916-0092 Arch. Walk in their steps up Monk’s Mound, the largest of the area’s surviving earthen structures, and see the 2,200-acre United Nations World Heritage Site below. Special events with a Native American focus are held at the attraction throughout the year, including pow wows and the Contemporary Indian Art Show. Another attraction, Mastodon State Historic Site, explores the relationship between the Ice Age mammals and the Native American tribes that hunted them in prehistoric times. The Museum of Westward Expansion at the Gateway Arch offers visitors a view of the Native American experience during the opening of the West. An animatronic figure of Chief Red Cloud and an exhibit of Indian Peace Medals are highlights of the museum. St. Louis’ first Asian immigrants arrived in the 1850s and many early Chinese residents may have taken part in the 1904 World’s Fair. Japanese and Chinese heritage are honored at the Missouri Botanical Garden with the nation’s largest Japanese Garden and a peaceful Chinese Garden built by St. Louis’ sister city Nanjing. Chinese and Japanese festivals are held annually at the Garden. Travel the world along the six blocks of South Grand between Arsenal and Utah for a vibrant, multi-cultural shopping and dining experience or stop at the many Asian restaurants, groceries and import stores along Olive Boulevard in midSt. Louis County. St. Louis was part of Spain’s New World territory when the city was founded by French fur traders in 1764. Spain ceded its claim on the territory to France in 1800, but today St. Louisans from many nations claim Hispanic descent. Areas of south St. Louis, notably along Cherokee Street west of Jefferson Avenue, are bustling with new Americans. Long-time residents join with new immigrants to remember their heritage at annual festivals. St. Louis’ immigrant communities—representing 70 cultures—gather yearly in August at the Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park for a celebration featuring music, dance, food and arts. Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festivities are held each November, and Cinco de Mayo is celebrated throughout St. Louis in May. MICHAEL DEFILIPPO COURTESY OF MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN Chinese Culture Days web k For more information on St. Louis’ multi-cultural events, click on the interactive events calendar at www.explorestlouis.com. Many of St. Louis’ most-visited attractions also offer amazing multi-cultural experiences. See vast collections of African and Oceanic art at the Saint Louis Art Museum, plus work by modern and contemporary African-American artists. At the Saint Louis Zoo, visitors can follow a map to the attraction’s African animals. Black scientists are honored at the Saint Louis Science Center, and a garden dedicated to Missouri botanist George Washington Carver graces the nearby Missouri Botanical Garden. The Official St. Louis Visitors Guide 39 http://www.explorestlouis.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of St. Louis Official Visitors Guide 2009

St. Louis Official Visitors Guide 2009 Contents St. Louis Thrives Must-See St. Louis All-Star History Pujols Family Foundation Calendar of Events Family Fun St. Louis' Friendly Environment Urban Melting Pot Fashion Direct Route 66 Architecture Tour Cultural Connections Day Trips Iconic St. Louisans Attractions My St. Louis: Russ Mitchell My St. Louis: Christina Machamber My St. Louis: Ridley Pearson Sports My St. Louis: Naam Pruitt Music, Dance & Theatre Outdoor Recreation My St. Louis: Christine Brewer Shopping Dining Nightlife St. Louis Beer History My St. Louis: Nelly Accommodations Campgrounds & RV Resorts Bed & Breakfast Getting Around Visitor Services Maps Advertiser Index 2009 St. Louis Meeting Planner Guide

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