Metal arch in front of buildings, Gateway Arch, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Looking for an art piece that captures America's Victorian and riverboat history? Just visit our selection of Great Big Canvas images of the St. Louis skyline. St. Louis has truly earned its name--the Gateway to the West! Though bordered by the Mississippi, the city was the corridor for pioneers who forged their way west along the Missouri River and the early trails.
This dynamic river city developed along the banks of the Mississippi on the "levee" or the "landing," which was paved with cobblestone so that boats could beach there to load and unload. It was where the Steamboat Era began. The lively salon city captured the hearts of many. Both Lewis and Clark settled there after their expedition. Charles Lindbergh's plane used for his 1927 flight across the Atlantic was named The Spirit of St. Louis. And over the years, other famous residents included Sara Teasdale, Marianne Moore, Kate Chopin, T.S. Eliot, and Tennessee Williams. In 1904, it was home of America's first Olympic Games as well as the Worlds Fair.
St. Louis home became home in the late 19th and early 20th century to companies like the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Ralston-Purina Company, and the International and Brown Shoe Companies. The city's Wainwright Building, constructed in 1892, is acclaimed to be the world's first skyscraper. The new Busch Stadium opened in 2006 and is home to the St. Louis Cardinals.
