Trolley Tour of St. Louis!

It's true!

It occurs to me that while I blog when I go to new and interesting places, I never really think of the new and interesting stuff here in St. Louis.  My friend Darla arranged for us to go on a Trolley Tour of St. Louis.  At first I was thinking... what are we gonna see that I haven't been in but it was a good call.  Kudos to you Darla.  Learned a LOT of history that I didn't know and got to hang out with some way cool folks while doing it!

Way cool people:)

The old power plant!

I got there a little early and was able to snap a picture of the power plant.  I am obsessed with old buildings.  In Memphis and New Orleans I sighed over all the fancy buildings.  But when you are home you tend to not see the forest for the trees.  The building was beautiful if a bit dirty.  Then you turn around and see the new architecture that is beautiful in its own way as well.  The old and the new united in good ole' St. Louie!

Lumiere Casino and hotel

Outside the Lumiere Casino is the pick up location.  I was confused as I thought that all Casinos in Missouri had to be on boats.  Turns out that there was a boat on pillions on the Mississippi River.  The Mississippi River is not nicknamed the Mighty Mississippi for nothing.  The boat got loose and floated on down the river with gamblers on it!  Yikes.  You can read about it here if you want. Anywho.. there was lots of damage and although there were no deaths, the casino people felt that they might be better off in a more secure location.  They built a big beautiful casino well above flood stage.  They added floaters so it counts as a boat and actually pump water up the hill to support the building in about 8 inches of river water.  It's a boat.  It's on the river water and there's no chance it will break away.  Pretty tricky huh?

Money is the root of all evil they say.  Is it weird that the address is 999 n. 2nd street?  I mean if you look at the 9's upside down.. just saying..

Anyhow, that's where the Trolley started.  We used Fun Tours St. Louis and we rode in Charlotte the Trolley.  Our conductor, driver .. what DO you call a Trolley worker?  Well at any rate, his name was Dennis.  He was hysterical.  His catch phrase was ABSOLUTELY FREE.  We have a heck of a lot of free stuff here in St. Louis!  

We went by the Edward Jones dome and of course I couldn't snap a decent picture.   We'll see if the Rams stay and play there or if they do indeed revert to the Los Angeles Rams.  I, for one, could care less but that's the hub bub in the Lou bub:)

Then we headed for Forest Park.  On our way there we passed Ronnoco coffee plant.  I always thought it was a strange name but it's facinating how it got it's name.  Turns out two Irish brothers established the business in a primarily Italian town.  In order to make a go of it they needed an Italian sounding name but still wanted to leave some of themselves in the business.  A light bulb went off and they decided to still use their name for the company only spelling it backwards.   Smart Fellas!

As we got ready to turn in Dennis talked to us about Barnes Jewish Hospital and how that was where the first lung transplant was completed.  Had no IDEAR!

World's Fair Pavilion

 I found out a lot of stuff about Forest Park that I didn't know.  I had no idea it was larger than Central Park in New York.  Of course I knew about the 1904 World's Fair and that the bird cage at the zoo was made then and was the impetus for the current top 10 in the nation zoo, which is ABSOLUTELY FREE:0)  We passed the World's Fair Pavilion which was built three years after the World's Fair.  On the terraces were the governments of the different participating countries with the U.S at the top.

James S. McDonnel Planetarium

We passed the Science Center Planetarium.  The other half is across the highway and is ABSOLUTELY FREE!  During the Christmas season there is a bright red bow tied around it.  In 1963 or 64 some college kids decided to play a prank by tying a ribbon around it.  St. Louisianians liked it so much that the ribbon appears every year now!

While we were going through the park, Dennis told us the story of the carousel. It was the largest ever.  It was about half the size of the Arch and each car could hold about 60 people.  Electricity was just coming into use and many brides decided to be married on the carousel. They eventually put a piano in one of the cars for just such an occasion.  One couple got married on the carousel on horseback.  Makes me wonder what he horses thought!

St Louis Art Museum

We stopped at the Art Museum and got out.  Incidentally the Art Museum is ABSOLUTELY FREE!   There was a neat cake out in front.  Guess what? In 2014 St. Louis is 250 years old.  Turns out they are doing an event called the Cakeway to the West.  For those of you not in the area, St. Louis is knows as the Gateway to the West so it's a play on words.  At any rate, there are cakes positioned randomly around St. Louis to celebrate the birthday.  Anyone want to do a cake walk/drive?

We stretched our legs and took some photos.  I always wondered why  there was a man on horseback

King Louis Patron of the Arts.

in front of the museum.  Turns out it was King Louis (and some number... think he said 14th) .  He was King of France at a very young age so his mom ruled until he came of age.  Guess what he studied?  He was known as a benevolent King to the arts.  So he stands on horseback in front of the St. Louis Art Museum.  A little old history.. and then.. a little new.  Next to the Art Museum is a silver/titanium tree.  It's just really cool and kind of odd as it just sits out by itself with not sculpture around it.  I'm wondering how many times lightening has struck it because if you don't like the weather here.. just wait five minutes!   King Louis looks over the landmark of Art Hill.   Art Hill is known in the area for good sledding.  It's steep enough to go fairly fast yet not to fast.  It's an easy walk back up and there is the added danger of falling in the lake.  If you look closely you will notice hay bales.  I think someone in management finally got a clue although two of them still did end up on the ice.

Happy Birthday St. Louis!

Next we made our way back downtown by way of Millonaires Row.  I love these houses and I will never own one. LOL.  I took some pics of my favorites and then one was pointed out with their own Art Museum attached. I think there should be a law that if you have a museum attached to your house, people are allowed to come and see what your house looks like on the inside because I am so curious now!

One of the houses on Millonaires Row was were Vincent Price grew up!   Didn't even know he was from St. Louis! 

Love this one!  Very Unique! 

Vincent Price lived in one of these !

Show of hands.  Who wants to see what's in this museum?

University City City Hall

Next we went down on the Loop.  The Delmar Loop to be exact.  It has it own walk of fame.  Chuck Berry still performs here once a month!  I loved the city hall building.  This neighborhood has an eclectic vibe.  Lots of mom and pop shops.  You won't find a chain restaurant here but will find many strange characters roaming around the streets.  You also will find avant garde clothes and music on almost every corner.




 

Moon rise hotel.  Love the old time moon on the top!

Fitz's Rootbeer..mmmmmm

On our way back to the Casino to disembark we passed the new Bascilica .  St. Louis has two and old and a new.  This is the new one and tours are give ABSOLUTELY FREE.  I haven't been inside yet so this is definitely on my to do list!
Pretty pretty pretty church!

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I think I'm out of order now but it doesn't really matter.  This is the old Capital building which was the first building to have a copper dome!  It was where the Dred Scott case was tried.  For sixteen years they wrestled with the decision of whether a slave could appeal for his freedom.  Ultimately it was decided that slaves did not have the right to sue as they were not citizens but instead property.  There is a statue honoring him in front of the Court House.

Eads bridge built 1874.

We next went to the Eads bridge.  This was probably the most interesting place for me.  The Eads was the longest Cantilever Bridge in the world.  After it was completed people were suspicious that it would hold and refused to use it.  Eads sent 14 locomotives across it and still people refused to use it.  He then found an elephant and led it across the bridge.  People were more willing to trust the elephant as they believed they had a sixth sense about things like this!




Somewhere on the tour we passed the old garment district where more hats were made than anywhere else in the country.  I didn't even realize we had a garment district in St. Louis.  I'd been down this street before and wondered why they left these funny looking rough spots on the road.  Turns out it's a zipper going down the road representing the garment district.  It's the little things that make you go hmmmmm......

Close up of zipper teeth

Now that I know it's a zipper I can actually make it out!

After we finished with the Trolley we went to Hannigans at Laclede's landing .  GOOOOD Food!  Goood People ...Goooood day! 

Everyone at Hannigans!

One last photo before I go.  A day in the Lou is not complete without a photo of the Gateway Arch! You can go in both sides AND it's ABSOLUTELY FREE to go through the museum.  You have to pay a fee to go up in the arch.  It's worth the view though!