#FlyWashington Magazine Fall 2019 | Page 34

“TODAY,” screenprint, Herbert Gentry, Saint Louis Art Museum National Blues Museum Credit: Explore St. Louis St. Louis, the “Gateway to the West,” is a small city with a big heart. Founded by the French in 1764 and named for King (and Saint) Louis IX, the city grew up on the Mississippi river, at one time ranking the fourth largest port in the country. Although the city did later fall on hard times, a concerted revitalization is underway, bringing new life to old districts and dusting off an impressive architectural treasures, from the famous Gateway to The Old Cathedral — the oldest building in St. Louis — and Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, famed for its Tiffany and Company stained glass. Wholesale renovation projects, like Downtown Now!, are transforming entire districts, as more and more tech start-up companies open their doors, making St. Louis a city on the move. BY JENNY PETERS FLYWASHINGTON.COM 32 AUTUMN 2019