I went here for a Friday night concert over the summer. It was very relaxing and entertaining all…read morein one. I forgot the name of the artist, but her performance along with the live band was so captivating. This place gives date night, solo date, and family trip all at the same time. I love events such as these. Also, I know downtown parking usually isn't the best. However, because of the time and people getting off work to head home, parking was quite easy to find. I was able to park within reasonable walking distance near the Hooters across the street.

Tours met here but we came over to get a picture of the old City Hall through the Arch. There's a…read morevisitor center here and a sculpture of a runner. The very interesting shrubbery caught my attention as well as the intricate playground here. There were people working in the garden that was very informative about the types of trees & told me the exotic Pagoda Tree is from Japan.

Jan 2024: I cannot…read moreeven tell you how frustrating it is to eFile, call the Family court clerk office to get an update, only to be dealing with attitudes. I called today to ask for an update only to welcomed with an attitude. Whoever is in charge need to have periodical training on customer service because they act like you are asking them to do something outside of their job scope. This is unbelievable from people who main purpose is to provide customer support! Appalling. UPDATE as of June 2024: I am extremely dissatisfied with the Judge handling of my case. As a father concerned about my children's safety, I filed a motion to have our parental agreement changed because my ex violated it multiple times. Most alarmingly, she failed to inform me that she was dating someone convicted of molesting his stepdaughter, who is under a protective order until the 2030s. This is the second sex offender she has brought around our minor children. In January 2024, I e-filed an "emergency" motion and received a court hearing date for April. My ex was served through the e-file system. I also submitted over 20 pages of evidence to substantiate my case. In April 2024, I appeared in court with my attorney, but my ex did not appear, despite being properly served. I received an order to appear "in person" for a hearing in June, even though I marked the documents as an emergency. In June 2024, I again appeared in court with my attorney, and once again, my ex did not appear, ignoring the court' for a second time. Had this been a male defendant, the repercussions would likely have been more severe. Instead of addressing the emergency, the Judge set a hearing for case management in August 2024. It is clear that Judge (I can't say her name due to ongoing litigation) did not read the evidence thoroughly, ignored significant safety concerns I had regarding a convicted sex offender around my children, and her demeanor walking in the court room was not hopeful; as if she didn't feel like hearing my case. The handling of this case has been deeply disappointing from the start and hopeless. I'm dropping this case due to the bias and prejudice of this court. I have absolutely no faith in this court or the Judge to make any reasonable judgement. If anything happens to my children, it's on the Judge and my ex-wife. No man should have to present a year long case just to get a judge to take time, review the evidence, and make a temporary decision based on the evidence in their face. Absolutely appalling.

My husband and I went to the Circuit Clerk's office to begin adoption proceedings. 1 of the younger…read morefemale employees that was assisting us was absolutely rude. She responded to our questions as if we were completely incompetent. I do not recall her name, but she could use a lesson in manners. i absolutely HATE St Clair county courthous, especially the Clerks office, nothing but downright rude employee.

You will find this nice sculpture on the Mississippi Riverfront, in St Louis, just behind the…read moreGateway Arch. It is the work of Harry Weber who completed the piece, which is made of bronze and sits 22 feet tall, in 2006 The 3.5 ton sculpture depicts explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their Newfoundland dog, Seaman. It is owned by the city of St Louis and was commissioned by the Greater St. Louis Community Foundation to commemorate the bicentennial of the explorers' return September 1806. According to Weber, it "took seven months of long hours to complete the structure in clay, make molds and reassemble it like a giant jigsaw puzzle. It is a nice sculpture and Weber does a great job encapsulating Lewis and Clark's feeling of accomplishment, sacrifice and pride. It is very detailed and well done. The viewer can really connect to the piece. The sculpture is designated a national Lewis and Clark site by the US Park Service and spending on how high the Mississippi River gets, sometimes the statue is submerged in the river. In 2014, the statue was removed and restored to repair damage it had received from the flood. In 2016, the statue was returned to the riverfront to a location slightly south and about 17 feet higher than before. Before it was moved, during a flood situation, it would look like the duo were sailing into shore Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. I would recommend checking out the Gateway Arch and Park while visiting this sculpture.

This is such an amazing architectural accomplishment that everyone needs to experience it. Even if…read moreyou aren't willing to go up to the top there is a free museum on the ground level that is very interesting, as well as a historical movie and a virtual reality experience. This is the smallest national park, and you will need to park in a parking garage, private lot, or use street parking. But it is just a short walk of a few blocks to get to the Arch. It is recommended to purchase tickets online because they often sell out. But today, a Monday morning, I just walked in a purchased a ticket for the next tram to the top. If you are claustrophobic you might not be able to ride the tram to the top. The cars are very, very small. There are five seats in each. But if you handle the tight space it is totally worth it to ride to the top. Once at the top you are allowed to stay for ten minutes, then you board the tram for the return trip down. The gift shop is worth a look, my favorite is the large collection of exploration history books. Many books about Lewis & Clark, of course, also other many other books about exploration and early history of St. Louis and the West. Books on pioneering women too, and Sacagawea. The tram ride was a bargain at only $17. While I didn't have time to view the movie today I have seen it before, on my last trip, and it is definitely interesting.

In considering the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, I was scratching my head as to the number of stars I…read moreshould assign. I'm going to go with 4 stars since I would not feel compelled to visit it each time in St. Louis, which is infrequent to begin with. That said, these are 4 very strong stars. The Gateway Arch is highly symbolic. It represents the critical mass of westward movement in the United States to lands on the other side of the Mississippi River. It's interesting to note that the center point of America's population inches west and south with each passing year, but is still in the Midwest and not excessively far from this national park and monument. The Gateway Arch is the work of architect Eero Saarinen. It's debatable if this, a stainless steel arch over 600 feet high, is his most famous work ... or if it's the soaring reinforced concrete TWA Terminal at New York JFK Airport resembling the outstretched wings of a large bird. Less known is his design of Terminal 1 at nearby Saint Louis Airport, with its series of connected cross vaults. That someone would envision such a project is almost dizzying. The Gateway Arch manages to look both spindly and stout. Standing at its base, one sees just how massive the base of the legs on each side of the arch are. This then explains how it's possible for the legs to taper as the structure continues upward. The arch was designed to be large enough to have some visitors at the top and steady enough but flexible for forces such as wind. There was a lot of planning and detailing involved. The overarching feature - no pun intended - is that the monument is the reciprocal of a catenary curve, meaning the shape of a necklace or chain held by each hand and allowed to dangle downward. If you let a chain hang, it wouldn't be a circle. It would form the catenary shape we are all accustomed to because all the vectors of the forces are in balance at that point. While the arch is the main event, a lot of planning went into its site, its plaza, its building podium, the inclusion of many spaces such as a theater, and, of course, the little train of funicular bubbles in each leg of the arch allowing tourists to ride to the top. Going to the top of the arch is the high point of the experience. (I unintentionally keep backing into puns.) Note that the individual glass compartments for the ride up are small and those prone to claustrophobia might have difficulty with this. The lobby has restauration, gift shops, articles from the arch's construction, and a theater. Visiting the theater is very informative since a short movie chronicles the conceptualization, design, construction, opening, and operation of the arch. The biggest "ah" moment in the film is when the keystone of the arch is slid into place, over 600 feet up in the air, and fits snugly and with the small tolerances intended! Clearly, the small observation leg at the top of the arch is narrow and people's visits need not be that long. There is a small ribbon of windows on each side. On the eastern side, one sees the endless prairie-like land of Illinois across the Mississippi River. On the western side, one sees the city of St. Louis and its suburbs. The arch was thought of after significant parts of St. Louis's city center had been developed. One could only wish that they could have foreseen this monument and left a vast mall type lawn open to its west. That's not the case. The arch is something one needs to see at least once. I've seen it twice over several decades. It's also amazing how, depending on where you are in St. Louis or if across the river, each vantage point on this unique monument is slight different owing to its dynamic design. The Gateway Arch is part of the national park system. There is a fee to visit it, but it's fairly priced. It is, without a doubt, money well spent to experience it at least once.

Beware!!! Google maps will take you to the wrong location! I'm on your side Apple Maps, you never…read moredo me wrong! From the Vandalia State House, take 185/40 (N. Kennedy Blvd) north, turn left/west on W. Randolph Street, then right/north on N. Perkin's Street one block to W. St Clair Street. Turn left and it's up on the little hill on your right/north side. I absolutely love state capitals, which would lead me to enjoy past state capitals. I had been in rural Illinois a few times and always wondered what Vandalia had to offer being that it was second Illinois Capitol City (an oldest one still existing, unlike Kaskaskia which is now under water). I followed Vandalia's tourist page to the few landmarks that existed. One was what is called "Little Brick House". It's an n example of simple Italianate architecture that has been preserved by the Vandalia Historical Society. It is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and is thought to have been constructed in the mid 1800's. According to the website, "Josephine Burtschi, local artist and historian, was born in this house. In 1956 she purchased the house and started restoring it to its original appearance. Over the years, the Little Brick House has been renovated and furnished with period pieces, antiques, and early Vandalia artifacts. Contained within the six rooms are furniture, china, engravings and books acquired from descendants of state officers, legislators and the Ferdinand Ernst Colony who lived in Vandalia when it served as capital. The library, called the Berry-Hall room, pays tribute to James William Berry, the first talented artist of Illinois, and to Judge James Hall who established Vandalia as the first literary center west of Cincinnati. (http://www.vandaliaillinois.com/littlebrickhouse.html)" There's a little history for ya!

There's a awesome plaza I would definitely recommend visiting when you're in St. Louis. Do you have…read morea cousin Nate sites in statues things to do?

Sadly, drained for the winter but the sculptures are still here. It is located across from the…read moreentrance to Union Station and aligned with the famous Gateway Arch. The caption reads, "The meeting of the waters. This fountain by the sculptor Carl Milles symbolizes the union of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. The two central figures represent the two great rivers while the lesser water creatures suggest the many tributaries and streams. Milles conceived the sculpture as embodiment of the freedom and primeval force of the waterways of the Great Mississippi Valley and he thought of the grouping as a marriage or festival celebrating the coming together of these great waters. The sculptor, Swedish born and a pupil of Rodin, was conscious that the fountain and plaza are a memorial to Louis P. Aloe (1669-1929), a civic figure and long time president of the board of Alderman whose vision established the Gateway Mall." Stop. Enjoy. Appreciate. [Review 14455 overall, 1781 of 2020, number 88 in Missouri.]

We enjoyed a visit to the largest archaeological site in the U.S…read more Quick visit advice: Park at the visitor center or across the street at Monk's Mound (if there are any spots in this smaller lot). Walk to and up Monk's Mound, which is the largest. I recommend reading the signs about the history of the mounds. Background: I visited just after finishing a book called "America Before" by Graham Hancock. He extensively covers the geoglyphs (mounds) across the Americas and describes their site-line survey complexity. They are basically dirt mound versions of Stonehenge, and line up with solar events during the equinoxes. The amount of precision from an ancient hunter-gatherer society is absolutely fascinating. I highly recommend a read before visiting.

We were in the area so we had to go check this place out, right? The history along should garner…read moreinterest. Pulling up, my kids were not amused. "What's with the big hill dad?" Oh kids... I mean it does look like just a big hill but... As a history buff, I thought it was kind of cool. We climbed the stairs to the top (great work out, a couple folks were doing just that) to get a view of the area. Not much at all is built up around this area, the small town that it is located in is barely a blip before you enter the St. Louis metropolitan area. It is actually pretty remarkable how rural this area is being only miles outside of St. Louis. Anyways, I tried to get my kids to understand that the people that built these mounds did not have Bobcats, dump trucks, or any huge equipment. We are talking woven baskets and such. Still not impressed. At least we stood on the top and say we have been there. I suggest you do the same. Check it off the list and say you once stood on one of the tallest pre-Columbian structures in North America. Can't say that every day!