One of the coolest historic river front Mainstreets closely tied to the expansion of the USA west…read more St. Charles is where Lewis and Clark last camped before their epic discovery of the Louisiana Purchase. Well preserved buildings and lively entertainment and tourism district.

Great place to find archived information about our beloved county! St. Charles was the first state…read morecapital of Missouri and the starting place of the Lewis & Clark expedition!

A Hidden Jewel in St. Louis - Don't Miss the Magic Chef Mansion!…read more What a historic gem! The Magic Chef Mansion is one of St. Louis' most stunning and best-kept secrets. If you haven't taken a tour, you are truly missing out. This architectural treasure offers a glimpse into another era--where craftsmanship, elegance, and timeless beauty meet. What makes it even more special is the incredible care and devotion of Shelly, the current owner and resident. It's amazing how she has lovingly restored the entire interior, tracking down original furniture, lighting fixtures, and period-appropriate details to bring this mansion back to its former glory. What an act of love--and one that every visitor can feel the moment they walk through the doors. Every room is a story, and the guided tour is filled with fascinating history, local lore, and exquisite details. Whether you're a St. Louis native or a visitor, this is an experience that belongs at the top of your list. The Magic Chef Mansion isn't just a tour--it's a living, breathing piece of art and history. Don't miss the chance to be a part of it.

This is a wonder!!!! Beautifully maintained and decorated mansion. Owner guided tour for our…read moregroup. Charge for tours but well worth seeing this amazing turn of the 20th century mansion.

I've been to about 150 Frank Lloyd Wright homes and have been lucky enough to have been inside…read morearound 30. We didn't know if we could get on the tour that day so we first stopped by to see it and take some pictures. We met an intern and found out that we could get in on a tour about 2 hours later. So we paid our fee and went to see Frank Lloyd Wright's mentor, Louis Sullivan's Wainwright Building in downtown St. Louis. I believe this is one of Sullivan's best work still standing. When we returned for the tour I was stunned. This is a great, late house by Wright that has many magical and playful elements to it. It's has most of the original furnishings and something totaling unexpected in a Usonian house--art glass windows. The tour guide was new and did an excellent. Everyone involved in this project should be very proud of the work they've done, and continue to do.

We joined a group of people to do a group tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright house in Kirkwood, MO. It…read moreis well worth the $20 tour fee. Anne was our docent. She was very knowledgeable about Wright and Russell and Ruth Kraus who the house was built for and the only residents. The Kraus house is one of the very few Wright houses that have not been remodeled and contains the original furniture designed by Wright. It has a cozy feel from the time you walk inside. I was intrigued by the esthetic design throughout the home.

As I stroll up to the World's Fair Pavilion in ForestPark, just one of my routines before another…read morememorable show at TheMuny! There's just something about those luscious lavender blooms that keep me returning. I mean, who knew a Victorian-era bandstand would be my weekly hit of natural scent in the summer? This spot was built for the 1904 World's Fair and it's still as beautiful as ever! I recommend going prior to a Muny show or it's a nice digestive walk after eating at the Boathouse.

Ive been to many events at this large pavilion in Forest Park. Most recently, Veg Fest. Electricity…read morefor live music and/or speaker. Clean, maintained public restrooms. Plenty of spaces outside of pavilion for tents, vendors, etc. Parking throughout the park. Beautiful view over the park and fountain. Love this place!

Part of Governor Bates trail. 2nd Governor of Missouri…read more I did about 3 miles on beautiful, hilly and well marked trails.

In all my years of living in St. Louis and the many times that I have visited Faust Park, i never…read morerealized that this historic homestead existed. As a lover of history this place is magnificent. Thornhill Historic Site is the farm of Missouri's second governor, Frederick Bates. This site is at Faust Park and includes the home, barn, summer kitchen, ice and smoke house, orchard and herb garden and family cemetery. It is the oldest standing governor's residence in Missouri. http://www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/ParkPages/Faust/Thornhill

Beautiful. The house is a piece of history I want to go through it in the fall. It is hidden in…read moreArnold unknown. I stumbled across it driving looking for a house for a friend. Can not wait to go through it

Docent lead tour of an amazing and well loved house. So well maintained with commitment and love…read more Our docent was so knowledgeable! No doubts about her love of this house and keeping this beauty around for all to enjoy!

Ok so not only is this an awesome statue to welcome you to my favorite neighborhood in all the…read morecounty... ... but I swear... this Fat man on a Fat Horse used to SMILE. I'm not kidding. I mean if I were big, fat, and naked on a big fat horse, I'd be grinning my ass off.... and HE DID! Nobody acknowledges this... everyone looks at me like I'm crazy... now he just doesn't look happy to be there. Man.

I love this fat baby man on his fat horse. He makes me so happy every time I pass by him. I decided…read moreto work from Starbucks this morning so I can just sit and look at his cute fat toes! I wish fat baby man knew how much I love him.

If you know me, you know I'm fascinated by everyday historic landmarks. I prefer the places people…read moredon't always think about - like the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. So, fun facts. Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is part of the even more historic Route 66. It also helps to connect Missouri and Illinois (and yes, you can walk it - or wheel it in my case). Built in 1929, the bridge features a 30-degree turn halfway across the mile-long bridge. While today this area is very passable by ships, in 1929 a "chain of rocks" (a 17-mile shoal) made passage difficult. Originally designed to go straight across, riverboat men protested because the bridge itself would have created an additional obstacle. Essentially, it had to "bend" for the sake of safe passage. The bridge cost twice its original estimate ($2.5 million), but it was built as a "destination" from the beginning. The Missouri side had a park; the Illinois side had 400 elm trees. There was even an amusement park. Also, during World War II the red sections were painted green so it would be less visible from air. The bridge closed in terms of official function in 1968 - a new Chain of Rocks Bridge opened in 1967 and includes Interstate 270. Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was nearly destroyed in 1967. For several years, that seemed likely. In 1980 (another fun fact), John Carpenter used the bridge in Escape From New York). Obviously, the bridge has been restored to some fame. It's now part of the Route 66 Bikeway (as of 1999), and in 2006 was added to the National Register of Historic Places. I'm considering a Route 66 Tenderness Tour (or at least part of the 2,000+ mile highway). This bridge may become part of that, so I'm thrilled I got the chance to check it out. The pathway for biking/wheeling is nicely done, easy to maneuver, and stunning in beauty (though it was an admittedly beautiful day when I was on the bridge). The bridge offers connections to the MCT Confluence Trail, Mississippi River Trail (Isn't it weird? I've been out of school 30+ years and I still sing the Mississippi song when I spell it), and the St. Louis Riverfront Trail. There's free parking on the Illinois side at the bridge entrance and also at North Riverfront Park. The Missouri side has a park with a pavilion, native habitats, an event lawn, and a gated parking lot (the event space opened in 2024). The bridge, no longer used by vehicles, is open daily for bikers/pedestrians (and wheelchairs).

This old bridge is an awesome piece of Americana history. It is about a 1 mile walk to get across…read morethe bridge. There are 2 castle looking buildings in the ole Mississippi that use to be the water source for the city of St Louis. I would recommend parking on the Missouri side as it has be recently redone. Nice parking lot with picnic tables and overhead protection from the sun. No running water but there are 2 porta potties under an awning. The Illinois side is not as pleasant.

An adorable, rustic log cabin in the midst of a modern-day subdivision, the Bacon Log Cabin is…read moreworth a trip. The cabin is open May-October on the 1st & 3rd Sundays from 1pm-4pm and maintained by the Old Trails Historical Society. 2015 marks the 180th anniversary of the cabin, which was built by William Douglas Bacon. Unfortunately, the structure contains little to no actual bacon (boo) but it has been restored as a pioneer cabin. The stone fireplace is original as are the logs, beams, and some fireplace bricks. The cabin houses period furnishings and a museum display of West St. Louis County historical memorabilia. The docent, Irene, was highly knowledgeable and extremely spry for 86. In addition to giving tours, she helped fund the preservation of the root cellar on the property, cans her own raspberry preserves, and quilts. I felt as though I had taken a step back in time to a simpler, but definitely not easier, way of living. There were a lot of things to take in during the walk through the cabin, including a kitchen, bedroom, working gun above the mantelpiece. In June 2015, the Forget Me Not Garden Club dedicated a Blue Star Memorial byway marker, honoring service men and women, that can be found near the front entrance. The dedication that members of this historical society have shown to restoring this structure and open it to public viewing is inspiring. A must see, underrated historical attraction for anyone with an interest in historic houses and Americana.

The mark twain cave is a must-see if you're in the area even if you don't care for the books. The…read moretour guides really make the cave come to life.

Pretty cool to enter into this cave and get the full tour. It's electrically lit, not step or hard…read moreto traverse, and full of stories not the least of which is Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher. You start with an little pre-video which is cool to see how the cave formed. Still blows my mind to think of how long it's taken to come together as it has. My girls were mildly freaked out at the idea at first, but settled into it once they got in there. It's really cool (literally) as it's 52 degrees year round, so bring a light jacket. Our tour guide was fun, sharing stories and a few laughs. We loved the part where she cuts all the lights and it truly is the darkest imaginable space. You can't see an inch in front of your face. We got the anytime tickets and they were $110 out the door. A bit steep, but it's worth it. There is also another cave called Cameron Cave that's a bit more hands-on with flashlights and crawling, which could be cool to explore. But rest assured, none of that with this one and it's very manageable and fun.