I can’t think of any other U.S. city whose identity is as ambiguous as St. Louis’. Settled by The French in 1764 by Pierre Laclède as a trading fort, it has had several centuries to perculate history and evolution. The convergence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and the joining of the Ohio River made it a prime location for trade.
St. Louis’ is not quite completely Modwestern, nor completely Eastern either. Nor is it a Western or 100% Southern. Overtones and shades of all these regions are however present.
Some things have remained constant: the flow and influence of the mighty rivers, it’s central location, and how it enveloped immigrants from Germans and Irish in the 1840’s and now Bosnians and refugees from other world hotbeds. Another constant is the high crime rate which is partially attributed to the city’s connection to Interstates and rail lines.
This is a collection of several photos with the goal of capturing the city’s flavors.
danyadarling 