Celebrating Missouri’s Bicentennial
On Saturday, August 7, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Missouri is celebrating its bicentennial of statehood. We’ve come a long way in the past 200 years, and we’re proud of the progress we’ve made. Missouri’s journey to statehood started and ended in St. Louis on Laclede’s Landing. Join us for this FREE event.
Missouri Bicentennial Brewer’s Beer Garden
- Cost: $25
- Includes:
- Commemorative Glass
- Eight (8) tasting coupons to be redeemed for 7 ounce samples of any beer on the 40-foot Draft Wall
- Additional Tasting Coupons
- Available for purchase in batches of five (5) for $13
- Location:
- The Landing on Second Street between Morgan and Laclede’s Landing Blvd
- Date and hours:
- Saturday, August 7, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Activities
- MO History Guided Walking Tours of the Landing
- 10:00AM-12:00PM | Private See STL Walking Tour
- 1:00PM-3:00PM | Private See STL Walking Tour
- Pocketparks
- Preview, street games, kids activities
- Artists
- Location: Raeder Place & Ice Cream Shop
- Dog Park Preview
- STL Brewers’ Heritage
- Food trucks
History
of St. Louis
St. Louis gained its name to fame in 1803 as a jumping point for the Louisiana Purchase Expedition of Lewis and Clark. St. Louis was declared a city in 1823 and attracted thousands of immigrants to start a new life on the edge of the frontier.
After the Civil War, St. Louis grew exponentially and was a nationwide manufacturing hub by 1900. Industries boomed in this city because they had access to rail and water transportation; in addition, they were also located in the center of the nation, making it easy to travel from the East Coast to the West Coast.
1904 was a big year for the city of St. Louis. In 1904, the city hosted the World’s Fair in Forest Park as well as the 1904 Olympic games at Washington University’s Francis Field. During this seven-month event, over 20 million people visited St. Louis, and it continued to industrialize.
After World War II, the city hit its peak population of 856,000 residents with no more room to grow. St. Louis’s housing stock declined during the Great Depression, and many residents were forced to move into the suburbs.
In 1965, St. Louis’s Gateway Arch was built. The Gateway Arch is the country’s tallest manmade monument at 630 feet and was built to commemorate the city’s importance in settling the west following President Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The Arch is a monument to symbolize Missouri’s role as the “Gateway to the West.”
Historic Laclede’s Landing
Laclede’s Landing
History
Laclede’s Landing is where you can discover 19th-century architecture with a 21st-century dining and entertainment experience. Laclede’s Landing is the oldest district attached to the Gateway Arch grounds, located off the Mississippi River. It was once a hub for manufacturing, warehousing, and shipping on the riverfront.
In addition to being an industrial hub, Laclede’s Landing also plays a significant role in Missouri’s statehood. Raeder Place—located on Laclede’s Landing—is where the Missouri Tertiary signed the papers for Missouri to become the 24th state of the United States.
