ST. LOUIS, MO

St. Louis is known around the world for its collection of fascinating attractions, great restaurants and exciting blues music and nightlife.  But what was on the banks of the Mississippi River before the modern, lively city you see today?  Clues are all around in the museums, architecture and cosmopolitan outlook on life. 

St. Louis was French and Spanish before it was American.  And before the European explorers traveled down the great river, this rich land was home to the Mississippians, a mighty Indian civilization of mound builders where more than 20,000 people lived in the fertile river valley.  When that culture disappeared during Europe’s Middle Ages, only their huge, mysterious earthen structures were left, earning St. Louis its earliest nickname, “Mound City.”

Today the city is filled with a multitude of attractions, events and sports teams – one of which is baseball. Home to the St. Louis Cardinals, they have been making magic on the field in St. Louis since 1876. You will have the opportunity to see these baseball players and this lovely ballpark since it is directly across the street from the Hilton at the Ballpark Hotel, where the annual meeting is being planned.  A few blocks down from the hotel stands another landmark.  It is St. Louis’ symbol and the nation’s tallest man-made monument, the Gateway Arch.   Nearby is Laclede’s Landing (named for Pierre Laclede, St. Louis’ French founder) where you’ll find some of the best restaurants and music clubs. 

For more information on the city and its attractions, visit: http://www.stlouisattractions.com/.