12 Jul St. Louis, MO

This post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our cruise in July 2025. When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).
Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification, indicate that source in the caption.

The Viking Daily newsletter showed today's weather forecast as "Showers 87° F" and "Sunrise: 5:46 AM | Sunset: 8:26 PM."

Don Woke at 5:45 am (MT already up), and we began our second day in St. Louis.

At 6:45, we went to the River Cafè (Deck 5) for breakfast.

At one of the Daily Briefings for St. Louis, we had heard about  the neighborhood known as The Hill (Little Italy). Since we had no shore excursions reserved for this morning, around 8:00, we took an Uber to The Hill.

The Hill, also known as “Little Italy,” is a neighborhood in St. Louis founded by Italian immigrants in the early 19th century. The Hill began with immigrants from Northern Italy, Germany, and Ireland, as well as African-Americans. It was historically a blue-collar neighborhood of people who wanted to live near the railroad that connected the neighborhood to downtown. However, the vast number of northern Italians, especially from the region of Lombardy, migrating into the area resulted in an Italian-American majority population during the early part of the 20th century. It is still one of the most unique neighborhoods in the St. Louis area. It is still characterized by its numerous restaurants, grocery stores, bakeries, and cultural traditions. St. Ambrose Church and School serves as the foundation of the community since religion plays a large role in its connectivity. However, it is a diverse community with a rich history, home to many people who have lived here for decades as well as recent residents who are just beginning to experience life here. It remains a vibrant Italian-American neighborhood and is considered one of America’s last true Italian enclaves, a testament to the community’s dedication to preserving its rich cultural heritage.
The name of The Hill is due to its proximity to the highest point of the city, formerly named St. Louis Hill, which is a few blocks south of the neighborhood. It is located on high ground south of Forest Park.

MT Saturday, July 12, ‎2025, 9:03 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - fountain with inscription "La Fontana Della Famiglia Frisella."

La Fontana Della Famiglia Frisella (The Fountain of the Frisella Family) is in the Italianate Piazza Imo in front of St. Ambrose Church. The Frisella Family donated this fountain in memory of Philip A. Frisella. 23 ft in diameter and 14 ft tall, it is hand-sculped in Carrara marble imported from Italy.

Piazza Imo (Imo Square) was built with money raised by donations. A non-profit committee of citizens and businesses had come up with the idea to build an Italian-inspired piazza in front of St. Ambrose Church in order to celebrate the neighborhood’s Italian-American heritage. Its purpose was to bring people together, provide a central gathering space, and welcome people from all neighborhoods to visit The Hill. The Imo family donated the land and the custom-made iron gates. The piazza opened in 2019.

MT 9:03 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - Don throwing a coin into La Fontana Della Famiglia Frisella.

Across the street was St. Ambrose Church.

MT 9:04 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church façade, with a sign for 

"The Hill" in the colors of the Italian flag on a lamppost in front of it.

Due to the increasing number of Italian speakers in what later became known as The Hill, the parish of St. Ambrose Catholic Church was founded in 1903 to serve primarily the recent immigrants from the northern Italian region of Lombardy who had come to the St. Louis area to work on the Frisco and Missouri-Pacific railroads between 1853 and 1890. After the first wooden church burned in 1924, a brick church was built in 1926. The new church was modeled after the Sant’ Ambrogio Church in Milan, in a Lombard Romanesque Revival style of brick and terra cotta. It became a territorial parish of the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1955, after existing as a personal ethnic parish until that time.

9:10 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - front door.

MT 9:07 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - holy water font held by an angel.

MT 9:10 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - flags of 

Vatican and Italy behind alter rail.

9:12 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - central nave, from rear to apse.

MT 9:13 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - main altar in apse.

9:13 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - statue of St. Ambrose in right nave, identified by the plaque below (mild telephoto 36 mm).

9:14 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - plaque for "St. Ambrose"; legible part below reads as follows: "Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church."

Ambrose of Milan (c. 339-397), canonized as Saint Ambrose, was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374-397. Born Aurelius Ambrosius into a Roman Christian family of Greek Descent, he is known as Sant’ Ambrogio in Italian. Ambrose was serving as the Roman governor of Amelia-Liguria in Milan when he was unexpectedly made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation. When the previous bishop of Milan died in 374, he went to the church where the election was to take place to try to prevent a likely uproar over succession. When he addressed the assembly as Roman governor, his address was interrupted by a call, “Ambrose, bishop!”, which was taken up by the whole assembly. Western Christianity identified Ambrose, along with Augustine, Jerome, and pope Gregory the Great, as one of the four Great Latin Church Fathers who were declared Doctors of the Church in 1298.

 

9:16 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - statue of Saint Teresa of Avila  in left nave, identified by a plaque below (mild telephoto 42 mm).

9:14 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - plaque for "St. Teresa"; legible part below reads as follows: "Saint Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church."

9:23 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - statue of Saint Anthony  of Padua in right nave, identified by a plaque below (mild telephoto 42 mm).

9:23 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - St. Ambrose Church - plaque for "St. Anthony"; legible part below reads as follows: "St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Church."

8767 MT 9:21 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - crosswalks painted in colors of Italian flag in intersection by St. Ambrose Church.

9:25 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - MT, with umbrella due to forecast of showers,  crossing intersection on Marconi St. and Bischoff Ave. near St. Ambrose Church  with crosswalks painted in colors of Italian flag.

8771 MT 9:28 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - fire hydrant painted in colors of Italian flag at corner of Marconi St. and Bischoff Ave. (Mild telephoto 55 mm).

MT 9:24 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - statue of  "The Italian Immigrants" on corner by front of St. Ambrose Church (mild telephoto 37 mm).

The bronze statue of “The Italian Immigrants” in front of St. Ambrose Church on the corner of Marconi St. and Wilson Ave., a prominent corner in The Hill, reflects the 100-year history of both Northern and Southern Italians settling here. Many of them found work in the brickyards and clay pits nearby. The statue was created by Rudolf Torrini in 1972 as a memorial to the Italian immigrants who immigrated to St. Louis in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The statue represents a young immigrant family dressed in turn-of-the-century attire. It shows a woman clutching a newborn child with her husband carrying one small suitcase to resemble how they came over with almost nothing but themselves and the clothes on their backs. The woman is looking down to resemble how they have had hardships, and the husband is looking forward into their new future in America. The statue is a reminder of the sacrifices Italian immigrants made to create better lives for themselves and their families.

MT 9:47 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - MT with statue of "The Italian Immigrants" (mild telephoto 32 mm).

MT 9:26 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - sign on streetside gate, in English and Italianized slang.

MT 9:27 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - sign for "Vitale's Bakery" - Est. 1976"on corner of Marconi Ave. and Bischoff  St. (telephoto 87 mm).

9:32 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - Vitale's Bakery, a traditional Italian bakery on Marconi St., where we got cannoli.

MT 9:34 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - cannoli we got at Vitale's Bakery.

9:50 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - sign with map of The Hill with "You Are Here" red dot marking "St. Ambrose" and "The Italian Immigrants Statue" at the corner of Marconi and Wilson.

10:10 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - sign, in the shape of a bar of "Lavender Oatmeal all natural soap," on front of Herbaria store on Marconi St.

 

Herbaria, on Marconi St., offers vegan, fragrance-free, and Earth-friendly products handcrafted in their St. Louis shop. In 20012, inspired by a chemistry class and her own sensitive skin, LaRee DeFreece developed a basic soap recipe. She called the company Herbaria because everything they make is plant-based. LaRee went on to practice law, and her husband, Ken Gilberg, guided the company for years until Melissa Gibbs and her husband, Blake Larson, became full partners with LaRee and Ken in 2018. Today they make shampoos, deodorant, moisturizers, candles, and other all-natural products.

(The young owner Blake gave us a tour of the soap-making process and two bars of soap as souvenirs.)

MT 9:52 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - Herbaria owner Blake gave us a tour of the store, talking about their products and the soap-making process and two bars of soap as souvenirs.

MT 9:55 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - Herbaria owner Blake talking about the soap-making process as he stirs a vat; the label on the side says "All our soaps start with vegetable oils good enough to eat."

MT 10:02 AM - St. Louis: The Hill - Herbaria owner Blake using a machine to cut up a long bar of soap into smaller bars ready to well

Then we got an Uber to take us back to the Viking Mississippi.

11:05 AM - St. Louis: Levee Road  where the Uber left us off near the Viking Mississippi, with Eads Bridge in distance.

At 1:30, Don went to the Explorers' Lounge (Deck 1) meeting place for the optional shore excursion "Forest Park & Historical Museum."

 

The My Viking Journey web site described the shore excursion “Forest Park & Historic Museum” as follows:
Forest Park & History Museum
$79 Per Person
Day 8 – St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Saturday, July 12
1:30 PM
2.5 Hours
Easy
Sightseeing
 
Sightseeing in St. Louis
 Take a guided driving tour of Forest Park, one of the largest city parks in the U.S.
Originally built for the 1904 World’s Fair, Forest Park’s 1,300 acres are home to the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Art Museum, and other cultural centers. During a walking tour of the Missouri History Museum, you will learn about the city’s baseball history, the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and see “The Spirit of St. Louis” in which Charles Lindbergh made the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

Forest Park is a public park in western St. Louis, which covers 1,326 acres. Opened in 1876, the park hosted several significant events, including the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (also known as the 1904 World’s Fair) and the 1904 Summer Olympics. It features a variety of attractions, including the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, and the St. Louis Science Center.

1:52 PM - St. Louis: Forest Park - view, through bus window, of equestrian statue of St. Louis,  near the St. Louis Museum of Art.

1:55 PM - St. Louis: Forest Park - clearer view, through bus window, of equestrian statue of St. Louis; an inscription on the shaded side of the base identified this as "Saint Louis."

2:10 PM - St. Louis: Forest Park - entrance of "Missouri History Museum," also known as "Jefferson Memorial"

 

The Jefferson Memorial, also known as the Missouri History Museum, was originally dedicated in 1913, becoming the first national monument to Thomas Jefferson. It was built with proceeds from the 1904 World’s Fair and stands at what was the main entrance to the fair. The Neo-Classical limestone building feature terrazzo floors, bronze doors, marble wainscoting, decorative plasterwork, and Tiffany light fixtures.

2:15 PM - St. Louis: Forest Park - statue of Thomas Jefferson in lobby just inside entrance of Missouri History Museum, also known as Jefferson Memorial.

2:22 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - view, from 2nd floor, of Spirit of St. Louis replica suspended from ceiling of Max MacDermot Grand Hall, with rear side of Jefferson statue in background in lobby.

The Spirit of St. Louis is a custom-built, single-engine, single-seat, high-wing monoplane that Charles Lindbergh flew in 1927 on the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight from Long Island, New York to Paris. It was originally built by Ryan Airlines and called Ryan NYP. The original plane, retired in 1928, is now on permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.
A full-size reproduction of the plane now on display at the Missouri History Museum was used in the 1938 Paramount film “Men of Wings” starring Ray Miland and in the 1957 Warner Bros. film “The Spirit of St. Louis.” This replica, built in 1928 to the exact specifications of the original aircraft, was flown over St. Louis in 1967.

2:24 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - view, from Max MacDermot Grand Hall on 1st floor, of other side of Spirit of St. Louis replica suspended from ceiling, with stairs to 2nd floor in background.

2:27 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - Liber Chronicarum, aka Nuremberg Chronicle (1493), opened to page at right with engraving of "Pope Joan."

2:27 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign by that book for "Detail of Pope Joan from Folio CLXX"; the text below reads as follows:

"A legend widely believed at the time the Nuremberg Chronicle was published, Pope Joan was said to have been a woman in the Middle Ages who disguised herself and rose through the priesthood to become the pope. During the Protestant Reformation, many Catholics considered the story an insult, covering up, or cutting out her image from their copies of the Nuremberg Chronicle. The Missouri Historical Society's copy is unaltered, so we can conclude its former owners were not offended."

2:27 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - another sign near that book that reads in part as follows:

"Printed over 500 years ago, this book is the oldest in the Missouri Historical Society Collections.

 "Liber Chronicarum

"Popularly known as the Nuremberg Chronicle, this famous  volume mixes biblical stories--from the Creation to the Last Judgement--with historical material. Originally printed in Latin (shown here) in 1493, the Nuremberg Chronicle is praised for the masterful layout of woodcut images and text. A second edition in German made the book accessible to a wider audience."

At the left below is a photo of the page with "Pope Joan."

2:27 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - close-up of that page.

2:30 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - rocker beater loom.

2:30 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign for "An Especially Rare Loom"; text reads as follows:

"The rocker beater loom was invented shortly after the American Revolution. Fluid and efficient, these machines used a special type of beater design that pivoted on curved rockers, like a rocking chair. The beater 'stands' instead of hangs,  giving this unique loom its name.  As the weaver rocked the beater back and forth, the weft thread was pushed into place to make cloth.

"Rocker beater looms spread from eastern Appalachia as families moved westward. As the Industrial Revolution enabled mass-produced textiles, looms like this one became less common. Historians estimate that fewer than 60 rocker beater looms exist today."

2:30 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign for "This loom wove together generations of women"; text reads as follows:

"By the late 1700s fabric was easy to find in city shops, and the Industrial Revolution made it more affordable. For people in rural areas, however, weaving remained a labor-intensive household task well into the 1800s. Although men and women learned how to weave, the task of making fabric usually fell to mothers and daughters.

"The Bugg family, who originally owned this loom in the 1890s, needed homespun cloth for bedding, clothing and kitchen towels. With such a large loom, they likely made fabric for their own needs and traded or sold surplus to earn extra money. Bedsheets, coverlets and other large handwoven items were so valued that they were frequently found in estate inventories and wills."

2:31 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - Intaglio Printing Press, with sign that reads: "This press used centuries-old technology to make contemporary art."

2:35 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign for "Intaglio Printing Press of Gustav and Hazel Goetsch; Late 19th century; Unknown maker, Gift of Gustav Goetsch, Jr," with text  that reads as follows:

"Turning the large spokes of this press over and over, artists Gustav F. Goetsch Sr and Hazel W. Goetsch brought their etchings to life one impression at a time. They both worked in many different mediums, but Gustav was a particularly prolific printmaker who made hundreds of etchings on this press, including cityscapes, landscapes, and scenes of Washington University's campus. He and Hazel also printed the family's annual Christmas cards from her linoleum plates. Although the Goetsches used this press in the early to mid-1900s, the press itself is even older and had previously been used by a St. Louis printing company in the 1800s.

"Gustav Goetsch came to St. Louis in 1917 to teach at Washington University. He worked there until 1952, when he retired to paint full time. Hazel Goetsch specialized in watercolors and taught art at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and in adult classes through Kirkwood High School."]

"INTAGLIO PROCESS

"The intaglio process--intaglio means 'engraving' in Italian--uses a printing plate made of copper or another metal into which an artist has carved lines to create an image. Ink is pushed into the lines and wiped away from the raised parts. A piece of paper is then laid across the plate, covered with felt blanket, and cranked through the press under high pressure to press the ink onto the paper. Multiple copies can be made this way.

"Although the intaglio process is more than four centuries old, it's still used today. You may even have something printed on an intaglio press in your pocket: it's how most paper money and passports are printed!"

 

2:32 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - Greenland Inuit sledge.

2:32 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign for "Greenland Inuit sledge of Robert E. Peary used on his 1908-1909 expedition; Before 1908; Unknown maker; Gift of George W. Simmons," with text that reads as follows:

"This sledge is made almost entirely of wood, and its pieces are held together with walrus or seal leather straps. The runners are covered in ivory and bone. These sledges were pulled by as many as 12 dogs hitched on a fan-shaped harness and carried loads weighing about 400 pounds."

To the right of that text is a photo captioned: "Ittukusuk, one of Robert E. Peary's expedition crew, with his family; 1908-1909."

2:34 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - Punt gun.

2:32 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign for "Punt Gun; Early 1800s; Made by J. J. Henry of Pennsylvania; Gift of Julius Gemmer; with text that reads as follows:

"Demand for ducks, geese, and other waterfowl was sky high in the 19th century. Commercial hunters used guns so big and powerful that they could take out dozens of birds with a single shot. Called punt guns, these firearms were mounted to small, flat-bottomed boats (or punts) and used to hunt migrating flocks of waterfowl. Over time this practice wiped out vast numbers of the birds that once populated the Mississippi River flyway.

"People across the country became alarmed, and conservationists, sportsmen, legislators, and citizens advocated for limiting this type of hunting. It took more than 40 years, but in 1918 the United States and Canada passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which gave large-scale protection to more than 1,000 species of migratory birds."

To the right of the text is a photo with the caption: "Throwing plovers into a punt; 1900-1912; Glass plate negative, Sydney Harold Smith Collection of the York Museums Trust."

2:35 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - Long rifle, identified by one of the signs below it.

2:35 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign for "Long Rifle of William Clark; 1815; Made by Philip Creamer; Gift of William Glasgow Clark; with text that reads as follows:

"This rifle belonging to William Clark was made by Philip Creamer, a renowned early 19th-century gunsmith. It is likely one of the rifles listed on Clark's estate inventory after this death in 1838. Clark's great-grandson donated it to MHS in 1939.

"Creamer  worked in the St. Louis area from about 1805 until his death in 1845. Creamer probably met Clark after the explorer returned home from his Corps of Discovery expedition to the Pacific Ocean in 1806 or when he produced weapons for the Missouri Fur Company, which Clark founded in 1809. Clark also led the Bureau of Indian Affairs in St. Louis from 1826 to 1833, and Creamer was its gunsmith.

"This .45-caliber rifle features a pineapple and an early spread-eagle design that recalls the one on the Great Seal of the United States. There are also two cartouches bearing the initials 'P.C' and 'W.C.,' linking its maker to its owner."

To the right of the text are two photos. the caption of the top photo reads: "Pineapple Detail from William Clark's Long Rifle," and that of the bottom photo reads: "Eagle Detail from William Clark's Long Rifle."

In a corner of the 1st floor, near he entrance and the statue of Jefferson, was an exhibit for "The 1904 World's Fair."

2:39 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - entrance to "The 1904 World's Fair" exhibit.

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World’s Fair or 1904 World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis from April 30 to December 1, 1904. More than 60 countries and 43 of the then-45 American states maintained exhibition spaces at the fair, which was attended by nearly 19.7 million people.
The idea of a fair to celebrate the centennial of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase seems to have emerged in 1898, with Kansas City and St. Louis presented as potential hosts based on their central location in the territory annexed in 1803. However, it was St. Louis that raised the funds necessary for the project. While initially conceived that the centennial celebration be held in 1903, the opening was delayed until 1904 to allow for full-scale participation by more states and countries.
The fair’s 1,200-arce site was located on the present-day grounds of Forest Park and on the campus of Washington University. There were over 1,500 buildings connected by some 75 miles of roads and walkways. The monumental Greco-Roman architecture of this and other fairs of the era did much to influence permanent new buildings and master plans of major cities. The fair hosted the 1904 Summer Olympic Games, the first to be held in the US.

2:42 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - scale model of the fairgrounds in "The 1904 World's Fair" exhibit.

2:43 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - poster about the 1904 World's Fair exhibition; hard-to-read part near bottom is for "36,650 Dinners that  Fair's restaurants could serve at one time" and "60 cents Cost per hour for  guided tour on a roller chair."

2:48 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - 1904 World's Fair exhibit sign for "The Fair as a Delayed Celebration," with text that reads as follows:

"The St. Louis World's Fair was intended to mark the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase. It was also supposed to take place in 1903.

"So what happened? Like many large-scale projects, the Fair experienced delays. It was pushed back a year, but that didn't deter its many supporters. Instead, the city planned a big commemoration of the Louisiana Purchase on April 30, 1903. This event didn't just celebrate the Louisiana Purchase, though--it was also a preview of the grand things St. Louis had in store for 1904."

At the right is a photo of "Dedication Day 1903" accompanied by the following text:

"Held on April 30, 1903--exactly one year before the Fair's opening--Dedication Day was such a major event that both former president Grover Cleveland (at left) and President Theodore Roosevelt (center) attended."

2:49 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - 1904 World's Fair exhibit "Staff Pieces 1902" identified on sign that follows as "Staff fragment shaped like a lion's head" (top left), "Staff fragment shaped like a woman's face" (top center), "Staff fragment shaped like a bunch of grapes" (just below that), and "Bucket used to mix staff" (bottom center).

2:49 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - 1904 World's Fair exhibit sign for "Staff Pieces 1902" with text that reads as follows:

"Even though most of the Fair's buildings were designed to be temporary, they also had to be durable enough to last through the Fair's seven months. Construction workers relied on a substance known as staff. Staff was made from mixing lime plaster, cement, and hemp fiber in buckets to create pieces that could be quickly cut and molded into the desired shape.

"All the temporary palaces were demolished after the Fair ended. Workers buried some of the staff as they turned the fairgrounds back into Forest Park. In later decades scholars and collectors excavated many pieces, including these.

"1 Staff fragment shaped like a lion's head 1902

" Missouri Historical Society Collection"

"2 Staff fragment shaped like a woman's face 1902

" Missouri Historical Society Collection"

"3. Staff fragment shaped liker a bunch of grapes 1902

" Missouri Historical Society Collection"

"4. Bucket used to mix staff 1902 

" Missouri Historical Society Collection"

"5. Construction slip ca. 1903

[This refers to the early use of slipform construction techniques around the year 1903. During this time, engineers were innovating new methods for building large, continuously poured concrete structures, particularly tall grain silos. The 1903 method improved on earlier techniques by using screw jacks to continuously lift the framework, resulting in seamless, durable walls.]

" Missouri Historical Society Collection"

2:50 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - 1904 World's Fair exhibit sign for "Proclamation by the President of the United States Inviting All Nations to Participate in the International Exhibition, 1903, St. Louis, U.S.A." with text at bottom that reads as follows: 

"World's Fair. St. Louis. U.S.A.

"1903

"For information, address World's Fair, St. Louis. U.S.A. or any United States consul."

[Strangely, the proclamation was signed by President William McKinley, who was assassinated in 1901. He apparently signed it soon after planning and construction for the exposition began in 1901. The decision to delay the opening until 1904 was made  in 1902.]

2:51 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - entrance to "The World in St. Louis" in the 1904 World's Fair exhibit; behind it is a display titled "The World in 1904."

2:52 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in the 1904 World's Fair exhibit for "Boer War reenactment 1904" with text that reads as follows:

"The fairgrounds set a dusty stage for a reenactment of southern Africa's Boer War. Among the reenactors were soldiers who had fought in the actual conflict."

At the left is the cover of the "Official Program, Anglo-Boer War, Historical Libretto, World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904."

Different  parts of “Anglo-Boer War” reenactment featured a British Army encampment, several South African native villages, and a 15-arce arena in which soldiers paraded, sporting events and horse races were held, and major battles from the Second Boer War (1899-1902) were reenacted twice a day, with several generals and 600 veteran soldiers from both sides of the war participating.

2:53 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in the 1904 World's Fair exhibit for "Tyrolian Alps on the Pike 1904" with text that reads as follows:

"Looming over the entertainment-packed Pike, the Fair's Tyrolian Alps included a string of shops, restaurants, and beer gardens that sat in front of a massive mountain scene made of staff. This building had a cavernous dining room with a stage in the back."

2:53 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - photo in the 1904 World's Fair exhibit identified in accompanying sign as "View of Festival Hall and the Cascades from the east 1904."

2:54 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in the 1904 World's Fair exhibit for "View of Festival Hall and the Cascades from the east 1904."

2:54 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - photo in the 1904 World's Fair exhibit identified in accompanying sign as "View of Cascade Gardens, Grand Basin, and Palace of Electricity from the east 1904."

2:55 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in the 1904 World's Fair exhibit for "View of Cascade Gardens, Grand Basin, and Palace of Electricity from the east 1904."

2:57 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - photo in the 1904 World's Fair exhibit of "Opening day concert 1904"; caption at bottom left reads as follows:

"The Fair opened with a concert from John Philip Sousa's band and chorus in the Plaza of St. Louis. At the left is the Palace of Manufacturers, and in the background at right is the Palace of Education."

2:57 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign to the left of that photo in the 1904 World's Fair exhibit for "Opening Day" with text that reads as follows:

"The Louisiana Purchase Exposition officially opened on April 30, 1904. Some 237,000 people showed up that day to see a parade, attend a performance by famed musician John Philip Sousa, and hear speeches from Fair leaders such as David R. Francis.

"At 1:04pm, Fair officials received a planned telegram from President Theodore Roosevelt in Washington, DC, announcing that the Fair was now open. Francis then turned a special key that flipped on the electricity throughout the fairgrounds. As the Fair's fountains, lights, and machinery whirred to life, Francis declared:

"'Open, ye gates. Swing wide, ye portals. Enter in, ye sons of men and behold the achievements of your race; learn the lesson here tonight and gather from it inspiration to still greater achievements. The exhibition in open.'" 

On the Museum's lower level (basement) was an exhibit for The Eads Bridge at 150.

3:02 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign for "Eads Bridge at 150" with text that is clearer in the next photo.

3:03 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of sign for "Eads Bridge at 150" with text that reads as follows:

"'Completely unsafe and utterly impractical.' That's how Jacob Linville, one of America's leading engineers, summarized James Eads's plans for a Mississippi River bridge in 1867. But today the Eads Bridge is considered a engineering marvel. Upon its completion in 1874, it was the largest bridge in the world, one of the first structures ever built out of structural steel. Most impressive, it was created by a self-taught engineer who had never designed a bridge before. Today the Eads Bridge stands in the shadow of the iconic Gateway Arch, two symbols of St Louis's rich history and promising future."

3:02 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit with photo of James Eads with tag on his coat that reads: "Eads the Innovator," text that is clearer in the next photo, and quotations at top that read as follows:

"As a boy ... [Eads's] manner was appalling, and his pranks legion.

- Florence L. Dorsey, Road to the Sea, 1947"

"That Capt. James B. Eads was a man of extraordinary force of character has been attested by his life journey.

- The Daily Picayune, 1887"

On the table in front of that sign are a closed book about "Eads's Other Inventions" (on the right) and a photo (on the front left) with a caption that reads "Inkwell presented to James Eads by a bridgeman. Its hinged lid opened by using a small lever that engaged a set of gears."

 

3:02 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - detail of sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit for "Eads the Innovator," with text that reads as follows:

"James Buchanan Eads was born in Indiana on May 23, 1820, to a family burdened by his father's string of failed businesses. The family moved to St. Louis from Kentucky when Eads was 13, when another hardship struck: The steamship they were traveling on sank to the bottom of the Mississippi River, taking with it everything the family owned.

"To help with his family's finances, Eads left school and sold apples. Eventually he found a job running errands for Barrett Williams, who owned a dry goods store in St. Louis. Williams quickly noticed Eads's intelligence and let him access his large personal library, where Eads educated himself in engineering, technology, machines, and river transportation."

To the right of that text is a photo with a caption that reads as follows:

"The Eads mansion at 1507-17 Compton Avenue. The home was later used as Bishop Robertson Hall and Loyola High School for boys.

"Unknown photographer, ca. 1880"

Below that photo is another with a caption that reads as follows:

"James Eads's tombstone and monument at Bellefontaine Cemetery"

3:03 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit for "A Challenging Beginning" with text that reads as follows:

"The idea of building a bridge across the Mississippi River at St. Louis had captivated engineers as early as the 1830s. The city badly needed one. By the 1850s railroads stretched across the country, but many of them ran north of St. Louis, leaving the city and economic opportunities behind. But steamboat and ferry operators were raking in money and refused to let go of their grasp. They paid off politicians and spread disinformation about bridge safety. The Civil War complicated construction efforts. After the war ended, the push for a bridge was revived, igniting a fierce competition among engineers, designers, and business leaders to see who could build it first."

Below that text are two photos, the upper one with a caption that reads as follows: "Man sitting on the St. Louis riverfront, with a ferry boat and railcars in the background. Unknown photographer and date." The lower photo has a caption that reads as follows: "View of the St. Louis riverfront from the Illinois shore," dated 1857.

3:04 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit for "A Groundbreaking Bridge" with text that reads as follows:

"In both its design and its materials, the Eads Bridge redefined what was possible for 19th-century engineering. It spans the wide Mississippi River on three arches made from structural steel, a first for bridges anywhere in the world. The massive stone piers supporting the bridge against the turbulent Mississippi had to be sunk deeper into the riverbed than any other bridge in history. The project pushed both natural materials and scientific principles beyond anything engineers had asked of them before."

Below the text are two photos, the upper one with a caption that reads as follows: "View from the Missouri shoreline of the Eads Bridge's second, third, and fourth piers, with its spans under construction" dated 187[3?]. The lower photo has a caption that reads as follows: "Construction of roadbed over completed arches, with equipment staging areas in the background" dated 187[3?].

3:04 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - two signs in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit.

The sign on the left has two parts, the first of which is titled "Sturdy Piers" with text that reads as follows: 

"Eads's design required the bridge's support piers to rest on bedrock at a depth of more than 100 feet below the surface of the Mississippi River. This was unheard of: No bridge pier had ever reached over half that deep. The river's punishing currents and underwater debris made the challenge even greater. To overcome these obstacles Eads employed innovative machinery such as the pneumatic caisson, a then-experimental technology, as well as a sand pump of his own design."

The lower part of this sign was for "Stonework" with text that reads as follows:

"The Eads Bridge uses more than 70,000 metric tons of stonework--equivalent to the amount used to build the Washington Monument. Granite could easily withstand the constant scraping of water, sand, and ice, so it was the best choice to protect the piers. While some granite came from Maine and Virginia, the bridge also uses Missouri Red granite, quarried near Elephant Rocks State Park, about 90 minutes south of St. Louis. Softer sandstone and dolomite were used inside the piers and above the waterline."

The sign on the right also has two parts, the first of which is titled "Mighty Arches" with text that reads as follows:

"The bridge's tubular steel arches were the most important part of the structure. Eads and his team developed testing tools and inspected nearly every component of the bridge. Eads also introduced a groundbreaking construction technique known as the cantilever method: By extending steelwork from each pier and connecting it to the arches' centers, supporting scaffolding was no longer needed during the construction process."

The second part of this sign is titled "Iron and Steel" with text that reads as follows:

"Using mass-produced structural steel to build a bridge had never been done before, and it was quickly called into question. All of the bridge's structural framework had to be made from both iron and steel in very specific proportions. Eads invented equipment that tested the metals' strength, and he immediately rejected any metal that did not meet his standards."

3:04 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit with photos numbered corresponding to a key on the table below the sign, as in Don's following photos, except for number 1, apparently part of a newspaper article with the headlines that read as follows:

"The Bridge

"The Elephant Declares it a Good Piece of Work--An Immense crowd of Sightseers Yesterday" followed by text that reads as follows, with the bottom left corner obscured by the number 1:

"It being announced that John Robinson's monster elephant, accompanied by the rest of the menagerie, was to cross the bridge at two o,clock [sic] Sunday afternoon, our citizens, to the number of many thousands, ate their dinners, got their families under way, and as early as one o'clock the footways from the Fifth street crossing of Washington Avenue to the eastern approach of the bridge were crowded with humans, with an economy of space that told woeful tales of misshapen crinoline, disordered summer hats and excited corns, all for the sake of seeing the elephant cross the bridge. At a little before two o'clock the caravan hove in sight at the eastern approach, under guard of a strong force of East St. Louis sight-seers. The numerous chariots and [???] of course awoke emotions in the myriad breasts of those who crowded [...]"

A close look at the text at bottom left of this photo confirms that this was "Newspaper coverage of elephant crossing the Eads Bridge prior to its opening."

The explanation, on the table below, for Photo 1 will be covered in one of Don's later photos. Other photo explanations, to the right of the elephant picture, are as follows:

Photo 2: "The Eads Bridge under construction, with a steamboat docked at the East St. Louis riverfront" dated 1872-1873.

Photo 3: "The Eads Bridge roadbed being completed, with equipment staging area in the foreground" dated 187[3?].

Photo 4: Yealman High School professor and amateur photographer William Butler viewing the crowded St. Louis riverfront" date not clear. 

Text of the sign about "150 Years of the Bridge" was partly covered by one of our fellow visitors, and is covered in Don's next photo.

3:05 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit titled  "150 Years of the Bridge" with text that reads as follows:

"During his dedication speech on July 4, 1874, James Eads observed that the bridge would 'endure as long as it is useful.' By all measures, he was right. The bridge has endured, standing strong against the forces of nature and adapting to the needs of a modern city. The lower deck, built for large steam locomotives, now accommodates light-rail transportation. The upper deck evolved from a wood-plank road for horses and pedestrians into a highway for thousands of cars every day. The iconic bridge has also inspired countless artists and has been the backdrop for millions of memories."

3:05 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit with explanation of Photo 1 titled  "The Elephant Test" with text that reads as follows:

"One of the best-known moments in Eads Bridge history happened before it even opened. The structure was built during a time plagued by bridge catastrophes, and people were wary of its stability.  A local circus owner allowed bridge promoters to guide an elephant across its upper deck to test the belief that elephants would never walk on a weak structure. The elephant's walk across the bridge ended without incident."

3:08 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit showing Photo 10 (the explanation for which Don did not capture in another photo).

3:08 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit with explanation of "Photos  on Wall Above" including the following:

Photo 10 "View of St. Louis riverfront, including the wharf boat of the steamer Mary S. Blees" dated 1915

Photo 11 "Barrels of apples on the wharf in front of the Eads Bridge" dated 1916

Photo 12 "Winter view of the Eads Bridge from the St. Louis riverfront, with trolleys crossing the road bridge and the river covered in ice floes" dated 1917

3:09 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit with explanation of "Photos  on Wall Above" including the following:

Photo 16 "Devastating Tornado" with text that reads as follows:

"St. Louis's deadliest tornado tore through neighborhoods just south of downtown in May 1896. When the storm crossed the Mississippi River, it decimated steamboats and other vessels, scattering them from Missouri to the Illinois shore. While the formidable Eads Bridge remained standing, nearly 300 feet of its eastern approach were ripped off. Pieces weighing several tons were hurled 100 feet, and others weighing several hundred tons were strewn across the riverbank."

The caption below the photo reads as follows: 

"Illinois riverfront and eastern bridge approach, showing extensive tornado damage to the bridge and shoreline" dated 1896

3:10 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit for "Breaking the Bends" with text that reads as follows:

"In the spring of 1870, as the caissons on the Eads Bridge's eastern piers approached bedrock, workers began to suffer increasingly serious medical symptoms as they emerged from the airlocks. Initial complaints concerned numb legs and shooting pains, but eventually they worsened to include coughing up blood, paralysis, and--in 14 cases--death. At first James Eads didn't take the condition seriously, claiming that it only seemed to affect those who drank to excess in riverfront saloons. But as the bridgemen's death toll mounted, Eads called his family doctor, Louis Antoine Alphonse Jaminet, to build a floating hospital beside the piers and study why this was happening. To do so, Jaminet entered the caisson's airlock at deeper and deeper depths to experience how the increasing air pressure affected his own body. Jaminet eventually became so sick that he could barely walk and had to spend hours in bed. Although Jaminet was unable to completely solve the medical puzzle of caisson disease--today known as 'the bends'--he recognized that gradual decompression was key to avoiding it. His studies laid some of the foundations for modern diving practices."

At the top of the sign is a quotation that reads as follows:

"Face livid, pulse 60 per minute; complains of epigastric pain, and paresis exists in both legs, which, half an hour afterward, became a clear case of parplegia.

--description of suffering bridgeman, Dr. Louis Antoine Alphonse Jaminet"

Below that is a photo with a caption that reads as follows: "Dr. Louis Antoine Alphonse Jaminet"

Below that is the title page of a report by Dr. Jaminet that reads as follows:

"Physical Effects of Compressed Air and of the Causes of Pathological Symptoms Produced on Man, by Increased Atmospheric Pressure Employed for the Sinking of Piers in the [Construction?] of the Illinois and St. Louis Bridge over the Mississippi River at St. Louis, Missouri, by, by A. Jaminet, M.D."

3:10 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit for "Section of East Pier and Caisson" with red box highlighting part of the lowest level and red lines leading to Don's next photo.

3:10 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit linked to the red box in the previous photo and titled "Into the Caisson" with text that reads as follows:

"Workers entered the caisson by descending stairs to a pressurized airlock. Laboring in hot, humid conditions, they'd shovel sand into a pump, where it was sucked through a shaft and expelled from the top. Compressed air was continuously pumped into the chamber to prevent water from seeping in.

"Below: Partial diagram of east pier and caisson, showing workers shoveling sand into the pump next to the staircase entrance"

3:11 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit with a quotation that reads as follows:

"Inside the caisson everything wore an unreal, weird appearance. There was a confused sensation in the head, like the 'rush of many waters.'  The pulse was first accelerated, then sometimes fell below the normal rate. The voice sounded faint and unnatural, and it was a great effort to speak.

--E.F. Farrington, mechanic for the Brooklyn Bridge"

3:11 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign in Eads Bridge at 150 exhibit for "Crucial Caissons" with a text that reads as follows:

"James Eads understood the intensity of the Mississippi River's currents better than most: He spent the early part of his career salvaging underwater shipwrecks. He knew if a bridge were to withstand these conditions, it had to be anchored to bedrock. For the western pier--the one on the St. Louis side--he used a cofferdam, a watertight structure that looks like a building without a roof and is pumped dry so construction can take place. But the other piers had to reach much deeper, so Eads turned to the newly invented pneumatic caisson. It was a large, pressurized chamber that could be submerged so workers could excavate materials or create underwater foundations. Unlike the cofferdam, which was removed after construction, caissons were permanent parts of the bridge's structure.

We had been told to return to the bus at 3:45, so Don headed back to the entrance of the museum, where he had time to look at the following  sign.

3:31 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - sign near entrance for "The Jefferson Memorial"; the following photos show details of this sign. 

3:31 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign with photo of the Jefferson Memorial dedication event in 1913 (see the caption in Don's next photo).

3:31 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign with the caption "Jefferson Memorial dedication event in Forest Park"  with text that reads as follows:

"To celebrate the statue's unveiling and encourage attendance at the dedication event, the mayor of St. Louis declared April 30, 1913, a half-day holiday." Photo dated 1913.

At the right is a photo with a caption for "Portrait of Karl Theodore Francis Bitter" with text that reads as follows:

"Vienna-born sculptor Karl Bitter, the director of sculpture at the 1904 World's Fair, agreed to create this statue of Thomas Jefferson for $20,000--more than $550,000 today." Photo of unknown date.

3:31 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign with heading for "The Jefferson Memorial"  with text that reads as follows:

"On April 30, 1913, this statue of Thomas Jefferson was unveiled to a crowd of about 250,000 people. Designed by Vienna-born artist Karl Bitter, the statue was the country's first public memorial to its third president. The St. Louisans who established this memorial were not just honoring Jefferson. They were also celebrating the 1904 World's Fair, which commemorated the Louisiana Purchase that Jefferson oversaw.

"The organizers of this memorial had a clear story they wanted to tell: They sought to immortalize the man who wrote the Declaration of Independence and was one of he founding fathers of this country. They did not attempt to tell a complete story. What they did not acknowledge was Jefferson's role in the perpetuation of slavery or his role in the forced removal of Native Americans from their ancestral lands. These aspects of Jefferson's life are a key part of understanding his legacy.

"Although the creators of this statue meant it to be solely a celebration, it now serves a different role. This statue challenges us to approach history from multiple perspectives and wrestle with all of its complexities and contradictions."

 

3:31 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - part of that sign with heading for "The Jefferson Memorial" with photo caption that reads as follows:

"Unveiling of the Thomas Jefferson statue at the Jefferson Memorial Building

"Before the unveiling ceremony, an American flag was draped over the statue. A Jefferson descendant then pulled off the flag to dramatic effect." photo dated April 30, 1913

In the upper left corner is the completion of a quotation begun in Don's photo about Karl Bitter:

"Behold, one of the immortals."

--David R. Francis, president of the 1904 World's Fair

at the memorial's unveiling. 1913"

3:32 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - one last look at the statue of Thomas Jefferson.

Before boarding the bus, Don had time to get  photo of the entire front of the Missouri History Museum (aka Jefferson Memorial).

3:35 PM - St. Louis: Missouri History Museum - the entire front of the building.

 

On the way back to the ship, our bus passed  the campus of St. Louis University.

Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private Jesuit university founded in 1818. It is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River and one of the oldest Jesuit universities in the US. It traces its origins to the Saint Louis Academy, founded in 1818 in a private residence at a location that is now occupied by the Gateway Arch National Park, near the Old Cathedral. By 1820, it had a two-story building, and the name was changed to St. Louis College. In 1828, it received its charter as a university by an act of the Missouri Legislature. In 1829, the new university moved its campus to Washington Ave. and Ninth St. In 1867, the university purchased land in what is now Midtown. The first building on this new campus, DeBourg Hall, began construction in 1888, and the college officially moved to its new location in 1889. Construction of the new St. Francis Xavier College Church began in 1884 and was completed in 1898. (In 1906, an SLU player was the first to throw a forward pass in football history.)

4:04 PM - St. Louis: St. Louis University - first view, through bus window, of some of the old buildings, with Cook Hall at far left.

4:05 PM - St. Louis: St. Louis University - view, through bus window, of Cook Hall at the  left (legible part  of the blue sign in the foreground  says "Chaife, " probably for the Chaifetz School of Business, which is located in Cook Hall and the interconnected Shaughnessy Hall.

4:05 PM - St. Louis: St. Louis University (SLU on banner) - first view, through bus window, of St. Francis Xavier College Church, with tower at far left and apse in right foreground.

Saint Francis Xavier College Church is a Catholic church that serves as a parish church in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and for the St. Louis University community. The parish was established in 1836 when the Bishop of St. Louis permitted the Jesuits to establish a parish at their college. It was the first English-speaking parish in St. Louis. The congregation initially met in the college’s student chapel, located on Washington Ave between Ninth and Tenth streets. The cornerstone for the first church was laid in 1840 at the intersection of Ninth St. and Cristy Ave. After the university moved to its present location on Grand Blvd in 1867, the archbishop gave permission in 1879 for the College Church to move to the new campus. The cornerstone of the new church was laid in 1884. By the end of that year, the lower part of the church was completed, with a roof, and it served the parish until finances allowed the upper church to be completed in 1898, except for the spire on top of the tower, which was completed in 1914. The upper church was modeled after S. Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh, Ireland. It is in the Gothic Revival style.

4:05 PM - St. Louis: St. Louis University - view, through bus window, of St. Francis Xavier College Church, with tower at left and part of nave at right.

4:06 PM - St. Louis: St. Louis University - view, through bus window, of St. Francis Xavier College Church, with wedding party coming out of main entrance at left, where a bus called "Fun Time Limousine" is waiting; interestingly, a well-dressed couple is coming out another entrance on the right.

4:12 PM - St. Louis: view, through bus window, of Union Station Hotel.

4:12 PM - St. Louis: view, through bus window, of City Hall.

4:17 PM - St. Louis: view, through bus window, of statue of General Ulysses S. Grant on corner in front of City Hall.

At 4:30, our group returned to the Viking Mississippi.

4:36 PM - St. Louis: view, from bow of Viking Mississippi, of Gateway Arch.

4:36 PM - St. Louis: view, from bow of Viking Mississippi, of Eads Bridge.

In the meantime, MT had gone at 2:15 to the Explorers' Lounge (Deck 1) meeting place for the optional excursion "Anheuser-Busch Brewery" (listed in the Viking Daily newsletter as 2:30-5:30).

 

The My Viking Journey web site described the shore excursion “Anheuser-Busch Brewery” as follows:
 
$99 Per PersonSOLD OUT
Day 8 – St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Saturday, July 12
2:30 PM
2.3 Hours
Easy
Working World
 
Visit One of America’s Oldest Breweries
 
Visit the famous Anheuser-Busch Brewery, whose grounds include three National Historic Landmarks.
 
The brewery is in the lively Soulard neighborhood—a location chosen for its access to the Mississippi River, large presence of German immigrants and the natural cave formations where beer could be stored prior to the use of artificial refrigeration. You will learn the history of beer brewing in America. And, through the stories of the Eberhard Anheuser and Adolphus Busch families, you will gain insight into the lives of St. Louis’s 18th-century German immigrant community. Along with a beer tasting, you will see the Budweiser Clydesdale stables, Beechwood Aging Cellars, the historic Brewhouse and Bevo packing facility.

MT 2:41 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - sign for "CHEERS Welcome to Anheuser-Busch - St. Louis, MO."

Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC is headquartered in St. Louis. It owns multiple bands, notably Budweiser, Michelob, Stella Artois, and Beck’s. In 1852, the German-American brewer and saloon operator George Schneider opened the Bavarian Brewery in St. Louis. Financial problems forced the sale of the brewery to various owners in the late 1850s. In 1860, the brewery was purchased by William O’Dench, a local pharmacist, and Eberhard Anheuser, a prosperous German-born soap manufacturer. In 1869, O’Dench sold his half-interest to Anheuser’s son-in-law Adolphus Busch. The company then became known as E. Anheuser & Company (1860-1875), E. Anheuser Company Brewing Association (1875-1879), Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association (1879-1919), Anheuser-Busch, Inc. (1919-1979), and Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. (1979-2013).
Adolphus Busch was the first American brewer to use pasteurization to keep beer fresh, the first to use mechanical refrigeration and refrigerated rail cars, which he introduced in 1876, and the first to bottle beer extensively. In the 1870s, he toured Europe and studied brewing methods, particularly the success of pilsner beer, which included a popular beer called Budweiser because in was brewed in the city of Budweis in what is now the Czech Republic. In 1876, Busch took the already well-known name Budweiser and used it for his own new beer, even though his product had no connections with the city of Budweis.

MT 2:43 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - great hall with sign for "Welcome to the Home of Budweiser."

MT 2:43 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - "Budweiser" sign on roof of packaging plant.

MT 2:43 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - photo of Clydesdale horses.

MT 3:29 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - one of the Clydesdale horses in the stable.

MT 3:30 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - MT with beer wagon pulled by the Clydesdale horses.

MT 3:39 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - harness for one of  the "Budweiser Clydesdales."

MT 3:39 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - huge vats used in the aging process.

MT 3:42 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - sign for "Beechwood Aging Cellars - Capacity: 3600 Barrels: Beer rests here for aging, clarification, and natural carbonation. After aging, the beer passes through a special filtering process and is then ready for packaging."

8799 MT 3:43 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - Beechwood in lagering tank.

Budweiser is "beechwood aged," which is nothing like barrel aging or using of oak—those techniques add tannins and vanillin and woods character, while beechwood’s flavor is fairly neutral. Anheuser-Busch’s famous beechwood aging is designed to increase the contact area between the yeast and the beer. They start with long chunks of beechwood, which they treat with baking soda to reduce the already mild flavor contributions of the wood. These pieces are stacked in lagering tanks, and then they krāusen* the beer by adding fresh wort. The wood forms a substrate to collect yeast, increasing the beer/yeast interface.
_________
*krāusen refers to the frothy foam that forms on beer during fermentation, or to a German brewing technique called krāusening, which uses this foam to naturally carbonate beer.

MT 4:07 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - "Mash Tanks."

MT 4:07 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - "Straining Process."

MT 4:07 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - high ceiling.

MT 4:12 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - clock tower on another building called the "[Brew]House" (mentioned in the excursion summary).

MT 4:19 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - ornate door in  the Brewhouse.

MT 4:20 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - display of Anheuser-Busch products.

MT 4:27 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - racks with small sign for "Place Today's Cans Left Side Of Designated Rack."

MT 4:29 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - inside the packaging plant, with signs at upper left for "Labeler" and "Packer."

MT 4:32 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - sign for "Rinser/Filler" (telephoto 133 mm).

MT 4:32 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery - sign for "Labeler" (telephoto 133 mm).

MT 4:48 PM - St. Louis: Anheuser-Busch Brewery -  band playing at end of the tour (telephoto 98 mm).

The summary of this excursion on the My Viking Journey web site said it started at 2:30 pm with a duration of "2.3" hours, which would have it ending around 4:42. Apparently it was just a bit longer than that.

At 5:30, we went to the Living Room (Deck 1) for the Daily Briefing.

At 6:00, we went to The Restaurant (Deck 1) for dinner.

The Viking Daily newsletter said everyone had to be back on board by 6:45, as we would sail for our next stop in Memphis, Tennessee at 7:00.

At 7:15, we went to the Living Room (Deck 1) for Evening Entertainment: "St. Louis--a Ragtime Town."

MT 8:00 PM - St. Louis: Viking Mississippi - ragtime music (VIDEO).

After the music ended shortly after 8:00, we went out onto the bow (Deck 1), where we relaxed as the ship had begun to sail.  MT took advantage of our Silver Spirits package to order champagne.

MT 8:17 PM - Viking Mississippi - Don and MT enjoying a drink on the bow (mild telephoto 41 mm).

Back in our stateroom, we studied the Viking Daily newsletter for the next day, which would be "Scenic Sailing" downriver toward Memphis, and MT highlighted things we might want to do on board.

MT 9:00 PM - Viking Mississippi - MT's highlighted copy of the Viking Daily newsletter for Sunday, July 13 (each passenger got his/her own copy).

At 9:00, we went to the Launderette (Deck 2) to start 2 loads in preparation for the rest of our cruise and our extended stay in New Orleans.

While waiting for the laundry, we also took time to review our hotel reservation at the Inn at St. Ann for extending 3 days in New Orleans after the cruise.

MT 10:33 PM - Viking Mississippi - first page of our reservation for Inn at St Ann.

MT 10:33 PM - Viking Mississippi - second page of our reservation for Inn at St Ann.