Visit St. Louis in Missouri

Visit the City of St. Louis Missouri The famous Route 66 used to be one of the major federal highways that connect the Chicago in the mid west to Los Angeles on the west coast crossing almost the entire United States. The two thousand four hundred forty eight mile long way crosses the States of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California traversing several cities and tourist targets of varying sizes. From Combi’s novel “Win or Two” we know not only how to kill a grizzly bear with our bare hands but also that the west begins in St. Louis. Today the city that mecca for Blues fans still tries to tempt tourists with the “Gate to the Wild Westerners.” The Memorial Park built around the gateway arch also seeks to communicate this image. The Westward Expansion Museum is in memory of the pioneers who conquered the unknown west. In 1859, from the territory of the original thirteen states, hundreds of thousands of settlers and immigrants started to move west where they hope to find the new and more prosperous life. The settlers had to work hard to procure even the basics need for living. The exhibition placed under the huge modern arch also commemorates the workers who constructed it and we can get a close view of Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis airplane that was the first to fly over the Atlantic Ocean. In the Pioneer’s Museum, covered wagons and countless artifacts illustrate the heroic age of those who helped to shape the history of the Wild West. The essence of the visitor and child friendly exhibition is in its interactivity. Here, practically anything can be even should be touched. We can personally meet the grizzly bear that was staying to become an exhibition object and also the American Bison. In St. Grace’s words, “The carts turned down from the road to a lowland where weather beaten ox were standing scattered and a gurgling small brook round between its green banks.” The horses rolled about in more and more absurd positions in the grass to rub off the perspiration and dust from their backs. The naughty ones were tied up. Ben tried to buy California red ox with the vagabonds. The coachman of the craft cart was also the cook He appeared sinking under a huge bundle of brush wood. The picturesque beauty of this moment deeply remained in Heddy’s memory. The smoke of the fire, the smell of the smoldering logs, the steaming pots, a new white sail cloth spreading out under the oak tree, the hot flop jack, the appetizing smell of the sizzling bacon, the tall slim, sunburned young riders in lather chaps and spurs. After supper, they sat around for an hour around the campfire. As night was falling and the breeze started to wane, it précised to feel the warmth of the smoldering logs Heddy’s small tent under the high canvas of the coach was so homey and comfortable that she couldn’t even her wish better for herself.. With the sense of litter and cold and cool wisps were fondling her face through the curtains. After a while, the people’s whispering stopped and the fire’s light also lost its bigger. Dark night and quiet fell on everything.” Eero Saarinen, American architect to Finnish origin can be proud of such works as the Technical Center of General Motors, The Milwaukee War Memorial Center, The Cambridge Auditorium, the TWA Flight Center at JFK International Airport or the main terminal of Dallas Airport in Washington. After his death in 1961, the American Architects Association awarded him the posthumous Gold Medal. He was also well-known as a furniture planner. Huge amounts are paid for his works at auctions. His best known work is this one hundred ninety two meter high slim silver colored gateway arch. It was built between 1962 and 1965 from nearly nine hundred tons of stainless steel plates. Elevator cars holding five people run on an oblique path to bring visitors to the top where they can enjoy the panorama of the river and the city. President Jefferson bought the lands extending to the west of the Mississippi the so called Louisiana Purchase from the French thus giving the opportunity for expansion to the American pioneers. For this reason, the former town center which is a park today is named after him. On the territory of Jefferson Park once stood a slave market now there’s the Old Courthouse which reminds one of the capitals in Washington D. C. although the iron structure dome of the courthouse is higher than the one in Washington. Here, the Dryla Dred Scott was held who inspite of being an African-American demanded civil right for himself. Though he lost the case, this matter finally led to the civil war and the eventual abolition of slavery. Route 66, The US Route 66 in other words the main street of America, the Mother road or Will Rodgers highway has crossed the country since November 1926. It started from Chicago crossing eight States to reach the Pacific Ocean at Los Angeles. The length of the whole road was three thousand nine hundred thirty nine kilometers. Route 66 has undergone several changes. One of these meant to change the final point from the Los Angeles Olympic Boulevard to Santa Monica on the coast. Route 66 used to be the main road of those migrating to the West especially during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. The Route was down-graded on June 27, 1985 and was removed from the highway system of the United States. Its faith was sealed when President Eisenhower, falling in love with the German motorway system had a new system established in the United States based purely on military defense considerations. From then on, the road was called Historic Route 66 and was put back on the map also with this name as a living monument. The road of all roads, the American Dream, the way of Steinbec, Caroak, the easy riders, the embodiment of a life philosophy, “FREEDOM ITSELF” in capital letters. John Steinbeck in his novel from 1939, “The Grapes of Rough Route” Route 66 is a long concrete road crossing the country, waving slightly up and down on the map from the Mississippi to Bakersfield, through red fields and grey fields turning up to the mountains, intersecting the watershed then down to bright fearful desert. Through the desert to the mountains again until they reach Californian valleys. 66 is the road of a landscaping nation that runs away from the dust, to rambling noise of tractors and the shriveling of lands. The slow northern expanding of the desert, the whirlwinds arriving roaring from Texas the rises which don’t make the fields more fertile but even deprive from its remaining productive richness. The people are escaping from all these and in way down Route 66 coming from the secondary roads from rough fields ways, from rough paths and trodden pass. 66 is the main route, the road of escape. The Pulitzer prize which the novel as awarded only further increase the legend of the road. The name of the Mississippi originates from the Ogive Indians, “mici zibi” word and means big river. Together with the Missouri, it forms the largest river system of America. The joint length is six thousand two hundred seventy kilometers. Mark Twain made the river famous in his books “Tom Sawyer”, and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. Jesse James Museum is located in Meramec cave. According to contemporary notes, the most famous bandit of the American West robbed seventeen banks and trains and looted more than two hundred thousand dollars. President Truman said the following about him. “He was a modern Robin Hood, he stole from the rich and gave to the poor and this is generally not a bad policy.” The Baptist preacher’s son wasn’t really a Zorro-like romantic hero as the later books and films described. He was a cruel killer but there’s no doubt about his organizing ability. He planned each of his actions with foresight. This also helped him to hide for sixteen years from his pursuers among others also in this cave which is now shown as a part of America’s history. Numerous actors have played Jesse’s figure on the screen including Tyrone Power, Robert Duvall and Rob Lowe.