St Louis, Missouri, USA
1854 - St Louis

St. Louis, a city, port of entry, and seat of justice of St. Louis county. Missouri, is situated on the right bank of the Mississippi river, 20 miles below the entrance of the Missouri, 174 above the mouth of the Ohio, 744 below the Falls of St. Anthony, 1194 above New Orleans, and 128 miles E. from Jefferson City. Lat. 38° 37' 28" N., Lon. 90° 15' 16" W. The site rises from the river by two plateaus of limestone formation, the first 20 and the other 60 feet above the floods of the Mississippi. The ascent to the first plateau, or bottom as it maybe termed, is some what abrupt ; the second rises more gradually, and spreads out into an extensive plain, affording fine views of the city and river. St. Louis extends in all nearly 7 miles by the curve of the Mississippi, and about 3 miles back ; the thickly settled portion, however, is only 2 or 2 1/ 2 miles in length, following the river, and about 1 1/ 2 miles in breadth. The city is well laid out, the streets being for the most part 60 feet wide, and, with but few exceptions, intersect each other at right angles. Front Street, extending along the levee, is upwards of 100 feet wide, and built up on the side facing the river with a range of massive stone ware houses, which make an imposing appearance as the city is approached by water. Front, Main, and Second streets, parallel to each other and to the river, are the seat of the principal wholesale business. The latter is occupied with heavy grocery, iron, receiving and shipping houses. Fourth street, the fashionable promenade, contains the finest re tail stores. The streets parallel to Front and Main streets are designated Second street, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and so on ; and those on the right and left of Market street, extending at right angles with the river, are mostly named from various forest trees, similar to the streets of Philadelphia. Large expenditures have been made from time to time in grading and otherwise improving the streets and alleys of St. Louis ; and it is stated that at the present time a greater amount of work of this kind is under contract than has ever been undertaken by the city in any former year. As yet, but slight provision has been made for public squares, but immediate attention to this subject is earnestly recommended by the mayor in his late message of October, 1868. One handsome enclosure, called Lafayette Square, is now being laid out in the southern section of the city, about 2 miles S. W. from the court house. St. Louis is handsomely built, especially the new portion of the city; the principal material is brick, though limestone is employed to some extent...

The population of St. Louis in 1830 was 669-1, showing an increase of only 2096 in ten years. In 1840 it had much more than doubled, having reached 16,469. Between these periods, therefore, we are to look for the commencement of that vast increase which has so distinguished the growth of this city. Population in 1850, 75,204 free, and 2650 slaves: total, 77,850. Of these, 23,774 were born in Germany; 11,257 in Ireland; 2933 in England, and 2450 in other foreign countries— making an aggregate of 40,414 natives of foreign countries, and 37,436 natives of the United States. By a local census of 1862, St. Louis contained a population of 94,819, and if to this we add the population of the suburbs, it would swell the number to upwards of 100,000 souls, being an increase of about 20,000 since 1850, and of nearly 84,000 since 1840.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

Visit St Louis, Missouri, USA
Discover the people who lived there, the places they visited and the stories they shared.