24 HOURS IN ST. LOUIS; Part One... The Good.

[photoLith]

St. Louis was incredible to say the least! I was only there for 24 hours, so I couldn't see all that much but I covered as much as I could. I walked all through Soulard, lots of North STL, Lafayette Square, downtown, and other amazing places. I didnt realize I had so many photos so this will be a 2 part thread. This first part covers the nicer parts of STLs. Soulard, Lafayette Square, and other random parts of the city. My second thread will be North STL and downtown, and then some of the rougher parts of the southern section of the city. Lets get started.


First place I stopped, somewhere in south STL.


Soulard, pronounced Soolard.










































Waking up in Soulard...




Still Soulard






The very eastern edge of Soulard where they are still restoring abandoned buildings.




Finally left Soulard for Lafayette square, this Ukranian Orthodox Church was just south of Lafayette Square


Inside of the church.


Lafayette Square... so sexy




























An old mostly abandoned warehouse district south of the arch.


















The oldest cathedral west of the Mississippi, which happens to be like a quarter mile away. It was built during the 1840s and was absolutely beautiful.




What the arch replaced.




More still to come...

[highriser1]

A fine picture of the arch. All good pics.

[JivecitySTL]

Great pics! Did you make it to the Central West End or Forest Park? Those are some must-see areas.

[STLgasm]

Seriously, these are some of the best "pass-thru" St. Louis pics I've seen. Glad you stumbled upon the real St. Louis, which is so often missed by tourists who stick to the tourist traps.

Like Jive said, I hope you made it to the West End and other central corridor hoods.

[sabotai]

Oh my god... I had to pick up my jaw off the floor after viewing that. Amazing job!! This one was the winner.

[photoLith]

Central West End? Where is that exactly? I covered some of the area just east of Forest Grove Park, that will be in part 2. I also took tons of pictures around Cherokee Lemp Historic District and the ghettoish area around Cherokee Lemp.
Some of the best pictures I got were in the small remnant neighborhood of Lasalle Park, and those will also be in my next set.

[STLgasm]

You may be confused with Tower Grove Park. Forest Park and the Central West End are about 5 miles west of downtown. You'd know it if you wound up there. Oh well, maybe next time. Looking forward to seeing Part 2!

[photoLith]

Yeah, I def didnt make it out there. Ill posting part two in about 15 minutes. Its got a lot more photos and I think they are a lot better than these too.

[JivecitySTL]

Here's an aerial of the Central West End:



You would definitely know if you were there-- it's one of the most impressive urban neighborhoods in the Midwest. It's located adjacent to gigantic Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the nation. It's in the city's central corridor directly due west of downtown and Midtown, not the North or South Side.

[photoLith]

How in the world could I have missed that? I didnt even know that area existed. Probably should have researched the city better before I went but oh well, I still saw tons of amazing stuff. STL is def more impressive than I ever thought it could be. I am so used to cities not having any urban neighborhoods growing up mostly in Houston and Dallas. I couldnt believe driving in from the south to STL how far out the urban fabric goes. I exited way before downtown where I wanted to start out because I started seeing old buildings and usually when I see old buildings the downtown is right there but not in STL.

[JivecitySTL]

No biggie, now you know you have something to come back for. There is MUCH MUCH MUCH more to the city that you missed if you didn't make it to the CWE! Can't wait for the rest!

[Dr Awesomesauce]

It's always such a pleasure to see StL...it's got such a fabulous housing vernacular. Love it!

[wisla_krakow]

amazing neighborhoods and architecture

[Shawn]

Great pics, photolitherland, in both your Good and Bad threads!

St. Louis is one of those American cities I would have rather low opinions of if it weren't for SSP. Thanks to the St. Louis forumers and people like photolitherland who take great pics passing through, I have high regard for the city's unique vernacular and kick-ass neighborhoods.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by photolitherland

How in the world could I have missed that? I didnt even know that area existed. Probably should have researched the city better before I went but oh well, I still saw tons of amazing stuff. STL is def more impressive than I ever thought it could be. I am so used to cities not having any urban neighborhoods growing up mostly in Houston and Dallas. I couldnt believe driving in from the south to STL how far out the urban fabric goes. I exited way before downtown where I wanted to start out because I started seeing old buildings and usually when I see old buildings the downtown is right there but not in STL.

I don't know how much of the southside you saw, or how far southwest on Gravois you drove, but there's a rather large slab of clean 1910s-20s urbanity down there and then back directly north on the southwest side of the city as well, not to mention the rather urban neighborhoods in the county. You did a good job for being in town for 24 hours though, especially considering you hit the northside.

[ChiPsy]

(1) These are amazing photos; absolutely spectacular.

(2) You definitely have to go back for STL's Central West End, and I can't wait until you do.

(3) These are amazing photos.

[ColDayMan]

Great photos!

[BG918]

I'm planning on driving up sometime in the next few months. This thread has already given me some ideas. St. Louis is a great city that not enough people appreciate.

[JivecitySTL]

Anyone who comes to STL absolutely MUST stop by our shop when you're in town! Click the link in my sig!

[Bedhead]

Fantastic - especially those night shots. Amazing buildings.