The city of St. Louis, named for King Louis IX of France, was first settled in 1764 as a French trading post on the Mississippi River. From those early settlement days the city has grown into a metropolitan area of over 2.4 million people. The Gateway Arch, architect Eero Saarinen's monument on the west bank of the Mississippi River, pays tribute to the pioneering spirit of the men and women who expanded this nation from the Midwest to the Pacific. Livable The city of St. Louis is a friendly metropolis in the heartland of America. Housing is plentiful and affordable, entertainment is varied and inexpensive, and restaurants are interesting and cheap.
Some students prefer to share housing to reduce costs.
A new Metro Link light rail train traverses from Illinois to the St. Louis Lambert International Airport and includes stops at Forest Park, the Central West End, St. Louis University, St. Louis Union Station, the Kiel Center, Busch Stadium, the TWA Dome, and downtown St. Louis. Active Forest Park is a 1,300 acre urban park that is at the heart of active life in St. Louis. In and around St. Louis, soccer, softball, volleyball, and basketball leagues abound. One can even find outlets for more esoteric sports like cricket, rugby, and polo. Float trips down the nearby Missouri scenic waterways are a popular summertime activity.