St. Charles is a city in and the county seat of St. Charles County, Missouri. Found on the Missouri River just northwest of St. Louis, Missouri, it is also known as Saint-Charles in French and San Carlos in Spanish. St. Charles played a significant role in the United States’ westward expansion and is the third oldest city west of the Mississippi. The city was founded in 1765 as Les Petites Côtes, "The Little Hills", by Louis Blanchette, a French Canadian fur trader, and was the last "civilized" stop for the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804. The city served as the first Missouri capital, from 1821 to 1826 and is the site for the Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne shrine. St. Charles is also the home base for the St. Louis National Weather Service Forecast Office, serving central, east-central and northeastern Missouri as well as west-central and southwest Illinois.
History
(The following information on St. Charles’ history has been directly sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Charles,_Missouri for your convenience. To discover more about St. Charles’ rich history, please click on the link provided above.)
Louis Blanchette
Louis Blanchette was a French Canadian who travelled to the Americas, it is said, for adventure. According to Hopewell's Legends of the Missouri and Mississippi:
In the year 1765, a French Canadian, called Blanchette Chasseur, animated by that love of adventure which characterizes all who have lived a roving and restless life, ascended the Missouri, with a few followers, for the purpose of forming a settlement in the then remote wilderness.
According to Hopewell's rather romantic account, Blanchette met another French Canadian (Bernard Guillet) at the site of St. Charles in 1765. Blanchette, determined to settle at the site, asked if Guillet, who had become the chief of a Dakota tribe, had chosen a name for it.
"I called the place 'Les Petites Côtes' " replied Bernard, "from the sides of the hills that you see."
"By that name shall it be called," said Blanchette Chasseur, "for it is the echo of nature — beautiful from its simplicity."
Blanchette settled there in 1769 under the authority of the Spanish governor of Upper Louisiana, and served as its civil and military leader until his death in 1793. During this time perhaps only a couple dozen buildings were built. Although the settlement was under Spanish jurisdiction, the settlers themselves remained primarily French nationals.
San Carlos
The first church, built in 1791, was dedicated to San Carlos Borromeo, and the town became known as San Carlos del Misuri: "St. Charles of the Missouri". This church was destroyed by a tornado in 1916.
Daniel Boone
The first American-born Europeans to settle in the region were Daniel Boone and his family. The Spanish Lieutenant-Governor Carlos de Hault de Lassus appointed him commandant of the Femme Osage District, which he served until the United States government assumed control in 1804. The name of the town, San Carlos, was anglicized to become St. Charles.
Lewis and Clark
William Clark arrived in St. Charles on May 16, 1804. With him were 40 men and three boats; there they made final preparations, as they waited for Meriwether Lewis to arrive from St. Louis. They attended dances, dinners, and a church service during this time, and the excited town was very hospitable to the explorers.
Lewis arrived via St. Charles Rock Road on May 20, and the expedition launched the next day in a keelboat at 3:30 pm. St. Charles was the last established American town they would visit for more than two and a half years.
State Capital
When Missouri was granted statehood in 1821, a decision was made to build a "City of Jefferson" to serve as the state capital, in the center of the state, overlooking the Missouri River. Since this land was undeveloped at the time, a temporary capital was needed. St. Charles beat eight other cities in a competition to house the temporary capitol, offering free meeting space for the legislature in rooms located above a hardware store. This building is preserved as the First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site and may be toured. The Missouri government continued to meet there until Jefferson City was ready in 1826.
German Immigration
Gottfried Duden was a German who visited in the area in 1824. Travelling under the guidance of Daniel M. Boone, he wrote extensive accounts of life in St. Charles County during his year there. These he published upon his return to Germany in 1829, and his favorable impressions of the area led to the immigration of a number of Germans in 1833. The first permanent German settler in the region was probably Louis Eversman, who arrived with Duden but decided to stay.
First Interstate
St. Charles, Missouri is where the first claimed interstate project started in 1956. Off of Interstate 70 going westbound to the right of the first capital exit a highway sign is displayed with a logo and information regarding this claim as Kansas and Pennsylvania also lay claim to the first interstate project.
St. Charles, MO Attractions & Activities
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa
As one of the first casinos to open in the St. Louis area, Ameristar St. Charles has long been a gaming leader in the region. Now, with the completion of the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa, its $265 million luxury hotel and spa, it's poised to become the most popular gaming and entertainment destination in Greater St. Louis.
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa's new all-suite hotel combines crisp, contemporary style with sheer comfort. Each of its 400 suites is generously sized and the 7,000-square-foot full-service spa, with its indoor-outdoor pool, is literally a destination in its own right. And the region's largest casino is just an elevator ride away, along with an action-packed nightclub, a renowned music hall and seven restaurants, each with a personality – and great cuisine – of its own.
For those mixing business with pleasure, Ameristar Casino Resort Spa's 22,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art conference and meeting center combines a reception area, five gracefully-appointed meeting rooms, two ballrooms, a board room and a business center. With the latest in high-tech infrastructure, this conference center should make any meeting a success.
Adrenaline Zone Demolition Ball
Where else can you take your friends of all ages and keep them entertained all day? On one side, Demolition Ball, the game you know and love. On the other, Adrenaline Zone, one of the largest multi - level laser tag arenas in the state.
In the middle of all the action, video games, pool tables, foosball tables, and plenty of room for up to five hundred of your closest friends (or enemies).
Events
Life is Good Festival
The Life is good Festival at Frontier Park in historic St. Charles is a free outdoor celebration for all ages. The day features great live music from national recording artist Brett Dennen, rising star Erin McCarley, and family favorite SteveSongs, plus dozens of games, sports and activities. Kick back and enjoy the tunes or dive into the action. It's all free and it's all good.
Funds raised through our morning Good Walk for Kids, donations onsite, and all profits from the sale of Life is good merchandise at the event benefit Project Joy, a nationally-recognized non-profit organization whose mission is to use the healing power of play to transform children impacted by violence, poverty and loss into healthy players in the game of life. A portion of funds raised will enable Project Joy to help some of the most vulnerable children in the Greater St. Louis area. Life is good has raised over $4 million to date for children's charities through its festivals and product sales. We can't wait to boost that number with your help.
For more details on St. Charles, MO Calendar of Events, please visit us.
To provide County residents with regional parks and recreation facilities that will enhance the historical and natural environmental heritage; promote the high quality of life that exists in the rural and urban areas; resolve to meet the growing demand for preservation of open space; encourage tourism; and actively seek coordination with St. Charles County Municipalities in order to meet the needs for delivery of recreation facilities and services that nurture healthy lifestyles for people who live, visit, and enjoy our County. Park Amenities include picnic shelters, a lakeside pavilion, camping facilities, fishing, off-leash dog area, playground areas, disc golf course, boat ramp access, nature trails, and nature preserves/wetlands areas.
For more details about St. Charles, MO please click here.
Lewis and Clark
