St. Louis has a look that’s all its own: red brick buildings, cobblestone streets, terra-cotta friezes, and stained glass are part of the tapestry of St. Louis’s amazing architectural heritage. The focal point of St. Louis’s skyline is America’s tallest man-made national monument: the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch built in 1965 as a monument to President Thomas Jefferson.

How did this monumental city of stone and brick spring up in the middle of the country? The wealth of St. Louis’s merchant class and a massive fire are two of the answers. The great fire, which started on the levee aboard the steamboat White Cloud in 1849, left one-third of the growing city in ruins and created an ordinance that ensured future buildings would be constructed of brick, iron, and other nonflammable materials.

St. Louisans who had been growing rich from the fur trade, commerce of the Mississippi River, and the outfitting of westward travelers for decades rebuilt their city with style, class, and an eye for beauty. These trends continue today both in restoration and new construction projects.

Reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from 50 FABULOUS GAY-FRIENDLY PLACES TO LIVE (www.FabCities.com) © 2005 Gregory A. Kompes. Published by Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ. 800-227-3371. All rights reserved.