Founded by French fur traders in 1764 above the banks of the Mississippi River, St. Louis was named after the French King Louis IX. The United States acquired it as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803; Lewis and Clark set out from here in 1804 on their expedition westward. A major port for shipping and commerce, St. Louis was the fourth largest city in the country by 1870, a “gateway” for travelers seeking their fortunes in the American West. The Union Train Station, built in 1888, was the largest and busiest train station in the world at the time.
GETTING ORIENTED
In fact, I recommend staying right at the Union Train Station, which is now a wonderful hotel that retains intricately tiled mosaics, stained glass, and decorative plasterwork arches and columns. (And a good restaurant.) stlouisunionstation.com
Begin your expeditions with a tram ride up the Gateway Arch, the 630-foot monument designed by architect Eero Saarinen and built between 1963 and 1965 as an ode to westward expansion. Do plan ahead and buy tickets online, as the wait to ride up can be lengthy. gatewayarch.com/buy-tickets
This story is from the November - December 2019 edition of Old House Journal.
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This story is from the November - December 2019 edition of Old House Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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THE Villa RENEWED
This house in Greene County, New York, has been faithfully restored, from its foundation and structure to exterior elements and trim inside.
walls & ceilings
BY THE 1870s, the tripartite treatment was fashionable: walls divided into dado (or wainscot) below the chair rail, fill or field section, and frieze at the top of the wall.
lighting + hardware
ANTIQUE, REPRODUCTION, or contemporary, lighting fixtures and lamps are among the most cost-effective ways to add drama or period style to a room.
CRAFTSMAN PATINA
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furniture & decorative accessories
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wall & floor tiles
TODAY WE FIND TILE from small studios . . . carved relief tiles, subway tile and mosaics, glazes matte and iridescent . . . plus encaustics and California revivals.
A TRANSCENDENT BATHROOM IN OJAI
A seamless addition allowed for this timeless primary bath, which has been re-imagined as an upgrade dating to ca. 1930.
CRAFTSMAN DETAILS IN A KITCHEN
An excellent layout and period motifs distinguish this midsize kitchen in a bungalow-era house.
home design - HOUSES HAVE A PAST - AND A FUTURE, TOO
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a farmhouse RESCUE
Using a cache of salvaged finds, the homeowner, architect, and contractor together rescued a tumbledown farmhouse in Vermont.