TIMES HAVE CHANGED since the 1944 release of the musical “Meet Me In St. Louis,” but the city is well preserved, full of fascinating buildings and neighborhoods of architectural interest.

- Brian D. Coleman

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

Don’t miss the newly opened museum underground, which details the area’s history; and be sure to walk over to the historic, beautifully restored Old Courthouse, where the landmark Dred Scott v. Sandford case (denying citize