Summer Road Trip - St. Louis

The Gateway Arch is really cool. We planned our trip to take advantage of the festival hosted by the city to celebrate the 4th of July. Boeing air show, concert by Brett Young and Randy Houser and fireworks. Plus of course a trip up the arch. 

 The arch was originally called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to celebrate the expansion of the west. The first concrete was laid in 1961 though the official start date was February 12, 1963 and completed in October 1965. The cost $13 million about $81 million, today. The Gateway Arch was acquired by the National Park Service last year making it the smallest National Park in the US replacing Hot Springs National Park. . 

No trip to St. Louis is complete without visiting Anheuser-Busch established in 1852. The  brewery stopped production during prohibition but never closed their doors. They produced yeast and other products. FDR gave the brewery a 30 day heads up that prohibition would be ending in time for them make and bottle beer for a huge celebration and to start distribution. All I can say is that nothing beats really fresh beer. So yummy.   PS they are producing a special lot of Gloria beer to celebrate the Stanley cup win of the St Louis Blues. The song is being piped into a huge pair of ear phones during the 21 day beechwood aging process. Look for it soon! 

We traveled Route 66 and I just had to laugh at all of the attractions to stop at along the way- the worlds largest gift shop, worlds largest rocking chair and the Uranus Fudge Factory.  Who comes up with this S#%T?  LOL