Aerial View of St. Louis

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This is Ladue Horton Watkins High School. To some it may be just another building, however to me it represents the person I am today and the roots I came from. The city of Ladue is very interesting. It is widely known as "old money" Saint Louis. Home to people like the Busch's of Anheuser Busch and Bob Costas, host of the Olympics. While Ladue is swarming with wealthy people and high end stores, there are also some "normal" middle class people. I am one of them. I attended Ladue High School, a public school. Generally, a place where wealthy people who believe in the public school system send their children. However, Ladue had a very interesting dynamic as by state law, kids from the city had to be bussed in for desegregation purposes. Even though this is no longer state mandated and ended with my grade, those kids continued to attend Ladue all the way until they had their diplomas in their hands. So Ladue doesn't necessarily fit it's given description of the "rich" school 100% of the time. Ladue offered diversity in that sense, which is more than can be said for all the private schools. 

Ladue is the top public school in the state. The coursework is just as rigorous and we send students to the same amont of ivy league schools without the financial burden of an annual $25,000 fee for our educations. Going to such a school taught me time management, organizational skills, and to work hard for what you want. With a 3.8 GPA in high school I was considered a middle of the road student. To say it was competitive would be a drastic understatement. However, I owe a lot to Ladue. It has made me the  confident, actively invovled, go-getter person I am today. I wouldn't change that experience for the world. Not only did I learn about academic rigor but I also learned how to interact with people from all different bakgrounds. All of these skills learned at Ladue are what got me to TCU.

Growing Up or Just Visiting...?

Whether you grew up in St. Louis like me, or are just visiting, it's a great place to be. St. Louis is a city with so much to offer. Having lived in St. Louis my whole life and just recently moved away to Texas for college, has really allowed me to step back and compare the two cities. While Fort Worth is great too, there are just so many things St. Louis has that it doesn't. For example, one of the many things I love about my hometown is the fact that everything is FREE! Yes, that's right, FREE! Parks, Museums, Zoo, you name it.  Additionally, it is very easy to navigate. Living in St. Louis allows one the luxary of being able to live in the suburbs while still having a metropolitan city at your finger tips. It's a big city that maintains a neighborhood feel. I can get from my house to downtown in about 10-15 minutes. As for traffic, the most traffic you will ever see is on the way to a baseball game, and yet the traffic is still clear within 30 minutes. St. Louis is a baseball town, a friendly town, and overall a fantastic place to raise a family. Not only do you save money on taking your kids to visit various attractions, but St. Louis also offers a great public system in the suburbs. While the cost of living is a bit higher in the suburbs it's still way less than what atternatively would be spend on private schooling. I had a wonderful childhood and I owe it all to St. Louis. As the "Show Me State," there is a lot to see. If you are ever thinking of moving, think St. Louis and you will not be sorry!

Claims to Fame

Actors

Sean Gunn- Kurt on Gilmore Girls

Jenna Fischer- Pam Halpert on The Office

Taylor Momsen- Jenny on Gossip Girl

Authors

 

T.S. Eliot- Poet and recipient of the Nobel Prize
Joseph Pulitzer- Publisher, philanthropist, creator of Pulitzer Prize
Mark Twain- Best known for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 

Musicians/ Rappers

Chuck Berry- Guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known for song called "Maybellene"

Chingy- Rapper, best known for songs "Balla Baby," "One Call Away" and "Right Thurr"

Murphy Lee- Rapper, best known for song "Wat Da Hook Gon Be"

Nelly- Rapper, best known for songs "Country Grammar," "Hot in Here" and "E.I."

Politicians

John Danforth- Statesman, diplomat, attorney, civic leader

Ulysses S. Grant- Former President of the United States

Other Interesting People

Charles Lindbergh- Adventurer, pilot, and soldier

Dred Scott- Civil rights activist

Ozzie Smith- Former shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals

Meet Me in St. Louis

Meet Me in St. Louis is a 1944 romantic musical film which tells the story of a happy American family living in St. Louis as they anticipate the wonders of the 1904 World's Fair. It stars legendary actors such as Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake and Marjorie Main. The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli, who interestingly enough met his future wife, Judy Garland, on the set. In the film, Garland debuted the standards "The Trolley Song" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,"which both became big hits after the film was released. These are just a couple of fun facts many may not know about the movie. 

As a city, while St. Louis does appreciate its acknowledgment, being "put on the map" so to speak, more importantly, Meet Me in St. Louis allowed the city to share its memories of the historical 1904 World's Fair with the rest of the world. It was the site of much laughter and excitement as many families explored the many attractions the fair had to offer. It unveiled to the world new ideas, products and scientific advances that enthralled thousands of visitors. Even great minds like Thomas Edison were on hand. It was the fair that predicted the development and mass use of electricity and the x-ray, not to mention the infant incubator, the private automobile and a number of other everyday staples of the 20th and 21st centuries. However my personal favorite remains the invention of the ice cream cone.

On a nice day when I relax in Forest Park (site of the 1904 World's Fair) I always find myself thanking Meet Me in St. Louis for exposing others to the many traditions of St. Louis' past. Still surrounded by some of the  very architectural structures constructed for the fair, I am very appreciative that the movie was able to share some of these aspects of St. Louis with its viewers. Forest Park is St. Louis' jewel, much like the movie.

Top 10 Things to Do in St. Louis

1. Ride to the top of the  Gateway Arch, towering 630-feet over the Mississippi River.

2. Explore Forest Park’s 1,300 acres of lakes, walking paths and attractions.

3. Enjoy world-class free attractions, including the Art Museum, Zoo, Science Center, Anheuser-Busch Brewery, and the Missouri History Museum.

4. Marvel at the Missouri Botanical Garden, one of the world’s top public gardens.

5. Free your inner child at the Magic House, City Museum and other kid-friendly attractions.

6. Cheer for the MLB’s Cardinals.

7. Have an authentic Italian meal in The Hill.

8. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a delicious cup of Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.

9. Experience The Loop with its unique atmosphere and some great one-of-a-kind boutiques.

10. Explore the nightlife of the Central West End.