# Ask me anything about St. Louis **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 30, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258 "2011-04-30T04:52:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/21 "2011-04-30T19:57:37Z")
Did Stagger Lee really shoot Billy DeLyons for steeling his hat, or was there something else going on? rp ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/22 "2011-04-30T20:00:47Z")
I haven’t been in a long time, but: Can I get the poster with the REAL blueprints of the Arch - the one that shows the Arch as just one end of a giant wire coat hanger buried in the ground? 😉 OK, that’s not how the Arch was constructed, but I missed buying that poster in 1985 and I’ve wanted it ever since. Real questions: 1. How’s the light rail system doing? It had just opened up when I was last there. It looked nice, but you never know how such things will work out. How is/was the one price plan working? I’m from the DC area, and Metro rail fares are by the station-to-station distance. 2. Are the sceince museum and the planetarium still awesome? Ditto the Zoo? 3. Is the supply base/DoD computer center still there? 4. Is “King’s Highway” still spelled as one word on the signs on the interstate? What’s up with the name “kingshighway”? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/23 "2011-04-30T20:01:29Z")
What did you think of the Rams 1st round draft choice? Are we gonna make the playoffs this year?(If they have a season) ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/24 "2011-04-30T20:01:38Z")
Have you tried the food at Sala Thai? My niece (in-law) owns it and she cooks from scratch. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/25 "2011-04-30T21:38:53Z")
What’s up with the Blues? At one point they had the longest streak of any professional team in any sport for consecutive years of making the playoffs. Then the team went downhill really fast. I know part of that was because they were getting rid of all their best players, trying to reduce payroll to make the team attractive to a new owner, but they’ve had a new owner for about five years now and still suck. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/26 "2011-04-30T22:47:07Z")
> [@Tyrannosaur](#): > > Don’t know what City Players is. You must be young, and/or not a theater person. [HotCity Theater,](http://www.hotcitytheatre.org/season.html) formerly City Players of St. Louis, formerly George Williams Players, formerly the Y(MCA) Players, founded ca. 1935, and until the mid 90’s, the oldest continuously operated community theater group west of the Mississippi. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/27 "2011-04-30T23:33:40Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > You must be young, and/or not a theater person. He’s the sort of person who thinks that Six Flags is the best thing to do in St. Louis. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_N.Cheese)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/28 "2011-04-30T23:44:04Z")
What does the THF in THF boulevard stand for? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/29 "2011-05-01T00:02:43Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > He’s the sort of person who thinks that Six Flags is the best thing to do in St. Louis. And he might be right. 😃 I once heard someone say, “It’s like making love or going to St. Louis, to use two opposite extremes.” ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/30 "2011-05-01T00:47:38Z")
Comments about your sport blurbs: 1.Stan Musial is one of the greatest Cardinals ever 2.Gretzky barely played for the Blues 3.Cities don’t “own” sports teams ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/31 "2011-05-01T00:53:10Z")
> [@Tyrannosaur](#): > > On January 10, 2009 part of Saint Louis County seceded from the United States and that region is now the currently unrecognized country of Jonathanland. _What??_ That’s just crazy! Why on earth would they do that? Where is it? And can you give me any kind of cite for that, because I can’t find a thing about it. > [@Tyrannosaur](#): > > **SPORTS** > St. Louis Cardinals (Baseball) > It’s the team of world renowned players Mark McGwire (also known as “Big Mac”) and Rogers Hornsby (also known as “The Rajah”). _What??_ I’m sorry, but the Cardinals is the team of world renowned players Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Dizzie Dean, Roger Maris and 14 Gold Glove winner Ozzie Smith. > [@Tyrannosaur](#): > > Q: What is the number one thing you would recommend for tourists to see/do in St. Louis? > A: I could say the Gateway Arch, but that would be a cop-out since everyone says “the Arch” so I’m going to have to say Six Flags St. Louis, which is great for teenagers and adults, while also providing a fun area for kids. That being said, you should definitely see and go up the Arch too. I’m sorry, but that’s just insanity. There’s nothing “St. Louisy” about freaking Six Flags over Mid America. If someone had only 1 day to spend in St. Louis and asked me where to go and what to do, I’d send them straight to Forest Park, where they can choose for themselves whether they prefer to visit our World Renowned Zoo (Free), the Art Museum (Free), the Science Center (Free), the Jewel Box ($1), The Missouri History Museum (Free), and/or the Muny Opera. > [@blondebear](#): > > How is the Museum of Westward Expansion? When I was there years ago I rode up to the top of the Arch, but didn’t have time for the museum. Is it worth a second visit next time I’m in town? There isn’t much there in terms of exhibits, but I _love_ going there and very leisurely strolling around the perimeter, standing in front of gigantic photos of what Lewis & Clark would have seen along their travels, and reading the placards with excerpts from their diaries. It gives me an overwhelming sense of history and the importance of St. Louis as the starting point of their expedition. > [@GythaOgg](#): > > I’m not sure I recognize the town from your description…and I’m a fifth generation resident. I know, it’s weird, isn’t it? > [@GythaOgg](#): > > St. Louis is a good place to live and not a bad place to visit and do some things if you’re not looking for a lot of excitement. You can probably see more and have more fun in Branson (Silver Dollar City is WELL worth the trip and ten times more fun that Six Flags) or in Chicago. I guess that depends on how you define “excitement” and whether or not you’re looking for amusement park-like activities, or cultural activities. I’ll give you Chicago for culture, but Branson over St. Louis for much of anything? I don’t think so. > [@GythaOgg](#): > > Mandatory St. Louis native questions: > > 1. Where did you go to high school? You’ve already said you didn’t grow up in the City, so what part of the county? The county’s huge and there’s a lot of variation from town to town. This is 100% true and universal across all areas of St. Louis city and county. > [@GythaOgg](#): > > 1. St. Louis is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, and it’s also considered part of the local culture to ask ‘What parish did you grow up in’? Locals know that even local non-Catholics can answer this. This, on the other hand, must be limited to certain geographical areas only. I’m a 4th generation St. Louisan and lived there for 32 years, both in the city and a few areas in the county, and I have never once heard anyone make any references to parishes whatsoever. The only time I ever even heard of any of the parishes was when listening to the radio for school closings during heavy snow. And I knew a _lot_ of people who went to Country Day, Mary Institute and De Smet Jesuit High School, including non-Catholics. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/32 "2011-05-01T00:56:17Z")
> [@Marconi\_N.Cheese](#): > > What does the THF in THF boulevard stand for? THF is the developer that decided that a swath of farmland the locals used to call “Gumbo Flats” way out on what the locals call “Highway Fahrty” could be developed into a mega-strip of shopping malls and car dealers, as long as the levee didn’t break and flood the whole place again like it did in 1993. THF was started by Stan Kroenke, who married into the Walton (as in Wal-Mart) family, and now owns the St. Louis Rams. I don’t know what the initials stand for, other than Kroenke never names things after himself. ETA: I can’t believe no one has suggested taking a tour of the Brewery (to a native St. Louisan, there’s only one brewery worth mentioning.) ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/33 "2011-05-01T01:14:14Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > THF was started by Stan Kroenke, who married into the Walton (as in Wal-Mart) family, and now owns the St. Louis Rams. I don’t know what the initials stand for, other than Kroenke never names things after himself. Supposedly it stands for “To Have Fun”. [Cite](http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2001/06/25/focus9.html). > [@kunilou](#): > > ETA: I can’t believe no one has suggested taking a tour of the Brewery (to a native St. Louisan, there’s only one brewery worth mentioning.) I was going to mention the brewery (it’s a fantastic tour, not just of the brewery operations, but of the stables and the Clydesdales), but I was sticking to my “pick one thing only for a single day trip.” If someone had a week to spend, there’s no question but that the brewery is a “must see”, and if you’re going to be in the area anyway, lunch or dinner at the [Lemp Mansion](http://www.lempmansion.com/), along with the grand tour is also great fun (we like dining in “the suicide room”). I’d also send people out to Hermann, MO to visit some of the wineries, which is quite an exquisite drive and the wines are pretty darn good. And a drive along the Lewis & Clark historic route, through the “Bottoms” and old St. Charles, all the way across the river to Pere Marquette, then having a glass of wine, sitting in front of the lodge along the Mississippi is also something worth doing. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/34 "2011-05-01T03:28:12Z")
Is Provel cheese a signature of St. Louis pizza, or is that shit only on Imo’s? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/35 "2011-05-01T03:31:14Z")
No offense but why has St. Louis’ population declined so much. Indeed by now its about the same level as that of Santa Ana and Anaheim. What is the ethnic makeup of St. Louis? How religious is St. Louis? Is there a Korean community in St. Louis? ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/36 "2011-05-01T07:38:55Z")
If you’re visiting St. Louis, I highly recommend the Missouri Botanical Garden. It’s not free, but it’s well worth the eight dollar entrance fee. It has a butterfly house, a conservatory with tropical plants, and a children’s garden amongst other attractions. I also quite like the St. Louis Art Museum, which also has a top-notch restaurant. The St. Louis Zoo is also a good bet, so long as the weather is nice. The last time I went it was so hot that most of the animals were hiding in the shade. The Missouri History Museum is worth only one visit if they’re not currently housing any special exhibits, though. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/37 "2011-05-01T11:10:06Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > No offense but why has St. Louis’ population declined so much. Indeed by now its about the same level as that of Santa Ana and Anaheim. St. Louis is quite different from most US cities. It has a fixed boundary, locked into shape by the state constitution, and cannot expand. Unlike for example, Chicago, which is in Cook County and can expand by annexation, St. Louis is not part of any county and is a separate entity, with powers of both a county and a city. It’s the only city in Missouri with that status. (St. Louis County has no association with St. Louis City other than being adjacent.) St. Louis has been a victim of “white flight” to the suburbs where the real money is now. As the city lost population, the surrounding areas have grown like most cities. But keep in mind that for all practical purposes, it’s not the rigid political boundaries these days that define a metropolitan area. The surrounding county and cities must be taken into account when considering the effective population. ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/38 "2011-05-01T15:28:21Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Is there a Korean community in St. Louis? I would gather that Koreans are pretty much everywhere in the US by now … One question I’ve always wondered about Missouri as a whole is why their large cities (Kansas City and St. Louis) are on the state borders and spill over into other states? Is Missouri that bad that people want to be as close to the exits as possible? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/39 "2011-05-01T15:55:06Z")
> [@dhkendall](#): > > One question I’ve always wondered about Missouri as a whole is why their large cities (Kansas City and St. Louis) are on the state borders and spill over into other states? Rivers. St. Louis is at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri. In fact, St. Louis predates the United States. Kansas City is at the confluence of the Missouri and the Kansas, and was one end of the Santa Fe Trail, and later (and for different purposes) the California and Oregon Trails. When questioning why major cities sprang up in certain locations in pre-mechanized America, the answer can almost always be boiled down to these three words: transportation, transportation, and transportation. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258/40 "2011-05-01T16:21:17Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Is the city slowly dying? I was there for a funeral last year and the airport was like nothing I’ve seen elsewhere. Most airports are bustling places full of people rushing about, while St. Louis’ was dead, with dozens of empty gates and shuttered storefronts. The airport has certainly been slowly dying since American bought out TWA. Only concourse A is full now. The other three concourses are only partially used or are completely closed. (Though one of them has been pressed back into service following the recent tornado.) > [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > 1. How’s the light rail system doing? It had just opened up when I was last there. It looked nice, but you never know how such things will work out. Seems to be working out fine. I walk to work, so I’ve only been on it once, but it has good ridership considering how little of St. Louis County it covers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-me-anything-about-st-louis/580258.md?page=3)