For outsiders, the first thing that might come to mind upon the mention of St. Louis is the famed Gateway Arch, a symbol of St. Louis' moniker of "Gateway to the West." But for St. Louisans, there is much more to the city than the tourist attraction for which it is best known, making St. Louis real estate a prime catch.

St. Louis' History

Once called "Mound City" because of the numerous mounds, built by the Native Americans who live there in the 17th century, St. Louis real estate began getting explored by French explorers starting in 1673.

Originally part of the Louisiana territory, Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claimed the entire region for France. While Louisiana was named for King Louis the XIX, the city of St. Louis was named for King Louis IX.

In 1765, St. Louis was made capital of upper Louisiana just as the city began quickly growing in population and settlers began making their home there. This growth came in part from the 1763 Treaty of Paris which gave all the land east of the Mississippi to Britain. Many French settlers chose to move to the west side of the Mississippi River. St. Louis was convenient as it sits just on the west side of the Mississippi, allowing French settlers to remain in French controlled territory.

St. Louis became a part of the United States via the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. A hundred years later, in 1904, another event that would change America's history took place in St. Louis when the Olympic were held there, the first time the games were hosted by an American city. St. Louis also hosted the World's Fair that same year, two events that native St. Louisans are quite proud of.

St. Louis Culture

St. Louis' demography is made up of about 400,000 people, slightly more than half of whom are black -- which, along with the city's strong German and French heritage, influences the culture a great deal.

St. Louis has long been known for its association to jazz, ragtime, and blues music. Native St. Louisan Chuck Berry, along with Tina Turner and Miles Davis all got their starts in St. Louis. Other famed musical artists from the area include Sheryl Crow, The Urge, Living Things, Nelly and many others.

Additional Attractions

Most people are aware of St. Louis' Major League Baseball team, the Cardinals, as well as the Rams, their NFL team. Other sports teams include the Stunners, associated with the newly formed American Basketball Association (ABA), the Blues of the NHL, the Arch Rival Rollergirls of the WFTDA (a roller derby league), a women's rugby club, and several other minor league teams.

St. Louis is also home to Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.

The median price for a home is about $170,000, making St. Louis real estate a prime catch.