A significant part of St Louis history is its hosting of the 1904 World’s Fair, also known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, commemorating the 1803 Purchase. The Fair was held on 1,200 acres with 1500 buildings all seen by 19 million visitors in just seven months! With one exception, all buildings were torn down as they were all along expected to be temporary. The Fair ran from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Here is a photo of opening day.
Palace of Fine Arts
The one exception is the Fine Arts Building, now the St Louis Art Museum. The first photo is dated 1903 and the next from 1904.
It sits atop Art Hill which has long been a popular sledding spot as seen in this ca1930s photo.
Brookings Hall
Although used as the temporary administrative offices for the Fair, Brookings Hall opened on the grounds of Washington University in 1902 as a permanent facility for the Brookings Institute, headquartered in Washington D.C. The first photo is dated 1901.
Old County Courthouse
The Old County Courthouse was built from 1839 to 1862. It was the site of the famous Dred Scott decision. It is now part of the Gateway Arch National Park. The first photo is dated 1865.
St. Louis Union Station
The St. Louis Union Station opened in 1894, and, at the time, was the largest in the world. It is currently a hotel, entertainment complex, and shopping center. The first photo is dated 1938.
Linnean House
The Linnean House was built in 1882 on the grounds of the Missouri Botanic Garden. It is the oldest, continuously, operating greenhouse west of the Mississippi River. The first photo is dated ca1905.
