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ST. LOUIS TRIVIA

St. Louis' McDonnell Douglas Corporation, now Boeing, designed and built the space capsule that carried the first astronauts into space in the 1960's when the company was known as McDonnell Aircraft.

The Eads Bridge, completed in 1874 over the Mississippi River, was the first arched steel truss bridge in the world. When it was first proposed, it was scoffed at as impossible to build.

The St. Louis Zoo, considered one of the finest and largest in the world, is home to over 6,000 animals on 83 acres in Forest Park. The St. Louis Zoo was a pioneer in the use of open enclosures, placing animals in natural environments without bars. The zoo is again on the cutting edge of technology with the "The Living World" education center. "The Living World" is the first center to use live animals and high technology together to teach about the diversity of life. Admission to the Zoo is free.

The 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis popularized a number of new foods: The hot dog... the hamburger... the ice cream cone... and iced tea. In 1904, the first Olympiad to be held in the U.S. was held in St. Louis at Washington University's Francis Field.

The Climatron at the Missouri Botanical Garden houses a recreated rain forest filled with plants. The Climatron, built in 1960, was the world's first climate-controlled geodesic dome designed as a greenhouse. The Climatron now uses new E-feron glass to help it use solar energy more efficiently. The Garden also is the site of the largest Japanese Garden in North America.

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (New Cathedral) features what is considered to be the finest and largest collection of mosaics in the world, with one hundred million pieces of stone and glass making up the art works that line its interior.

The first cathedral west of the Mississippi River was built on the St. Louis riverfront. The Old Cathedral still stands there today.

Many of the historic transportation pieces housed at the National Museum of Transport in St. Louis were experimental vehicles in their time, and several are the only examples remaining in existence.

St. Louis is home of the nation's second oldest symphony, which has been touted by experts as one of the best in the country.

Eighteen Nobel laureates have done research at Washington University in St. Louis, including five who received the Nobel Prize for research they conducted there.

Noted St. Louis surgeon Dr. Evarts Graham performed the first lung cancer operation in St. Louis in 1933.

The first United States kindergarten was started in 1873 by Susan Blow in St. Louis.

In 1818, St. Louis University was the first university founded west of the Mississippi River.

In 1856, St. Louis was the site of the first major horse show in the United States.

The Old Courthouse in St. Louis features the first cast iron dome ever built. The historic building was the scene of Dred Scott's 1847 historic freedom trial, which focused national attention on the slavery issue.

The first successful parachute jump from an airplane took place at St. Louis' Jefferson Barracks in 1912.

MEDIA NOTE: For more information or photography of St. Louis, send an e-mail to pr@explorestlouis.com or call Becky Sharp at 1-314-992-0652. For up-to-date information about St. Louis, your readers should call the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission at 1-800-916-0040 or check out our website at www.explorestlouis.com. This news release is also available in electronic form. To obtain an electronic version, e-mail your request to pr@explorestlouis.com or go to St. Louis’ online media center at www.explorestlouis.com/media.