Newsgram

The founding of St. Louis actually began in 1763 when Pierre Laclede led an expedition to set up a fur-trading post along the Mississippi River. He was a successful merchant and was granted rights to set up a trading post in this area.

Laclede was accompanied by his young stepson, Auguste Chouteau, and together in February 1764 the site for the trading post was selected and the settlement of St. Louis was founded. For the first few years of St. Louis' existence, the city was not recognized by the English, French or Spanish governments, and thus St. Louis had no local government. Laclede assumed a position of civil control, and all problems were disposed in public settings, such as communal meetings.

More information about the history of St. Louis browse the History and Heritage Section of the website.

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