Population (2010) 15,241 Introduction Cahokia is the exception to the industry-dominated towns in St. Louis’ Metro East. Established in 1699 by French-Canadian missionaries, Cahokia was the first European settlement on the Mississippi River—it is older than New Orleans and St. Louis—it has just had a different trajectory since its
Population (2010) 38,109 Introduction It’s as far south as you can go and still call it the Upper Mississippi River, and you’ll notice some big changes. The air is getting warmer and thicker. The bluffs begin to give way to the delta plains, and the culture starts to feel
Introduction “First in booze, first in shoes, and last in the American League.” Those last place Browns are long gone, as are the shoe factories, but we still have the booze and a National League baseball team that is a perennial contender. St. Louis, my hometown, is great place to live and full
Population (2010) 40,633 Introduction Nicknamed “Gem City of the West” for its outstanding collection of architecture, Quincy is a friendly place to visit with several attractions that are worth taking time to explore. The original city center is bouncing back and new restaurants are bringing a fresh approach to dining. Stick around
Introduction St. Paul and Minneapolis—the Twin Cities—form the center of a dynamic metropolitan area of some 3.5 million outdoor-loving, cold-tolerant people. In spite of what the nickname implies, the two cities are more like fraternal twins, nurtured by the same mother--the Mississippi River--but growing independently. St. Paul is the quiet, responsible older sister,
Population (2010) 13,590 Introduction Brainerd is at the center of a vast resort area that spreads out around the city. I confess I have mixed feelings about Brainerd, and not just because this was the place where I dropped my smartphone into the toilet. While the city has an interesting
