St Louis, also known as Saint Louis, is an independent city in Missouri. Although it bordered by St Louis County, the city is not in the County's jurisdiction. The city was named after King Louis IX France and it is located near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri River. At the start of the 20th Century, St Louis was ranked as the 4th largest city in the United States; it has however slipped to 52nd since then.

The city is notable for being the very first US city to host the Olympics in 1902. It also played host to the World Fair that same year. It is currently the home of some of the country's largest privately owned companies including Graybar, Scotttrade, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Publically owned companies such as Energizer, Purina, Chater Communications, and Mosanto to name a few have made St Louis their base.

Nicknamed the Gateway City, St Louis is also the home of several prominent landmarks including the stainless steel Gateway Arch that stands in the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial national park. Other notable landmarks in the city include the old footbridge in Forrest Park and the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Forrest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the world.