Oct. 4, 1906: The day King Louis IX became our city's symbol
By Tim O'Neil St. Louis Post-Dispatch ST. LOUIS • The soldiers of Battery A fired a smart salute — the cue for Jane Wells, daughter of Mayor Rolla...
By Tim O'Neil St. Louis Post-Dispatch ST. LOUIS • The soldiers of Battery A fired a smart salute — the cue for Jane Wells, daughter of Mayor Rolla Wells, to pull the lanyard to a heavy canvas shroud. Across the expanse now called Art Hill, a breathless crowd of 25,000 suddenly roared with joy. Thus was the statue of King Louis IX of France, the saint for whom the city is named, unveiled in Forest Park on Oct. 4, 1906. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition Committee, which had managed the 1904 World's Fair, offered the statue of the 13th century king as a gift to the city.