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The first bandstand was constructed in 1867 coinciding with the opening of Benton Place -- a private street (or, in the local terminology, "private place)" off Park Avenue. In 1868, an historic crowd of 25,000 to 40,000 gathered to witness the unveiling of a bronze statue of Senator Thomas Hart Benton.

Statue of Benton

The first bandstand was constructed in 1867 coinciding with the opening of Benton Place -- a private…

Thomas Hart Benton (3/14/1784 - 4/10/1858) was a U.S. Senator from Missouri and a staunch advocate of westward expansion of the United States. He served in the Senate from 1821 to 1851, becoming the first member of that body to serve five terms. Benton was an architect and champion of westward expansion by the United States, a case that became known as the Manifest Destiny.

Thomas Benton

Thomas Hart Benton (3/14/1784 - 4/10/1858) was a U.S. Senator from Missouri and a staunch advocate of…

Thomas Hart Benton (March 14, 1782 – April 10, 1858), nicknamed "Old Bullion", was a U.S. Senator from Missouri and a staunch advocate of westward expansion of the United States. He served in the Senate from 1821 to 1851, becoming the first member of that body to serve five terms. Benton was an architect and champion of westward expansion by the United States, a cause that became known as Manifest Destiny.

Thomas H. Benton

Thomas Hart Benton (March 14, 1782 – April 10, 1858), nicknamed "Old Bullion", was a U.S. Senator…

An image of Missouri's Botanical Garden, formerly known as Shaw's Garden in 1874. Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical institutions in the United States and a National Historic Landmark.

Missouri's Botanical Garden

An image of Missouri's Botanical Garden, formerly known as Shaw's Garden in 1874. Founded in 1859, the…

St. Louis, Missouri is the home of the first rail and road bridge to cross the Mississippi River, the Eads Bridge, which was completed in 1874.

Eads Bridge

St. Louis, Missouri is the home of the first rail and road bridge to cross the Mississippi River, the…

An illustration of the St. Louis Life Insurance Company building.

St. Louis Life Insurance Company Building

An illustration of the St. Louis Life Insurance Company building.

St. Louis, Missouri's cathedral as pictured in 1874.

Church

St. Louis, Missouri's cathedral as pictured in 1874.

An illustration of the Church of Christ located in St. Louis, Missouri in 1874.

Church

An illustration of the Church of Christ located in St. Louis, Missouri in 1874.

An illustration of the First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis, Missouri in 1874.

Church

An illustration of the First Presbyterian Church of St. Louis, Missouri in 1874.

A building top view of St. Louis, Missouri.

Cityscape

A building top view of St. Louis, Missouri.

An image of St. Louis, Missouri's courthouse in 1874.

Court House

An image of St. Louis, Missouri's courthouse in 1874.

St. Louis, Missouri's courthouse as pictured in 1874.

Court House

St. Louis, Missouri's courthouse as pictured in 1874.

First Governor of Montana Territory

Sidney Edgerton

First Governor of Montana Territory

William Torrey Harris (9/10/1835 - 11/5/1909) was born in North Killingly, Connecticut. After attending Andover Academy and two at Yale Harris moved to St. Louis, MO where he taught from 1857 to 1880. There he was superintendent of schools from 1868 to 1880 and established, with Susan E. Blow, America's first permanent public kindergarten in 1873.

William T. Harris

William Torrey Harris (9/10/1835 - 11/5/1909) was born in North Killingly, Connecticut. After attending…

St. Louis, Missouri's high school as pictured in 1874.

High School

St. Louis, Missouri's high school as pictured in 1874.

An image of the old Chouteau mansion located in Missouri.

House

An image of the old Chouteau mansion located in Missouri.

An illustration of an iron furnace located at Iron Mountain, Missouri.

Iron Furnace

An illustration of an iron furnace located at Iron Mountain, Missouri.

An illustration of a miners loading a mine cart with iron ore in St. Louis, MO.

Mining

An illustration of a miners loading a mine cart with iron ore in St. Louis, MO.

An illustration of an iron ore mine dump in St. Louis, MO in 1874.

Mining Dump

An illustration of an iron ore mine dump in St. Louis, MO in 1874.

Seal of the state of Missouri, 1876

Missouri seal

Seal of the state of Missouri, 1876

Seal of the state of Missouri, 1876

Missouri seal

Seal of the state of Missouri, 1876

Seal of the state of Missouri, 1904

Missouri seal

Seal of the state of Missouri, 1904

An view of Lafayette Park in St. Louis, Missouri. A woman walking across a small wooden bridge over a stream.

Lafayette Park

An view of Lafayette Park in St. Louis, Missouri. A woman walking across a small wooden bridge over…

The Gratiot Street Prison was an American Civil War prison located in St. Louis, Missouri and was the largest war prison in Missouri. Run by the Union Army, it housed Confederate prisoners-of-war. The prison building was previously a medical school named McDowell's College, which was confiscated by the Union Army and converted to a prison in December 1861. Its official capacity 1,200 but at times it had 2,000 prisoners.

Gratiot Street Prison

The Gratiot Street Prison was an American Civil War prison located in St. Louis, Missouri and was the…

An image of one of the oldest homes located in St. Louis, Missouri in 1874.

Shack

An image of one of the oldest homes located in St. Louis, Missouri in 1874.

An illustration of the State Capital located in Jefferson City, Missouri. Jefferson City was named after Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States of America.

Missouri State Capital

An illustration of the State Capital located in Jefferson City, Missouri. Jefferson City was named after…

Washington University in St. Louis is a nonsectarian private research university located in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853 and named for George Washington; to prevent confusion over its location the Board of Trustees added the phrase "in St. Louis" in 1976.

Washington University

Washington University in St. Louis is a nonsectarian private research university located in St. Louis,…