Following Millie, Charlie, and Chuck back to the arch IMG_4358 A shot of SLU (St. Louis University) along the way IMG_4359 A reflection of the Old Courthouse IMG_4360 These signs actually did help as when you get really close to the arch it's tough to tell where the main entry/parking area is IMG_4361 IMG_4363 A model of the arch IMG_4366 Another model...complete with little people! IMG_4367 The little doors leading to the little pods that will take us to the top of the arch! Saarinen had asked several elevator firms for a design of a tram/elevator to take people up instead of the 1000+ stairs, but they had no solutio. So he hired college dropout and parking-lot elevator designer Richard Bowser. The city was uncertain of his qualifications and so gave him only two weeks to complete the design which he did successfully. The tram rotates 5 degrees periodically to keep a reasonable orientation. IMG_4369 Charlie and Daniel in the tram IMG_4373 A view of St. Louis from the top IMG_4375 A view of East St. Louis IMG_4377 IMG_4378 Daniel overlooking the Mississippi River IMG_4383 The helicopter was even smaller from way up at the top IMG_4389 People hanging out at the top of the arch waiting for the next tram IMG_4394 The path near the Old Courthouse is a nice mirror of the arch IMG_4398 The tram cars looked very 1960s Disney futureland! IMG_4405 A big man gets into a little tram IMG_4410 IMG_4417 IMG_4421 Some nice building on the way back from the arch IMG_4422 We also decided to take the time to stop by a fine Jesuit university, St. Louis University (SLU). Here is the interior of St. Francis Xavier Church at SLU during an evening Mass on Sunday. IMG_4453 IMG_4464 There are several nice arches around campus, here's one with a tile including the coat of arms of SLU IMG_4459 And whereas I thought Creighton had the market on odd sculptures around campus, there were quite a few on SLUs campus, but of a wider variety (even some good ones) than those at Creighton IMG_4461 Here's a statue of St. Ignatius - I like it better than the Creighton one that's a bit larger-than-life/Superman for me IMG_4465 DeBourg Hall houses much of the administrative offices of the university IMG_4466 IMG_4471 This building across from Cook Hall (Business School) appears not to be a part of SLU, but is still pretty IMG_4474 Cook Hall houses the John Cook School of Business (1,700 undergrad/postgraduate students) IMG_4478 Another non-SLU building perhaps, but I swear this one said something about architecture on it... IMG_4481 The more modern facade of the same Cook Hall IMG_4483 Cupples House built in 1890 at a cost of $500k at the time. Later in 1946 it was purchased by the university for $50k. In 1977 it was added to the National Historic Register due in large part to decades of work by Rev. Maurice B. McNamee, S.J. The building was to be torn down once in 1964 while Fr. Reinert was president at SLU (also president of Creighton) but survived that plan as well as others. IMG_4488 IMG_4491 Some nice sculptures on the campus IMG_4492 IMG_4495 The mascot of SLU is the Billiken which appears to be based on the "Piriken or "Pilliken" of Osaka, Japan. Those who offer a coin to the Billiken (which has a box of money offerings in front) have their wish granted if they kiss his upturned feet and has an inscription "Biliken - the god of things as they ought to be" IMG_4497 Where the rivers met Desmet began...true, but not sure if the native americans depicted here or modern ones would appreciate the attitude of the sculpture IMG_4503 Campus spirit... IMG_4504 Public Safety really should get nicer vehicles, maybe this is just to ferry students around at night or something IMG_4505 This one is much nicer IMG_4506 Banners are ok, but a bit boring looking IMG_4509 The Edward A. Doisy Research Center is near completion and at $82 Million, 10 stories and a walkway to the Medical School it appears to be a major project to improve biomedical research at SLU. It has some really snazzy fountains too. IMG_4511 Very pretty arches showing where the campus borders are (although green space is better than some Jesuit universities, it's still an urban campus IMG_4515 Back to the land of broken hearts (Creve Coeur) to the hotel and then home! IMG_4517 Return to Features