Cities that are most like St. Louis (Kansas City, Memphis: homes, living in)

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by MelroseHighlands

Chicago - Much, much bigger, but there are neighborhoods in STL that could be dropped into Chicago and blend.

I would agree with this statement. Roseland does somewhat remind me of N. St Louis. Hyde Park reminds me of the Central West End.

[aragx6]

^Hyde Park is so sleepy compared to CWE. It's a great 'hood with a cool vibe, but it's so separated from the rest of the city's nightlife!

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by aragx6

^Hyde Park is so sleepy compared to CWE. It's a great 'hood with a cool vibe, but it's so separated from the rest of the city's nightlife!

your right. There is no place to eat after 10pm during the week unless you talking McDonalds drive thru or Dunkin Donuts.

Architecturally and demographically they are similar. Both have Universities, top tier hospitals. Awsome treelined streets as well as tons of soul.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

your right. There is no place to eat after 10pm during the week unless you talking McDonalds drive thru or Dunkin Donuts.

Architecturally and demographically they are similar. Both have Universities, top tier hospitals. Awsome treelined streets as well as tons of soul.

Absolutely there we can agree!

And you know, Hyde Park is really safe but suburbanites tend to see it as being on the south side, and therefore a terrifying, dangerous place. I've heard folks say the same thing about CWE because it's on the north side (-ish).

[2011member]

I find Kansas City to be a very charming and lovely city. I love the hills the city offers, reminds me of San Francisco.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by 2011member

I find Kansas City to be a very charming and lovely city. I love the hills the city offers, reminds me of San Francisco.

Thats nice, but this is a thread about StL, and what cities are most like it.

[123asd]

I think St Louis is most like Louisville or Cincinnati. They are both River cites and have the same downtown feeling. In fact, I think of Louisville as a smaller St Louis. Both Louisville and St Louis have fun, quaint downtowns with their front doors facing the river. I don't see any comparison for St Louis with Chicago, I think it's pretentious of St Louis to try compare itself to Chicago. You might consider Milwaukee as a small Chicago but not St Louis. Memphis and New Orleans feel similar more so than St Louis and New Orleans.

[yahmiefan]

I don't find New Orleans to be like St. Louis at all.

I think Baltimore is a lot like St. Louis. Louisville, too.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by 123asd

I think St Louis is most like Louisville or Cincinnati. They are both River cites and have the same downtown feeling. In fact, I think of Louisville as a smaller St Louis. Both Louisville and St Louis have fun, quaint downtowns with their front doors facing the river. I don't see any comparison for St Louis with Chicago, I think it's pretentious of St Louis to try compare itself to Chicago. You might consider Milwaukee as a small Chicago but not St Louis. Memphis and New Orleans feel similar more so than St Louis and New Orleans.

Why would it be "pretentious" to point out the things in common between Chicago and St. Louis, but not pretentious to point out the things in common between Chicago and Milwaukee?

The two cities, while disparate in size, have much common history; I don't think it would come as a shock to most that they have many things in common with one another (both good and bad, I might add)

[Chicago76]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Why would it be "pretentious" to point out the things in common between Chicago and St. Louis, but not pretentious to point out the things in common between Chicago and Milwaukee?

The two cities, while disparate in size, have much common history; I don't think it would come as a shock to most that they have many things in common with one another (both good and bad, I might add)

I like both cities, but the longer I'm back in STL, the fewer similarities I see with Chicago. And I'm okay with that. There are some basic things that one could consider to be unique similarities:

-two dominant non-coastal economic powers of the late 19th century.
-2 of the 3 cities most impacted by the Great Migration (along w/ Detroit).
-similarities in architecture on an individual building level (Sullivan and the like), but not on a macro neighborhood level.

Everything else is either a fairly generic similarity (industrial roots) or pretty much a complete difference: how both interact with their waterways, pace of life, density, immigration patterns, economic diversification today, arts communities, global position, etc.

You put it all together, and Cincy, Louisville, and Baltimore really stick out to me. Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Cleveland a bit less so.

I can get how some people might consider Chicago an over-reach based upon a desire to present a more cosmopolitan image than is really there...I'm not saying that's the intention of anyone here doing these sort of comparisons. But I get it. Kind of like this godawful promo for DT St. Louis that dedicates the final 1/3 of the video to a fashion show. Because catwalks in STL...that's just how we roll. Come to St. Louis for the fashion shows.


Go_To_Town_60s_FINAL.mp4 - YouTube

FWIW-I can get Milwaukee-Chicago. Lakefront as a playground. River running through downtown into the lake (at least if the direction wasn't changed via engineering). Similar cultural roots and historical immigration, little brother up the road, etc.