Poll: Do You Think St. Louis Was Founded On February 14th or 15th in 1764?
Last week St. Louis turned 249 years old but some celebrated on the 14th while others noted the occasion on the 15th. Others celebrated both days rather than taking sides.
February 14, 1764 has been the accepted date for many years but some are saying Auguste Chouteau’s notes indicate the 15th:
The party was premature, says a history professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis who has studied Chouteau’s original manuscript for a new book on the city’s founding. Fred Fausz, a professor at UMSL since 1991, says Chouteau’s “5” isn’t the best example of penmanship but is clear enough. Fausz says the 15 in Chouteau’s manuscript has a 5 that looks just like other 5s elsewhere in the paper, and nothing like the 4 that marks Page 4. Fausz also says Chouteau cited Feb. 15 in transcribed testimony for a land case in 1825, four years before he died. (recommended — stltoday)
Chouteau was just 14 or 15 when St. Louis was founded. The above article from 2/14/2010 also presents evidence the date is the 14th.
The poll question is which date do you think St. Louis was founded? Or maybe we should just make next year’s 250th anniversary a two-day affair, embracing the controversy. The poll is located in the right sidebar.
— Steve Patterson
I think it would be good to just make next year’s 250th anniversary a giant two-day affair. I think it would be great if all schools and businesses in St. Louis would close for celebrations. As a matter of fact, I think the Mayor should set a precedent next year and declare that every Feb. 14 should be a holiday in St. Louis. We need to celebrate our city much more. We need to fly our flags proudly throughout our city. We need French mandatory in our schools. We need a city anthem. City first, then country is my motto.