Soulard is a historic neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri. It is named after Antoine Soulard and Julia Cérre Soulard. Antoine Soulard first began to develop the land given to him by his father-in-law, Jean-Gabriel Cerré. Soulard was a surveyor for the Spanish government and a refugee from the French Revolution in the 1790s. One of the oldest communities in the city, Soulard is today a largely residential neighborhood whose many businesses include restaurants, bars, and the North American headquarters of Anheuser-Busch, which houses the St. Louis Brewery. Half of the neighborhood north of Lynch Street is composed mostly of row homes and small apartments, with the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and headquarters occupying most of the land south of Lynch. Many of its houses date to the mid-to late-19th century. Soulard also has several historic churches.
When Antoine and Julie Soulard arrived in St. Louis to survey land for the King of Spain in 1770, little did they know that nearly 250 years later, St. Louisans would still be shopping for fresh produce at the outdoor market they established — on the two blocks of land they donated to the community—the city’s first grocery store, so to speak.
Today, Soulard Market is the cornerstone of the neighborhood, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors and tourists each year to bargain for that most exotic spice or cut of fresh meat, or even an occasional pet. Vendors hawk their wares, creating an old-style ambiance unique to days gone by. An adjacent park features a playground and a 1920s bandstand.
Nestled between the Anheuser-Busch brewery to the south, and the market to the North, Soulard is St. Louis’ first established neighborhood– and unlike any that have come since. Its brewing heritage, built on the immigrant migration of the 1800s, is on prominent display. The immigrants, predominately of German, Eastern European, and Irish descent, were drawn to the area by the limestone caves and water supply that was so desirable for brewing and storing beer. Remarkably, by 1859, Soulard’s population was 131,000. A1 Bed Bug Exterminator St. Louis
Nearby Restaurants and Pubs
- Melo’s Pizzeria is located at 2438 McNair Ave Rear, St. Louis, MO
- Blues City Deli is located at 2438 McNair Ave, St. Louis, MO
- Frazer’s Restaurants & Lounge is located at 1811 Pestalozzi St, St. Louis, MO
- Shamrock Pub is located at 1131 S Broadway St, St. Louis, MO
- Henry’s in Soulard is located at 825 Allen Ave, St. Louis, MO
- Riley’s PUB is located at 3458 Arsenal St, St. Louis, MO
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