Every city in the nation is responsible for doing something for the first time, including our great city of St. Louis. Over the years, there have been quite a few St. Louis inventions as well as things we did first, and there’s no denying that they’ve contributed greatly to the history of our country. Listed below are 11 things that St. Louis did first, some of them might even surprise you.

1. The first successful parachute jump was made in St. Louis.

The first successful parachute jump was made in St. Louis County on Kinloch Field at Jefferson Barracks on March 1, 1912.

2. Prior to the adoption of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, slavery was abolished for the first time.

On January 11, 1865, Thomas C. Fletcher, the Governor of Missouri, followed a state convention-approved ordinance abolishing slavery with his own "Proclamation of Freedom" ending slavery in St. Louis and the entire state of Missouri. Missouri was the first slave state remaining loyal to the union to abolish slavery prior to the 13th Amendment.

3. The very first kindergarten opened in September of 1873 by Susan Blow.

Susan Blow opened the kindergarten in Des Peres School in Carondelet. Not only was this an amazing moment in St. Louis history, but it also speaks volumes about the type of woman Susan Blow was. She did not receive a paycheck for 11 years and worked for free.

4. In 1904, St. Louis hosted the first Olympics on U.S.A. soil.

St. Louis hosted the 1904 Olympics for the first time in our country. The Olympics of 1904 included many rich and unusual tales from St. Louis history, but that is for another article.

5. The first Build-A-Bear Workshop opened in St. Louis.

In 1997, Maxine Clark founded Build-A-Bear Workshop with its first store in the St. Louis Galleria. The store sold more than 50 million bears and opened 400 stores worldwide by 2010.

6. Peanut butter wasn't invented in St. Louis, but...

In 1894, George Bayle, a St. Louis businessman, became the first to produce and sell peanut butter as a snack. A Canadian named Marcellus Gilmore Edson of Montreal, Canada was the first to patent it in 1884.

7. The world's first purpose-built gas station opened in St. Louis.

In 1905, the world's first purpose-built gas station opened in St. Louis, meaning a store solely for selling gas. The station was located at 420 South Theresa Avenue.

8. The world's largest arch is in St. Louis.

The St. Louis Gateway Arch is 630 feet tall and the world's largest arch. It's also the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere.

9. St. Louis was the first home rule city in the nation.

In 1876, St. Louis established its boundaries separating it from St. Louis County, making it the first home rule city in the nation.

10. The first African American woman to serve in the Missouri Senate lived in St. Louis.

Gwen B. Giles was an amazing figure in St. Louis African American history. She was the first African-American woman to serve in the Missouri Senate and the first to be appointed St. Louis City Assessor. She worked hard to improve the quality of life for African Americans in St. Louis, and she was active in democratic politics and the civil rights movement.

11. The St. Louis Cardinals' experienced a grand slam home run record.

On April 23, 1999, in Los Angeles, Cardinal Fernando Tatis hit two grand slam home runs in the same inning. Both home runs were against Shan Ho Park of the Dodgers. He simultaneously broke a record for most RBI in a single inning. The odds that someone will ever be able to break that record are slim to none.

What a great list of St. Louis inventions and things we did first! Did any of these St. Louis firsts surprise you? If so, let us know in the comments below.

In addition to St. Louis firsts, there were many more firsts in Missouri.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/missouri/first-to-do-mo/