Saint Louis Arsenal, Saint Louis

The St. Louis Arsenal is a significant complex of military weapons and ammunition storage buildings. Established in 1827 to replace the Fort Belle Fontaine arsenal, the St. Louis Arsenal was constructed on a 37-acre tract of land overlooking the Mississippi River. Initially, the arsenal had 22 buildings and a garrison of 30 ordnance soldiers, and it employed 30 civilian workers who assembled finished weapons and artillery from parts supplied by private contractors and armories.

During the Mexican-American War, the St. Louis Arsenal experienced a surge in demand for small arms, ammunition, and artillery, and its workforce grew to over 500 civilian workers. The arsenal produced a wide range of military equipment, including 19,500 artillery rounds, 8.4 million small arms cartridges, 13.7 million musket balls, 4.7 million rifle balls, 17 field cannon with full attachments, 15,700 stand of small arms, and 4,600 edged weapons.

In addition to its role in the Mexican-American War, the St. Louis Arsenal also played a significant role in the Utah War of 1857-1858, providing much of the weaponry for William S. Harney's forces. During this period, employment at the arsenal exceeded 100 workers.

During the American Civil War, the St. Louis Arsenal's contents were transferred to Illinois by Union Captain Nathaniel Lyon, an act that helped fuel tension between secessionists and those citizens loyal to the Federal government. Despite this, the arsenal continued to play an important role in the country's military operations, and today it is operated by the United States Air Force.