Rue de la Tour - St. Louis, MO - Missouri Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

"There are new historical markers throughout downtown St. Louis to highlight seven streets with their original French names. The new signage is a gift from LES AMIS (The Friends) for the city's 250th anniversary. Les Amis is a French heritage preservationist organization that hopes to extend the signage system along the entire Creole corridor on both sides of the river--from Cahokia to Chester, Illinois, and from Ste. Genevieve to St. Louis. The seven downtown streets still in existence from the early village in 1764 are: First Street (La Grande Rue/La Rue Royale), Second Street (La Rue de L'Eglise), Third Street (La Rue des Granges), Walnut Street (La Rue de la Tour), Market Street (La Rue de la Place), Chestnut Street (La Rue Missouri) and Pine Street (La Rue Quicapou)."-Ladue News

The text on this marker for Tower Street reads:
English:
La Rue de la Tour ("Tower Street" or Walnut Street) was named for the defensive stone tower hastily built in 1780 to help defend the town in the "Battle of St. Louis" - the first fortification built since its founding. The Spanish Lieutenant Governor, Francisco De Leyba, who had been supplying covert aid to American General George Rogers Clark in Illinois, convinced St. Louisans to build a stone tower with mounted cannons (known as "Fort San Carlos") at the top of the ridge that today accommodates the Old Courthouse along Fourth Street.

Francais:
La Rue de la Tour ("Tower Street" ou Walnut Street) portait le nom d'une tour defensive en pierre et fut la premiere fortification construite apres la fondation de la ville. Le lieutenant-gouverneur espagnol, Francisco De Leyba, qui avait fourni en secret de l'aide au General americain George Rogers Clark dans l'Illinois, reussit a convaincre les habitants de Saint Louis de construire une tour en pierre surmontee de canons (connu sous le nom "Fort San Carlos") au haut de la crete qui abrite aujourd'hui l'Ancien Palais de Justice le long de Fourth Street.

History of Mark: Leyba developed a grand plan of defense that included the construction of four stone towers. Without funds or the time to get them from New Orleans, Leyba asked the villagers to contribute funds and labor to the construction of these fortifications and paid for some of the work from his private funds. By mid-May, a single round tower had been built that was about 30 feet (9.1 m) in diameter and 30 to 40 feet tall. The tower, dubbed Fort San Carlos, provided a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. As there did not appear to be sufficient time to build more towers, trenches were dug between the tower and the river to the north and south of the village. Three four-pound and two six-pound cannons from Fort Don Carlos were mounted in the tower, and other cannons were emplaced at each end of the line of trenches. Fort Don Carlos had been constructed earlier in 1767 on the south bank of the Missouri River, near its mouth, just 15 miles north of the village of St. Louis. -Battle of St. Louis Web link: Not listed Additional point: Not Listed

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