1. Port Overview

  1. St Charles, Missouri, USA

  3. St. Charles is a city in and the county seat of St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. St. Charles is the ninth-largest city in Missouri. It lies to the northwest of St. Louis, Missouri on the Missouri River.

    Founded in about 1769 as Les Petites Côtes, "The Little Hills", by Louis Blanchette, a French-Canadian fur trader, when the area was nominally ruled by Spain following the Seven Years' War, it is the third-oldest city in Missouri. For a time, it played a significant role in the United States' westward expansion.

    It was settled primarily by French-speaking colonists from Canada in its early days and was considered the last "civilized" stop by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804, which was exploring the western territory after the United States made the Louisiana Purchase. The city served as the first Missouri capital from 1821 to 1826.

    The city is the base for the St. Louis National Weather Service Forecast Office, serving central, east-central and northeastern Missouri, as well as west-central and southwest Illinois.

    The Riverfront and Main Street area in the St. Charles Historic District is a central gathering place and focal point for the community. The primary features of the riverfront and Historic Main Street are residences and businesses. Each block features shops, restaurants, and offices frequented by visitors and locals.

    The "Christmas Traditions Festival", one of the nation's largest Christmas festivals, takes place on the streets of St. Charles annually. It starts the day after Thanksgiving in November and continues until the Saturday after Christmas. Over 30 costumed Legends of Christmas stroll the streets and interact with guests, while Victorian Era Christmas Carolers fill the air with old-fashioned carols. Every Saturday and Sunday, the Legends of Christmas and the Lewis & Clark Fife and Drum Corps take part in the Santa Parade as it heads up Historic South Main Street to the site of the First Missouri State Capitol.

    Cruising this region, the vessels used range from Mississippi Paddle Steamers, to small ships and to river boats. The destination and the rivers generally drive the choice of ship type. Seasons vary by river. Lower Mississippi cruises operate year round, while cruises on the Coastal Waterway, the St Lawrence and the Columbia don't operate in the winter and their schedules may be set to enjoy Fall colours or historical events. The weather varies according to the region, river and season. Fall cruises to view the autumn colours will be cooler while summer cruises on the lower Mississippi will be warm to hot.

    General Information:

    Population: 65,794 (2010)
    Language: English
    Currency: American Dollar (USD)
    Time Zone: UTC/GMT -5 hours
    Dial Code: +1