Table
of Contents
Malcolm Martin Memorial Park Opens – June, 2009
Meachum Freedom Crossing Reenactment – May, 2009
The Year of the River - The Cuyahoga 40 Years Later - Apr, 2009
Segways Tours at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge - Apr - Oct, 2009
2009 Confluence Trash Bash - March, 2009
Malcolm Martin Memorial Park Opens
The 34-acre Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park opened on Saturday, June 6 with a new 43-foot tall Mississippi River overlook and an open lawn for enjoying the views. This park was the dream of its namesake, Malcolm W. Martin, a St. Louis lawyer and philanthropist. It's also what architect Eero Saarinen envisioned when he finished the arch 44 years ago — a monument enveloping both shores of the Mississippi River.
"Awesome and beautiful and spectacular and phenomenal and all those words don't quite cover it," said Mike Buehlhorn, the executive director of the Metro East Park and Recreation District, which oversees the park.
Read full article on stltoday
View photos from the opening on Flickr
Meachum Freedom Crossing Reenactment
Americorps trail rangers told the story of slaves during the seventh annual celebration of the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing Saturday May 23, 2009 along the Riverfront Trail in north St. Louis. A group of actors dramatized the events leading up to Meachum's effort to escape from slavery in St. Louis by fleeing across the Mississippi River into Illinois. The annual celebration was held near the spot where nine slaves launched a skiff into the river May 21, 1855 in an effort to reach freedom in Illinois. Five members of the party were captured on the Illinois shore, and Meachum, a free woman of color who organized the escape effort, was charged with a stop on the underground railroad from her St. Louis home.
View more photos on Flickr
The Year of the River - The Cuyahoga 40 Years Later
Environmentalists observing 2009 as "The Year of the River" are celebrating the remarkable return to health of the Cuyahoga River over the last four decades.
But before there was a Cuyahoga comeback, the Cuyahoga was a catalyst. When the oily, murky and sluggish waterway caught fire in June 1969, it not only caught the attention of a previously indifferent industrial nation -- it also ignited an already smoldering ecological movement.
That movement toward environmental responsibility included the first Earth Day and passage of the federal Clean Water Act of 1972, still the most influential water improvement measure on the books.
"The fire did contribute a huge amount to the new environmental movement and it put the issue in front of everyone else, too," said Jonathan Adler, environmental historian and law professor at Case Western Reserve University. "Water pollution became a tangible, vivid thing -- like it had never been on a national level. There was a sense of crisis at that point. It was: Oh, my God - rivers are catching on fire."
Learn more on the Cleveland Plain Dealer blog and the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Segways Tours at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

Starting on April 26 and continuing every other Sunday through October 25, the Saint Louis Science Center will offer “Meet Me on Route 66 Glided Tours.” Meet on the Illinois side of the river and ride the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge across the Mississippi. Follow the bike trail down the Missouri side of the river learning history of the famous Route 66. Brief training is included.
- Dates: April 26, May 10, May 24, June 7, June 21, July 5, July 19, Aug. 2, Aug 16, Aug 30, Sept 13, Sept 27, Oct 11 and Oct 25
- Time: 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM
- Maximum attendance: 8
- Minimum age: 16 years & older
- Weight Limit: Min 100 lbs /Max 260 lbs
- Location: 4200 W Chain of Rocks Road, Granite City, IL 62040
- Cost: $80 ticket
- Charter: $85 per person for groups of 4 or more
Registration is required, call Trish at the Science Center at 314/289-1418 or 800/456-7572 x 1418.
Watch Show Me St. Louis video on KSDK's website
Learn more on the Saint Louis Science Center website
2009 Confluence Trash Bash
View more photos on Flickr
Despite very wet weather conditions at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge on March 28, 330 dedicated volunteers of all ages turned up to remove debris and restore important environment along our Rivers. Missouri River Relief, one of the program partners, led volunteers to pre-determined sites along the River to pick up trash. Others bravely went on boats to pick up debris from sand bars and islands. By the end of the day, these volunteers had collected over seven tons of trash and debris; in addition, 1.4 tons of scrap metal was recycled and over 40 tires were collected
from the River corridor… ensuring that they will no longer threaten to pollute our land and waters!
The Confluence Partnership is very grateful for the support from Sponsors, Partners, Municipalities and Volunteers that helped make the event a success! A special thanks to Missouri State Representative, Anne Zerr, for her support.
Sponsors |
Partners |
Municipalities |
Anheuser-Busch Companies |
The Confluence |
City of Bridgeton |
| Cash’s Scrap Metal |
Bonneville Media |
City of Calverton Park |
| Great Rivers Greenway District |
Grace Hill Americorps Trail Rangers |
City Of Chesterfield |
| Madison County |
Greenway Network |
City of Creve Coeur |
| Missouri American Water |
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District |
City of Dellwood |
| Operation Brightside |
Missouri Department of Conservation |
City of Ferguson |
| REI |
Missouri River Relief |
City of Florissant |
| City of St. Louis |
Missouri Stream Team |
City of Jennings |
| St. Louis Earth Day |
RegionWise |
City of Maryland Heights |
| Waste Management |
St. Louis Audubon Society |
City of Northwoods |
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St. Louis County |
City of Riverview |
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St. Louis - Jefferson Solid Waste Management District |
City of St. Louis |
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Southwestern Illinois Resource Conservation & Development |
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Trailnet |
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Watkins Creek Watershed Initiative |
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Volunteer Organizations |
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AmeriCorps |
Kohl’s |
Venn Civil Engineering Services, LLC |
Bank of America |
Lewis Group |
Washington University Alpha Phi Omega |
Boeing Employees for Environmental Protection |
Mr. Martin’s Cub Scout Pack |
West Hills Community Church |
Boy Scout Troop 0100 |
Missouri American Water |
Arnold Stream Team #211 |
Boy Scout Troop 613 |
Missouri Hills Home |
Coldwater Revival Stream Team #1070 |
Burns & McDonnell |
Missouri Master Naturalists |
Covidien Earth City Stream Team #3615 |
Chaminade College Preparatory School |
Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District |
Grace Hill Trail Rangers Stream Team #3539 |
Christians in Action |
New City School River Kids |
Living Green Watkins Creek Stream Team #3553 |
Crossroads School |
Open Space Council |
Missouri Stream Team #31 |
Cub Scout Pack 615 |
St. Louis Audubon |
Missouri Stream Team #888 |
East-West Gateway Council |
St. Louis County |
Missouri Stream Team #2793 |
Edward Jones Investments |
St. Louis County Dept. of Hwys & Traffic |
Missouri Stream Team #3664 |
Grace Hill Settlement House |
SLU Tribeta |
Missouri Stream Team #3668 |
Greenway Network Inc. |
South High School |
... and all of the individual volunteers |
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Teens of Power |
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