Daddy's Christmas Angel

Monday, April 25, 2011

"U" Is For Union Station St. Louis

St. Louis Union Station MM Sikes painting
As the Passenger to Paradise, I enjoy viewing the beautiful St. Louis Union Station among the photographs shown prior to the Cardinals' baseball games on satellite television. This picturesque structure that first opened in 1894 is also the subject of one of my paintings included in Hotels to Remember. Of course, it was my choice for "U" in the final week of A to Z blog challenge.

As I was completing my coffee table book, I was amazed to discover a complex with a similar appearance in the south of France. We were visiting the medieval walled city of Carcassonne and were fascinated by the relationship in design between it and the architecture of Union Station. On our return home I learned that Carcassonne, a fortified town that has stood in some form for 20 centuries, was indeed the basis for the Union Station design. At that point, I decided to use two of my Carcassonne photographs in my book.

Because Hotels to Remember is a "snapshot in time," it is not surprising that when my book was published the hotel that occupied Union Station was a Hyatt Regency. Today that hotel is a Marriott.

Change is certain. Nothing else is. We only have snapshots in time!

8 comments:

Pauline Barclay said...

A lovely and interesting Blog...thank you!

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Thanks, Pauline, for leaving a comment.

Am not sure how Georgia O'Keeffe Museum became one of my tags for this post because it shouldn't be. I haven't figured out how to remove it!

Amy Wood said...

Nice painting. Good choice for U.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I can't believe we are on the last week of A-Z. It has been fun, but 26 posts in one month has been difficult.
I checked out your Passenger to Paradise link. All your books sound so good!
http://ifbloggingburnedcalories.blogspot.com

Julie Flanders said...

Another fascinating post! I'm a history buff so I think things like the link between Carcassonne and Union Station are so interesting.

Visiting your blog feels like traveling around the world, I love learning about all these different places. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

After the tornado last Friday in St. Louis, is it still there and intact?

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Thanks, Amy. (I love the name. One of my daughters is Amy!) Also, thanks for looking at the Passenger to Paradise link. Please let me know what you think if you read one of the books.

Julie, it's sometimes amazing how close our world actually is. Am glad you are enjoying the blog post. A to Z has been fun!

Alex, the ball game was played at Busch Stadium, only a few blocks away, that same evening. Made me believe everything was okay at Union Station. All the while, my daughter's Terminal C was devastated.

Unknown said...

Union Station St. Louis is breathtaking. I never knew about that connection to Carcassone.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Monti .. love the painting you did .. talented lady! Station buildings have amazing history and are usually imposing structures .. interesting about its origins .. I've always wanted to visit Carcassone too ..

One day .. !! Cheers Hilary