Affton is a blue collar town of hard working people. Oddly enough, Affton has a lot of churches and…read morecemeteries. The community is very accepting of all people and has an ethnically diverse population. The schools have great ratings and there are still decent business prospects in the community. The Chamber of Commerce is very active and sponsors a local Affton Days Parade and Festival every year. There is a nice mix of long time residents and young families. You can't get more Midwest than the City of Affton. Come enjoy a little taste of big city living in small town atmosphere.

The National Personnel Records Center is kind of like a theme park for historians and genealogists…read more Here is my rundown. GENERAL NPRC is only open 9-4, M-F and is closed holidays, so if you work traditional office hours, you're probably taking off work or using a comp day to visit. I've done both. ------------ PREP You must do an online orientation in order to research here. You'll get a researcher card w/ a number. If you're researching individual soldiers, you'll need to submit the paperwork in advance. (Keep reading.) Your research card will be made at your first visit. It's closer to a small piece of paper than a card. Bring your photo ID and your research card when you have a return visit. ------------ ARRIVING You have to go through something a little less intense than TSA to get in. You will be on a list if you've got an appointment. You will sign in at the front desk. You can bring very little into the research room. I brought my phone and charger today... and that was about it. NPRC provides paper for taking notes. You can't remove a sweater or jacket in the room. I am serious and I'm cool with it... pun unintended, but most welcomed. So wear layers and prepare to make a trip back to the locker if you don't guess correctly on the room temperature. ------------ SOLDIER FILES You need to submit form requests for soldier files at least a week... eh, ten days... two weeks? I think a month is recommended, but I will say a good three weeks in advance. NPRC doesn't keep the soldier files, like, right there in the room, because the are SO many. Millions of files. Not only millions of pages. Of files. Some of it is kept off-site. You can take photos of the documents with a phone or bring a scanner and laptop. I go phone because it's 2023 and I am a minimalist. The average Navy file takes me a good 20 or so minutes to photograph. I photograph every page and I am not reading it there, as such pleasure reading can be done at home. The average WWII Army file takes me 2 minutes to photograph because most of those burned in the 1973 fire. I have not yet seen a complete Army file. Staff will digitize photo negatives for you for a low $4 fee. These are most common (only?? IDK) in US Navy files. ------------ MICROFILM The readers are not the nifty digital kind. They're a bit old. But they work. Some of them print. You pay to print. You don't pay to take pics with your phone, and you can edit those, so that's what I recommend. The rolls are indexed... on microfilm. Staff will help you navigate this. ------------ EATING Hundreds of people work here... so many that they can support a convenience mart in the building. It has only a few tables. I ate at a wide, deep windowsill, as did a number of the employees. Bring a big lunch that you can scarf down on a busy research day. If you're planning on doing more research after lunch, you probably should not eat up (ha... okay, pun intended) too much of the day w/ having to sign out, drive, dine, return, and sign in an extra time. There aren't too many restaurants in the area anyway. ------------ ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT One thing that could be better in-person: the huge parking lot has a visitor section, but it's either halfway coned off or all the way, like it was today, yet people have still parked there... curious. I don't know how to figure out what the etiquette is except by asking and I always blank on stuff like that by the time a few minutes have passed. One thing that could be better online: the email address to which you send requests has autoresponse set up w/ a "we'll get back to you soon" message... and someone will get back to you soon... but I could totally see someone realizing she needs to send something else after that but before the real reply comes and then maybe she could hit "reply" and maybe something gets lost in the shuffle. I can envision something just like that happening to someone. Can you? Anyway, I'd love to see no autoresponse. I won't suggest having weekend or evening hours once per month because I don't see the federal government going for that... though it would be nice and would mean people didn't have to take vacation days. ------------ DEPARTURE You pay for any photo negative digitization, return your locker key, and sign out... Security will check your bags when you leave. STAFF Employees are very nice. Some have served in the military and are pretty knowledgeable about stuff I don't know. And when one of them doesn't know something, that person will call someone who does. Tim and Eric(sp?) and... Kevin(???) were especially helpful today. Perhaps I'll get to know other names next time and I'll correct those listed here. Good work, all!

A beautiful building! I've been here two years in a row for the Ellis J. Shaw Day of Opportunities,…read morean educational scholarship event about postsecondary planning. This year, there were several colleges and community organizations tabling; 3 presentations about scholarship searching and financial planning; plus a panel of last year's scholarship recipients. There was SO much good information, and 4 people won $500 scholarships! This event is every November. The building is a perfect space for it, with plenty of space in the hallways for the vendors who are tabling, and seating in the council chambers for the presentations. All of the offices are closed when I've been here, because the event is on a weekend , but there is information out about upcoming events and local offerings (see picture).

Gorgeous new building! Glass and marble entrance. Truly and grand entrance. Glass walls in all…read moreoffices. Very active Parks and Recreation department.

Occasion: Here for a region gathering, 4 day seminar. This was ...April 2017, I think. If not, it…read morewas March. The rooms: It might look (on the inside) like it could be a musty, dated motel, but in actuality it neither smells that way nor functions that way. It was what I imagine a cabin in the woods would be for city people. Good placement and function of lights and ventilation, even if you have to share with a roommate. Pretty view, no matter where you're placed. Meeting rooms: Slightly better than the rooms in that you're not concerned if your first few inhales will freak you out. We arrived from several states and were about 100, w a good amount having dietary concerns that required some fridge space in the common area. There was enough room for them and those of us deciding to wander a stash of unfinished food. Dining hall: Food was better than fair, some was surprisingly great. Drink selection was wonderful, and so was availability of snacks to those of us who wanted to augment what is served during our first or only time through the service line. Garden/Grounds: BEAUTIFUL. Like Star Trek-Biblical beautiful. I hope that makes sense. When you see it, you'll agree. Or agree after a few episodes of Star Trek too. No bible study is requisite to understand, I think. ...like t.v. beautiful, I guess. Not trying to be snarky. It's a well-tailored, *full* garden! Staff: I can only speak on kitchen staff... The dishwash lady was EXCEPTIONAL. She made all of us feel welcome. The meal line servers were midwest okay, but a bit standoffish to zipped up to some of us. Of the other attendees I spoke to, it felt like 70% of us felt that way. There was one lady who seemed full of animosity, bitterness and dour. It bothered enough of us, that someone spoke to someone, and she gradually felt less and less prickly to see and interact w. That gradual transformation was nice to see.

Easy to get to. peaceful quiet setting close to interstate , but yet secluded and quiet. My wife…read morespent the weekend there for a gals getwaway ans she liked it. She normally is picky about staying overnight anywhere, but she said it was outdated, but nice and clean, her heater in her room was broken, she said it finally kicked on at 6am. The ground were clean and orderly.

I like this little village library. It is quiet and has events for children and adults…read more Free WiFi. If they don't have a book you are looking for then they will search the other libraries and get it sent right to them. Just not open as late as big city libraries but it is still a great library.

I enjoy coming to the public library at Jamestown Bluffs. As always, it's quiet, has plenty of…read morecomputers, seating, quiet rooms and a vast variety of books, movies, and games you can check out. They have a few boards located near the entrance that tells you about all of the upcoming events, and resources available. There's parking out front, and the library staff are so helpful.

The furthest flung branch of the SLCL system, it also has a really nice stitch/quilting group. I've…read moremade some good progress on what I optimistically termed my "covid" project. If not for these craft groups, I'd still be in the beginning stages 5 years on. I look forward every month to seeing the ladies at the group! Ill also be making use of the study rooms that SLCL offers. Here or other branches.

This mile long bridge has spanned the Mississippi River since the 1920's. In 1936 it officially…read morebecame part of Rt. 66. In 1966 the bridge was closed to all traffic when Rt.270 opened nearby. It reopened in 1999 to pedestrians and bicycles as part of the Great Rivers Greenway. At one mile it's easy enough to walk from one end to the other and back again. The deck is well maintained and although the metal trusses are rusty, they are plenty sturdy. In 1929 when the bridge opened it spanned a dangerous rocky shoal which is where it gets it's name. At present the water level is too high to see the rocks. Although the original design went straight across the river, boatment complained that navigating both the nearby water towers and the bridge piers at the same time was too dangerous. The design was altered to include a turn allowing boatmen to navigate around one thing at a time. Info on the bridge states the reason for the bend is the bridge needed surer footing and has a 22° turn. The Nat'l park states a 30° turn. NPS tells one tale and the Greenway another. I'll let you be the judge: https://www.nps.gov/places/chain-of-rocks-bridge.htm We began our journey on the IL side of the bridge. Midway through the bridge are informational signs about the river. Plaques on the guardrail name donators who support the bridge upkeep. There are also two view finders, one with a handicap accessible ramp on the south side of the bridge. The IL entrance is on Chouteau Island. This island appears to have been created when a barge canal was dug. You can also access the Army Corp of Engineers dam park nearby. A motor bridge over the canal now has a bike lane making the bridge one direction at a time. Pull up close to trigger the red light to gain bridge access. The island has a trail system map at the bridge entrance. I noticed a memorial plaque and looked up the information online. If interested I have attached the wiki link to the plaque photo. A viewing platform, bicycle rack and two benches have also been added to the bridge. The MO end of the bridge has informational signs about the river and the greenway. There is also a small open air pavillion and trash bins. This bridge is listed on a number of Historic Rt.66 websites. A sign on the IL end of the bridge lists other Historic Rt.66 sites in IL. We found this site to be informational with lovely views of the MS River and you can see the Gateway Arch to the SW. Parking is in a paved lot. Walking the bridge is a nice stretch of the legs and is wheelchair accessible. Even at 22°f it was a good stop.

The NEW Chain of Rocks Bridge was built in originally constructed in 1966 to replace the OLD Chain…read moreof Rocks Bridge and to carry I-270 over the Mississippi River. It is a simple beam style bridge with no particular architectural or design elements. A NEWER New Chain of Rocks Bridge is currently being constructed by the Missouri and Illinois Departments of Transportation. The newer bridge is a twin span with improved safety features like wider shoulders. I think it will still be called the NEW Chain of Rovks Bridge but, personally, I think it should be called the NEWEST bridge.

I don't get why we have cops and I am a Republican. 90%of you just sit and try to catch speeders…read morewhich really, who are they hurting except the liberal Toyota and Subaru driver that sit in the left lane and drive less than the speed limit. But you never see them pulled over for impeding traffic. Then when you call a cop for an actual problem, like 6 of them show up and only one actually does something. And then a hour later they all leave with to my knowledge, nothing resolved. I think I would rather have that overly fat/ partially dork hall monitor from high school show up and help me. At least they take better notes and have some results. But I guess we pay cops just to shoot poor people and people they don't trust so I see why they are in St. Louis

Helped me find my car after it was stolen. I don't remember the officers but thank you. Super…read moresupportive and helpful.