West End in St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Thomas Hart Benton
Born March 14, 1782
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 7, 2018
1. Thomas Hart Benton Marker
Inscription.
Thomas Hart Benton moved to St. Louis in 1815 and became one of the city's leading citizens. Elected one of Missouri's first two Senators, Benton served five consecutive terms from 1821-1851 and figured prominently in the era's national debates. A staunch advocate for Manifest Destiny, he authored the original Homestead Acts to aid westward expansion. He bitterly opposed the Bank of the United States, and his call for the use of hard money earned him the nickname "Old Bullion." Originally a slaveholder, Benton eventually declared himself against slavery, which cost him his Senate seat and effectively ended his political career in Missouri. Upon his death, Thomas Hart Benton was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery after a funeral procession attended by an estimated 40,000 St. Louisans.
Thomas Hart Benton moved to St. Louis in 1815 and became one of the city's leading citizens. Elected one of Missouri's first two Senators, Benton served five consecutive terms from 1821-1851 and figured prominently in the era's national debates. A staunch advocate for Manifest Destiny, he authored the original Homestead Acts to aid westward expansion. He bitterly opposed the Bank of the United States, and his call for the use of hard money earned him the nickname "Old Bullion." Originally a slaveholder, Benton eventually declared himself against slavery, which cost him his Senate seat and effectively ended his political career in Missouri. Upon his death, Thomas Hart Benton was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery after a funeral procession attended by an estimated 40,000 St. Louisans.
Location. 38° 39.324′ N, 90° 17.894′ W. Marker is in St. Louis, Missouri. It is in West End. Marker is on Delmar Boulevard west of Rosedale Avenue, on the right when traveling
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east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6139 Delmar Boulevard, Saint Louis MO 63112, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photo courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society, circa 1855
2. Thomas Hart Benton
Credits. This page was last revised on March 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 13, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 157 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on October 13, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on October 17, 2018. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.