Fort San Carlos Site (St. Louis)
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Battle of St. Louis / Fort San Carlos marker, 104 South 4th Street, St. Louis, MO 63102, USA
MARKER
VISITOR INFORMATION
Select a documented modern marker point separately from the original tower footprint. Do not confuse this site with the existing Fuerte de San Carlos at Perote, Mexico, or Florida forts of the same name. Map point reviewed October 3, 2026: Visitor reference is the photographed Battle of St. Louis / Fort San Carlos marker on South 4th Street. The inscription places the tower nearby; this pin represents the marker rather than the exact original tower footprint. Visitor information reviewed October 3, 2026: This row uses the photographed Battle of St. Louis marker on South Fourth Street. The separate Fort San Carlos marker near the Hilton patio is not the assigned point. The original tower footprint and toilets at the marker itself remain unverified; a nearby public option is described below. Parking researched October 3, 2026: Nearby paid Kiener East Garage serves a walking visit to the South Fourth Street marker. Check rates, availability and posted restrictions. The garage is separate from the fort footprint.
Visitor information batch 2 — reviewed October 3, 2026: Nearby public restrooms are at the Gateway Arch complex’s west entrance, documented in the NPS 2026 compendium. The visitor center normally opens 9 am–6 pm in the present fall/winter season, with holiday and weather exceptions. Follow entrance and security instructions. This is an off-site option for the South Fourth Street marker; it does not identify or provide access to the fort footprint.
Free exterior historical marker; no separate ticket or staffed hours. View only from authorized public areas and follow any posted property-access rules. Associated buildings, grounds, museums or tours may have separate hours and admission.
Peak visitation season unconfirmed. No reliable site-specific monthly attendance pattern was established.
April-May or September-October for a downtown historical-marker walk with generally milder conditions. Check the current marker approach and any separate museum visit.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
HISTORIC SITES NEARBY
Nearby Historic Sites
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Landmark
WHO WAS HERE
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PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE
About Fort San Carlos Site (St. Louis)
Fort San Carlos was a Spanish defensive tower in St. Louis during the American Revolution. Cannon and militia fire helped repel a British-organized attack on May 26, 1780. The tower stood near present Fourth and Walnut Streets. Nearby markers commemorate the battle after the original structure’s disappearance.
The tower was demolished in the early nineteenth century, and downtown St. Louis now occupies its setting. A nearby Battle of St. Louis marker commemorates the defense but does not establish an intact fort, an exact tower footprint, or the full battlefield.
History happened here at Fort San Carlos Site (St. Louis)
After Spain entered the war against Britain in 1779, officials feared an attack on St. Louis and the Mississippi River corridor. Lieutenant Governor Fernando de Leyba ordered defensive works, including the stone tower of Fort San Carlos. Spanish soldiers and a militia composed largely of French residents prepared to defend the settlement.
On May 26, 1780, a British-organized force, including Indigenous warriors and Canadian participants, approached the town. People working outside the defenses were exposed to the attack. Cannon from the tower and militia musket fire helped force the attackers to withdraw. The successful defense prevented the seizure of St. Louis and illustrates the Revolution’s reach into Spanish territory and the upper Mississippi region.
PEOPLE WHO DIED HERE
PEOPLE AT REST HERE
EXTERNAL LINKS
Research reviewed October 2, 2026. Event IDs 13dc9be8-be63-4229-a970-31e07bc9e8ba; Events Latest 10PM.csv rows 59.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/battle-of-st-louis.htm
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=139787
Map location reviewed October 3, 2026. Visitor reference is the photographed Battle of St. Louis / Fort San Carlos marker on South 4th Street. The inscription places the tower nearby; this pin represents the marker rather than the exact original tower footprint.
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=151754
Visitor classification and amenities reviewed October 3, 2026. Destination: Battle of St. Louis / Fort San Carlos marker on South Fourth Street.
Prose batch 2 researched October 3, 2026. Fast pass; proofing pending. Marker is near former tower; casualty and troop totals omitted.
Parking researched October 3, 2026. The 2025 official St. Louis visitor guide lists Kiener East Garage, 500 Pine Street, open 24 hours daily. The current parking booking service confirms public bookings. Nearby paid Kiener East Garage serves a walking visit to the South Fourth Street marker. Check rates, availability and posted restrictions. The garage is separate from the fort footprint.
https://explorestlouis.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Welcome-Guide_7th-Day.pdf
https://parkmobile.io/parking/locations/mo/st-louis-parking/parking-lot/kiener-east-garage
Visitor information batch 2 — reviewed October 3, 2026
https://home.nps.gov/jeff/learn/management/superintendent-s-compendium-for-2026.htm