Klem—The History of Science in St. Lows. 113 
‘‘More than forty years ago, five or six young men, of 
whom [I was one, met together, on Main street, near 
Chestnut, in the office of the Honorable Judge, Mary P. 
Ledue. The object was to found an Academy of Science, 
but not one of our number really knew enough of science 
to found a primary school, except Dr. George Engel- 
mann, who was an enthusiastic student, especially in 
botanical research, and who inspired us all with some- 
thing of his zeal. We organized a society and proceeded 
to purchase five or six acres of ground, far out of the 
city, I think near Highth street and Chouteau avenue. 
There Dr. Engelmann began a botanical garden and 
aboretum on a small scale. It was kept up, after a fash- 
ion, for some years, but the society faded out and the 
land was sold, and apparently there was an end of the 
academy. But under the law of the survival of the fittest, 
Dr. Engelmann ‘survived’ and became an academy otf 
science in himself.’’ 
This was the Western Academy of Natural Sciences,** 
The foundation for this first edifice of science in the Mis- 
sissippi Valley and probably the first west of the Alle- 
ghany Mountains was laid in 1837, when a charter was 
granted to H. King, George Engelmann, B. B. Brown, P. 
A. Pulte, William Weber, Theodore Engelmann and G. 
Schuetze, as incorporators. The main promoters of this 
new society were Dr. Engelmann and Dr. Wislizenus, 
both destined to play important réles in the future Acad- 
emy of Science. 
Through the efforts of these men the lamp of science 
was kept burning for some years, at a time when St. 
Louis was nothing more than a small frontier town. An 
address, together with the Act of Incorporation, Consti- 
tution and By-Laws, were respectfully submitted to the 
‘friends of knowledge,’’ soliciting funds, new members, 
and contributions to the proposed museum and library. 
87 Act of incorporation, constitution and oe si of the Western 
Academy of Natural Sciences at St. Louis. 
