Kirkwood, Town & Country and Des Peres Missouri real estate listings, home buying, selling and relocation information

On The Town in Kirkwood Missouri . . . .
Turn-of-the-century homes, and a thriving business community await you in the City of Kirkwood, Missouri. Established in 1853, Kirkwood has long been known for its 'down home' charm, community pride, nationally recognized schools, vibrant business community, and its involved residents.

Today, this is a 9-square-mile community with a population of 27,324 (according to 2000 census information). Located in West St. Louis County, Kirkwood boasts high property values, quality public and private schools, safe neighborhoods and exceptional city services. Over 300 acres of park land can be found throughout the community, from a large central park that includes an aquatic center, ice rink, outdoor amphitheater, ball fields, tennis courts, picnic sites, and playground areas to smaller neighborhood parks.

Kirkwood Farmers' Market It’s called “Queen of the St. Louis Suburbs,” an honor Kirkwood has proudly accepted since the late 1800s. As the first planned suburb west of the Mississippi River, Kirkwood owes its very existence to the railroad. The city was even named after James Pugh Kirkwood, the engineer in charge of locating, surveying and building the railroad. From the beginning, it’s been a love affair between citizens and trains, as evidenced by the beautiful, historic train station located in the heart of the city. Built in 1893, the station, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is a favorite subject of local and national photographers. It currently serves as a stop for daily Amtrak passenger trains.

Kirkwood is a city rich in history, with a progressive business attitude. Two of the primary reasons families settle in Kirkwood are the quality and characteristics of the homes and the safety and comfort of the area. Kirkwood has historic homes, churches, quaint shopping districts, and progressive shopping centers.

Each year, more and more citizens and visitors flock to Kirkwood’s many tourist attractions, including Powder Valley Nature Center, The Magic House, downtown Kirkwood, plus our parks, community center, and community festivals.

Kirkwood schools offer an education experience that is unmatched. The Kirkwood School District has one of the highest graduation rates in the country. This is due not only to the high quality of education, but also to the spirit of cooperation and continued teamwork for the commitment to excellence by parents, teachers, administrators, and residents.

Longview Park Fountain

Living the "Green Life" in
Town & Country . . .

The City of Town & Country is located approximately 12 miles west of the City of St. Louis in central St. Louis County. Town & Country is an affluent suburban community among over 100 other municipalities in the Greater St. Louis Region. Originally, it was primarily made up of woodlands and farm lands, which slowly transformed into a large lot residential community for those seeking a more rural life style while maintaining a relatively convenient drive from the city.

The primary physically defining characteristic of the City is a single-family residential community that is developed on generous, well-landscaped lots. Subdivision developments with many cul-de-sacs located off of the major collector and arterial routes typify the physical development pattern. Town & Country's New Fire Station

The original country charm of larger lots with white fences and grazing horses still can be found. In addition, there are several large tracts of land which remain undeveloped. The result is a high quality community which prides itself on being a quiet, restful, green residential area, in contrast to the more intensely developed areas typical of St. Louis County.

There are relatively few commercial development areas. The predominant commercial locations tend to be at the periphery of the city boundaries along the regional arterials,and/or at th Horses at Longview Park e intersections of the major roads.

The City was incorporated in 1950 as a village, with a population of less than 1,000 residents. The City is a Fourth Class City under Missouri statutes and operates under the Mayor-Board of Alderman-City Administrator form of government. The Board is comprised of one Mayor and eight members who are all part-time elected officials. Day-to-day responsibility for City operations is vested in the City Administrator. The City has a population of approximately 11,000.

Entrance to Longview Park

Playground at Des Peres Park

Welcome to Des Peres
(easily pronounced
'de-pair') . . .

The French name "Des Peres" seems an unlikely name for a city settled largely by German immigrants and southerners from Virginia. However, the name was indelibly attached to the area long before the Town of Des Peres was formed in 1934.

In 1701, a group of Jesuit missionaries established a settlement on the banks of the Mississippi River near the mouth of the Des Peres River. The name "Des Peres", which means "of the fathers”, traces its origins back to that early settlement. The River Des Peres of the earlier days was not what we know it today but consisted of the main channel and all of its minor tributaries including what are now know as Deer Creek and Two Mile Creek which flow through Des Peres. To the trappers and hunters who followed the course of the river and to the early settlers, this broad watershed was referred to as Des Peres.

Early settlers were largely German immigrants who came to the Midwest by way of Virginia and the Carolinas. The population was essentially farmers who settled on 80-160 acre tracts of land sold off by the US Government. The German immigrants brought with them a love of flowers that influenced the beginning of the floral industry in Des Peres. That strong influence remains today with the presence of the Tomasovic and Eckelmann Greenhouses.

Although the area known as Des Peres has been inhabited since the 1700's, the area was not incorporated as a Village until 1934 in response to rumored plans for annexation of the area by the City of Kirkwood. At the time, Des Peres was a largely rural area whose residents and businesses feared the high taxes of "the big city". The local press at the time suggested that incorporation was an attempt to protect Des Peres' three roadhouses that wished to offer liquor by the drink with the repeal of prohibition.

By 1953, Des Peres' population had outgrown its status as a Village and residents approved a change in status to a 4th Class City to provide broader taxing authority to support the demand for city services. While its population has grown to allow a further change in status under state law, Des Peres has retained its 4th class status and has not pursued options to seek a change to 3rd Class or Charter status. As government has grown more complicated and demanding, Des Peres has adopted the City Administrator form of government providing for employment of a full-time professional to assist the Mayor and Board of Aldermen in the day-to-day management of city affairs. Since 1973, five (5) individuals have held the office of City Administrator.

The Des Peres Department of Public Safety is unique in the metropolitan area as the only integrated public safety operation providing police, fire and emergency medical services. Des Peres is only one of a handful of similar operations in the State of Missouri. Under public safety, each commissioned officer is fully trained and legally qualified to serve in the capacity of a police officer, a firefighter and either an EMT or Paramedic.
Des Peres Lake
Des Peres is also extremely proud of its parks & recreation systems, which feature seven (7) locations and over 100 acres of parkland. Des Peres Park, former home of the Lutheran Orphanage, is the crown jewel of the park system with 40+ acres of manicured lawn areas, a two-acre lake, picnic pavilion, mile long jogging track, tennis courts and athletic fields.

Sugar Creek Park with 20+ acres has been developed to include an athletic field, playground, half-mile jogging track and playground. Phantom Forest (23 Acres) and Bittersweet Woods (10 acres) represent the newest additions to the park system. While neither is yet open to the public, both were recently donated to the Missouri Conservation Commission and are to be operated under contract by the City of Des Peres as natural woodlands.

In August 2000, the city obtained overwhelming voter approval (75%) for issuance of general obligation bonds for construction of a Des Peres Community Center. Located at 1000 Des Peres Road, The Lodge Des Peres is a 74,000 sq. ft. community center featuring a gymnasium with elevated running track, a fitness center, meeting rooms, an indoor wave pool and an outdoor aquatic center.
The Lodge Recreational Complex
The facility was designed by Hastings & Chivetta - a nationally known architectural firm specializing in community and college athletic facilities. The pool consultant was Consilman-Hunsaker with Westport Pools doing the construction. The facility opened on November 22, 2003 and has been recognized regionally and nationally for its design and operations.

Des Peres has grown from an initial population of 550 at time of incorporation in 1934 to a present day population of 8,592 (2000 Census). That growth is a result of both new home construction and major annexations of residential areas to the west and south of the original city in 1973 and 1975 as well as smaller annexations in 1999. The city has set its ultimate boundary west of Barrett Station Road to the centerline of Grand Glaize Creek but the city is not actively pursuing that annexation.

Residential development as we know it today began in the mid-20's with the subdivision of the Moll Farm into a 448-lot subdivision now known as Manhattan Heights. Lots were only 25 feet wide by 125 feet long making them too small for individual construction. Through arrangements with a local movie theater, free lots were offered as attendance prizes. To encourage the purchase of additional lots, alternate lots were given away and the winners allowed to purchase the adjoining lot. As a result, the area developed slowly and many of the homes sit on 2 to 4 of the original lots.

Des Peres, like the rest of the suburban metropolitan area, experienced rapid post-war residential growth with development of new subdivisions including Harwood Hills and Berkley Manor.

The 70's saw development of Dougherty Woods, Dougherty Lakes and Four Winds Farm along Des Peres Road. However, over 25% of the housing units in Des Peres have been constructed since 1980.

A number of new subdivisions have been platted. Construction began in 2005 for Belerosa Estates on Old Dougherty Ferry Road and The Arbors at Sugar Creek on Des Peres Road.

In addition to new subdivisions under construction, Des Peres is experiencing redevelopment in existing neighborhoods resulting in demolition of older homes and replacement with newer homes. New Construction

Manchester Road, as it was officially designed more than 100 years ago, was initially laid out as "Market Street" as one of eight (8) roadways ordered in St. Louis County by the General Assembly in 1835 with the intention of creating a roadway from St. Louis to Jefferson City.

The road was built in 1841 replacing an earlier primitive trail that was probably formed by the Indians and early trappers. Manchester Road has been recently recognized by the Missouri General Assembly as a part of the "Original Route 66".

The building of Manchester Road motivated the early development of a business community to serve the needs of travelers and farmers. The primary focus was on general merchandise, livery and blacksmith shops, and saloons. In the early 1900's, the first gasoline station was opened near Manchester and Bopp Roads. In the early 1950's, early retail development commenced to serve the lightly populated area around Des Peres with a recorded 63 businesses along the corridor.

Des Peres Lake Park Feeding the ducks at Des Peres Lake

The opening of Interstate 270 with its exit at Manchester Road in 1965 marked the beginning of Des Peres' transition from an agriculturally based area (greenhouses) to its modern day place of commerce. Old greenhouses and family homes began to give way to more modern developments. A State Charter was issued for Colonial Bank - the first bank in Des Peres. In 1967, Eime's Greenhouses gave way to what is now Des Peres Commons Shopping Center; 1969 saw development of Colonnade Center and the conversion of the Manchester Road Drive-In into the West County Shopping Center.

Redevelopment of West County Center was the issue of the 90's. Developed in the 60's as one of the first regional shopping centers in the metropolitan area, West County had seen it's predominate status overshadowed by redevelopment of Northwest Plaza, Crestwood Plaza, The Galleria and Chesterfield Mall. The importance of West County Center to the financial stability of the City of Des Peres cannot be overstated and resulted in proactive efforts by the city to revitalize the mall. That effort culminated in 1997, with the decision by Nordstrom's to locate it's only St. Louis area store at West County and the City of Des Peres' agreement to provide up to $29.8 million in Tax Increment Financing to assist in the effort to redevelopment West County by its owners - the Westfield Corporation. The development plan was approved in June 1998 with construction delayed until February 2001 by litigation filed by the owners of Chesterfield Mall challenging the use of TIF for the project. The new mall, renamed Westfield Shoppingtown West County opened in September 2002.

About the Kirkwood, Town & Country and Des Peres, Missouri Areas

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