St. Louis County, Missouri
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saint Louis County, Missouri | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Missouri |
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 Missouri's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1812 |
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| Seat | Clayton |
| Largest city | Florissant |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
524 sq mi (1,357 km²) 508 sq mi (1,316 km²) 16 sq mi (41 km²), 3.03% |
| Population - (2006) - Density |
1,000,510 1,970/sq mi (760.5/km²) |
| Website: www.co.st-louis.mo.us | |
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. According to the 2000 census, the population was 1,016,315, making the county the most populous in the state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton[1]. St. Louis County is part of the sprawling St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all together account for a total population of over 3 million people. St. Louis County borders the City of St. Louis, which is independent from St. Louis County. The 2006 estimate for the county is 1,000,510.[1]
[edit] Origin of name
The county was organized in 1812 and was originally a French colonial district (French Louisiana), named for Saint Louis, King of France.
In 1876, City of St. Louis separated itself from the county, creating an independent city.[citation needed]
[edit] Law and government
St. Louis County was the first Missouri County to adopt a home-rule charter under the Missouri constitution, in 1950. The current St. Louis County Charter was adopted by the voters on November 6, 1979.[citation needed]
Executive power of the county is vested in the county executive, which is a full-time salaried position. The current county executive is Charlie Dooley, who was re-elected November 7, 2006. The county executive's term is 4 years; he is elected by the general population of the county.
Ordinances are passed by a county council. The council is made up of 7 members, each from a separate district within the county. Council member terms are 4 years, beginning on January 1 following the election. Elections are held in even-numbered years, with terms for even- and odd-numbered districts staggered.
[edit] Crime and safety
When compared to other large urban counties, St. Louis County’s crime rate per 100,000 residents is among the lowest in the nation. For example, there were just 30 homicides reported in 2003 out of a population of over 1 million people. There has been a 25% decrease in crime since 1991, and St. Louis County is now at its lowest level of crime since 1973.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 524 square miles (1,356 km²), of which, 508 square miles (1,315 km²) of it is land and 16 square miles (41 km²) of it (3.03%) is water.
[edit] National protected area
[edit] St. Louis Metro Area
The St. Louis Metro Area is the largest in population of Missouri's 114 Counties, plus one Independent City: St. Louis County, Jefferson County, Warren County, St. Charles, Washington, Franklin, Lincoln and St. Louis City. plus 8 counties in Illinois: Clinton, Bond, Macoupin, Calhoun, Madison, Monroe, St. Clair, and Jersey.
[edit] Natural boundaries
The Missouri River forms the northern border with Saint Charles County, exclusive of a few areas where the river has changed its course. The Meramec River forms most of its southern border with Jefferson County. To the east is the City of Saint Louis and the Mississippi River. The western boundary with Franklin County is the north-south line where the distance between the Meramec and Missouri Rivers is the shortest, bisecting the City of Pacific roughly 2 blocks east of Hwy OO/F (First street).
[edit] Topography
The foothills of the Ozark Mountains begin in southwestern Saint Louis County, with most of the rest of the county being a fairly level plateau. This western part of the county is the least developed, due to rugged topography. Bluffs along the Mississippi in the south of the county rise about 200-300 feet above the river. A major floodplain area is the Chesterfield Valley, in the western part of the county, along the Missouri River, formerly called "Gumbo Flats" after its rich, dark soil; it was submerged by at least ten feet of water during the Great Flood of 1993, but recent development there is protected by a higher levee. The Columbia Bottom is a floodplain in the northeast of the county at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers; this is a conservation area open to the public. The Missouri Bottom area between the two other floodplains is largely agricultural, but is being increasingly developed. The River des Peres drains the interior of county before flowing underground into the City of St. Louis and then resurfacing to form the boundary between southern portions of St. Louis City and St. Louis County. Other streams include Coldwater Creek, Bonhomme Creek, and Creve Coeur Creek, flowing into the Missouri River; Keifer Creek and Grand Glaize Creek, flowing into the Meramec River; Deer Creek and Gravois Creek, flowing into the River des Peres; and Maline Creek, flowing into the Mississippi River.
[edit] Geology
The bedrock is mainly limestone and dolomite, and much of the county near the rivers is Karst terrain, with numerous caves, sinkholes, and springs. No igneous or metamorphic rock is exposed on the surface. A major outcropping of the St. Peter Sandstone formation, a fine white sandstone used for making clear glass, is mined in the southwest corner of the county in Pacific. Brick clay mining was once a major industry in the county. The Charbonier Bluff along the Missouri River is an outcropping of coal, and was used a fueling station for steamboats. The "St. Louis Anticline", an underground formation, has small petroleum deposits in north part of the county.
[edit] Flora and fauna
Before European settlement, the area was prairie and open parklike forest, maintained by Native Americans via burning. Trees are mainly oak, maple, and hickory, similar to the forests of the Ozarks; common understory trees include Eastern Redbud, Serviceberry, and Flowering Dogwood. Riparian areas are heavily forested with mainly American sycamore. By the 1920s most of the timber in the county was harvested; since that time, large parks and undeveloped areas in the western and southern parts of the county have grown dense forest cover. Old pastures are usually colonized with Eastern red cedar. Most of the residential area of the county is planted with large native shade trees. In Autumn, the changing color of the trees is notable. Saint Louis County has the most recorded native species of plants in the state, but this is probably due to the intensive botanical research done in the area. Most species here are typical of the Eastern Woodland; but some southern species are found in swampland, and typical northern species survive in sheltered hollows. Invasive species, most notably Japanese Honeysuckle, are common in some homesteads converted to parks; these are actively removed.
Large mammals include growing populations of whitetail deer and coyotes, which are becoming increasingly urbanized. Eastern Gray Squirrel, Cottontail rabbit, and other rodents are abundant, as well as Opossum, Beaver, Muskrat, Raccoon, and Skunk. Large bird species include Wild Turkey, Canada goose, Mallard duck, various raptors like the Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk, as well as shorebirds, including the Great Egret and Great Blue Heron. Winter populations of Bald Eagles are found by the Mississippi River around the Chain of Rocks Bridge. The county is on the Mississippi Flyway, used by migrating birds, and has a large variety of small bird species, common to the eastern U.S. The Eurasian Tree Sparrow, an introduced species, is limited in North American to the counties surrounding Saint Louis.
Frogs are commonly found in the springtime, especially after extensive wet periods. Common species include American toad and species of chorus frogs, commonly called "spring peepers" that are found in nearly every pond. Some years have outbreaks of cicadas or ladybugs. Mosquitos and houseflies are common insect nuisances; because of this, windows are nearly universally fitted with screens, and "screened-in" porches are common in homes of the area. Populations of honeybees have sharply declined in recent years, and numerous species of pollinator insects have filled their ecological niche.
[edit] Climate
Saint Louis County has a continental climate, and has neither large mountains nor large bodies of water to moderate its temperature. The area is affected by both cold Canadian Arctic air, and also hot, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico. The county has four distinct seasons. The average annual temperature for the years 1971-2000, recorded at Lambert–St. Louis International Airport, is 56.3 °F (13.5 °C), and average precipitation is 36 inches (914 mm). The average high temperature in July is 88.4 °F (32 °C), and the average low temperature in January is 22.6 °F (−6 °C), although these values are often exceeded. Temperatures of 0 °F or below occur 3 days per year on average.[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Saint Louis was 115 °F (46 °C), on July 14, 1954, while the lowest temperature on record is −23 °F (−31 °C), on January 29, 1873[3]
Winter is the driest season, averaging about 6 inches of total precipitation. Springtime (March through May), is typically the wettest season, with just under 10.5 inches. Dry spells of one or two weeks duration are common during the growing seasons.
Thunderstorms can be expected on 40 to 50 days per year. A few of them will be severe with locally destructive winds and large hail, and occasionally accompanied by tornadoes.[2] A period of unseasonably warm weather late in Autumn known as Indian summer is common – roses will still be in bloom as late as November or early December in some years.
[edit] Other geography
The largest natural lake in the state is Creve Coeur Lake, and is a county park.
Manchester Road (Route 100) follows an ancient path westward out of Saint Louis, following the boundary between the Missouri and Meramec watersheds, and is the only way to leave the area without crossing rivers.
The Sinks is a karst area near Florissant, with numerous sinkholes.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- St. Charles County (north, northwest)
- Madison County, Illinois (northeast)
- City of St. Louis (east)
- St. Clair County, Illinois & Monroe County, Illinois (southeast)
- Jefferson County (south)
- Franklin County (southwest)
[edit] Major highways
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,016,315 people, 404,312 households, and 270,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,001 people per square mile (773/km²). There were 423,749 housing units at an average density of 834 per square mile (322/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 70.83% White, 24.02% African American, 0.17% Native American, 2.22% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.01% of the population.
There were 404,312 households out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% were married couples living together, 12.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.20% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,532, and the median income for a family was $61,680. Males had a median income of $45,714 versus $30,278 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,595. About 5.00% of families and 6.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.30% of those under age 18 and 5.30% of those age 65 or over. St. Louis County is the most affluent county in the state of Missouri.
[edit] Politics
| Year | DEM | GOP |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 54.4% 295,284 | 45.1% 244,969 |
| 2000 | 51.5% 250,631 | 46.2% 224,689 |
| 1996 | 48.8% 225,524 | 42.4% 196,096 |
| 1992 | 44.1% 235,760 | 35.2% 188,285 |
| 1988 | 45.1% 216,534 | 54.7% 262,784 |
| 1984 | 36.0% 173,144 | 64.0% 307,684 |
| 1980 | 39.8% 192,796 | 54.4% 263,518 |
| 1976 | 43.5% 196,915 | 54.6% 246,988 |
| 1972 | 37.8% 160,801 | 62.2% 264,147 |
| 1968 | 43.0% 165,786 | 46.8% 180,355 |
| 1964 | 61.3% 213,658 | 38.7% 134,962 |
| 1960 | 51.3% 166,508 | 48.7% 157,992 |
Saint Louis County is statistically much more moderate than its left-leaning neighbor, Saint Louis city. However, it is considerably less conservative than the rural parts of the state. Along with the independent city of Saint Louis, both Saint Louis County and Jackson County were the only two urban counties in the state of Missouri to have a Democratic majority of votes, though a third county, Saint Genevieve County, which lies within the St. Louis media market, also voted for Kerry.
In the 2008 presidential primaries, 41% of Republicans in St. Louis county voted for John McCain with 37% voting for Mitt Romney. For Democrats in St. Louis county 63% voted for Barack Obama while 36% voted for Hillary Clinton.
[edit] Employment
St. Louis County's rapid job growth in the past two decades has brought the County's share of the State of Missouri's jobs to 23 percent: nearly one-quarter of all of the jobs in the State are located in St. Louis County.[citation needed]
[edit] Population and residents
St. Louis County is often divided into Mid, North, West and South sections. North County lies north of Interstate 70, West County lies west of Interstate 270, South County lies south of Interstate 44 and Mid County is lies in the middle of the three main bordering highways (I-70, I-270 & I-44) and the St. Louis county-city line. St. Louis County Communities
[edit] West County
Much of West County is inhabited by pro athletes, professionals and old wealth, creating the largest area of high-income residents in the Midwest with the exception of Chicago's North Shore and Oakland County, Michigan. These communities include Clarkson Valley, Creve Coeur, Des Peres, Town and Country, and Wildwood. Chesterfield, with about 47,000 residents, is the second largest city in St. Louis County (with Florissant being the largest, at a population of about 51,000). West County is home to three major shopping centers: Chesterfield Mall, West County Center, and Plaza Frontenac, which is occupied mainly by luxury retailers. Local school districts include the Parkway School District and Rockwood School District along with numerous private schools. Leisure spots in West County include Bellerive Country Club, Westwood Country Club of St. Louis, and Faust Park, which is home to the Butterfly House.
[edit] Mid County
Mid County is made up of the central and eastern portion of St. Louis county. The bulk of Mid County lies just west of the independent City of St. Louis. Municipalities include Clayton, Maplewood, Brentwood, Webster Groves, Rock Hill, Kirkwood, Frontenac, Ladue, Olivette, University City, St. Ann, and Overland. With access to Interstate 70 and Interstate 44 to the north and south of Mid County, access to Interstate 270 and Interstate 170 on the west and east and Interstate 64 runing through the middle of Mid County, the area is never far from highway transportation. Currently, Interstate 64 is closed in both directions for construction through much of Mid County from Ballas Road to the Interstate 170. [3] The closest major mall to Downtown St. Louis is the St. Louis Galleria located in Richmond Heights. Other popular areas are The Loop on Delmar Blvd. in University City.
[edit] North County
North County is home to Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems unit, Lambert St. Louis International Airport and Ameren. Its population is the most diverse of the three areas with about half of its residents claiming African American heritage. Public transportation has been beneficial to North County and was the first area of Metro St. Louis served by the metropolitan rail system, MetroLink. North County boasts major malls including Jamestown Mall, and St. Louis Mills, in Hazelwood. Cities of North County include Florissant, Bridgeton, Hazelwood. North Saint Louis County is not only diverse in racial makeup but also by socioeconomic means. While mostly middle income residents reside here, there are some upper income communities such as Black Jack. There are several upper income black and mixed raced villages located in the Natural Bridge Corridor east of Interstate 170 including Glen Echo Park, Bellerive, Bel-Ridge, Bel-Nor, and Pasadena Hills, second to Olympia Fields, Illinois as the most affluent majority black community north of the Mason-Dixon line Yet, some of the inner ring suburbs increasingly show signs of instability and white flight, notably, Kinloch and Wellston, where four times as many people live in poverty than in St. Louis city.
[edit] South County
While largely populated, much of South County is unincorporated. It is the most homogeneous area within St. Louis county and major communities include Fenton, Lemay, Mehlville, Oakville, Affton, and Sunset Hills. The start of the Ozark mountains and Ozark plateau begin in South St. Louis county and neighboring Jefferson County. Many communities have an abundance of gently rolling hills. South County is the most politically conservative section of St. Louis county, with the South County chamber of Congress reporting nearly 70% of its residents who voted for George W. Bush over John Kerry in 2004.
[edit] Cities and towns
- For a listing by population, see: St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area.
St. Louis County has 91 municipalities and 9 unincorporated census-designated places:
- † unincorporated
- ‡ Times Beach was disincorporated in 1985, Peerless Park was disincorporated in 1999, Carsonville disincorporated
Saint Louis County Municipalities and Unincorporated Area Map 
[edit] Education
[edit] Unified school districts
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[edit] High schools
In addition to its public high schools, St. Louis has an abundance of private and parochial schools, including the largest number of Catholic affiliated secondary institutions in the continental U.S. This is partly due to St. Louis's status as an archdiocese and historically Catholic city. Most of the prestigious private schools reside in West St. Louis County, one of the wealthiest areas in the region.
[edit] Universities
[edit] County parks
Affton White-Rodgers Community Center -- Albrecht -- Bee Tree -- Bella Fontaine -- Bissell House -- Black Forest -- Bohrer -- Bon Oak -- Buder (North and South of Interstate 44) -- Castlepoint -- Champ -- Cliff Cave -- Clydesdale -- Creve Coeur -- Endicott -- Faust -- Fort Bellefontaine -- Fort Bellefontaine West -- George Winter -- Greensfelder -- Jefferson Barracks -- Kennedy -- King -- Kinloch -- Larimore -- Laumeier Sculpture Park -- Lemay -- Lone Elk -- Love -- Lower Meramec River -- Mathilda-Welmering -- McDonnell -- Museum of Transportation -- Ohlendorf -- Ohlendorf West -- Queeny -- Robert Winter -- Simpson -- Sioux Passage -- Spanish Lake -- St. Vincent -- Suson -- Sylvan Springs -- Tilles -- Unger -- Veteran's Memorial -- West Tyson -- Widman
[edit] Undeveloped county parks
Bright-Fowler -- Castlewood -- Fairmont -- Forrest Staley -- Grasso -- Linear Parks South -- Long Log Cabin -- Lower Meramec River -- MSD Union Road -- Packwood -- St. Stanislaus -- Winding Trails
[edit] Municipal fire departments
Berkeley -- Brentwood -- Clayton -- Crestwood -- Des Peres -- Ferguson -- Frontenac -- Glendale -- Hazelwood -- Jennings -- Kirkwood -- Ladue -- Maplewood -- Olivette -- Pacific -- Richmond Heights -- Rock Hill -- Shrewsbury -- University City -- Webster Groves
[edit] Fire protection districts
Affton -- Black Jack -- Community -- Creve Coeur -- Eureka -- Fenton -- Florissant Valley -- Kinloch -- Lemay -- Maryland Heights -- Mehlville -- Metro West -- Mid-County -- Moline -- Monarch -- Normandy -- Pattonville-Bridgeton Terrace -- Riverview -- Robertson -- Spanish Lake -- Valley Park -- West County EMS -- West Overland
[edit] References
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ 2001 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI (STL). Weather Explained, Volume 4. 2006. Last accessed December 4, 2006.
- ^ Welcome to the Top 10. NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office. Last accessed December 4, 2006.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Saint Louis County Government Website, http://www.stlouisco.com
- Saint Louis County Municipalities page, http://www.co.st-louis.mo.us/scripts/communities/
- North County Photos website, http://northcountyphotos.com this is a profit making site, but allowed by Wiki for some reason.
- St. Louis climate, from the National Weather Service
- WikiLou - The St. Louis Area's Very Own Wiki
- History of St. Louis County, Missouri (1911)
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