A Little Bit of Kirkwood History

Kirkwood was the First Planned Suburban Community West of the Mississippi River

Kirkwood is one of the most idyllic towns in the entire state of Missouri. It is like something out of a Hallmark movie, especially during the holidays. From tree-lined streets with historic homes, to a vibrant downtown, a world-class children’s museum, and a farmer’s market that attracts shoppers from across the St. Louis area, it is no surprise why Kirkwood is named one of the best cities in America. Money magazine even ranked it the #36 Best Place to Live in 2022. Not only is this town picturesque, but it also has an historic claim to fame.

The History:

Kirkwood was the first “planned suburban community” west of the Mississippi River. It was established in 1853 when Missouri lawmakers approved the incorporation of the Kirkwood Association. As you can see from the plot map above, it grew rapidly in the first few decades. It went from a train stop with acres of vacant land to full-fledged community by 1878, stretching several blocks to the north and south from the Kirkwood Train Station.

The area about 15-miles from downtown St. Louis was growing rapidly at the time following the cholera outbreak and the Great Fire of St. Louis in 1849. This all happened at around the same time that the Missouri Pacific Railroad was planning a rail line through that area under the direction of chief engineer James P. Kirkwood.

The train tracks eventually reached the area where two local businessmen had been buying land to take advantage of the city’s growth. The property owned by Hiram Leffingwell and Richard Elliott was plotted and the lots started being sold. This made Kirkwood the first municipality built outside the city limits of St. Louis and is still known as the “Queen of the Suburbs.”

Kirkwood Today:

Today, Kirkwood is a thriving city of 29,461 residents with a booming business district. The city is growing rapidly with new businesses sprouting up while also supporting legacy shops that have made it famous. It has easy access to transportation and hospitals and has some of the highest ranked schools in the state. In fact, Kirkwood High is ranked as the #5 Best High School in Missouri according to US News and World Report.

As the city faces the challenges of new growth while maintaining its historic charm, you can understand why so many people want to call this city their home.

Historical Districts

Here are the 9 Historic Districts in Kirkwood, according to official city sources.

• Jefferson-Argonne (est. 1805)
• North Taylor (est. 1850s)
• West Argonne (est. 1859)
• Meramec Highlands (est. 1892)
• Central Place (est. 1920s)
• Savoy (established around 1950)
• Craig Woods (est. 1955)
• Barrett Brae (est. mid-1950s)
• Sugar Creek Ranch (est. 1954)

Famous Faces

• Scott Bakula – actor
• Nikki Glaser – comedian
• Trent Green – NFL player
• Jeremy Maclin – NFL player
• Ziva Rodann Actress
• David Sanborn – musician
• Kalani Sitake – BYU Head Coach
• Jim Talent – politician
• Lyle Waggoner – actor

Historic Kirkwood Images from the State Historical Society of Missouri archives

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“History.” Kirkwood Historical Society, May 1, 2017. https://kirkwoodhistoricalsociety.com/history/#targetText=.

“About the City of Kirkwood.” City of Kirkwood, Missouri. Accessed October 1, 2019. https://www.kirkwoodmo.org/our-city/about-the-city-of-kirkwood.