St. Louis City vs. County: The Nasty History of the 1876 Divorce

The Nasty Split — That Has Gotten Nastier Over The Years

The idea of separating the city of St. Louis from St. Louis County was officially decided on August 22, 1876. Ironically, the reasons used to justify the “Great Divorce” are the same reasons many believe the two should get back together today.

St. Louis dominated the region’s population and economy as tensions brewed before the Great Divorce. City leaders were frustrated because county voters had the power to control issues that were specific only to the city. Conversely, county residents resented paying for city expenses like maintenance on Forest Park.

The initial vote to separate narrowly passed in the city but failed badly in the county. Overall, the measure lost by 1,416 votes. However, legal challenges regarding voter fraud changed the outcome. The Missouri Court of Appeals discarded over 5,000 ballots, mostly “no” votes. This court ruling legalized the separation by a margin of 1,253 votes.

St. Louis City declared independence the following year. It expanded its borders from 18 square miles to 61. At the time, the city had 310,000 residents, while the county held only 31,000. City population peaked around 1950 at 880,000 residents. Over time, thousands of city residents and businesses migrated into the county. By 2018, the city population dropped to 300,000. Meanwhile, the county population climbed to nearly one million.

Voters have seen several re-merger initiatives over the decades. None have succeeded. Every proposal ended in a voter rejection or a withdrawal from the ballot.