A Little Bit of Kirkwood History

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

Downtown Kirkwood, Missouri
Courtesy: City of Kirkwood

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:

**Pitzman’s New Atlas of Kirkwood, Missouri, 1878.**

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.

***James Kirkwood, the namesake of Kirkwood***

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.

Kirkwood Train Station
Courtesy of Webster-Kirkwood Times

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.