About 25 miles west of St. Louis, Missouri is the pleasant suburb of Chesterfield, Missouri. With a short drive into all the attractions of the city, it has become a pleasant place for many people to live and raise a family. Conveniently situated right off I-64, this area offers quick access to St. Louis itself to the east, or to I-270 and I-70 for quick access to greater areas of the country both east and west. Very nearby are Howell Island Conservation Area, Dr. Edmund A Babler Memorial State park, Weldon Spring Conservation Area, and the August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area. The Missouri River runs directly along the boundary of Chesterfield, separating it from Weldon Spring Heights and the Conservation Areas.
A Background of Chesterfield
Chesterfield was founded about a quarter of a century ago, in 1988. Before then it was a large and unincorporated area of land in St. Louis County. The police and fire services were provided by the county, but as developments and the population grew so did the concern for making the area a proper city. The “Chesterfield Incorporation Study Committee” engaged legal help and stirred up support to finally establish the area as an official city. Today, the area provides a pleasant place to work, live, and visit outside the downtown St. Louis attractions.
Chesterfield is 32.7 square miles, mostly residential and retail areas, and in the 2000 census reported nearly 47,000 residents. Approximately one third of the households in Chesterfield have children under the age of 18, and the school district is prided as one of the top performing in the area. The city has become a haven for retirees as well, with nearly 15% of all residents over the age of 65. A recent estimate placed the median household income just under $93,000 annually, with the median family income just over $117,000.
The city is comprised of several historical communities including Bellefontaine, Lake, Gumbo, Bonhomme, and Monarch. The oldest, Bellefontaine, dates to 1837 and includes the first post office established in 1851. In Lake community the historic Zierenberg’s General Merchandise and Saloon dates to 1918 and is one of the best known landmarks around. Gumbo derives its name from the rich, silty soil in the Chesterfield Valley and is exactly 25 miles from downtown St. Louis. Monarch, which was previously known as Atherton and Eatherton, sprung up along the rail lines of Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific. Lastly, Bonhomme is a small community at the western end which has shared a popular name with many other areas, streets, creeks, churches, and more in St. Louis proper.
Living in Chesterfield
Chesterfield Valley, formerly known as Gumbo Flats, is a floodplain of the Missouri River that has significantly improved its levees since the last major flood in the 1990’s. The corporate airport the Spirit of St. Louis Airport is located here, in the Chesterfield Valley, as are several railway lines running from Minnesota, St. Louis, Kansas City, and other nearby areas for various freight companies. The St. Louis County Library Samuel C. Sachs Branch is in Chesterfield as well.
The western part of Chesterfield is served by the Rockwood School District, and the eastern part by Parkway School District. Rockwood School District includes 19 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, and 4 high schools. Out of these, 10 schools have been awarded the National Blue Ribbon and 14 have received the Missouri Gold Star of Excellence. Additionally, the district won the National District of Character in 2006, and has been awarded 8 National Schools of Character and 9 Missouri Schools of Character. The district offers separate campuses for Gifted, Early Childhood, and Alternative High School Education, and with a dropout rate of 1% and a graduation rate of 95% these excellent students are lead by equally excellent teachers; 76% of whom have an advanced degree, and 100% of whom are classified as “Highly Qualified Teachers” by national standards.
By comparison, the Parkway School District offers 18 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 4 high schools,1 early childhood center, and 1 non-traditional high school. Out of these, 14 schools have been awarded the US Department of Education Blue Ribbon as a School of Excellence and 17 schools are Missouri Gold Star Schools. The district scored 4th in the state on ACT testing, and more than 90% of graduates continue onto higher education. In addition to high academic achievement, the district also boasts 12 athletic conference championships, 13 district championships, 8 individual state championships, and 1 team state championship.
Although the public schools are so excellent, Chesterfield also has a wide variety of private school options. The Barat Academy is available for students at the high school level, and Chesterfield Day School, Montessori School, the Ascension School, and Incarnate Word School are all private academies available for elementary students. Although most of the nearby post-secondary education is located in nearby St. Louis, the Logan College of Chiropractic is located in the heart of Chesterfield itself, offering undergraduate and graduate studies in Chiropractic, Pre-Chiropractic, Sport Science, and Rehabilitation medicine. In fact, many of the residents are employed by various medical, pharmaceutical, and insurance companies including St. Luke’s Hospital, Pfizer, Mercy Health Plans, and the Reinsurance Group of America. Many other residents are employed where there is terrific shopping, at the Chesterfield Mall, which includes the AMC Chesterfield 14, world-famous PF Chang’s China Bistro, Macy’s, Dillard’s, and over 200 vendors.
There are many exciting attractions for the residents of Chesterfield to enjoy, including the NAHL team the St. Louis Bandits, who play at the Hardee’s Iceplex in Chesterfield Valley. Faust Park also contains the famous “Butterfly House,” updated playground for children of all ages, quaint and charming historical village, great vintage carousel, pleasant walking trail, and a recently dedicated cement butterfly sculpture. The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House is a part of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. It offers its own butterfly movie which shows continuously, several outdoor gardens, and year-round scheduled events. As well as offering private event scheduling for small parties, educational tours, or other special events.