St. Louis County, Missouri
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Template:Infobox U.S. County St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2000, the population is 1,016,315, making it the most populous county in Missouri. This county is notable for its 400+ private-street associations. Its county seat is Clayton6. St. Louis County borders, but does not include, the City of St. Louis.
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Origin of name
The county was organized in 1812 and was originally a Spanish colonial district, named for Saint Louis, King of France. In 1876, City of Saint Louis separated itself from the county, creating an independent city.
Law and government
The current St. Louis County charter was adopted by the voters on November 6, 1979.
Executive power of the county is vested in the county executive, which is a full-time salaried position. The current county executive (as of March 2006) is Charlie Dooley. 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.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,356 km² (524 mi²). 1,315 km² (508 mi²) of it is land and 41 km² (16 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.03% water.
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.
Topography
The Ozark Mountains begin in western 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. 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; Gravois Creek, flowing into the River des Peres; and Maline Creek, flowing into the Mississippi River.
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.
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.
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 38.75 inches (980 mm). The normal high temperature in July is 90 °F (32 °C), and the normal low temperature in January is 21 °F (−6 °C), although these values are often exceeded. Temperatures of 100 °F or more occur no more than five days per year, while temperatures of 0 °F or below occur 2 or 3 days per year on average.
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.[1] 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.
Other geography
The largest natural lake in the state is Creve Coeur Lake, and is a county park.
Manchester Road (Missouri State Highway 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.
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)
Major highways
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 1,016,315 people, 404,312 households, and 270,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 773/km² (2,001/mi²). There were 423,749 housing units at an average density of 322/km² (834/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.83% White, 19.02% 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. 1.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
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. 6.90% of the population and 5.00% of families were below the poverty line. 9.30% of those under the age of 18 and 5.30% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
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
Maps of the municipalities and CDPs are available here.
Education
Unified school districts
Affton -- Bayless -- Brentwood -- Clayton -- Ferguson-Florissant -- Hancock Place -- Hazelwood -- Kirkwood -- Ladue -- Lindbergh -- Maplewood-Richmond Heights -- Mehlville -- Normandy -- Parkway -- Pattonville -- Ritenour -- Riverview -- Rockwood -- Special School District -- University City -- Valley Park -- Webster Groves -- Wellston
High schools
List of high schools in St. Louis County
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
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
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
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 -- Riverview -- Robertson -- Spanish Lake -- Valley Park -- West County EMS -- West Overland
External links
- Saint Louis County Government Website, http://www.stlouisco.com
- Saint Louis County Municipalties page, http://www.co.st-louis.mo.us/scripts/communities/
- North County Photos website, http://northcountyphotos.com
- St. Louis climate, from the National Weather Service
