Chesterfield

Located in the western portion of St. Louis County along Interstate 64 is the community of Chesterfield. With a population of 47,484, at the time of the 2010 census, and covering an impressive 33.52 square miles, it ranks in as the fourteenth largest city in Missouri. The city is fairly new, being incorporated towards the end of the 1980s.

The area covering present-day Chesterfield was known to have been a site of Native American habitation for more than 1,000 years. According to March Leach, author of Chesterfield’s Ancient Past – Mounds, Mortuaries & the Mall, an area in western Chesterfield contained carvings and artwork dating as far back as 4,000 years old. Throughout the 1800s to the early 1900s, Chesterfield was a region made up of five communities named Monarch, Bonhomme, Lake, Bellefontaine and Gumbo. In fact, Chesterfield was referred to as “Gumbo Flats,” due to its naturally rich and silty soil resembling the look of gumbo when it became overly wet from rain.

As years followed, Chesterfield became a place-name for the unincorporated sub-region of western St. Louis County, containing the five aforementioned communities and cities, like Ballwin, that would eventually be incorporated on their own. With population increasing, residents were concerned about the community’s lack of specific public services, like transportation and electricity, and an organization known as the Chesterfield Incorporation Study Committee was eventually formed. Headed by John A. Nuetzel, a former president of zoning watchdog group River Bend Association, the group collected donations, found legal help, drew up bounds and eventually lead the charge for enough public votes for incorporation.

Though the “Great Flood of 1993” destroyed many areas of Chesterfield, it didn’t take long for Chesterfield to rebound from the devastation throughout the end of the 1990s. Officials fast-tracked the development of the Chesterfield Valley, and by the early 2000s, Chesterfield incorporated one of the the longest outdoor strip malls in America. To ensure such a disaster could never happen again, the Chesterfield Levee District sponsored a 130-acre wetland mitigation project that created wetland sites along the Missouri River, in Chesterfield. The project took two years to conclude.

Residents within the western portion of the city are served by the Rockwood School District, and those in the eastern portion are served by the Parkway School District.

Chesterfield Official Website

Traditions

The Chesterfield Amphitheater is an outdoor amphitheater that has a capacity of nearly 4,000 and includes both lawn and chair seating.

Faust Park, created in 1968, is one of the most unique parks in St. Louis County. You’ll find more than 200 acres of landscape and local features like Thornhill Grounds, an estate filled with restored and recreated structures from the early 1800s, and Historic Village, a 19th century region saved from demolition and preserved by Faust Park staff.

Another attraction of Faust Park is the Sachs Butterfly House that opened its doors to the public in 1998. Established by the non-profit organization Butterfly House, their mission is to increase awareness of natural habitats in which butterflies can thrive. More than a thousand live tropical butterflies fly within the glass conservatory and the House offers classes and private events.

Chesterfield’s leading malls, the Chesterfield Mall, St. Louis Premium Outlets and Taubman Prestige Outlets carry over 150 restaurants and a wide variety of retail stores ranging from big brand names to local mom & pop shops.