City of Kirkwood history

Chartered in 1865, it is the oldest school district in St Louis County and one of the oldest west of the Mississippi River.

The train station, located in the heart of Kirkwood, was built in 1893 and is one of two Kirkwood buildings on the National Register of Historic Places – the other is Mudd’s Grove.

When the voters of Kirkwood went to the polls on July 21, 1900, they cast 237 votes authorizing the issuance of the bonds for the construction of the electric generating plant with only 8 votes being cast in opposition.

By 1911, so many request for electric service had been received from people living outside the range of the original wires that an “Electric Light Extension Fund” was established and $10,000 in bonds were issued to cover the cost of extending the wires to new customers.

It wasn’t until 1914 that the board of aldermen received a request to change Webster Avenue.

The aldermen agreed, and since 1915, the former Webster Avenue has been known as Kirkwood Road within the city limits.

Following the United States’ entry into World War I, on December 6, 1917, the aldermen found it necessary to light only half of the “white way” lights on Webster Road (now Kirkwood Road) and Main Street (now Argonne Drive) each night in order to reduce the amount of coal used at the light plant.

In July 1918, Judge Sam Hodgdon, Fuel Administrator of St Louis County, advised the Kirkwood Board of Aldermen to close its municipally owned and operated electric plant and purchase current from the Union Electric Company as a patriotic action to reduce coal consumption during wartime.

In 1927, after Lindbergh’s famed flight, The Watchman Advocate, a St Louis County newspaper, ran a contest to see who could come up with the best idea to honor Lindbergh.

December 13, 1930 - 86 years-ago today, the Mayor of Kirkwood presided over ceremonies marking the dedication of the newly-named "Lindbergh" Boulevard.

In 1933 a petition signed by more than 1000 citizens asking that the name be changed back to Denny Road was presented to the county court.

The city of Des Peres was officially formed in 1934, although its roots start as a missionary settlement in 1701 when a group of Jesuit missionaries established a settlement on the banks of the Mississippi River near the mouth of the Des Peres River.

Also named for the famed aviator, Lindbergh High School was known as Grandview High School until 1952.

Demographics: Today the City is nine square miles in size and is home to a population of 27,540 (2010 Census). Located in Southwest St Louis County, Kirkwood boasts high property values, quality public and private schools, safe neighborhoods and exceptional City services.