ST. CHARLES COUNTY
County Offices
201 N. Second Street
St. Charles 636-949-7000
www.sccmo.org
Chamber of Commerce
2201 First Capitol Drive
St. Charles 636-946-0633
www.stcharleschamber.org
Major Highways
Interstate 70; U.S. Highways 40 and 61; State Highway 61
Located in east-central Missouri north of St. Louis County, the fertile agricultural land known as St. Charles County is framed by the rolling Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Steeped in historic significance, St. Charles County is the place where Lewis and Clark launched their famous voyage of discovery more than 200 years ago. Today, increasing numbers of new residents and businesses are finding their way to this area of lush vineyards, rapidly growing communities, and natural beauty. Over the past three decades, St. Charles County has experienced a surge of population growth with a strong emphasis on family living. New construction and planned communities continue to attract interest, although the county has managed to retain its country charm in the midst of impressive development.
Tourism is a major source of revenue in this region, home to the Lewis and Clark Boat Center and Nature Center and the annual Lewis and Clark Heritage Days celebration. This area is brimming over with American frontier adventure and a delightful blend of French and German cultural heritage. The French and German influence can still be seen in grand architecture or savored in gourmet restaurants. History comes alive each and every day in St. Charles County, where costumed shop owners greet visitors. As accessible as it is intriguing, the county is linked to the metropolitan region via major thoroughfares including Interstates 64, 70, and 270.
Services
The commitment to quality education is evident throughout this area, home to Lindenwood University — distinguished as the oldest university west of the Mississippi and one of the fastest-growing universities in Missouri. St. Charles Community College offers a high-tech campus recognized for responsiveness to the needs of students and the flourishing business community. Top-rated public school districts provide an excellent education on elementary and secondary levels, including the School District of the City of St. Charles, Francis Howell School District, and Orchard Farm School District. Private schools provide parents with alternatives in the selection of a learning environment or educational philosophy.
State-of-the-art healthcare services and facilities include a highly acclaimed, acute-care hospital in the SSM Health System that is also rated as a trauma center. SSM St. Joseph Health Center is ideally located in the heart of downtown St. Charles, complemented by Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital in St. Peters. The latter maintains a staff of physicians that represent more than 30 medical and surgical specialties and sub-specialties. Two other hospitals in St. Charles County ensure that expert care is always close to home, and the county is home to countless professionals in every major specialty as well as most subspecialties.
Lifestyle
The county seat of St. Charles is undoubtedly the educational, cultural, and retail hub for this beautiful region. The city’s charming historic downtown district has been called the “Williamsburg of the West,” welcoming residents and visitors to a medley of quaint shops and services. This ten-block, 200-year-old Historic Main Street is Missouri’s first and largest historic district, nestled close to the Missouri River and Saint Charles’ frontier history and served by a quaint trolley. Frenchtown is a magnet for antique hunters, with more than 20 unique stores dotting the charming neighborhood. Contemporary neighborhoods and regional malls like Westfield Shoppingtown Mid Rivers in St. Peters provide a wonderful selection of opportunities for shopping, dining, and entertainment as well as beautiful homes in tree-shaded neighborhoods.
One of the many advantages to St. Charles County living is the full calendar of special events. Wentzville is the scene of the Greater St. Louis Renaissance Faire, while Tartan Days celebrates Scottish heritage and culture. The French district hosts the Fleur-De-Lis Festival, ice-carving is the focal point of the Fete de Glace celebration, and Frontier Park showcases the Civil War Reenactment. Children are captivated by the Missouri River Storytelling Festival and the entire family enjoys Music on Main Street. Oktoberfest is particularly colorful and well-attended in this region with strong German roots.
Recreational amenities are exceptionally well-developed, crowned by the new St. Charles Family Arena. Spectators can enjoy their own teams in exciting competitive play or attend a wide variety of special events including professional boxing. This multi-purpose venue has quickly become the center of community life in St. Charles County, from graduation ceremonies to first-rate entertainment and musical concerts. Regional attractions like the nearby Katy Trail State Park draw visitors from across the state and around the nation. Making use of a former railroad corridor, the park features more than 185 miles of walking and biking trails stretching from St. Charles to Sedalia. Dotted with picturesque farms, St. Charles County is also home to the lush acreage of many outstanding regional wineries. Ameristar Casino represents another major attraction. Located within easy walking distance from downtown St. Charles, this casino is consistently at the top of the list of Missouri tourism sites. From attractive new homes to the finest in educational, cultural, and recreational advantages, St. Charles County is a jewel in the crown of Greater St. Louis.
Lake St. Louis
City Hall
636-625-1200
www.lakesaintlouis.com
Chamber of Commerce
636-625-2119
http://westernstcharlescountychamber.com
True to its name, Lake St. Louis is characterized as a resort and recreational community where residential development surrounds two beautiful lakes. Permanent residents of this gracious community are able to enjoy the year-round recreational amenities that regularly draw weekend visitors to the area for sailing, water sports, or relaxing on warm afternoons. An ideal location for those who prefer an active, outdoor lifestyle, Lake St. Louis offers some of the finest residential and commercial amenities available in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Other recreational highlights include the 18-hole championship golf course at Lake Forest Country Club, tennis courts, beaches, swimming pools, horse stables, and lush parks.
Providing a close-knit spirit in friendly and attractive neighborhoods, the Lake St. Louis features a variety of contemporary two-story, split-level, ranch-style, and executive homes. Spacious and tranquil, residential developments feature everything from lakeside living to elegant homes that enjoy the seclusion of heavily wooded lots. Excellent elementary and secondary schools serve this area, although a number of private schools are available in neighboring communities. Lake St. Louis has developed its own convenient shopping, office buildings, and country clubs.
New Melle
City Hall
636-828-4807
Chamber of Commerce
636-828-5600
www.newmellechamber.com
With the 225-acre New Melle Lakes Golf Course and scenic lakes as its focal point, the small City of New Melle is home to less than 200 residents. The 18-hole course meanders around one sparkling 29-acre lake and four smaller lakes, creating an enchanting environment where deep woods frame velvet fairways. Located just outside of Wentzville, the golf-course development of New Melle began as a village and incorporated as a city in 1999. Beautiful homes command breathtaking views of the panoramic tree-clad countryside for a resort atmosphere. New-home construction is brisk around this area, and planners are determined to control growth in a way that preserves the quality of life in this tranquil community.
Residents enjoy an ideal location near the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport along the Interstate 70 corridor. They also have access to Wentzville’s rapidly expanding amenities and facilities that include quality schools, a local hospital, and leading employers. Festivals and celebrations like the St. Louis Renaissance Faire and the St. Charles County Fair draw neighbors and families together and attract enthusiastic regional crowds.
O’ Fallon
City Hall
636-240-2000
www.ofallon.mo.us
Chamber of Commerce
636-240-1818
www.ofallonchamber.org
Distinguished as one of the fastest-growing cities in St. Charles County, beautiful O’Fallon is ideally located along Interstate 70 west of St. Peters. The community was named after Mayor John O’ Fallon and incorporated in 1857. New residents can choose from a wide selection of home styles and settings, where large properties enjoy the natural beauty of a rural landscape that features rolling meadows. New home construction is prolific, and handsome subdivisions have sprung up along the Highway 70 and 94 corridors.
The highly rated school districts have developed rapidly to accommodate the residential expansion, ensuring local youth of a quality education in well-equipped, modern classrooms. St. Charles County Community College is located just 10 minutes from O’Fallon, offering more than 60 degree and certificate programs as well as vocational and technical training. First-rate services including hospitals and major shopping centers are either available in O’Fallon or nearby in St. Peters and St. Charles. More than 130 local industries contribute to the vitality of this well-balanced and prosperous community.
St. Charles
City Hall
636-949-3200
www.stcharlescitymo.gov
Chamber of Commerce
636-946-0633
www.stcharleschamber.org
Drawing its charm from enchanting Victorian frame houses that were built more than 70 years ago, St. Charles nevertheless offers an abundance of newer construction from the last three decades. These traditional ranch and two-story homes grace tree-shaded streets and well-developed lots. Buyers interested in new construction will lovely new subdivisions throughout the area, stretching almost to O’Fallon. As the county seat of the fastest-growing region in Missouri, St. Charles provides a top-rated school system as well as St. Charles Community College and the four-year liberal arts institution of Lindenwood University.
Historic St. Charles became host to the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804 and Missouri’s first capital in 1821, and many of the local amenities showcase the turn-of-the-century styling of the area’s French heritage. Historic Frenchtown, midtown, and South Main Street — all hugging the riverfront — are bustling with quaint shops, an antique district, and intimate restaurants. Along with these riverside historic sites, residents and visitors enjoy more contemporary attractions like Casino St. Charles and the new Family Arena with its professional sports scene.
St. Peters
City Hall
636-477-6600
www.stpetersmo.net
Chamber of Commerce
636-447-3336
www.stpeterschamber.com
Consistently one of Missouri’s fastest-growing cities, the community of St. Peters offers a centralized location on Interstate 70 and Highway 94. Commuters enjoy quick and easy access to all corners of the metropolitan area, including the bright lights of downtown St. Louis. The city’s ever-growing list of civic amenities includes the Rex-Plex, a sporting facility built to house the 1994 Olympic Festival, the 62-acre City Centre Complex, a Cultural Arts Center, and more than a dozen parks. Westfield Shoppingtown Mid Rivers serves as a regional retail destination, drawing residents and visitors to a medley of department stores, eateries, and specialty shops.
Residents of this sprawling residential suburb share a strong sense of community and are proud of their nationally recognized schools, outstanding recreational facilities, and lush parks. Vibrant new subdivisions tend to be dominated by handsome two-story and ranch homes that are ideal for comfortable family living. The comparatively low cost of living and high quality of life have won accolades for St. Peters from the Wall Street Journal, reporting the city as one of the best places to live in the entire nation.
Wentzville
City Hall
636-327-5101
www.wentzvillemo.org
Chamber of Commerce
636-327-6914
https://gowscc.com
One of the fastest-growing communities in metro St. Louis, Wentzville enjoys a prime location near Lambert-St. Louis International Airport along the Interstate 70 corridor. In spite of a convenient location just west of St. Louis, the community offers an attractive, provincial setting for residential and commercial development. Touting itself as, “The Crossroads of the Nation,” Wentzville has attracted a number of major employers including General Motors. The City of Wentzville also boasts great schools, a local hospital, an abundance of acreage, and undeveloped open space.
Residents of Wentzville enjoy the pleasures of a rural atmosphere within close proximity to the world-class cultural, educational, and entertainment amenities in St. Louis. Many are drawn to the spacious lots and open feeling of Wentzville, where housing choices vary from contemporary and rustic ranch homes to more expansive farm sites. Residents can meet their retail needs at nearby outlet malls and shopping centers. Beautiful golf courses and the Wentzville Ice Arena combine with 85 acres of parkland filled with sports facilities and amenities. The city’s considerable civic pride is evident in the hosting of popular annual festivals such as the St. Louis Renaissance Faire, Summer Music Festival at Rotary Park, and the St. Charles County Fair.
