Des Peres, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Des Peres, Missouri
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Des Peres City Hall predates the city's incorporation. It was originally built by the neighboring Lutheran Church as an orphanage.
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Location of Des Peres, Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | St. Louis |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.34 sq mi (11.24 km2) |
| • Land | 4.33 sq mi (11.22 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 607 ft (185 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 8,373 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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8,697 |
| • Density | 2,006.69/sq mi (774.83/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| FIPS code | 29-19270 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0755986 |
Des Peres is a city in west St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 8,373 at the 2010 census.
Contents
History
The first inhabitants of Des Peres were the Cahokia, the Kaskaskia, the Michigamea, the Moingwena, and the Tamaroa tribes.
The Osage Nation lived in the area around Des Peres. The Osage were members of the Dhegiha Sioux group of tribes. This group also included the Ponca tribe, Quapaw tribe, Kansas tribe, and Omaha tribe.
Des Peres is thought to be the oldest white settlement in Missouri, founded about December 3, 1700 by some Kaskaskia Native Americans and French who had left the camp of the confederated Illinois tribes on the Illinois River. The settlement was called Des Peres, French for "The Fathers," and meant to honor the Spanish missionaries who settled there. This settlement was at the mouth of River des Peres and it is thought the first settlers found this region unhealthful, so moved across the Mississippi River to a prairie about 25 miles from the mouth of the Kaskaskia River.
People of European descent began settling in Des Peres in the 1800s. By 1850, there were 75,000 people living in St. Louis. Des Peres was mainly settled by German immigrants and southerners from Virginia and the Carolinas who were drawn to the area by the farmland sold off by the United States government in 80-to-160-acre (32 to 65 ha) tracts.
Des Peres got its name from the River des Peres whose tributaries, Deer Creek and Two Mile Creek, ran through the town. The name Des Pères is a French term which means "of the Fathers".
In 1834 a small church, the Des Peres Presbyterian Church, 38°37′22″N 90°25′12″W (Old Des Peres Church;Old Stone Church) is a historic church on Geyer Road in Frontenac, Missouri.
It was started in 1834 and was added to the National Register in 1978.
Mayor Rick Lahr has been Mayor of the city since 1998. In his tenure he is credited for transforming the city in to the premiere spot to live, work, and play, in St. Louis County.
Geography
Des Peres is located at 38°35′46″N 90°26′50″W / 38.59611°N 90.44722°W (38.596023, -90.447299), at an altitude of 659 feet (201 m) MSL and in the Central Time Zone.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.32 square miles (11.19 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1940 | 641 | — | |
| 1950 | 1,172 | 82.8% | |
| 1960 | 4,362 | 272.2% | |
| 1970 | 5,333 | 22.3% | |
| 1980 | 7,953 | 49.1% | |
| 1990 | 8,395 | 5.6% | |
| 2000 | 8,592 | 2.3% | |
| 2010 | 8,373 | −2.5% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 8,697 | 3.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 8,373 people, 3,051 households, and 2,474 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,938.2 inhabitants per square mile (748.3/km2). There were 3,155 housing units at an average density of 730.3 per square mile (282.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.3% White, 0.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.1% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.
There were 3,051 households, of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.6% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 18.9% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.06.
The median age in the city was 45.9 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.7% were from 25 to 44; 34% were from 45 to 64; and 17.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.
Culture
The city is the birthplace of actress Tracy Posner.
Parks and recreation
Des Peres maintains six separate parks: Des Peres Park, Harwood Park, Pioneer Park, Sugar Creek Park, as well as the 13 acre Phantom Forest and the 10 acre Bittersweet Woods conservation areas. Both designated "urban wildlife areas" are administered in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation and run adjacent to Dougherty Lake, one of the original residential developments in Des Peres. The sites and trails for both sites are accessible to the public only via Barrett Station Road entrance. Bittersweet Woods was donated by Des Peres residents Jean and Joan Goodson. Phantom Forest was donated by Des Peres residents Claire and Ray Moore after Ray Moore's death. It is named after the Phantom comic strip, of which Ray Moore was the co-creator (with Lee Falk) and original illustrator.
The Lodge is an upscale, state of the art community center that includes indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities, fitness center, gymnasium, and meeting rooms.
Economy
The international headquarters of Edward Jones Investments is located in Des Peres.
West County Center, a shopping mall, was established here in 1969
The international headquarters of Redbird Engineering is located in Des Peres.
Taxes
The City of Des Peres does not assess a real or personal property tax and has not since 1995: 67% School District; 13% Special Schools; 7% St. Louis County; 4% Community College; 4% Zoo/Museum District; 2% County Library; 2% MSD; 1% Sheltered Workshops.
See also
In Spanish: Des Peres (Misuri) para niños
