The youthful and lively city of Chesterfield has a population of approximately 58,878. This community boasts friendly, tree-lined neighborhoods, bright new office buildings, and vibrant shopping malls. The area has a rich history, a wealth of recreational facilities and top-notch education. Chesterfield has maintained its history and tradition, and while welcoming progress and a flourishing business community. What a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.
Location
Chesterfield is located along the Missouri River, on the western side of Saint Louis County. St. Louis County is in eastern Missouri, with the Missouri River and Saint Charles County to the north of it, and the Meramec River and Jefferson County to the south. It is bordered by the Mississippi River and the city of Saint Louis to the east and Franklin County to the west.
Geography/Terrain
Covering a total area of 32.7 square miles, Chesterfield has 31.5 square miles of land and 1.2 square miles of water. It sits at an average elevation of 470 feet. A large portion of the city, known as Chesterfield Valley, is located in the floodplain of the Missouri River. The remainder of the city is situated on the bluffs above the floodplain. This area has retail and residential development. Chesterfield is an area of rolling hills, verdant green valleys, and rich dark soil.
Distance to 3 closest major cities
Located just twenty-one miles west of downtown St. Louis, Chesterfield is 93 miles southwest of Springfield, IL, and 269 miles northwest of Chicago, IL.
Jobs
The community of Chesterfield boasts a healthy economy, with strong commercial growth. There are over 2,000 businesses and 30,000 employees employed here. The city has a mix of Fortune 500 companies, research centers, medical centers and major manufacturing firms as well as small family businesses, retail shopping stores and medium-sized firms. The major employers in the County are the Boeing Company, Washington University in St. Louis, SSM Healthcare, Schnuck Markets Inc., St. John’s Mercy Healthcare, Daimler Chrysler, Special School District, Dierberg’s Markets, Edward Jones, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Monsanto. Educational, health and social services provide 22.8% of the employment in the area, manufacturing provides14.2%, professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services provide 13.9%, finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing provide12.3%, and retail trade provides10.9%. The city has an unemployment rate of 5.60% and the average commute time is 27 minutes. The median household income is $103,350 and the average per capita income is $48,073.
Housing
You can find many of the county’s finest single-family homes, apartments, and condominiums here in scenic Chesterfield. There is a wide range of styles and prices. There are Colonial, Tudor and French-style homes, as well as modern condominium and luxury apartment communities. Many of these communities also include walking trails, swimming pools, tennis courts, private lakes, and clubhouses. Chesterfield is a unique mix of tree-lined neighborhoods, shopping malls, and rustic horse farms. The real estate market remains strong here, with prices remaining stable for sellers. Houses stay on the market an average of 65 days, and buyers have a large inventory of homes to select.
Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf
There is no shortage of outstanding recreational facilities and opportunities in Chesterfield. The Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex encompasses 130 acres of land and offers 12 baseball/softball fields, 7 soccer fields, and 4 football fields. The Family Aquatic Park has an 8,000 square-foot leisure pool and a 25-yard competitive swimming pool. The Jewish Community Center provides many recreational and program attractions, including indoor/outdoor swimming pools, a gymnasium, an indoor track, a fitness center, and an aerobic studio. Chesterfield is home to the newly opened SkyZone Recreational Center, which has over 100 trampolines connected with sidewalls and three main fields for exercise and fun. Chesterfield’s Summit Center a three-rink ice complex, the largest ice skating facility in Missouri.
Chesterfield is the location of Faust County Park, a beautiful 200-acre county park with picnic and play areas. The park is the location of Thornhill, the historic mansion of Missouri's second Governor, Frederick Bates; Historic Village, a re-created 19th century village; and the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House and Education Center and the St. Louis Carousel. Central Park, also in the city, is a 38-acre park, which houses the Chesterfield Family Aquatic Park.
For golf enthusiasts, Forest Hills Country Club offers an eighteen-hole regulation course and a nine-hole executive course. The Club’s Championship Course hosts the LPGA Tour's The Heartland Classic, and is known for its large, fast, and undulating greens. The Valley Course is an executive course more suited to beginning golfers. Public golf courses in the area include: Ballwin Golf Course, Chesterfield Valley Golf Center, The Landings at Spirit, and The Missouri Bluffs.
Special Attractions/Events
You can do so much in Chesterfield. You can enjoy the many attractions at Faust Park, such as riding the carousel, walking through the historic village, or visiting the superb butterfly house. The St. Louis Carousel, completed around 1920, has over 60 hand carved horses and deer. The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House and Education Center has an 8,000 square foot tropical conservatory, the Lopata Learning Lab, the Emerson Electric Co. Theatre, the Native Habitat and the Madame Butterfly Gift
Shop.
The city has award-winning restaurants, excellent shops, and a superb community theatre. The Chesterfield Community Theatre has 4 shows a year performed by the Y Repertory, as well as a number of programs by other art and musical groups. Outstanding art galleries, which you can visit, include Art Gallery of Hog Hollow, Art Trends Art Gallery, Fine Art Ltd., and The Gallery at Chesterfield Arts. You can soak up some history at the Kemp Auto Museum and Old House in Hog Hollow. Alternatively, visit Wiegand Studios, a restored historic slaughterhouse, which has been converted into a museum.
Chesterfield Valley is the site of Spirit of Saint Louis Airport, one of the busiest airports in the four-state region, and considered one of the top general aviation reliever airports in the United States. For shopping delights, Westfield Chesterfield Mall has over 150 specialty stores. Chesterfield Commons is one of the nation’s largest retail power centers, with hundreds of specialty shops and one-of-a-kind boutiques. Rombach Farms is an open-air market with a family-friendly atmosphere. Local festivities include the Faust Folk Festival and St. Louis County Fair, both celebrated in September.
Interesting Facts/Historic Buildings and Places
The current city of Chesterfield is made up of the former historical communities of Bellefontaine, Lake, Gumbo, Monarch, and Bonhomme (and, of course, Chesterfield). Most of these towns and communities were focused along the Missouri River, and each had its own post office. However, as these post offices closed or transferred, only the Chesterfield post office was left.
The town of Gumbo got its name from its soil, which was rich and silty when dry, but like gumbo mud when wet. A gravel-like substance was made from this Gumbo mud and was used for the streets and sidewalks in Forest Park during the 1904 World's Fair.
Chesterfield was the birthplace of James Twellman, a major league soccer player.
Chesterfield has twenty homes over 100 years old. The city also maintains its heritage with Faust Park Historic Village, and the 1997 acquisition of the remaining 102 acres of the original Leicester Faust Estate. Thornhill is one of the four structures in Chesterfield, which is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This building dates to the 1815-1817 period and is the oldest standing Governor's residence in Missouri. Bates was the States second Governor, died in office, of pleurisy, at age 48, and is buried at Thornhill.
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