Our Very Incomplete Guide to Mid-County [PHOTOS]

By on Wed, Apr 27, 2022 at 6:28 am

As industrial pollution, manufacturing decline and white flight spurred an exodus from St. Louis city following World War II, mid-county began wielding outsized economic power in the region, and it has never looked back. People once went downtown for their shopping, but now many head to Brentwood or Maplewood, and when a financial company seeks a new regional office, it’s likely to choose Clayton. Young couples living in the city, meanwhile, are drawn to mid-county for the schools, further driving up real-estate prices. For those who can afford to buy in, much of mid-county feels like a slice of heaven; never mind that its success has been to the detriment of the city.
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Brentwood Brentwood gets hate because it’s full of big box stores and bad traffic situations, but it’s actually great. The architecture and the classic little old houses in Brentwood are pretty cool, the shopping is premium (many chains are represented, including Trader Joe’s, Target and Total Wine) and it offers easy highway access. Take a Xanax before trying to park in the Brentwood Promenade, though. The tight spots and impatient drivers make for a daily shitshow.
PHOTO CREDIT: Flickr / @rockygirl
Brentwood

Brentwood gets hate because it’s full of big box stores and bad traffic situations, but it’s actually great. The architecture and the classic little old houses in Brentwood are pretty cool, the shopping is premium (many chains are represented, including Trader Joe’s, Target and Total Wine) and it offers easy highway access. Take a Xanax before trying to park in the Brentwood Promenade, though. The tight spots and impatient drivers make for a daily shitshow.

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Charlack The best way to appreciate north county burb Charlack is to visit its premier bar, the Charlack Pub. One part biker hotspot, one part live music venue and all parts professional drinker's paradise, the beloved dive on the eastern edge of town is full of the colorful characters that give the city its charm. The second best way is to visit John’s Butcher Shoppe, a no-foolin', take-a-ticket butchery with a giant fiberglass cow on its roof — as fine a landmark as any we’ve seen in St. Louis County.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Charlack

The best way to appreciate north county burb Charlack is to visit its premier bar, the Charlack Pub. One part biker hotspot, one part live music venue and all parts professional drinker's paradise, the beloved dive on the eastern edge of town is full of the colorful characters that give the city its charm. The second best way is to visit John’s Butcher Shoppe, a no-foolin', take-a-ticket butchery with a giant fiberglass cow on its roof — as fine a landmark as any we’ve seen in St. Louis County.

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Clayton Clayton has world-class restaurants, beautiful parks, serene family neighborhoods, maybe the best school district in the state and even a little nightlife. It rivals downtown St. Louis in economic might; it's not inconceivable that Clayton might someday become more important economically than the city. What the hell happened? You can blame suburban sprawl, white flight, the city/county divide or entropy wrought by God. But one thing is clear: Like it or not, Clayton’s influence in the region will only continue growing.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Clayton

Clayton has world-class restaurants, beautiful parks, serene family neighborhoods, maybe the best school district in the state and even a little nightlife. It rivals downtown St. Louis in economic might; it's not inconceivable that Clayton might someday become more important economically than the city. What the hell happened? You can blame suburban sprawl, white flight, the city/county divide or entropy wrought by God. But one thing is clear: Like it or not, Clayton’s influence in the region will only continue growing.

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Hanley Hills Hanley Hills is a series of subdivisions, laid out with lots of winding residential streets that aren’t through. It’s got many moderately sized, well-maintained houses with vinyl siding that are inexpensively priced.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Hanley Hills

Hanley Hills is a series of subdivisions, laid out with lots of winding residential streets that aren’t through. It’s got many moderately sized, well-maintained houses with vinyl siding that are inexpensively priced.

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Hillsdale Located just a short distance off Lucas and Hunt Road, Hillsdale is home to the historic Greenwood Cemetery, one of the largest Black burial grounds in St. Louis County. Among its famous burials is Harriett Scott, who along with her husband Dred, sued for her freedom in downtown St. Louis, leading to an infamous Supreme Court decision that helped foment the Civil War.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Hillsdale

Located just a short distance off Lucas and Hunt Road, Hillsdale is home to the historic Greenwood Cemetery, one of the largest Black burial grounds in St. Louis County. Among its famous burials is Harriett Scott, who along with her husband Dred, sued for her freedom in downtown St. Louis, leading to an infamous Supreme Court decision that helped foment the Civil War.

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Ladue Ladue is different things to different people; where you’re born with a silver spoon in your mouth, where you move when your professional dreams come true or where you would only live in your worst nightmare. More than 85 percent white, Ladue doesn’t permit multifamily dwellings, which has long kept poor and Black people out. That said, its school district is one of the county’s most diverse.
PHOTO CREDIT: Flickr / @pasa
Ladue

Ladue is different things to different people; where you’re born with a silver spoon in your mouth, where you move when your professional dreams come true or where you would only live in your worst nightmare. More than 85 percent white, Ladue doesn’t permit multifamily dwellings, which has long kept poor and Black people out. That said, its school district is one of the county’s most diverse.

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Maplewood Maplewood is one of the hipper municipalities in St. Louis County, a sort of second south city for those who don’t want to pay a 1 percent earnings tax. It’s got walkable streets and trendy establishments; head to Planet Score for your music needs, and be sure to poke into the Crow’s Nest for some poutine and Stag. Maplewood is one of the few parts of the county where your average city dweller might accept an invite with a hearty “sure.”
PHOTO CREDIT: Jennifer Silverberg
Maplewood

Maplewood is one of the hipper municipalities in St. Louis County, a sort of second south city for those who don’t want to pay a 1 percent earnings tax. It’s got walkable streets and trendy establishments; head to Planet Score for your music needs, and be sure to poke into the Crow’s Nest for some poutine and Stag. Maplewood is one of the few parts of the county where your average city dweller might accept an invite with a hearty “sure.”

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Olivette Not really north county but not really west county either, Olivette is a cute little burgh between the inner belt and the outer belt. What makes it special are truly diverse neighborhoods in a metro area that is lacking. Within the Ladue school district, but at an affordable price point, it draws Black, white and immigrant families.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Olivette

Not really north county but not really west county either, Olivette is a cute little burgh between the inner belt and the outer belt. What makes it special are truly diverse neighborhoods in a metro area that is lacking. Within the Ladue school district, but at an affordable price point, it draws Black, white and immigrant families.

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Overland One of our favorite municipalities in the county, or anywhere, Overland has great class diversity and an increasingly racially diverse population as well. It’s got amazing mom-and-pop stores, dive bars and a wide array of churches and other places of worship. Plus, there are at least two local hardwares stores, at least one VFW hall, a model train store and places to get fantastic donuts and custard. With its 16,000 people, it’s basically a self-contained small town that happens to be surrounded by greater St. Louis.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Overland

One of our favorite municipalities in the county, or anywhere, Overland has great class diversity and an increasingly racially diverse population as well. It’s got amazing mom-and-pop stores, dive bars and a wide array of churches and other places of worship. Plus, there are at least two local hardwares stores, at least one VFW hall, a model train store and places to get fantastic donuts and custard. With its 16,000 people, it’s basically a self-contained small town that happens to be surrounded by greater St. Louis.

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Pagedale An important part of the 24:1 municipal partnership and home to U.S. Congresswoman Cori Bush’s Missouri office, Pagedale has seen significant investment over the last several years in the form of a movie theater, health center and food court that have brought a new vitality to the area. We particularly recommend Crawling Crab, an outrageously buttery over-the-top seafood restaurant.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Pagedale

An important part of the 24:1 municipal partnership and home to U.S. Congresswoman Cori Bush’s Missouri office, Pagedale has seen significant investment over the last several years in the form of a movie theater, health center and food court that have brought a new vitality to the area. We particularly recommend Crawling Crab, an outrageously buttery over-the-top seafood restaurant.

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Richmond Heights Richmond Heights hugs the central corridor, and many people love it. With its easy highway access, it feels like a short drive to anywhere: to explore other neighborhoods, go downtown or pop down to Brentwood. The little shops and restaurants in Maplewood are down the street, and you can buy everything needed on South Hanley Road.
PHOTO CREDIT: @pasa / Flickr
Richmond Heights

Richmond Heights hugs the central corridor, and many people love it. With its easy highway access, it feels like a short drive to anywhere: to explore other neighborhoods, go downtown or pop down to Brentwood. The little shops and restaurants in Maplewood are down the street, and you can buy everything needed on South Hanley Road.

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Sycamore Hills At 0.13 square miles, Sycamore Hills is one of the smallest municipalities in the county, comprising only six streets between Midland Boulevard and Graceland Avenue, all residential. The quite-nice brick homes range, architecturally, from traditional American bungalows to Tudor Revivals. It's a quiet, pretty place for an (admittedly short) walk, but it's patrolled by St. John’s police force, so be careful where you step.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Sycamore Hills

At 0.13 square miles, Sycamore Hills is one of the smallest municipalities in the county, comprising only six streets between Midland Boulevard and Graceland Avenue, all residential. The quite-nice brick homes range, architecturally, from traditional American bungalows to Tudor Revivals. It's a quiet, pretty place for an (admittedly short) walk, but it's patrolled by St. John’s police force, so be careful where you step.

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University City University City (aka U-City, aka Nellyville) is home to the Loop and WashU and contains some of the county’s best cultural offerings, not to mention a diverse population, both racially and economically. It’s about time they rip those fuckin’ trolley tracks out of the ground and recoup some of the cost of that ridiculous boondoggle at the scrapyard. But otherwise, University City is nothing short of a St. Louis County paradise.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
University City

University City (aka U-City, aka Nellyville) is home to the Loop and WashU and contains some of the county’s best cultural offerings, not to mention a diverse population, both racially and economically. It’s about time they rip those fuckin’ trolley tracks out of the ground and recoup some of the cost of that ridiculous boondoggle at the scrapyard. But otherwise, University City is nothing short of a St. Louis County paradise.

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Vinita Park It was a tale of two cities of similar moniker. To the west lay Vinita Park; to the east, Vinita Terrace — a pair of communities at war over a name and a small plot of land. In the end, Vinita Park prevailed, killing and eating its neighbor (through the ballot box, of course). This was 2017. Probably the best thing about Vinita Park these days is its public library, though the walking trail that cuts to the gas station on Page is also pretty cool now that it’s no longer teeming with feral dogs.
PHOTO CREDIT: Trailnet / Flickr
Vinita Park

It was a tale of two cities of similar moniker. To the west lay Vinita Park; to the east, Vinita Terrace — a pair of communities at war over a name and a small plot of land. In the end, Vinita Park prevailed, killing and eating its neighbor (through the ballot box, of course). This was 2017. Probably the best thing about Vinita Park these days is its public library, though the walking trail that cuts to the gas station on Page is also pretty cool now that it’s no longer teeming with feral dogs.

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Wellston Just west of the city and north of the U-City Loop, Wellston was a major shopping district during your grandparents’ heyday and was also the terminus for an important streetcar line. (For this reason, Wellston was also called the “Loop.”) Wellston still has great mom-and-pop shops along the stretch where Dr. Martin Luther King Drive becomes St. Charles Rock Road.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Wellston

Just west of the city and north of the U-City Loop, Wellston was a major shopping district during your grandparents’ heyday and was also the terminus for an important streetcar line. (For this reason, Wellston was also called the “Loop.”) Wellston still has great mom-and-pop shops along the stretch where Dr. Martin Luther King Drive becomes St. Charles Rock Road.

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