Our Very Incomplete Guide to West County [PHOTOS]

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

West county unquestionably has some of the most expensive real estate in Missouri, though, we must say, many of its residents have quite questionable taste. Then again, it’s all in the definition of west county. Many associate it exclusively with the rolling estates of Town and Country or with the diamond bracelet-clad matriarchs of Frontenac. Yet, it also includes more modest burghs like Champ, which is home to a giant landfill. Whatever the case, if you’re moving to west county you can mostly be assured of two things: 1) Your plot of land will be sizable, and 2) Your commute to the city will be unenviable.
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Country Life Acres Country Life Acres makes Ladue look like the slums. Comprising a single subdivision with a few dozen homes — about a one-third of which appear to have stables — Country Life Acres is where you go when Town and Country isn’t exclusive enough for you. It’s not nouveaux-riche though, despite being in west county. These aren’t McMansions but elegant older colonials and huge rambling farmhouses.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Country Life Acres

Country Life Acres makes Ladue look like the slums. Comprising a single subdivision with a few dozen homes — about a one-third of which appear to have stables — Country Life Acres is where you go when Town and Country isn’t exclusive enough for you. It’s not nouveaux-riche though, despite being in west county. These aren’t McMansions but elegant older colonials and huge rambling farmhouses.

Ballwin It’s not the fanciest or the richest part of west county, but Ballwin is an excellent place to raise a family. There are great school districts, fabulous shopping opportunities and community spirit. Watch out for Ballwin cops, though — they’re legendarily hotheaded.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Ballwin

It’s not the fanciest or the richest part of west county, but Ballwin is an excellent place to raise a family. There are great school districts, fabulous shopping opportunities and community spirit. Watch out for Ballwin cops, though — they’re legendarily hotheaded.

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Breckenridge Hills Breckenridge Hills is home to a convenience store named Quick Shop, where you can purchase liquor, pocket knives and whip-its all under one roof. Directly across the street at Overlord Military Collectibles, you can buy an old army helmet, a gas mask and a decommissioned grenade. Take this information and do with it what you must.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Breckenridge Hills

Breckenridge Hills is home to a convenience store named Quick Shop, where you can purchase liquor, pocket knives and whip-its all under one roof. Directly across the street at Overlord Military Collectibles, you can buy an old army helmet, a gas mask and a decommissioned grenade. Take this information and do with it what you must.

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Champ Champ only has 12 people, but it was founded on grand ambitions by a former shot put champion who envisioned building a sports stadium (thus its name). Unfortunately, the stadium never materialized, and now its main claim to fame is a giant landfill. Yes, the town is a literal dump. But it’s still better than Chesterfield.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Champ

Champ only has 12 people, but it was founded on grand ambitions by a former shot put champion who envisioned building a sports stadium (thus its name). Unfortunately, the stadium never materialized, and now its main claim to fame is a giant landfill. Yes, the town is a literal dump. But it’s still better than Chesterfield.

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Chesterfield If you want all of the brattiness and none of the style, Chesterfield is the place for you. The big-box shopping is convenient but comes with a side of “new money” attitude. That cold feeling you get in Chesterfield? That’s your soul leaving your body.
PHOTO CREDIT: Flickr / @donotlick
Chesterfield

If you want all of the brattiness and none of the style, Chesterfield is the place for you. The big-box shopping is convenient but comes with a side of “new money” attitude. That cold feeling you get in Chesterfield? That’s your soul leaving your body.

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Clarkson Valley Clarkson Valley upgraded from a fourth-class city to a village in 1988. The current mayor, Scott Douglass, is the only mayor its ever had. It’s not known for much, other than 2007 litigation against the owners of a group home. The residents? A nun-like, consecrated lay group of Catholics. Weird!
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Clarkson Valley

Clarkson Valley upgraded from a fourth-class city to a village in 1988. The current mayor, Scott Douglass, is the only mayor its ever had. It’s not known for much, other than 2007 litigation against the owners of a group home. The residents? A nun-like, consecrated lay group of Catholics. Weird!
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Creve Coeur This wealthy suburb doesn’t have many charms, but beyond the chain dining and the ticky-tacky new construction are beautiful mid-century modern homes, not to mention pretty parks. It’s a great place to be a wealthy family of middling taste!
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Creve Coeur

This wealthy suburb doesn’t have many charms, but beyond the chain dining and the ticky-tacky new construction are beautiful mid-century modern homes, not to mention pretty parks. It’s a great place to be a wealthy family of middling taste!

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Crystal Lake Park This postage-stamp sized town contains some of the last remaining affordable real estate in the Ladue School District, outside the northern half of Olivette. Sadly, that is changing quickly, as modest ranches and bungalows on tiny lots are being torn down to make way for mostly ugly, oversized homes, still on tiny lots. There are no businesses in this bedroom community and likely never will be.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Crystal Lake Park

This postage-stamp sized town contains some of the last remaining affordable real estate in the Ladue School District, outside the northern half of Olivette. Sadly, that is changing quickly, as modest ranches and bungalows on tiny lots are being torn down to make way for mostly ugly, oversized homes, still on tiny lots. There are no businesses in this bedroom community and likely never will be.

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Des Peres Long before becoming mall-ville or, more charitably, a dinner-and-a-movie spot, Des Peres was Osage Nation land. French settlers later named it “The Fathers,” representing the Jesuit missionaries who settled there.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Des Peres

Long before becoming mall-ville or, more charitably, a dinner-and-a-movie spot, Des Peres was Osage Nation land. French settlers later named it “The Fathers,” representing the Jesuit missionaries who settled there.

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Ellisville Is it incorrect to call Ellisville dog heaven? Sure, it’s got great parks for humans, but Bluebird Dog Park is a main attraction, and Ellisville’s Aquatic Center even hosts “pooch plunges,” where your pup can play in the pool with other furry friends.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Ellisville

Is it incorrect to call Ellisville dog heaven? Sure, it’s got great parks for humans, but Bluebird Dog Park is a main attraction, and Ellisville’s Aquatic Center even hosts “pooch plunges,” where your pup can play in the pool with other furry friends.

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Eureka When most St. Louisans think of Eureka, they think of Six Flags. But the real eureka! moment is realizing the city, which sits along the Meramec River, is surrounded on three sides by state parks, county parks and conservation areas.
PHOTO CREDIT: Flickr / @yodudedan
Eureka

When most St. Louisans think of Eureka, they think of Six Flags. But the real eureka! moment is realizing the city, which sits along the Meramec River, is surrounded on three sides by state parks, county parks and conservation areas.

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Fenton Fenton is a happening spot for those lured west by the promise of a spacious yard. It’s more liberal than you’d think, and the shopping is premium, even beyond that extravagant new Wally’s rest stop.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Fenton

Fenton is a happening spot for those lured west by the promise of a spacious yard. It’s more liberal than you’d think, and the shopping is premium, even beyond that extravagant new Wally’s rest stop.

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Frontenac With all due respect to the great Nelly line —“I’m at Face and Body Frontenac / Don’t know how to act” — have you ever noticed how weak sauce Plaza Frontenac is? First of all, businesses there are almost never open. Second, it’s got a store called UntuckIt, featuring shirts designed to be worn untucked, which doesn’t seem very Frontenac to us.
PHOTO CREDIT: Rosalind Early
Frontenac

With all due respect to the great Nelly line —“I’m at Face and Body Frontenac / Don’t know how to act” — have you ever noticed how weak sauce Plaza Frontenac is? First of all, businesses there are almost never open. Second, it’s got a store called UntuckIt, featuring shirts designed to be worn untucked, which doesn’t seem very Frontenac to us.

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Huntleigh One of the wealthiest communities in America, Huntleigh was founded as a country refuge of St. Louis elites and as the home of the Bridlespur Hunt Club. Soon after, heirs of the brewing families including the Buschs, Von Gontards, Orthweins and Griesediecks built manor houses according to designs by the famed architecture firm of Maritz and Young at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1930s, the town was even the scene of one of the most infamous crimes in St. Louis history when Adolphus Busch Orthwein was kidnapped from his family’s limousine. Today, the Bridlespur has moved out to more distant acreages, and the estates have been subdivided for new McMansions, but a visitor can still spot the occasional mailbox shaped like a beer keg, a reminder that old money still resides in Huntleigh.
PHOTO CREDIT: Rosalind Early
Huntleigh

One of the wealthiest communities in America, Huntleigh was founded as a country refuge of St. Louis elites and as the home of the Bridlespur Hunt Club. Soon after, heirs of the brewing families including the Buschs, Von Gontards, Orthweins and Griesediecks built manor houses according to designs by the famed architecture firm of Maritz and Young at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1930s, the town was even the scene of one of the most infamous crimes in St. Louis history when Adolphus Busch Orthwein was kidnapped from his family’s limousine. Today, the Bridlespur has moved out to more distant acreages, and the estates have been subdivided for new McMansions, but a visitor can still spot the occasional mailbox shaped like a beer keg, a reminder that old money still resides in Huntleigh.

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Manchester Defined by the road that bears its name, Manchester the town was founded in the 19th century. The road was supposedly once a Native American footpath and even, for a short time, claimed the distinction of being the original Route 66. Since the 1960s, both town and road have become a symbol of suburbia, and the traffic that comes along with it.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Manchester

Defined by the road that bears its name, Manchester the town was founded in the 19th century. The road was supposedly once a Native American footpath and even, for a short time, claimed the distinction of being the original Route 66. Since the 1960s, both town and road have become a symbol of suburbia, and the traffic that comes along with it.

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Maryland Heights The heights in Maryland Heights come from hills in the northeast region of the now-city, which was formally incorporated in 1985. In the ’50s, the suburb became known as a rather tough neighborhood that turned around as Creve Coeur Lake classed up. (The lake inspired Tennesse William’s play A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur.) Maryland Heights is now home to numerous attractions, including the Hollywood Casino and associated amphitheater.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Westhoff
Maryland Heights

The heights in Maryland Heights come from hills in the northeast region of the now-city, which was formally incorporated in 1985. In the ’50s, the suburb became known as a rather tough neighborhood that turned around as Creve Coeur Lake classed up. (The lake inspired Tennesse William’s play A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur.) Maryland Heights is now home to numerous attractions, including the Hollywood Casino and associated amphitheater.

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Town and Country Mostly residential, with some home lots seemingly big enough to host professional football games, Town and Country is lush with green space, and often feels more like the country than the town. We must admit, however, that the residents know how to spend their money.
PHOTO CREDIT: Flickr / @kenlund
Town and Country

Mostly residential, with some home lots seemingly big enough to host professional football games, Town and Country is lush with green space, and often feels more like the country than the town. We must admit, however, that the residents know how to spend their money.

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Twin Oaks Incorporated in 1938 and upgraded from village to a fourth-class city in 2016 (moving on up!), the Twin Oaks punches above its small weight. That’s due in part to its eateries — including a Sauce on the Side and a Fritz’s Frozen Custard — but also the gem that is Twin Oaks Park.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Twin Oaks

Incorporated in 1938 and upgraded from village to a fourth-class city in 2016 (moving on up!), the Twin Oaks punches above its small weight. That’s due in part to its eateries — including a Sauce on the Side and a Fritz’s Frozen Custard — but also the gem that is Twin Oaks Park.

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Warson Woods Their motto is “A Proud Tree City for Over 25 Years.” If Leave It to Beaver was a bit too wild for your taste, Warson Woods will be right up your alley.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Warson Woods

Their motto is “A Proud Tree City for Over 25 Years.” If Leave It to Beaver was a bit too wild for your taste, Warson Woods will be right up your alley.

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Westwood Bounded by I-270 and Highway 40, Westwood is yet another municipality that evokes greater Los Angeles, such as Beverly Hills or Pasadena Hills. It’s very wealthy and, perhaps not surprisingly, about half of its footprint is a country club.
PHOTO CREDIT: screengrab via Google Maps
Westwood

Bounded by I-270 and Highway 40, Westwood is yet another municipality that evokes greater Los Angeles, such as Beverly Hills or Pasadena Hills. It’s very wealthy and, perhaps not surprisingly, about half of its footprint is a country club.

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