Saint Charles (commonly abbreviated St. Charles) is a city in, and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of,

St. Charles County, Missouri St. Charles County is located in the central eastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 405,262, making it Missouri's third-most populous county (United States), county. Its ...

, United States. The population was 70,493 at the 2020 census, making St. Charles the ninth-most populous city in Missouri. Situated on the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

near its mouth at the

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

, St. Charles is a northwestern suburb of

St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...

. The city was founded circa 1769 as Les Petites Côtes, or "The Little Hills" in French, by Louis Blanchette, a French-Canadian fur trader. The St. Charles area was settled primarily by French-speaking colonists from Canada in its early days. This former French territory west of the Mississippi River was nominally ruled by Spain following France's defeat in the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

, while France had also ceded the east of the Mississippi to Great Britain. St. Charles is thus the third-oldest city in what is now the state of

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

. In the 18th and 19th century, the city's waterfront played a significant role as a river port for westward trade and expansion, including trade with Native American tribes on the upper Missouri River. In 1804 the

Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...

considered this settlement the last "civilized" stop before they headed upriver to explore the western territory that the United States acquired from France in the

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...

. The city served as the first Missouri capital from 1821 to 1826. It was also the starting point of the

Boone's Lick Road The Boone's Lick Road or Boonslick Trail was an early 1800s transportation route from eastern to central Missouri in the United States. Running east–west on the north side and roughly parallel to the Missouri River the trail began in the river ...

to the Boonslick and the

Santa Fe Trail The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, the ...

. In the 20th century, it became the site of the

Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne Rose Philippine Duchesne, RSCJ (; August 29, 1769 – November 18, 1852), was a French religious sister and educator whom Pope John Paul II canonized in 1988. A native of France, she immigrated as a missionary to America, and is recognized for h ...

Catholic shrine.

History

Native American peoples inhabited the area at least as early as 11,000 B.C. When European colonists arrived, the area was inhabited by the historic Ilini, Osage and Missouri tribes. According to Hopewell's ''Legends of the Missouri and Mississippi'', Blanchette met another French Canadian (Bernard Guillet) at this site in 1765. Blanchette, determined to settle there, asked if Guillet, who had become an honorary chief of a

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota ...

band, had chosen a name for it. :"I called the place 'Les Petites Côtes' " replied Bernard, "from the sides of the hills that you see." :"By that name shall it be called", said Blanchette Chasseur, "for it is the echo of nature—beautiful from its simplicity." Blanchette settled there ''circa'' 1769 under the authority of the Spanish governor of

Upper Louisiana The Illinois Country ( ; ; ), also referred to as Upper Louisiana ( ; ), was a vast region of New France claimed in the 1600s that later fell under Spanish and British control before becoming what is now part of the Midwestern United States. Whi ...

(the area had been ceded by France to Spain under an agreement with Great Britain following French defeat in the

French and Indian Wars The French and Indian Wars were a series of conflicts that occurred in North America between 1688 and 1763, some of which indirectly were related to the European dynastic wars. The title ''French and Indian War'' in the singular is used in the U ...

). He was appointed as the territory's civil and military leader, serving until his death in 1793. Although the settlement was under Spanish jurisdiction, the settlers were primarily Native American and French Canadians who had migrated from northern territories. Most settlers spoke French. Considered to begin in St. Charles, the

along the Missouri River was the major overland route for European-American settlement of central and western Missouri. This area became known as the Boonslick or "Boonslick Country." At

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...

, the trail ended. Westward progress continued on the

San Carlos Borromeo

Sacred Heart Convent and Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Saint Charles

The first church, built in 1791, was Catholic and dedicated to the Italian saint

Charles Borromeo Charles Borromeo (; ; 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was an Catholic Church in Italy, Italian Catholic prelate who served as Archdiocese of Milan, Archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584. He was made a Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal in 156 ...

, under the Spanish version of his name, San Carlos Borromeo. The town became known as San Carlos del Misuri (St. Charles of the Missouri). The original location of the church is not known but a replica has been built just off Main Street. The fourth St. Charles Borromeo Church now stands on Fifth Street. The Spanish Lieutenant-Governor Carlos de Hault de Lassus appointed

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...

as commandant of the Femme Osage District. He served in this role until the United States government acquired control in 1804 following the

from France. The name of the town, San Carlos, was anglicized to St. Charles.

William Clark William Clark (August 1, 1770 – September 1, 1838) was an American explorer, soldier, Indian agent, and territorial governor. A native of Virginia, he grew up in pre-statehood Kentucky before later settling in what became the state of Misso ...

arrived in St. Charles on May 16, 1804. With him were 40 men and three boats; they made final preparations for their major cross-country expedition, as they waited for

Meriwether Lewis Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 – October 11, 1809) was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with ...

to arrive from St. Louis. They attended dances, dinners, and a church service during this time. Excited to be part of the national expedition, the townspeople were very hospitable to the explorers. Lewis arrived via St. Charles Rock Road on May 20. The expedition launched the next day in a

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a fluid dynamics, hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The keel laying, laying of the keel is often ...

boat at 3:30 pm. St. Charles was the last established European-American town that the expedition visited for more than two and a half years.

State capital and growth

When Missouri was granted statehood in 1821, the legislature decided to build a "City of Jefferson" to serve as the state capital, in the center of the state, overlooking the Missouri River. Since this land was undeveloped at the time, a temporary capital was needed. St. Charles was chosen over eight other cities in a competition to house the temporary capital. It offered free meeting space for the legislature in rooms located above a hardware store. This building is preserved as the First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site and may be toured. The Missouri government continued to meet there until buildings were completed in

Jefferson City Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Missouri. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 United States census, ranking as the List of cities in Missouri, 16th most popu ...

in 1826.

Gottfried Duden Gottfried Duden (May 19, 1789 – October 29, 1856) was a German emigration writer from Remscheid, Rhineland in the early 19th century. His famous book ''Bericht über eine Reise nach den westlichen Staaten Nordamerikas und einen mehrjährigen ...

was a German who visited in the area in 1824. Travelling under the guidance of Daniel M. Boone, he wrote extensive accounts of life in

St. Charles County St. Charles County is located in the central eastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 405,262, making it Missouri's third-most populous county. Its county seat is St. Charles. The county was organ ...

during his year there. He published these after returning to Germany in 1829, and his favorable impressions of the area led to the immigration of a number of Germans in 1833. The first permanent German settler in the region was probably Louis Eversman, who had arrived with Duden but decided to stay. In the post-World War II era, the federal government undertook a major program of interstate highway construction. St. Charles is where the first claimed interstate project was started in 1956. A state highway marker is displayed with a logo and information regarding this claim, off Interstate 70 going westbound, to the right of the First Capitol Drive exit. Kansas and Pennsylvania also claim to have had the first interstate project.

Geography

St. Charles is located about 20 miles northwest of St. Louis. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

St. Charles has a Köppen humid subtropical climate, with warm and humid summers (eventual hot days) and cool winters (with short cold spells possible sometimes). Precipitation is mostly light to moderate, with occasional stormy weather. Spring is the wettest season on average.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 70,493 people, 29,051 households, and 16,791 families in St. Charles. The population density was 2,800.7 per square mile (1,081.3/km). There were 30,986 housing units at an average density of 1,231.1 per square mile (475.3/km). The racial makeup was 79.23% (55,850)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 7.75% (5,460) black or African-American, 0.25% (175) Native American or

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

, 3.28% (2,315) Asian, 0.06% (40)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 2.73% (1,925) from other races, and 6.71% (4,728) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 5.7% (4,016) of the population. Of the 29,051 households, 21.7% had children under the age of 18; 46.4% were married couples living together; 26.0% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 33.5% consisted of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.9. 17.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 13.6% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 90.7 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $71,232 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,225) and the median family income was $90,211 (+/- $3,208). Males had a median income of $46,607 (+/- $2,598) versus $28,573 (+/- $5,404) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $37,734 (+/- $3,118). Approximately, 5.0% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 9.6% of those under the age of 18 and 4.6% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 65,794 people, 26,715 households, and 16,128 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 28,590 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 87.5%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 5.9%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.3% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 0.1%

, 1.8% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.2% of the population. There were 26,715 households, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.6% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age in the city was 36.6 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 13.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 13.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female. According to 2014, American Community Survey 5-year Estimates the median income for a household in the city was $56,622, and the median income for a family was $73,234. Males had a median income of $51,477 versus $40,311 females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $29,645. 8.8% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the

, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 60,321 people, 24,210 households, and 15,324 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 25,283 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.28%

, 3.48%

, 0.27% Native American, 1.01% Asian, 0.04%

, 0.73% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.97% of the population. There were 24,210 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.98. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $47,782, and the median income for a family was $60,175. Males had a median income of $40,827 versus $27,778 for females. The

for the city was $23,607. About 4.6% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the

, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

According to the city's 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Pharma Medica, a contract research and biotechnology corporation, opened its first U.S. location in 2013 in St. Charles. It began conducting clinical trials in February 2014. Its goal was to create 320 high tech jobs by early 2017.

Culture

St. Charles lies near the eastern end of the Katy Trail, a long state park that was adapted from railroad right-of-way. Since the late 1970s, there has been rapid new home construction, commercial and population growth in the St. Charles area. The phrase "Golden Triangle" was coined by developers of this area in the 1980s, referring to the St. Charles County region bordered by highways

Interstate 70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15, I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to Interstate 695 (Maryland), I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, Baltimo ...

Interstate 64 Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at Interstate 70, I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and U.S. Route 61, US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern ter ...

, and Route 94. St. Charles has a historic shopping district on Main Street. Numerous restored buildings house such tourist destinations as restaurants and various specialty stores. Since 2015, walking food tours on Historic Main Street can be taken through the company Dishing Up America. These tours take customers to the locally famous restaurants in the city. The city has many special events and features related to the

. In 2007, St. Charles welcomed men's professional

road bicycle racing Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on Road surface, paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The ...

riders and fans, as it served as the stage 5 final for the 2007 Tour of Missouri. While it does not offer a public golf course, the St. Charles Parks and Recreation System opened a dog park on the north side of the city as a part of DuSable Park-Bales Area in November 2006. This off-leash dog area has two sections – one for smaller dogs, one for larger. The St. Charles Convention Center brings visitors, meetings and events to the city. The

Family Arena The Family Arena is a multi-purpose arena in St. Charles, Missouri, built in 1999. Currently it is home to the St. Louis Ambush of the Major Arena Soccer League. Background The arena seats 9,643 for hockey, 9,755 for football, 10,467 for ...

, a county-owned 11,000-seat venue, was built in 1999 near the Missouri River. It is used by minor league sports franchises and hosts concerts and events. Since 1990,

dancing Dance is an art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire of movements or ...

has been prohibited due to crime concerns.

Riverfront

The Riverfront and Main Street area in the St. Charles Historic District is a central gathering place and focal point for the community. The primary features of the riverfront and Historic Main Street are residences and businesses. Each block includes shops, restaurants, and offices. Plans for the development and improvement of the area include a northward extension of the Katy Trail, residential and commercial development, parking garage and casino expansion, and development of hotels. The Christmas Traditions Festival, one of the nation's largest such festivals, takes place annually on the city streets, from the day after Thanksgiving until the Saturday after Christmas. Over 30 costumed Legends of Christmas stroll the streets and interact with guests, and

Victorian Era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

Christmas Carolers sing old-fashioned carols. Each Saturday and Sunday, the costumed Legends characters and the Lewis & Clark Fife and Drum Corps join the Santa Parade from Historic South Main Street to the site of the First Missouri State Capitol. On the

Fourth of July Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing th ...

, fireworks displays draw large numbers on two nights,

July 4 Events Pre-1600 * 362 BC – Battle of Mantinea: The Thebans, led by Epaminondas, defeated the Spartans. * 414 – Emperor Theodosius II, age 13, yields power to his older sister Aelia Pulcheria, who reigned as regent and procla ...

and the night before or after the Fourth. The festival, named Riverfest, has been sponsored by the city of St. Charles and organized by a volunteer committee of local leaders. The Festival of the Little Hills is a historic St. Charles tradition that takes place every year in August, the third full weekend of the month. Started in 1971, it includes food, live entertainment, craft sales, and shows for kids. The festival is related to the Lewis & Clark expedition, with some participants wearing clothing from the era and re-enacting historic events. Individuals are encouraged to bring homemade items to sell at the festival. Oktoberfest, held near the river, celebrates the historic German influence on the city, with vendors selling beer and other German goods. It includes a parade. Missouri Tartan Day is a celebration of Scottish American heritage and culture held each spring, coinciding as closely as possible with April 6. This is the anniversary of the signing of the

Declaration of Arbroath The Declaration of Arbroath (; ; ) is the name usually given to a letter, dated 6 April 1320 at Arbroath, written by Scottish barons and addressed to Pope John XXII. It constituted King Robert I's response to his excommunication for disobey ...

in 1320. The event features a parade with marching bagpipers from around the world and region, Scottish heavy athletics (caber toss, hammer throw, etc.), musical entertainment, traditional and contemporary foods. Highlights include the Kirkin' o' the Tartans (ceremony of blessing for the Scottish clans), displays of traditional Scottish clan tartans, and demonstrations of traditional Scottish activities and games. The Fete de Glace is an ice-carving competition and demonstration held on North Main Street in mid-January. The Missouri River Irish Festival is held every September in Frontier Park and on Main Street to celebrate Irish Heritage with music, dancing, storytelling, athletics, food, and other entertainment. During Quilts on Main Street, hundreds of quilts are displayed outside the shops on storefronts and balconies. This event is held annually in September. The Bluegrass Festival in Frontier Park on the big stage of Jaycee's pavilion is held early in September, featuring local and regional acts. The MOSAICS Fine Art Festival is also held on Historic Main Street each September to showcase local, regional and national artists. LGBTQ+ organization Pride St. Charles holds an annual pride festival in June at the St. Charles Family Arena.

Sports

The city has been home to several minor league sports teams. The

Missouri River Otters The Missouri River Otters were a minor professional ice hockey team based in St. Charles, Missouri. They played in the United Hockey League from 1999 to 2006. They played their home games at the St. Charles Family Arena, which also opened in Oct ...

hockey team of the

United Hockey League The United Hockey League (UHL), originally known as the Colonial Hockey League from 1991 to 1997 and last known as the International Hockey League from 2007 to 2010, was a low-level minor professional ice hockey league, with teams in the Unite ...

, played from 1999 until the team folded in 2006. The River Otters played at the 11,000-seat

. The St. Louis Ambush is a professional indoor soccer team that plays in the Family Arena. The

RiverCity Rage The RiverCity Rage were a professional indoor football team in the Indoor Football League. They played home games at the Family Arena in Saint Charles, Missouri, part of the metropolitan area of St. Louis, Missouri, in past seasons, played in ...

professional indoor football team played in St. Charles from 2001 until 2005, and from 2007 to 2009 before suspending operations for 2010. Since 2014 there is a new minor league soccer team in town, the St. Louis Ambush at the Family Arena.

Government

St. Charles is a

charter city Home rule in the United States relates to the authority of a constituent part of a U.S. state to exercise powers of governance (i.e., whether such powers must be specifically delegated to it by the state—typically by legislative action—or a ...

under the

Missouri Constitution The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law formulating the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution, and the people. The fourth and current Missouri ...

, with a City Council as the governing body. One member is elected for each of the ten wards, in an arrangement known as

single-member districts A single-member district or constituency is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. In some countries, such as Australia and India ...

, and each serves a three-year term. The executive head of the city government is the mayor for all legal and ceremonial purposes. Elected at-large for a four-year term, the mayor appoints the members of the various boards, commissions, and committees created by ordinance. The current mayor is Dan Borgmeyer; he was sworn into office on May 7, 2019.

Education

The majority of St. Charles is in the City of St. Charles School District.
Text list
/ref> That district has six elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, and the Lewis & Clark Career Center located at 2400 Zumbehl Road. St. Charles High School (sometimes called SCHS or simply "High") was the first built (1895) of the two high schools. It first operated as a private military academy for boys. In the 1950s, it was acquired by the city and adapted as a public high school. St. Charles West (SCW or simply West) was constructed in the late 1970s in response to the city's growing population. St. Charles West had its first graduation in 1979. St. Charles High School underwent renovation in 1995 to improve both the exterior and interior of the building. St. Charles West was renovated in 2005, and a new library and auxiliary gym were built. The city is also served by Jefferson Intermediate, which has all 5th and 6th grade classes, and Hardin Middle School, which has all 7th and 8th grade classes. Some parts of St. Charles are in other school districts: southern portions are in the

Francis Howell School District The Francis Howell R-III School District, Text list with school district name also known as the Francis Howell School District (FHSD), is a school district in Missouri, headquartered in O'Fallon in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The district ...

, while northern parts are in the Orchard Farm School District. Many students who live on the southern edge of St. Charles City attend Henderson, Becky David, or Harvest Ridge elementary schools, Barnwell Middle, and

Francis Howell North High School Francis Howell North High School (FHN) is a four-year public secondary school located in St. Peters, Missouri, with a St. Charles postal address. The mascot of the school is Norm the Knight. History After Francis Howell High School alone could ...

. To the North, the Orchard Farm School District also serves St. Charles. Like the Francis Howell School District, its administrative offices are not in St. Charles, and it has two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. A variety of private schools also operate here, each affiliated with a religious denomination. These include Immanuel Lutheran (Pre-K to 8), Zion Lutheran (Pre-K to 8), St. Charles Borromeo, St. Peter's, St. Cletus (K–8), Academy of the Sacred Heart (founded by

, and the site of her shrine), Duchesne High School (formerly named St. Peter High school), and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton-St. Robert Bellarmine (K–8).

Lindenwood University Lindenwood University is a private university in St. Charles, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1832 by George Champlin Sibley and Mary Easton Sibley as The Lindenwood School for Girls, it is the second-oldest higher-education institution wes ...

is located on Kingshighway, near downtown St. Charles and St. Charles High. Founded by Major George Sibley and his wife Mary in 1827 as a women's school named Lindenwood School for Girls, the institution is the second-oldest higher-education institution west of the Mississippi River. The private university is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. In the 21st century, LU is one of the fastest-growing universities in the Midwest. It enrolls close to 15,000 students. In 2006, it briefly attracted publicity when

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; ) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. Founded in March 1980 by Newkirk and animal rights ...

staged a small protest against its unusual tuition fee policies: In an effort to help rural students pay for higher education, LU allowed families to sell livestock to the school. The animals were slaughtered and processed for serving at campus dining halls. Lindenwood hosts 89.1 The Wood (

KCLC KCLC (89.1 FM) is a non-commercial radio station. It is licensed to St. Charles, Missouri, and serves the St. Louis metropolitan area. It is owned by Lindenwood University, with students hosting most of the programs. It broadcasts a radio form ...

), a commercial-free student-driven radio station. St. Charles was also home to the now defunct St. Charles College (which should not be confused with St. Charles Community College), and

Vatterott College Vatterott College was a for-profit career training institute with programs at 16 campuses across the Midwest of the United States and online. It was operated by Vatterott Educational Centers, Inc., which was based in St. Louis and owned by the ...

Transportation

According to the FHA, St. Charles was the site of the first interstate highway project in the nation. Major highways include Interstates 64 and 70, Missouri 370, Missouri 94, and Missouri 364. Also see: St. Charles Area Transit The "St. Charles City Streetcar" was a proposed new

heritage streetcar Heritage streetcars or heritage trams are a part of the efforts to preserve rail transit heritage. In addition to preserving street-running rail vehicles, heritage streetcar operations can include upkeep of historic rail infrastructure. Working ...

line to be built connecting the New Town, Missouri residential development to the heart of the city of St. Charles. It was a joint effort between Whittaker Builders, Inc, and the City of St. Charles and St. Charles Area Transit. A minimum of nine vintage

PCC streetcar The Presidents' Conference Committee (PCC) is a streetcar (tram) design that was first built in the United States in the 1930s. The design proved successful domestically, and after World War II it was licensed for use elsewhere in the world where ...

s (not to be confused with cable cars), had been purchased from the San Francisco area by Whittaker Builders for use and spare parts. The project stalled, and in 2012, the streetcars purchased by Whittaker Builders were scrapped following a fire. Whittaker, a developer of the New Town project and principal partner with the city on the streetcar project, has since gone bankrupt, ending the proposed street car line.

Notable people

* Cody Asche (born 1990) –

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player * Zach Bauer (born 1986) – soccer player * Brandon Bollig (born 1987) –

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

player *

(1734–1820) – pioneer and frontiersman; lived in St. Charles around 1809 to be near his grandson in boarding school. *

Lou Brock Louis Clark Brock (June 18, 1939September 6, 2020) was an American professional baseball left fielder. He began his 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the 1961 Chicago Cubs but spent most of it as a left fielder for the St. Louis ...

(1939–2020) – MLB player and

National Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United St ...

inductee *

Mark Buehrle Mark Alan Buehrle (; born March 23, 1979) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Chicago White Sox, playing twelve seasons for the team and winning the World ...

(born 1979) – MLB player *

Rose Philippine Duchesne Rose Philippine Duchesne, RSCJ (; August 29, 1769 – November 18, 1852), was a French religious sister and educator whom Pope John Paul II canonized in 1988. A native of France, she immigrated as a missionary to America, and is recognized for h ...

(1769–1852) – Catholic

saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...

who established America's first

Society of the Sacred Heart The Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (; ), abbreviated RSCJ, is a Catholic centralized religious institute of consecrated life of pontifical right for women established in France by Madeleine Sophie Barat in 1800. History Madeleine Soph ...

congregations *

R. Budd Dwyer Robert Budd Dwyer (November 21, 1939 – January 22, 1987) was an American politician who served as the 70th Treasurer of Pennsylvania from January 20, 1981 until his suicide on January 22, 1987. He previously served from 1965 to 1971 as a Re ...

(1939–1987) – Pennsylvania State Treasurer who committed suicide during a press conference *Tom Ehlmann (born 1956) – television executive * Josh Harrellson (born 1989) – NBA player; played internationally in numerous leagues *

Tim Hawkins Timothy Aaron Hawkins (born March 30, 1968) is an American comedian, songwriter, and musician. His parodies and other comedy clips have gained hundreds of millions of views on YouTube and he tours the United States performing over 100 live conce ...

(born 1968) – comedian and singer-songwriter * Mike Henneman (born 1961) – MLB player *

Randy Orton Randal Keith Orton (born April 1, 1980) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He has been signed to WWE since 2000, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown brand. Orton is widely regarded as one of t ...

(born 1980) –

WWE World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...

wrestler * Jim Pendleton (1924–1996) – MLB player * Mathew Pitsch (born 1963 or 1964) – state senator from

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

Jean Baptiste Point du Sable Jean Baptiste Point du Sable (; also spelled Point de Sable, Point au Sable, Point Sable, Pointe DuSable, or Pointe du Sable; before 1750 – August 28, 1818) is regarded as the first permanent non-Native settler of what would later become Chic ...

(before 1750–1818) – frontier trader who was the first non-native settler of

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

Tim Ream Timothy Michael Ream (born October 5, 1987) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center-back for Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC and captains the United States national team. Youth and college soccer Born in St. Lo ...

(born 1987) – professional soccer player and United States international *

Ken Reitz Kenneth John Reitz (June 24, 1951March 31, 2021) was an American baseball third baseman who played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Zamboni", he played for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and Pit ...

(1951–2021) – MLB player *

Santino Rice Santino Quinto Rice (born August 20, 1974) is an American fashion designer and television personality. He is best known for his appearances on the reality television programs ''Project Runway'', ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' and '' On the Road with Aus ...

(born 1974) – fashion designer and TV personality * Patrick Schulte (born 2001) – soccer player who represented the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

national team and 2024 Olympian *

Jeanne Shaheen Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen ( ; née Bowers, born January 28, 1947) is an American politician and former educator serving since 2009 as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from New Hampshire. A ...

(born 1947) – United States Senator from New Hampshire * Nathaniel Simonds (1775–1850) – State Treasurer of Missouri *

Jacob Turner Jacob Edward Turner (born May 21, 1991) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and Washington Nationals. He also playe ...

(born 1991) – MLB and

KBO League The KBO League () is a professional baseball league in South Korea. The league comprises ten teams. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are the most success ...

player

In popular culture

The scenes in St. Charles in ''

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ''Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'' is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy (2008 team), Guardians of the Galaxy, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios M ...

'' were filmed in Cartersville, Georgia.

Star-Lord Star-Lord (Peter Jason Quill) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Englehart and Steve Gan, the character first appeared in '' Marvel Preview'' #4 (January 1976). The son of human Mered ...

from ''

Guardians of the Galaxy The Guardians of the Galaxy are a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Comic book teams 1969 team The 1969 version of the Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team), Guardians of the Galaxy were the origi ...

'' is from St. Charles.

Sister cities

* –

Ludwigsburg Ludwigsburg (; Swabian German, Swabian: ''Ludisburg'') is a Cities of Germany, city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg (district), Lu ...

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million i ...

, Germany since 1996 * –

Carndonagh Carndonagh (; ) is a town on the Inishowen peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland, close to Trawbreaga Bay. It is the site of the Carndonagh stones. The Irish name, ''Carn Domhnach'', means "the cairn or mound of the church". Amenities The tow ...

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...

, Ireland since 2012 * –

Inishowen Inishowen () is a peninsula in the north of County Donegal in Ireland. Inishowen is the largest peninsula on the island of Ireland. The Inishowen peninsula includes Ireland's most northerly point, Malin Head. The Grianan of Aileach, a ringfor ...

, Ireland since 2018

References

External links

St. Charles CityGreater St. Charles Convention and Visitors BureauGreater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce
* Historic maps of St. Charles in th
Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection
at the University of Missouri {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Charles, Missouri Cities in St. Charles County, Missouri County seats in Missouri Cities in Missouri Missouri populated places on the Missouri River Populated places established in 1765 1765 establishments in the Spanish Empire Pre-statehood history of Missouri