Kirkwood | |
|---|---|
| City of Kirkwood | |
.jpg) Downtown Kirkwood in December 2014 | |
 Location of Kirkwood, Missouri | |
| Coordinates:38°34′44″N90°25′13″W / 38.57889°N 90.42028°W /38.57889; -90.42028 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | St. Louis |
| Incorporated | 1865, 1899 (as a 4th-class city), 1930 (as a 3rd-class city), 1984 (as a home rule city)[1] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Elizabeth Gibbons |
| • Chief Administrative Officer | Russell B. Hawes |
| Area | |
• Total | 9.20 sq mi (23.84 km2) |
| • Land | 9.18 sq mi (23.78 km2) |
| • Water | 0.023 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
| Elevation | 584 ft (178 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 29,461 |
| • Density | 3,208.4/sq mi (1,238.78/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| FIPS code | 29-39044[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395549[3] |
| Website | www.kirkwoodmo.org |
Kirkwood is an inner-ringsuburb ofSt. Louis located in westernSt. Louis County, Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 29,461.[5] Founded in 1853, the city is named afterJames P. Kirkwood, chief engineer of thePacific Railroad. It was the first planned suburb located west of theMississippi River.[6][7]
Plans for a new community close to St. Louis were begun after theSt. Louis fire of 1849 and the preceding and subsequentcholera outbreaks that killed one-tenth of the residents of downtown St. Louis. In 1850, Hiram W. Leffingwell and Richard Smith Elliott bought land 14 miles (23 km) from downtown, which was at about the same time James P. Kirkwood, chief engineer of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, was laying out a route for the train line. The city of Kirkwood, named after the chief engineer, wasplatted in 1852.[8] Kirkwood was the first suburban municipality built outside of the St. Louis city boundaries.
When the railroad reached the community in 1853, the developers sold lots for the Kirkwood Association. Other Leffingwell developments were to include the construction of Grand Avenue and the establishment ofForest Park.[9] In 1866, theQuinette Cemetery was built, which is one of the five historic African American burial grounds in the St. Louis area.[10][11]
The original town plat includingquarter section blocks, and families could buy a block estate of 5 acres (20,000 m2).Deed restrictions prohibited industrial development.
TheGreentree Festival is held every September for three days.[12] It offers arts and crafts for kids and many different foods from many different cultures. This has been a tradition for over 50 years. Since 1961, the festival has been held in Kirkwood Park, and consists of a parade and a fair. The festival was originally created to replace the drought-stricken trees in the park.
TheKirkwood High School Pioneers andWebster Groves Statesmen alternate as hosts of the annualTurkey Day Game, the longest-runningfootball high school Thanksgiving Day rivalry west of theMississippi. The 100th anniversary game was in 2007.[13] The winner of the Turkey Day Game receives the Frisco Bell, while the loser gets the Little Brown Jug. The two schools also founded the first championship of St. Louis County in footballSt. Louis County Football Conference Champions.
Kirkwood Station, the train station ofRichardsonian Romanesque architectural style was built in 1893. Listed on theNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP), it has become a symbol of the town. It is the only station stop thatAmtrak makes in the St. Louis metropolitan area outside the central city. Among the other buildings in Kirkwood listed on the NRHP is aFrank Lloyd Wright house in Ebsworth Park Foundation.[14]
In 1895, the Meramec Highlands resort was built on the bluffs above theMeramec River.
TheNational Museum of Transportation is a private, 42-acretransportation museum in Kirkwood. Founded in 1944, it restores, preserves, and displays a wide variety of vehicles spanning 15 decades of American history: cars, boats, aircraft, and in particular, locomotives and railroad equipment from around the United States.
The KirkwoodFarmers' Market was founded in 1976.[citation needed] The outdoor market offers a variety of homegrown vegetables and fruits. More than 300 local businesses contribute to the market.
The Magic House, St. Louis Children's Museum in Kirkwood has become a popular family attraction for the region. Opened in 1979, it receives over 500,000 visitors annually and has been visited by more than 10 million people.[15] The museum's original building was built in 1901 and has undergone several renovations and expansions. The Magic House was ranked byZagat as America's top travel destination based on child appeal.[16]
Kirkwood won theArbor Day Growth Award in 1993, 1997, 2003, and 2004.[citation needed] The city also won theAmerica in Bloom 2007 Community Involvement Criteria Award.[citation needed]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.20 square miles (23.83 km2), of which 9.16 square miles (23.72 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[17]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 1,280 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,777 | 38.8% | |
| 1900 | 2,825 | 59.0% | |
| 1910 | 4,171 | 47.6% | |
| 1920 | 4,422 | 6.0% | |
| 1930 | 9,169 | 107.3% | |
| 1940 | 12,132 | 32.3% | |
| 1950 | 18,640 | 53.6% | |
| 1960 | 29,421 | 57.8% | |
| 1970 | 31,679 | 7.7% | |
| 1980 | 27,739 | −12.4% | |
| 1990 | 27,291 | −1.6% | |
| 2000 | 27,324 | 0.1% | |
| 2010 | 27,540 | 0.8% | |
| 2020 | 29,461 | 7.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[18] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[19] | Pop 2010[20] | Pop 2020[21] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 314 | 304 | 320 | 97.21% | 91.02% | 88.64% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.00% | 0.90% | 0.28% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0.00% | 2.10% | 2.77% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.00% | 0.90% | 0.28% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 3 | 10 | 13 | 0.93% | 2.99% | 3.60% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6 | 7 | 16 | 1.86% | 2.10% | 4.43% |
| Total | 323 | 334 | 361 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
The2020 United States census[22] counted 29,461 people, 11,423 households, and 7,331 families in Kirkwood. The population density was 3,209.3 per square mile (1,238.9/km2). There were 12,486 housing units at an average density of 1,360.1 per square mile (525.1/km2). The racial makeup was 86.07% (25,357)white, 5.68% (1,673)black or African-American, 0.16% (46)Native American, 1.55% (458)Asian, 0.03% (10)Pacific Islander, 0.8% (237) fromother races, and 5.7% (1,680) from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race was 2.7% (745) of the population.
Of the 11,423 households, 30.3% had children under the age of 18; 53.6% were married couples living together; 31.3% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 30.9% consisted of individuals and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 3.1.
24.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 86.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 81.6 males.
The 2016-2020 5-yearAmerican Community Survey[23] estimates show that the median household income was $94,067 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,648) and the median family income was $124,621 (+/- $5,061). Males had a median income of $69,286 (+/- $9,346) versus $42,067 (+/- $4,359) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $51,627 (+/- $3,485). Approximately, 2.9% of families and 4.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 5.5% of those under the age of 18 and 4.5% of those ages 65 or over.
As of thecensus[24] of 2010, there were 27,540 people in Kirkwood, 11,894 households, and 7,327 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 3,006.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,160.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 89.4%White, 7.0%African American, 0.13%Native American, 1.4%Asian, 0.42% another race.
There were 11,894 households, of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% weremarried couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.4% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% 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 2.97.
The median age in the city was 42.6 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 29.8% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.0% male and 54.0% female.
In 2000 there were 11,763.5 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% weremarried couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% 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 2.98.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $70,261, and the median income for a family was $89,219.[25] Males had a median income of $51,515 versus $36,235 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $32,012. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
In 2005, 2007 and 2008, Kirkwood was the site of three sensational events. On July 5, 2005,Kevin Johnson Jr. shot and killed Sgt. William McEntee, who was investigating a fireworks call when Johnson walked up and shot him several times. Johnson was upset with police because he thought that they were responsible for his younger brother's death (although the brother died from a heart condition). He was executed for the crime on November 29, 2022.[26]
On January 12, 2007,Michael J. Devlin was arrested for abducting 13-year-old William "Ben" Ownby. Police had discovered that Ownby and also 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck lived in Devlin's apartment. Hornbeck had been missing since he was 11 years old, when he was abducted from near his home inRichwoods, Missouri. TheShawn Hornbeck Foundation was set up to find him as well as other missing children.
On February 7, 2008, Kirkwood resident Charles L. "Cookie" Thorntonshot many people at a Kirkwood city council session, killing five – Council Members Connie Karr and Michael H.T. Lynch, Public Works Director Kenneth Yost, and police officers Sgt. William Biggs and Tom Ballman. Sgt. Biggs was killed in the lot of a nearbyImo's Pizza restaurant. Thornton stole his gun and proceeded to enter the City Hall. Once inside, he killed Officer Ballman and opened fire on the city council. Kirkwood mayorMike Swoboda andSuburban Journals reporter Todd Smith were injured. The gunman had a history of disruptive behavior and legal actions against the city government, related to ordinance violations and other issues with the police and the city council. Thornton was shot to death by additional police officers, all of whom responded after one of the fatally shot officers was able to activate his emergency signal by radio. Within minutes, multiple officers were on the scene. Mayor Swoboda died on September 6, 2008, succumbing tocancer in addition to complications from the February shootings.
Kirkwood sits along the Jefferson City Subdivision of theUnion Pacific Railroad. Passenger rail service is provided byAmtrak.Kirkwood Station is located near the center of downtown Kirkwood and is a stop for Amtrak'sMissouri River Runner.
Bus service in Kirkwood is provided byMetroBus. Service connects Kirkwood to other suburban communities and downtown St. Louis.
Interstate Highway 270 runs along the western edge of Kirkwood.Interstate 44 passes through the community along the southern portions of the city limits. Major surface streets includeManchester Road (Missouri Route 100) bordering the city to the north, andUS 61/67 (Lindbergh Boulevard) which runs north–south through downtown Kirkwood as Kirkwood Road.
Public education in Kirkwood falls under theKirkwood R-7 School District. The district covers all of Kirkwood as well as all or parts of the neighboring smaller communities ofDes Peres,Frontenac,Glendale,Huntleigh,Oakland, andWarson Woods.
The district includes five elementary schools (Tillman Elementary, North Glendale Elementary, Keysor Elementary, Robinson Elementary, and Westchester Elementary); two middle schools (Nipher Middle School and North Kirkwood Middle school); and one high school,Kirkwood High School. (The high school was established in 1865 and was originally located in the building that houses Nipher Middle School.) Upon graduation from elementary school, students from North Glendale, Robinson, and half of Tillman go to Nipher Middle School, and students from Keysor, Westchester, and the other half of Tillman go to North Kirkwood Middle School.
Kirkwood contains two Catholic elementary schools, Saint Gerard Majella[27] and Saint Peter.[28]
St. John Vianney High School, a private Catholic school, is also located in Kirkwood.
St. Louis Community College (STLCC) operates a 78-acre (320,000 m2) campus in Kirkwood,STLCC-Meramec. It is the largest community college in Missouri, with over 12,000 undergraduate and transfer students.
Kirkwood has alending library, the Kirkwood Public Library.[29]
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Kirkwood is the world headquarters of theLutheran Church–Missouri Synod, a confessional Lutheran denomination with slightly under 2 million members.
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