Why Kirkwood
Kirkwood is an inner-ring suburban municipality situated in western St. Louis County, Missouri, roughly 14 miles from downtown St. Louis. Encompassing an area of just over nine square miles, the city is accessible by major roadways including Interstate 270 along its western border, Interstate 44 to the south, Manchester Road to the north, and Lindbergh Boulevard passing through downtown. Public bus connections are provided by MetroBus.
Established in 1853, Kirkwood was designed as the first planned suburb west of the Mississippi River. Developers platted the land in 1852 following land purchases prompted by fires and health epidemics in downtown St. Louis. The community was named in honor of James P. Kirkwood, chief engineer of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. The original town design divided land into five-acre residential estates protected by restrictions against industrial use. Historic sites from the town's early era include Quinette Cemetery, created in 1866 as one of the area's early African American burial grounds, as well as the 1895 Meramec Highlands resort built above the Meramec River bluffs.
Architectural landmarks feature prominently throughout the city. Kirkwood Station, built in 1893 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and acts as a central symbol for the community. It remains the only outer-city Amtrak stop in the St. Louis metropolitan area, served by the Missouri River Runner route. Another notable entry on the National Register of Historic Places is a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house located at the Ebsworth Park Foundation.
Kirkwood hosts several cultural and educational destinations. The National Museum of Transportation occupies 42 acres and preserves a wide collection of locomotives, motor vehicles, aircraft, and boats spanning 15 decades of history. For families, The Magic House, St. Louis Children's Museum, offers interactive exhibits inside a expanded 1901 building. Shopping opportunities include the outdoor Kirkwood Farmers' Market, established in 1976, which features produce supported by more than 300 regional businesses.
Local civic life is tied to long-standing events and gatherings. Every September, Kirkwood Park hosts the Greentree Festival, a three-day celebration featuring a parade, fair, and international food offerings. The city also shares a historic Thanksgiving Day high school football rivalry against neighboring Webster Groves, where the winning team earns the Frisco Bell trophy and the loser receives the Little Brown Jug.
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