The City and County of St. Louis consist of more than one hundred small communities. The Irish had a community on the north side and another on the south. Likewise, the Germans had communities in the north and south sections of St. Louis.

When you learn about the neighborhood or community in which your ancestors lived, you can determine the local churches and synagogues, schools, and businesses. The article, “History of St. Louis Neighborhoods,” (see link below) contains detailed history and information about many St. Louis neighborhoods and their institutions.

Publications listed below describe the activities, houses of worship, and communities in specific areas. Additional publications may be listed in the future.

Additional Neighborhood Information

History of St. Louis Neighborhoods

General Bibliography

Boyer, Mary Joan. The Old Gravois Coal Diggins. Festus, Missouri: Tri-City Independent, 1952.

Brunsmann, Sandra M. Early Irish Settlers in St. Louis, Missouri, and Dogtown Neighborhood 1798–2000. St. Louis: S.M. Brunsmann, 2000.

Magnan, William B., and Marcella C. Magnan. The Streets of St. Louis. St. Louis: Virginia Publishing, 1994.

Rectenwald, Miranda Rabus, and Andrew Hurley. From Village to Neighborhood: A History of Old North St. Louis. St. Louis: Missouri Historical Society Press, 2004.

St. Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association. Mounds to Mansions: Historical Sites of the St. Louis Region. St. Louis: RCGA, 1976.

Sanfilippo, Pamela K. Agriculture in Antebellum St. Louis. St. Louis: U.S. Grant National Historic Site, 2000.

Community Bibliography

Baden

Baden Through the Years. St. Louis: Lutheran Altenheim Society of Missouri, 1956.

Wayman, Norbury L. History of St. Louis Neighborhoods: Baden-Riverview, St. Louis: St. Louis Community Development Center, 1978.

Ballwin

Holy Infant Church, Ballwin, Missouri: Welcome to Our Parish Family. Galion, Ohio: United Church Directories, 1992.

Loehr, Dorthea M., and Caverly Scott Wallace. A History of Ballwin, Missouri. Ballwin, Missouri: City of Ballwin, 1979.

Brentwood

Brentwood Congregational Church, 1922–1972: Fifty years of Fellowship and Service. Brentwood, Missouri: Brentwood Congregational Church, 1972.

Brentwood Historical Society. Brentwood, Missouri. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing,2002.

Eastin, E. Robert. History of Brentwood, Missouri, 1919–1969: The Golden Anniversary. Brentwood, Missouri: Lafayette Print Co., 1969.

Bridgeton

Bridgeton Historical Commission. Bridgeton Since 1794. Bridgeton, Missouri: The Commission, 1968.

Mobley, Jane. Home Place: A Celebration of Life in Bridgeton, Missouri. Bridgeton, Missouri: City of Bridgeton, 1993.

Penning, Erma E. Burials in Fee Fee Cemetery, Bridgeton, Missouri. St. Louis: Erma Penning, 1961.

Carondelet

Carondelet: the Ethnic Heritage of an Urban Neighborhood. St. Louis: Washington University, 1975.

Harris, Eileen NiNi. A History of Carondelet. Tucson, Arizona: Patrice Press, 1991.

Chesterfield

Leach, Mark W. A Guide to Chesterfield’s Ancient History. Chesterfield, Missouri: Mark Leach, 2002.

Mertz, Marcella Stanz. Chesterfield, Missouri Cemeteries. Chesterfield, Missouri: Chesterfield Historical Commission, 2000.

Rothwell, Dan A. A Guide to Chesterfield’s Architectural Treasurers. Chesterfield, Missouri: City of Chesterfield, 1998.

Clayton

Clayton Public School. The Story of Clayton. Clayton, Missouri: Clayton Public School, 1931.

Dickson, Terry. Clayton: A History. St. Louis: Von Hoffmann Press, 1976.

St. Joseph’s Church, Clayton, Missouri: Centennial Program. St. Louis: St. Joseph’s Church, 1942.

Compton Heights

Montesi, Albert, and Richard Deposki. St. Louis Garden District. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia, 2004.

Toft, Carolyn Hewes. Compton Heights: A History and Architectural Guide. St. Louis: Landmarks Association, 1984.

Wayman, Norbury L. History of St. Louis Neighborhoods: Compton Hill (Heights), St. Louis: St. Louis Community Development Center, 1980.

Crestwood

The Crestwood Story: A Glimpse into the Origins of the Gravois Creek Settlement. Crestwood, Missouri: City of Crestwood, 1976.

Creve Coeur

Citizens’ Historical Committee. Creve Coeur and Surrounding Area. St. Louis: Hausman Publications, 1968.

Dalton, Gloria. Heritage of the Creve Coeur Area. Creve Coeur, Missouri: City of Creve Coeur, 1976.

Growing in Faith with Creve Coeur, 1872–1977. Creve Coeur, Missouri: St. Monica Parish, 1997.

Rosenkranz, Samuel. A Centennial History of Congregation Temple Israel, 1886–1986. St. Louis: Temple Israel, 1986.

Ruhrwien, Helen Hampton. A History of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church and Creve Coeur Methodism. Creve Coeur, Missouri: H. H. Ruhrwien, 1984.

Des Peres

Lang, Lynne. Under the Dove: A Collection of Memories. St. Louis: Imagine That Enterprises, 2002.

Stolwyk, Carl F., and Florence Stolwyk. History of Des Peres, Missouri. Des Peres, Missouri: City of Des Peres, 1976.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Des Peres 150 Years. St. Louis: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1999.

Fenton

Lang, Della. River City: The Story of Fenton, Missouri. Fenton, Missouri: City of Fenton, 1992.

Ferguson

Shankland, Wilbur Morse. Zion in the Valley: Origin and Building of the Methodist Church in Ferguson, St. Louis County, Missouri. St. Louis: W. M. Shankland, 1972.

Smith, Irene Sanford. Ferguson: A City & Its People. Ferguson, Missouri: Ferguson Historical Society, 1976.

Florissant

Crank, Gretchen. Reflections of the Florissant Valley. St. Louis: Curtis Media, 1990.

Davidson, Rosemary. Florissant, Missouri. Virginia Beach, Virginia: Donning Co., 2002.

Pondrom, Louis E. Historical Records of St. Ferdinand of Florissant and St. Charles with Notes on Other Settlements of North St. Louis County. No place indicated: privately printed, 1898.

Salem Lutheran Church [Florissant] 125 years, 1849–1974 Anniversary. Hazelwood, Missouri: Salem Lutheran Church, 1974.

Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) Black Jack, Missouri 1849–1949. St. Louis: Salem Lutheran Church, 1949.

Wright, John A. Images of America, Florissant. St. Louis: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.

Hazelwood

The City of Hazelwood: The Past Forms the Future. Hazelwood, Missouri: Jostens Printing, 1992.

Kinloch

Kinloch: Yesterday and Tomorrow. St. Louis: Kinloch History Commission, 1983.

Wright, John A. Images of America, Kinloch, Missouri, First Black City. St. Louis: Arcadia, Publishing, 2004.

Wright, John A. Kinloch: Missouri’s First Black City. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing, 2000.

Kirkwood

A Pictorial Glimpse of Early Kirkwood. Kirkwood, Missouri: Kirkwood Area Chamber of Commerce, 1974.

Chomeau, Mary Broderick. One Hundred and Twenty-five Years: A History of Saint Peter’s Parish, Kirkwood, Missouri 1832–1957. Kirkwood, Missouri: St. Peter’s Church, 1957.

Dahl, June Wilkinson. A History of Kirkwood, Missouri, 1851–1965. Kirkwood, Missouri: Kirkwood Historical Society, reprinted in 2003.

First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, 1854–1979. Kirkwood, Missouri: privately printed, 1979.

Kirkwood: A Pictorial History. St. Louis: G. Bradley Publishing, 2002.

Kirkwood High School Alumni Directory, 1995. Norfolk, Virginia: Bernard C. Harris Publishing, 1995.

Kirkwood, the Greentree City: A Pictorial History. St. Louis: Webster-Kirkwood Times, 1994.

McKissack, Fredrick. Come This Far by Faith: The Story of the Olive Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church of   Kirkwood, Missouri. Kirkwood, Missouri: Olive Chapel, 2004.

Rawlings, Keith. Gone But Not Forgotten: Quinette Cemetery, A Slave Burial Ground, est. 1866. Kirkwood, Missouri: Youth in Action, Inc., 2003.

Seifert, Shirley, and Adele Seifert. Grace Church, Kirkwood, Missouri: Its Story. Kirkwood, Missouri: Messenger, 1959.

The Wonderful City of Kirkwood, 100 Years Young 1865–1965 Centennial Edition. Kirkwood, Missouri: City of Kirkwood, 1965.

Lemay

Alden, William F. It Happened in Lemay. 2 volumes. Lemay, Missouri: Nabor News Print, No date.

One Hundredth Anniversary, 1844–1944: St. Paul’s Evangelical and Reformed Church. Lemay, Missouri: St. Paul’s Church, 1944.

Schertel, Vernon G. Historic Lemay, 1700–1945: A Collection of Historic Beginnings, Historic Places, Historic Events, Historic Buildings, Historic Persons. Lemay, Missouri: Nabor News Print, 1995.

Manchester

Manchester United Methodist Church, 129 Woods Mill Road, Manchester, Missouri: Winter 1987, Pictorial Directory. St. Louis: Manchester Methodist Church, 1987.

Miriam, Andre R. The Moving Forces in the History of Old Bon Homme: The Manchester, Missouri Area. Manchester, Missouri: C. F. Biggs & R. M. Andre, 1982.

St. John United Church of Christ, Manchester, Missouri. Manchester, Missouri: History Committee of St. John, 1994.

Normandy

Benz, Doris. Normandy, Missouri, History of Normandy. Normandy, Missouri: privately printed, 1973.

Oakville–Mehlville

Bruce, Tracey A. Reflections: A History of the Mehlville School District and Its Communities. Virginia Beach, Virginia: Donning Company Publishers, 2002.

Eberle, Jean Fahey. A Starting Point: A History of the Oakville-Mehlville-Concord Village Community. Virginia Beach, Virginia: Donning Company Publishers, 1993.

St. Johns United Church of Christ, Mehlville, Missouri, 1838–1963: 125 Years. Mehlville, Missouri: St. John’s Church, 1963.

St. Johns United Church of Christ, Mehlville, Missouri, 1838–1988. Mehlville, Missouri: St. John’s Church, 1988.

Waddock, Barbara, Susan Louise Wagner, and Laura Ann Barter. Foundations of a Community: Oakville Before the Turn of the Century. St. Louis: Lemay Bank &  Trust Co., 1977.

Overland

Parkin, Robert. Overland Trails and Trials and Your Community Today. Overland, Missouri: Krawll, 1956.

Richmond Heights

Down Memory Lane, City of Richmond Heights, Missouri, 75th Anniversary, 1913–1988: Historical Sunday, May 15 1988. St. Louis: Print House, 1988.

Rock Hill

Blann, Celeste Wagner. A History of Rock Hill. Rock Hill, Missouri: C. W. Blann, 1976.

St. Ann

Smith, Sue. City of St. Ann 1948–1983. St. Ann, Missouri: City of St. Ann, 1983.

Sappington/Concord

Giulvezan, Isabel Stebbins. Sappington Cemetery, 1811–1970: Crestwood, St. Louis County, Missouri. Affton, Missouri: John Sappington Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 1982.

Sappington-Concord Historical Society. Sappington-Concord: A History. St. Louis: Sappington-Concord Historical Society, 1999.

Soulard

Churches of Soulard Foundation. The Churches of Soulard: Celebrating 14 Churches in and Around the Historic Soulard District of Saint Louis. St. Louis: Soulard Foundation, 1998.

Montesi, Albert, and Richard Deposki. Soulard, St. Louis. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing, 2000.

Pavlige, Betty. Soulard’s Second Century. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing, 2001.

Sanchez, Jose, and Hilda Willman. Sanctuary in Soulard: The First 150 Years of Saints Peter and Paul Parish: 1849–1999. St. Louis: Sts. Peter & Paul Parish, 1999.

Wayman, Norbury L. History of St. Louis Neighborhoods: Soulard. St. Louis: St. Louis Community Development Center, 1978.

University City

Hamilton, Esley. The Cemeteries of University City. St. Louis: Historical Society of University City, 1998.

Harris, NiNi. Legacy of Lions. University City, Missouri: Historical Society of University City, 1981.

Little, Judy. University City: Landmarks and Historic Places. University City, Missouri: Historic Commission of University City, 1997.

Murray, C. Edwin and Ilene. University City, Missouri: Its People and Events, 1906–1931. University City, Missouri: Historical Society of University City, 2009.

Urban Oasis: 75 Years in Parkview, A St. Louis Private Place. St. Louis: Boar’s Head Press, 1979.

Wright, John A. Sr. Images of America, University City, Missouri. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing, 2002.

Webster Groves

Bradley, Marilynne. Arpens and Acres: A Brief History of Webster Groves, Missouri. Webster Groves, Missouri: M. Bradley, 1975.

Davis, Ralph E. Webster Groves Christian Church Disciples of Christ: 100 Years of Service and Witness, 1895–1995. Webster Groves, Missouri: Webster Groves Christian Church, 1995.

In Retrospect: Webster Groves, Missouri. Webster Groves: Webster Groves Local History Project, No date.

Mahley, Mary Jo. The Rock Beneath: 100 Years Ago in Webster Groves. St. Louis: Century Registry, L.L.C., 1996.

Morris, Ann, and Henrietta Ambrose. North Webster: A Photographic History of a Black Community. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1993.

Pictorial History of Webster Groves, Missouri. Webster Groves, Missouri: Webster-Kirkwood Times, 1991.

Rehkopf, Dorothy A. History of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 1866–1966. Webster Groves, Missouri: privately printed, 1966.

Schmid, Sylvia Stevens. Centennial History of the First Congregational Church, Webster Groves, Missouri, (United Church of Christ), 1866–1966. St. Louis: First Congregational Church, 1966.

Start, Clarissa. Webster Groves. Webster Groves, Missouri: City of Webster Groves, 1975.

Swift, Wilda H., and Cynthia S. Easterling. Webster Park: One Hundred Years 1891–1992. St. Louis: Scholin Brothers Printing, 2003.

Webster Groves Presbyterian Church: Beginning a Second Century of Christian Witness 1866–1966. Webster Groves, Missouri: Webster Groves Presbyterian Church, 1966.

Last modified: 09-Jul-2021 11:37