St. Louis County, Missouri
| Saint Louis County, Missouri | ||
|---|---|---|
| County | ||
| St. Louis County | ||
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 Location in the U.S. state of Missouri |
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 Missouri's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | October 1, 1812 | |
| Seat | Clayton | |
| Largest city | Florissant | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 523 sq mi (1,355 km2) | |
| • Land | 508 sq mi (1,316 km2) | |
| • Water | 15 sq mi (39 km2), 2.9% | |
| Population (est.) | ||
| • (2015) | 1,003,362 | |
| Congressional districts | 1st, 2nd | |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 | |
| Website | www |
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St. Louis County is a county located in the far eastern portion of Missouri. It is bounded by the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, the Meramec River, and the state of Illinois. As of the 2015 Census Bureau population estimate, the population was 1,003,362, making it the most populous county in Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton.
St. Louis County borders, but does not include, the city of St. Louis, which is an independent city. It is included in the St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
During the 18th century, several settlements were established in the area that would become St. Louis County. The earliest of these, St. Louis, was begun by Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau on February 14, 1764. Founded in about 1767 was Carondelet, which was at the southern end of what is now St. Louis (annexation of Carondelet took place in 1871).Florissant, then known as St. Ferdinand, was established in 1785 about twelve miles northwest of St. Louis on a tributary of the Missouri River. During the 1790s, very small settlements known as Creve Coeur and Point Labadie were built north and west of St. Louis.
Upon the transfer of French Louisiana to the United States on October 1, 1804, President Thomas Jefferson suggested that the territory retain the districts drawn by Spanish officials during their rule of the territory. During this time, the first governing body of St. Louis County (aside from earlier, Spanish governors of the district) was established. This government, called the Court of Quarter Sessions, was composed of Charles Gratiot, Auguste Chouteau, Jacques Clamorgan, and David Delauney; the court held judicial, executive, and legislative power. On October 1, 1812, the District of St. Louis was renamed St. Louis County (exactly eight years after its establishment) during a reorganization of the territory's status.
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