Valley Park, Missouri
| Valley Park, Missouri | |
|---|---|
| City | |
Valley Park City Hall
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 Location of Valley Park, Missouri |
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| Coordinates: 38°33′19″N 90°29′18″W / 38.55528°N 90.48833°WCoordinates: 38°33′19″N 90°29′18″W / 38.55528°N 90.48833°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | St. Louis |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Michael "Mike" Pennise |
| • City Marshal | Scott Rue |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.02 sq mi (10.41 km2) |
| • Land | 3.80 sq mi (9.84 km2) |
| • Water | 0.22 sq mi (0.57 km2) |
| Elevation | 427 ft (130 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 6,986 |
| • Estimate (2014) | 6,986 |
| • Density | 1,826.8/sq mi (705.3/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | 636 |
| FIPS code | 29-75472 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0756840 |
| Website | Official homepage of the city |
Valley Park is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 6,942 at the 2010 census.
Descendants of the Mississippian culture still had a settlement along the Meramec River in the mid-18th century, until the Native Americans were pushed out by colonial French and German immigrant farmers in the 1760s.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}] The developing village over time was known as Nasby, Sulphur Springs, Quinette, Meramec, and finally Valley Park by around 1890. It had one of the first post offices established in St. Louis County. It developed as a railroad hub for the Missouri Pacific and St. Louis-San Francisco rail lines.
In 1894, the town became the site of the first lynching in St. Louis County. A black man named John Buckner was lynched when accused of raping a local black woman and a white teenager. He was taken from the authorities by several local residents and farmers and hanged from the main bridge in town overlooking the Meramec River. The lynchers were never prosecuted.
Valley Park and Castlewood Park were developed as summer resorts. Castlewood Park is a short distance west on Big Bend. Castlewood Park became part of the Missouri State Park system.
However, Valley Park began to boom with development. It had railroads, the Meramec River, and what even then were considered main roads. Railroads played a big role in the town in the late 19th century and early 20th century. At the time, the St. Louis-San Francisco (Frisco) and Missouri Pacific served Valley Park; now it is Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe. At one time, the Meramec River had barge traffic.
In 1917, the town became incorporated. As many as 70 trains passed through Valley Park on any given day. The town became a center for industry with the building of the glass factory and other industries. Grocery stores and restaurants opened up; churches went from being mission churches to being congregations. Valley Park had a Saddle and Paddle Club located at Marshall and what is now Highway 141.
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