Turn-of-the-century homes, great restaurants, and a thriving business community make Kirkwood a great place to live and work. Families are attracted to Kirkwood because of the quality and characteristics of its homes as well as the safety and comfort of the area.

See our complete list of other St. Louis neighborhoods.

THE FEEL

Residents of Kirkwood are known to be fiercely loyal, and with good reason: Kirkwood is an ideal mix of old-school charm, modern style, and family-friendly neighborhoods. Many of the houses have period fixtures. The main strip along Kirkwood is an eclectic mix; one can find an old-style feed shop down the street from a modern café, a farmer’s market, an Indian restaurant, or an interactive marketing firm. Exploring this mix is half the fun of this town.

Kirkwood also shows a long-standing love affair with trains. The beautiful, historic train station located in the heart of the city is on the National Register of Historic Places, and a favorite subject of local and national photographers.

HISTORY

After a fire and an outbreak of Cholera ravaged St. Louis in the 19th century, residents were looking for a more secluded place to live. The result was Kirkwood, the first suburban municipality built outside the boundaries of St. Louis City. It was named for James Pugh Kirkwood, builder of the Pacific Railroad through the town. Several of its neighborhoods and sites have been selected for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

ACCESSIBILITY

Kirkwood features easy access to interstates 64/40 and 270. Lindberg blvd turns into Kirkwood blvd here, connected the town with other towns to the north and south.

CULTURE

If nothing else, Kirkwood likes a good festival. Every year residents look forward to the annual Greentree festival, usually held in the fall. There are also annual festivals held at the historic farmer’s market in Kirkwood (one of the oldest farmer’s markets in the region), including the annual Earth Day celebration in April, the Festival of Food and Flowers in May, and the Peach Festival.

ENTERTAINMENT

Besides the various festivals and community center events, there are a number of shops and restaurants worth exploring around Kirkwood. And if you are looking for great family fun, the Magic House is a major draw for families from all over the region.

SCHOOLS

Public education in Kirkwood is excellent. There are five elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school. (Interesting fact: Kirkwood’s high school is one of the first in the state, dating back to 1865). Private schools include St. John Vianney High School (a private Catholic institution), St. Peter School (Catholic preschool and elementary education), and Christ Community Lutheran School (K-8). All of Kirkwood’s schools are highly sought-after by area families.

The Meramac campus of St. Louis Community College also operates in Kirkwood.

PARKS & REC

Recreation Station Aquatic Center -111 S. Geyer Rd | The 4-acre Kirkwood Recreation Station Aquatic Center is a state-of-the-art aquatic facility consisting of a competitive pool, leisure pool, family play pool, lazy river, slides and plunges.

Recreation Station Ice Arena - 111 S. Geyer Road | The Kirkwood Recreation Station Ice Arena is open year-round for public skating, skating lessons, and other public activities.

Kirkwood Recreation Station - 111 S. Geyer Road | The Kirkwood Community Center was built in 1966. At that time the building consisted of a 400 seat theater, gymnasium, meeting rooms, recreation offices, warming room and ice skating rink. The facility was expanded in 1992 to include a second gym, new offices, and renovated meeting rooms.

Kirkwood Park -- Adams & Geyer Roads | The most heavily used of all Kirkwood's parks, Kirkwood Park features an outdoor amphitheater, 19 picnic sites, 2 pavilions, 5 softball fields, 10 tennis courts, 2 handball courts, horseshoe pits, shuffleboard courts, a playground, and a spray fountain. Walker Lake provides fishing year-round through participation in the Missouri Department of Conservation trout program over the winter. Annual events held in the park include the Freedom Fiesta in July, the Greentree Festival in September, and summer concerts.

 Depot Park - Madison and Clay | The park offers an excellent vantage point for viewing trains that use the Union Pacific tracks to the north of the park. A recently remodeled playground is a popular attraction for children while the picnic tables, Optimist Club gazebo, and benches offer a place for adults to relax.

 Russell E. Emmenegger Nature Park - off of Cragwold Road | The Russell E. Emmenegger Nature Park is a 94 acre nature park. It contains 1.5 miles of trails frequented by hikers and nature lovers, including a .5-mile accessible paved trail. Emmenegger Nature Park provides visitors with picnicking opportunities, peaceful nature walks, and a sheltered area. A variety of nature programs are led in the park by Powder Valley Nature Center staff.

Fillmore Park - Fillmore and Clinton Place | Fillmore park, a 2.5 acre site, was updated in the 90’s to include more equipment, making it a safe place for children to play.

 Fireman's Park - 11700 Big Bend | Fireman's Park, located near fire house #2, was defined as a park in 1983. It is a 3.4 acre undeveloped area.

Greentree Park - off of Marshall Road | Greentree Park, and 86 acre site is situated along the Meramec River. The park features a picnic shelter, remote controlled car track, boat ramp, and lighted soccer and football fields. The location along the Meramec River offers recreational opportunities unavailable in other parks.

Meacham Park - Meacham Park neighborhood | 1 acre site featuring age-appropriate playground, pavilion with restrooms, spray fountain, basketball court, walking path, and landscaping.

Dee Koestering Park - Marshall Road | Located along in southwest Kirkwood, this 9.5 acre site is a nature park with walking trails; site of the historic Meramec Highlands Quarry. Many large quarry stones on site. Acquisition was partially funded by a grant from the Land and Water Conversation Fund.

Mitchell Park - 100 block of Mitchell | Little Mitchell Park is a 0.3 acre park located in the 100 block of Mitchell. The playground equipment in Mitchell Park was replaced in 1995-96 with equipment that met safety and ADA standards.

QUICK STATS

Population: 8,592

Zip Codes: 63131, 63122

Hospital: Missouri Baptist, Mercy

Connect: Kirkwood, MO

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