Lake St. Louis

History

In January 1961, Ellis Ellerman and Ira Nathan began planning a private resort community, a popular concept in the 1960s in the St. Louis region. The vision was for a weekend resort with a lake large enough for recreation and a location close to St. Louis. Ellerman and Nathan hired engineers to begin the initial planning of the lake and community, and Nathan named the project "Lake St. Louis" in 1961. Ellerman and Nathan formed Trails Lake Development Corp. in 1962, and by August 31 of that year, 10 lots had already been sold in the project, which was to feature a 625 lake (PD article 8–25–63). Ellerman and Nathan lacked adequate financing and business experience and soon found themselves in over their heads. They were soon joined by several other investors to keep the project afloat, including R. T. Crow. Financial troubles continued for Ellerman and Nathan, and The Healey Discount Corp., owned by Crow and three other investors, foreclosed on Trails Lake Development Corp. in June 1966. R. T. Crow felt the location of "Lake St. Louis" (indicating a change of ownership and the "planned community" concept), between two major highways, I-70 and Rt. 61, and St. Louis's westward growth justified building a new town, not just the weekend community Ellerman and Nathan envisioned. He investigated the idea of new towns, visiting many in the east. In the end, Crow bought out the other three investors who were part of The Healey Discount Corp. and became the sole developer of the Lake St. Louis development. St. Charles County approved the preliminary plan for Lake St. Louis in April 1967. People who had purchased lots from the first developers were given credits for lots in the new project. Lake St. Louis's first residents were the Neal family, who moved to an existing home on…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10,665
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,205
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  7,649
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,541
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  6,968
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  6,626
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,421
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,239

Most recent

• M 2.57 — 2024-09-19
  1 km S of Old Monroe, Missouri
• M 2.84 — 2022-04-29
  1 km SSW of Peerless Park, Missouri
• M 2.57 — 2019-09-11
  6 km NNE of Bonne Terre, Missouri
• M 2.58 — 2017-06-06
  8 km ENE of Bonne Terre, Missouri
• M 2.65 — 2015-09-05
  5 km SE of High Ridge, Missouri
• M 2.6 — 2014-02-03
  18 km NW of Potosi, Missouri