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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Downtown Clayton in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
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Saint Louis County

 
 
Saint Louis County Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Jason Voigt, October 29, 2019
1. Saint Louis County Marker
Front side
Inscription.
The county was first visited by white colonists when missionary priests, Illinois French, and Kaskaskia and Tamaroa Indians settled the temporary village of Des Peres, 1700-03. The village site, laid out 18 years after La Salle claimed the territory for France, is now within St. Louis city limits.

The county's first permanent settlement was St. Louis, founded by Pierre Laclede, 1764. Though France had ceded the region to Spain, 1762, the settlements were made French, and other early villages were Creve Coeur, Carondelet, and Florissant, an early Catholic educational center. In the late 1700's, Americans began to settle farms on the creeks and rivers. On Cold Water Creek, a Methodist Church was formed, 1806, and on Fee Fee Creek a Baptist, 1807.

St. Louis and its surrounding settlements formed one of 5 Spanish districts before the American period began, 1804, and one of first 5 counties of Missouri Territory, organized, 1812. St. Louis city and county separated, 1876, and Clayton was laid out as the new county seat, 1878. The name is for Ralph Clayton, who gave 100 acres of land.

St. Louis County developed as a suburban and recreational area and a feature of its growth is the incorporated towns founded outside the city limits of St. Louis.

Events of early county history include the establishment
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of Ft. Prince Charles at the mouth of the Missouri by the Spanish, 1767, and the building of Ft. Bellefontaine a few miles from the river's mouth by the U.S., 1805. Indian trading post and military cantonment, Bellefontaine was one of the first American forts west of the Mississippi. Zebulon M. Pike left from Bellefontaine on his great expedition to the Southwest, 1806.

Points of interest are Jefferson Barracks, dating from 1826; National Cemetery; log cabin home of Ulysses S. and Julia Dent Grant; Rockwoods Reservation; Babler State Park; Concordia Historical Institute Museum; Museum of Transport; and Lambert-St. Louis Airport. In the county are the major part of Washington University; Eden (Reformed Evangelical) Seminary; Concordia (Lutheran) Seminary; Catholic seminaries of Kenrick, St. Stanislaus, and Holy Family, and colleges of Fontbonne, Chaminade, and Webster.
 
Erected 1955 by State Historical Society of Missouri and State Highway Commission.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & ReligionColonial EraNative AmericansSettlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Missouri, The State Historical Society of series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1700.
 
Location. Marker is missing.
Saint Louis County Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Jason Voigt, October 29, 2019
2. Saint Louis County Marker
Back side
It was located near 38° 39.011′ N, 90° 20.368′ W. Marker was in Clayton, Missouri, in St. Louis County. It was in Downtown Clayton. Marker was at the intersection of Forsyth Boulevard and South Meramec Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Forsyth Boulevard. Marker was located outside the St. Louis County Police Department building (northwest corner). Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 7900 Forsyth Blvd, Saint Louis MO 63105, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. World War I Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); City Hall (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Barry-Wehmiller Pavilion (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Community Remembered (approx. 0.3 miles away); Outdoor Kitchen & Hired Man's Room (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Hanley Farm, Past and Present (approx. 0.4 miles away); Hanley-Clayton Donation Helps Establish the St. Louis County Seat (approx. 0.4 miles away); Historic Hanley House (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Clayton.
 
Additional commentary.
1. Marker is missing
According to Google Maps, the marker was still there sometime in July 2022. But on December 20, 2022, I noticed it was gone. It was either moved, placed in storage, or removed permanently. It is suggested that
Saint Louis County Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Jason Voigt, October 29, 2019
3. Saint Louis County Marker
St. Louis County Police Department building is in the background
it may have have been taken down due to its controversial content (see the first paragraph). A Washington University professor suggested taking down the marker or at least amending the text in the first paragraph.
    — Submitted December 20, 2022, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
 
Saint Louis County Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Jason Voigt, December 20, 2022
4. Saint Louis County Marker
Marker is no longer there.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 334 times since then and 17 times this year. Last updated on December 31, 2022, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on October 29, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.   4. submitted on December 20, 2022, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 29, 2024