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==History==
==History==
Festus had its origins as an outgrowth from the older (and now smaller) [[Crystal City, Missouri|Crystal City]] just to the east. Following the establishment of a large glass-making factory at Crystal City shortly after the [[Civil War]], a local notable, W.J. Adams, laid out the first lots of a new town, which for unknown reasons was first known as "Derby City." It grew rapidly during the 1880s, partly because Crystal City, being at that time a "company town," did not allow the private sale of lots to residents, leading many to choose to live in the new community to the west instead. Another factor was that the owners in Crystal City did not allow liquor in town; the result was a thriving business in "Derby City," as taverns and saloons appeared to serve the factory workers and other locals. For this reason, the town eventually bore the name "Tanglefoot" instead (it being remarked that the intoxicated customers would get their feet tangled in the brush as they returned home).<ref>https://jeffcomohistory.org/LisasHistoryArticles/JeffCountyHistory.pdf</ref> The inhabitants resented the new name as too vulgar, though, and after several years they sought a new name. It is not clear how the name "Festus" was chosen; the most common story is that James Waggener, brother of the first postmaster, decided to open the Bible and choose the first name he saw. This was Festus, the Roman governor of Caesarea who heard accusations against the apostle [[Paul]] in [[Acts (of the Apostles)|Acts]] 25.<ref>https://collections.shsmo.org/manuscripts/columbia/C2366/jefferson-county</ref>
Festus had its origins as an outgrowth from the older (and now smaller) [[Crystal City, Missouri|Crystal City]] just to the east. Following the establishment of a large glass-making factory at Crystal City shortly after the [[Civil War]], a local notable, W.J. Adams, laid out the first lots of a new town, which for unknown reasons was first known as "Derby City." It grew rapidly during the 1880s, partly because Crystal City, being at that time a "company town," did not allow the private sale of lots to residents, leading many to choose to live in the new community to the west instead. Another factor was that the owners in Crystal City did not allow liquor in town; the result was a thriving business in "Derby City," as taverns and saloons appeared to serve the factory workers and other locals.<ref>https://www.historictanglefoot.com/History</ref> For this reason, the town eventually bore the name "Tanglefoot" instead (it being remarked that the intoxicated customers would get their feet tangled in the brush as they returned home).<ref>https://jeffcomohistory.org/LisasHistoryArticles/JeffCountyHistory.pdf</ref> The inhabitants resented the new name as too vulgar, though, and after several years they sought a new name. It is not clear how the name "Festus" was chosen; the most common story is that James Waggener, brother of the first postmaster, decided to open the Bible and choose the first name he saw. This was Festus, the Roman governor of Caesarea who heard accusations against the apostle [[Paul]] in [[Acts (of the Apostles)|Acts]] 25.<ref>https://collections.shsmo.org/manuscripts/columbia/C2366/jefferson-county</ref>
Incorporated in 1887, Festus grew rapidly due to the activity in neighboring Crystal City; it also possessed better railroad connections and soon included commercial operations of its own, including a flouring mill and several banks. By 1910, its population already stood at just over 2,500, and this steadily increased over the ensuing decades.<ref>Robert Sidney Douglass, ''History of Southeast Missouri'' (1912), p. 378.</ref> Being situated in the southern part of Jefferson County, the city was initially less affected by the wave of suburbanization from St. Louis in the mid-20th century, and the eventual closure of the glass factory at Crystal City caused its growth to stall for a time. Beginning in the 1990s, however, the continuing suburban spread led to a renewed increase in its population, and it now has close to 12,000 inhabitants.
==Geography==
Festus is located in the eastern part of Jefferson County, along Interstate 55 and U.S. Routes 61-67 (the latter of which forms part of its eastern boundary). It is directly adjacent to [[Herculaneum, Missouri|Herculaneum]] to the north and Crystal City to the east; the two cities have been so closely intermingled throughout their existence that they are often referred to as the "Twin Cities." Being the first partially-urbanized area encountered by northbound travelers in Jefferson County, the Festus-Crystal City area in a sense marks the southern limit of the St. Louis metropolitan area. Festus' exact coordinates are 38°13’10”N 90°24’03”W.
The city lies in gently rolling terrain, between Joachim Creek to the northwest and Plattin Creek to the southeast. The original core of the community is situated slightly to the northeast, immediately west of Crystal City, with most of the newest development occurring west of I-55. Festus has a total area of 5.71 square miles, and an average elevation of 433 feet.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt</ref>
==References==
==References==