Town and Country, Missouri
Town and Country is a city in west-central St. Louis County, Missouri, and a significant suburb within the St. Louis metropolitan area. It had a population of 10,815 at the 2010 census, rising to 11,640 at the 2020 census.
History
Initially settled by French and later American pioneers in the late 18th and 19th centuries, the future area of Town and Country took shape as the community of Altheim by 1886, when it first received a post office. Centered on the modern intersection of Clayton and Mason Roads, it was named for John Alt of Clayton, an early promoter of the new town.[1] During the early stages of its existence, Altheim was primarily a market and social center for local farmers, though by the mid-20th century, it was gradually transitioning to a suburb of St. Louis.
By the late 1940s, local residents had become concerned about the possibility of neighboring cities, such as Des Peres and Frontenac, annexing the still-unincorporated area. In response, they worked to create their own village, incorporating as Town and Country in 1950. With a population of only 162 at that year's census, it steadily grew through a series of annexations of its own, plus the trend of rapid population movement into western St. Louis County. Originally planned to have large residential lots, with many open green spaces to preserve the pastoral atmosphere of previous generations, Town and Country's rapid expansion rendered this impracticable, and it soon came to resemble neighboring suburban communities. Following a 1974 vote, the village was upgraded to a fourth-class city, enabling it to provide more local services. Another series of annexations, completed in 1992, expanded Town and Country to its present boundaries.[2]
