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City Of Wildwood: City Profile
City of Wildwood:
A Perfect Place to Live and Learn
Ossenfort Road, Wildwood, Missouri. Photo credit: Jenny Shaw.
Wildwood, Missouri, boasts a mix of the beauty of lush green space, expansive residential lots and a thriving business district. Just a short 30-minute drive from the largest city in Missouri, Wildwood has the feel of a rural escape with the convenience of being located in the footprint of the Saint Louis Metropolitan Area.
Wildwood was incorporated on Sept. 1, 1995, but its history extends long before its official incorporation. Since the mid1800s when stagecoach was the main source of transport, the surrounding communities that now make up Wildwood proper were home to farmers, early settlers and families who prospered off the rich land, orchards and grist mills that once dotted the landscape. With the advent of the railroad, whose tracks are still present today, Wildwood became a weekend day trip for Saint Louis City dwellers to escape the hustle and bustle for the tranquility of the countryside.
While today the city of Wildwood is one community, it was once made up of many settlements including Centaur, Fox Creek, Glencoe, Grover, Hollow, Kelpe, Melrose, Monarch, Orrville, Pond and Westland Acres. These settlements are still discoverable today and now have markers providing a brief history for adventurers seeking to know and enjoy the past. Beyond these unique settlements, the Historic Route 66, Manchester Road thoroughfare travels east-west through
the heart of the Town Center, bisecting Wildwood into two halves. This portion of Route 66 is the original location of the byway, dating to the early 1930s.
To this day, Wildwood strives to preserve its history, planning for a future that is forward looking, while honoring the past. The community is located west of the city of Saint Louis, with a little more than 35,000 residents and approximately 12,000 households. To ensure that the expansive feel of Wildwood would not be lost to future development, an intelligent development plan was implemented so all assets would be retained. The goal since incorporation has been to preserve the unique character of the community and its key characteristics of abundant open space, estate-like residences, excellent schools, comprehensive fire and emergency services, and well-kept rural roadways.
A Town Center With a Rural Feel
In 1996, one year after the official incorporation of Wildwood, the City adopted a master plan that was comprehensive in scope and provided a road map for growth. The key element of the plan was a new Town Center intended to provide the community with a mix-use environment where residents could live, work and play. The Town Center is located on 880 acres at the intersection of routes 100 and 109 and serves as a city center for the community. The Town Center is a stunning example of new urbanism, a burgeoning movement that recognizes walkable, human-scaled neighborhoods are the building blocks of sustainable communities and regions. The Town Center’s intentional design was intended to promote frequent contact between citizens as they traverse the grid of sidewalks and partake in the many offerings available. The design evokes a sense of Wildwood’s past, a hamlet-like feel where residents are part of a larger community.
Today the Town Center offers access to retail stores and boutiques, restaurants, office space, apartments and townhomes. The Town Center is home to a Starbucks, Walgreen’s, Schnucks, Dierbergs, Central Bank, Hair Saloon For Men, Benedetto’s On Main, B&B Theatre, Botanica Restaurant, and the Wildwood Hotel.
(l-r): The Wildwood Hotel, Hidden Valley Ski Resort, Bluff View Trail.
Wildwood is home to more than 30 dining establishments that offer a variety of options from fast casual to more upscale establishments.
A Perfect Place To Live And Learn
Of the 68-square miles that make up the city of Wildwood, 14 are dedicated to greenspace, comprised of an extensive trail system and numerous parks. Wildwood is proud to be home to some of the most stunning multiple-use trails in the area, including the Al Foster Memorial Trail, the Wildwood Greenway, the HamiltonCarr Greenway, a section of the Monarch Levee Trail, and the Bluff View Trail System. There are more than 35 miles of trails; 18 of those are paved asphalt.
The city of Wildwood is the perfect place for outdoor enthusiasts. The area’s only ski resort is located in Wildwood. Hidden Valley Ski Resort is on the southern border of the City, and provides fun for all ages throughout the year. Adventure seekers can enjoy time on the slopes in the winter and zip lining in the summer and fall months. The many stunning roads and trails are the perfect playground for bicyclists, runners and hikers who can travel almost 40 miles using the City’s asphalt trails and connecting roads. Babler State Park, Rockwoods Reservation and Greensfelder Park are natural gems that make Wildwood a truly wild place for the lover of the outdoors. The award-winning Rockwood School District that serves the families of Wildwood, is nationally ranked with a AAA rating. St. Louis Community College at Wildwood is also located within the City. Wildwood’s spacious residential lots and award-winning schools make it the perfect place to raise a family.
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