Town & Country

Town and Country is a city located in west St. Louis County that encompasses more than 11.68 square miles with a population, as of the 2010 census, of 10,815 residents. Some of the city’s most famous residents include MLB Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, famous NBC sports commentator Bob Costas and Scottrade CEO Rodger O. Riney.

Before Town and Country became the city it is today, it was known as Altheim, a simple farming community dating back to the mid-to-late 19th century. The town was located along Clayton Road, between what is now eastern I-270 and Woods Mill Road. One of its first businesses was a blacksmith shop, owned by an extremely well-known crafts family, the Wirths. Not only was the Wirth’s Blacksmith Shop the area’s go-to for blacksmithing and horseshoeing, the Wirths also built farming wagons and later sold petroleum products that serviced a highly innovative product at the time … the automobile!

As the area thrived with population and expanding businesses, residents felt the time was right to form their own village under state law. With a total area, at the time, of only two square-miles and just 162 residents, Altheim became the Village of Town and County in 1950. Shortly thereafter, the city built its first Public Safety Department to provide lower-cost fire insurance to its residents. Three firefighters served the town, along with one police officer.

Near the mid-70s, the village was growing so rapidly that the maximum village tax rate could no longer accommodate the government’s necessities. To defray costs, the village changed to a “city” status and re-incorporated in 1974. This helped increase commercial property, improving its tax base.

Residents of Town and Country are served by the Parkway, Kirkwood and Ladue School Districts.

Town and Country Official Website

Traditions

Located in Town and Country is the Bellerive Country Club. Dating back to 1897, the course was designed by Robert T. Jones, a world-renowned golf course architect. Measuring more than 7,547 yards, the course served as the host of the 2013 Senior PGA Championship and will be the host for the 100thannual PGA Championship, to be held in 2018.

Maryville University, a private, coeducational university, is located in Town and Country and offers more than 90 degrees at an undergraduate, masters and doctoral decree.

Major companies have their headquarters located in Town and County, such as Charter Communications, the third largest cable television service in the United States, and Savvis.

Town and Country’s Myseum is St. Louis County’s newest interactive science and fine arts activity museum that had its grand opening in 2012.