St. Charles is a city located in St. Charles County, Missouri. It lies just to the northwest of St. Louis, Missouri, on the Missouri River, and played for a time a significant role in the United States' westward expansion.
It is the second oldest city west of the Mississippi, founded in 1765 as Les Petites Cotes, "The Little Hills", by Louis Blanchette, a French Canadian fur trader and was the last "civilized" stop for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The city served as the first Missouri capital, from 1821 to 1826. It is the site for the Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne shrine.
St Charles is the home of several large corporations, including Quilogy, Growing Family and RX System, and also housesregional headquarters for Coca-Cola, Cisco and American Freightways. St Charles also has a number of technology related industries and is working hard to increase its exposure in this area by encouraging small business incubators and innovation centers that will help high tech small businesses to grow solid business foundations.
St Charles has the double benefit of being a self-contained community with a historical and cultural background, and being a part of a large modern metropolis, enjoying all the facilities and resources of a modern American city. This means that the arts and cultural facilities are good, with an interesting downtown area with restaurants and shops. Outdoor pursuits are catered for, too. The nearby rivers and lakes provide access to fishing, sailing and other water sports.
Universities and colleges within the immediate area of St. Charles include University of Missouri in St Louis, Washington University and Lindenwood University.
The 6,987-acre Busch Conservation Area contains 3,000 acres of forest in addition to grassland, cropland, old fields, prairie, and wetlands. Features include 72 lakes and ponds for fishing, 7 hiking trails, wildlife viewing blinds, hunting, and archery. The property is a great place for viewing a large variety of birds and other wildlife.
Housing Cost
Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $168,700
Demographics
Estimated population in July 2006: 63,009. St. Charles covers 20.4 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 536 feet above sea level.
Zip codes: 63301
Weather
St. Charles, MO climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 30's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 88.80 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 18.70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 23 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at St. Charles is 40.13 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is May with an average rainfall of 4.47 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
