Kirkwood Historical Society

The Kirkwood Historical Society seeks to discover, collect and preserve the history of Kirkwood.

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Kirkwood, Missouri

Kirkwood . . . A St. Louis Treasure

Known as the Queen of the Suburbs, Kirkwood is the first planned suburb west of the Mississippi River. This distinction came about in the mid 1800s with the building of the Pacific Railroad. The City is named for James Pugh Kirkwood, the engineer in charge of locating, surveying, and building the railroad.

Kirkwood’s long history is distinguished by its many accomplishments, including being the first community in St. Louis County to have a four-year public high school, a tax-supported library and a nursing home. It also has the oldest police department.

The train station, located in the heart of Kirkwood, was built in 1893 and is one of two Kirkwood buildings on the National Register of Historic Places – the other is Mudd’s Grove. The depot has remained an active, working station throughout more than a century of service and currently serves as a stop for Amtrak with daily trains available to St. Louis, Kansas City, and points beyond.

Welcome to Kirkwood Historical Society! We are proud stewards of Kirkwood Area history and our headquarters, the Landmark Mudd's Grove. Sign up for our Post Updates.

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Painting of Mudd's Grove

Event Calendar

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Recent Posts

  • June Events at Mudd’s Grove: June 14th – House & Garden Tour; June 17th – Strawberry Festival May 17, 2025
Kirkwood Historical Society
PO Box 220602
Kirkwood, MO 63122
(314) 965-5151

Open by reservation only.
Call 314-965-5151 to schedule Tour or Research Library Visit.

Tours & Library Research Sessions are available by appointment only. 

To schedule, leave a message at 314-965-5151 or send email to kwdhissoc@gmail.com

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