The Ville is a historic African-American neighborhood with many African-American businesses located in North St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.. This neighborhood is a forty-two-square-block bounded by St. Louis Avenue on the north, Martin Luther King Drive on the south, Sarah on the east and Taylor on the west.[3] From 1911 to 1950, The Ville was the center of African American culture within the city of St. Louis.[3]

The Ville
The Homer G. Phillips Hospital was built in 1937 to provide medical care to the black residents of a segregated city.[1]
The Homer G. Phillips Hospital was built in 1937 to provide medical care to the black residents of a segregated city.[1]
Location (red) of the Ville within St. Louis
Location (red) of the Ville within St. Louis
CountryUnited States
StateMissouri
CitySt. Louis
Wards4
Government
 • AldermenSamuel L. Moore
Area
 • Total0.42 sq mi (1.1 km2)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total1,427
 • Density3,400/sq mi (1,300/km2)
ZIP code(s)
Part of 63113
Area code(s)314
Websitestlouis-mo.gov

History edit

Early history edit

After St. Louis was founded in 1764, the area now known as The Ville was set aside as part of the Grand Prairie Common Fields.[3] At this time period the area was full of farmed land, and the first Black residents arrived at this time as enslaved people by the local farmers in the area.[3] In the early 19th-century the first White settlers arrived in the area, mostly moving from the states of Virginia and Kentucky.[3] Some of the early landowners had recognition in local street names including: Kennerly, Wash (now Whittier), Goode (now Annie Malone Drive), and Taylor.[3] James Kennerly had a large plantation in the area, known as Cote Placquemine (or Persimmon Hill Plantation) near the present intersection of Kennerly and Taylor Avenues; and it was destroyed by fire in 1863.[3]

20th-century edit

Starting in 1911 the use of restrictive covenants and other legal restrictions prevented African Americans from finding housing in many areas of the city.[3] As a result, the African-American population of St. Louis was concentrated in and around the Ville (short for "The Village").[3] The neighborhood was the site of a number of important cultural institutions for the Black community, including Sumner High School, the first high school for Black students west of the Mississippi River; and Homer G. Phillips Hospital, established in 1937 as one of the few Black teaching hospitals in the United States and the only one in the city to serve Black people.

The Antioch Baptist Church on Market St., whose red brick Gothic-style building was constructed in 1921 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was an important cultural center of the Black community during segregation and beyond.[4]

The history of the neighborhood was reviewed and its surviving historic resources were assessed in a 1998 study,[5] and its extension in 2010.[6]

About edit

As of the 2010 Census, there are 1,868 people living in The Ville and 6,189 people in the surrounding Greater Ville neighborhood.[7]

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
19903,061
20002,695−12.0%
20101,868−30.7%
20201,427−23.6%
Sources:[8][9]

In 2020 The Ville's racial makeup was 95.9% Black, 1.7% White, 0.3% American Indian, 1.8% Two or More Races, and 0.4% Some Other Race. 0.3% of the people were of Hispanic or Latino origin.[10]

Education edit

  • De La Salle Middle School at St. Matthew's
  • Annie Malone's Emerson Therapeutic Academy (located in De La Salle Middle)
  • Harris–Stowe State University
  • Sumner High School, 4248 Cottage Avenue
  • Turner Middle School
  • Williams Middle Community Education Center

Former schools edit

Notable buildings edit

Notable people from The Ville edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Built St. Louis: Homer G. Phillips Hospital
  2. ^ 2020 Census Neighborhood Results
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Saunders, John; Josse, Lynn; Toft, Carolyn; Longwisch, Cynthia; Mitchell, Steven E. "National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form: The Ville, St. Louis, Missouri MPS" (PDF). Landmarks Association of St. Louis, Inc., and Historic Preservation Program Division of State Parks. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-13.
  4. ^ a b Saunders, John; Josse, Lynn; Mitchell, Steven E. National Register of Historic Places Registration: Antioch Baptist Church. National Park Service. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  5. ^ John Saunders; Lynn Josse; Carolyn Toft; Cynthia Longwisch; Steven E. Mitchell (November 1998). National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation: Historic and Architectural Resources of The Ville. St. Louis [Independent City]. Missouri. National Park Service.
  6. ^ Betsy Bradley; Jan Cameron; Andrea Gagen; Robert Bettis; Kathleen E. Shea; John Saunders; Lynn Josse; Carolyn Toft; Cynthia Longwisch; Stephen E. Mitchell (August 2010). National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation: Historic and Architectural Resources of The Ville, St. Louis (lndependent City), Missouri. National Park Service.
  7. ^ "Census Results (2010)". City of St. Louis.
  8. ^ "The Ville Statistics". St Louis, MO. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Neighborhood Census Data". City of St. Louis. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  10. ^ "City of St. Louis" (PDF). City of St. Louis.
  11. ^ "Charles Turner Open Air School". NPGallery, Digital Asset Management System.
  12. ^ Bernhard, Blythe (2020-02-28). "'Something has to change': Residents invited to discuss St. Louis school closures". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  13. ^ Kukuljan, Steph (2022-12-11). "Apartments proposed at former school in north St. Louis". STLtoday.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  14. ^ "Developer eyes apartment conversion for closed north St. Louis school". KSDK. December 16, 2022. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  15. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Dreer, Dr. Herman S.. House" (PDF). mostateparks.com. 2009.
  16. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for Homer G. Phillips Hospital" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 1982-09-23.
  17. ^ "Marshall School". NPGallery Digital Asset Management System.
  18. ^ "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: St. Louis Colored Orphans Home" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved October 29, 2023. With accompanying pictures
  19. ^ "Sumner, Charles, High School". NPGallery Digital Asset Management System.
  20. ^ "Tandy Community Center". NPGallery, Digital Asset Management System.

External links edit


38°39′31″N 90°14′22″W / 38.6587°N 90.2395°W / 38.6587; -90.2395