The Richmond Heights area was developed in the late 19th century by Frederick E. Niesen -- a grocery store owner turned real estate broker. New residents became interested in the area because of its proximity to Forest Park, the location of the 1904 World’s Fair. In fact, many Richmond Heights homes were constructed using materials retrieved from the demolition of structures used for the fair.

When the city was incorporated in 1913, it included the area currently bound by Big Bend Avenue to the west, Wise Avenue to the north, the St. Louis city limits to the east and approximately a half block south of Hiawatha and Glades avenues to the south. Various city annexations occurred in 1918, 1920, 1925 and 1928. Richmond Heights has always been primarily a “residential city,” partly due to the difficulty of gaining business licenses. Due to these desires to keep the city residential, enormous emphasis was placed on local housing development.

Richmond Heights today has a population of approximately 10,000 and covers an area of 2.3 square miles. Residents are extremely proud of their city and its heritage. In 1991, locals formed a civic organization called Pride of the Heights to promote a positive image for the benefit of the city and its residents. The organization sponsors house tours every two years for the promotion of the city.

The Maplewood-Richmond Heights School District traces its roots back to 1840, when the first school was opened on Manchester Road. In 1909, the district became one of the first in St. Louis County to offer a high school program. The district includes Bruce Elementary, Chaney Elementary, MRH Middle School, MRH High School and the Early Childhood Center.

Richmond Heights residents also have the benefit of a top-notch parks and recreation system. Parks range in size and scope from small playgrounds to acres of open space to state-of-the-art facilities such as the HEIGHTS. The HEIGHTS offers an indoor water park, a gymnasium, a game room and a fitness room, as well as programs “For Kids Only” and the Golden Lounge -- an area for those “55 and better.”

Of course, residents of Richmond Heights reap all the benefits of proximity to the great city of St. Louis. Visitors can find a plethora of history in the form of unique museums, such as the Museum of Westward Expansion, the City Museum and the Missouri History Museum. St. Louis is also home to the world’s largest brewery and manufacturer of Busch, Budweiser and Michelob beers -- the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The brewery offers free tours of the facilities, including the Budweiser Clydesdales’s stables and a historic brewhouse. From museums to brewery tours, it is obvious that any taste can be satisfied here, whether it is that of the sports fan, the gastronome, the music lover, the gambler or the theater patron.