Wellston, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Wellston is a city
in St. Louis County
, Missouri
, United States
, along the northwest border of the city of St. Louis. The population was 2,313 at the 2010 census.
.
During the early 1900s, the Wagner Electric Company
, a manufacturer of small motors for appliances
and transformer
s, began development along Plymouth Avenue in Wellston, growing to occupy the entire block and providing 4,500 jobs during World War I
. North of the Wagner site, ABEX Corporation built a steel foundry that began operation in 1923.
In 1982 ABEX moved out of its Wellston location; the next year, the Wagner Electric Company closed its doors. After closure, it took 22 years, and millions of dollars in tax credits and development grants, for the St. Louis County Economic Council to demolish five buildings and clean up 15 acres (6.1 ha) of the Wagner brownfield land
along the MetroLink so that it could be made marketable as the Plymouth Industrial Park.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.
Wellston
station is the main St. Louis MetroLink
station for Wellston, featuring 243 park and ride
spaces. It is located at 6402 Plymouth Avenue and serves an average of 1,569 passengers daily. Rock Road
station is a MetroLink station on the edge of Wellston, featuring 183 park and ride spaces and averaging 2,408 passengers daily. Rock Road Station is located at 7019 St. Charles Rock Road
, a major connecting highway between St. Louis City and northwest St. Louis County.
Until the end of the 2009-10 school year, public education
within Wellston is provided by the Wellston School District
.
of 2000, there were 2,460 people, 779 households, and 578 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,732.6 people per square mile (1,055.3/km²). There were 961 housing units at an average density of 1,067.5 per square mile (412.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.07% African American, 6.30% White, 0.45% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.
There were 779 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.3% were married couples
living together, 44.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.64.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.7% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $18,596, and the median income for a family was $20,625. Males had a median income of $21,264 versus $18,917 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $6,262. About 59.2% of families and 68.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 70.1% of those under age 18 and 78.6% of those age 65 or over. Wellston is one of the 10 poorest cities in Missouri
.
Municipalities of St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County has 91 municipalities and 9 unincorporated census-designated places:-List by population and area:-General information:-External links:*....
in St. Louis County
St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, along the northwest border of the city of St. Louis. The population was 2,313 at the 2010 census.
History
Wellston was incorporated as a city in 1909; due to "government difficulties" the city was dissolved three years later, only to be reestablished in 1949. The city was named for Erastus WellsErastus Wells
Erastus Wells was a nineteenth century politician and businessman from Missouri. He was the father of St. Louis Mayor Rolla Wells....
.
During the early 1900s, the Wagner Electric Company
Wagner Electric
Wagner Electric Corporation was an electric equipment manufacturing firm established in 1891 by Herbert Appleton Wagner and Ferdinand Schwedtmann . The company manufactured electric engines, electric motors and electric starters for early automobiles. They also made electric lights and many other...
, a manufacturer of small motors for appliances
Small appliance
Small appliance refers to a class of home appliances that are portable or semi-portable or which are used on tabletops, countertops, or other platforms in the United States of America...
and transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
s, began development along Plymouth Avenue in Wellston, growing to occupy the entire block and providing 4,500 jobs during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. North of the Wagner site, ABEX Corporation built a steel foundry that began operation in 1923.
In 1982 ABEX moved out of its Wellston location; the next year, the Wagner Electric Company closed its doors. After closure, it took 22 years, and millions of dollars in tax credits and development grants, for the St. Louis County Economic Council to demolish five buildings and clean up 15 acres (6.1 ha) of the Wagner brownfield land
Brownfield land
Brownfield sites are abandoned or underused industrial and commercial facilities available for re-use. Expansion or redevelopment of such a facility may be complicated by real or perceived environmental contaminations. Cf. Waste...
along the MetroLink so that it could be made marketable as the Plymouth Industrial Park.
Geography
Wellston is located at 38°40′22"N 90°17′32"W (38.672851, -90.292237).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.
Transportation
Wellston has several major roads within its boundaries, including Missouri Route 180, Missouri Route 340, SR-D, and Skinker Parkway.Wellston
Wellston (St. Louis Metrolink)
Wellston is a St. Louis MetroLink Station. This station features 243 Park-Ride spaces. It also features a connection to St. Louis' only bus line that runs on its own exclusive right-of-way, the Hodiamont Line...
station is the main St. Louis MetroLink
St. Louis Metrolink
MetroLink is the light rail transit system in the Greater St. Louis area of Missouri and the Metro East area of Illinois. The entire system currently consists of two lines connecting Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and Shrewsbury, MO with Scott Air Force Base near Shiloh, Illinois through...
station for Wellston, featuring 243 park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
spaces. It is located at 6402 Plymouth Avenue and serves an average of 1,569 passengers daily. Rock Road
Rock Road (St. Louis Metrolink)
Rock Road is a St. Louis MetroLink Station. This station features 183 Park-Ride spaces. The station's name comes from St. Charles Rock Road, an important East-West link in St. Louis County.-MetroBus:*2 WUSTL-Red*30 Soulard*32 M. L. King-Chouteau...
station is a MetroLink station on the edge of Wellston, featuring 183 park and ride spaces and averaging 2,408 passengers daily. Rock Road Station is located at 7019 St. Charles Rock Road
St. Charles Rock Road
St. Charles Rock Road is the current name of what was the first road to traverse present-day St. Louis County, Missouri between St. Louis and St. Charles. For most of its length it is also known as Route 180.-Route Description:...
, a major connecting highway between St. Louis City and northwest St. Louis County.
Education
Until the end of the 2009-10 school year, public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
within Wellston is provided by the Wellston School District
Wellston School District
Wellston School District was a school district in the inner-ring suburb of Wellston, Missouri. It is home to 4 schools. The district has 633 students total...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,460 people, 779 households, and 578 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,732.6 people per square mile (1,055.3/km²). There were 961 housing units at an average density of 1,067.5 per square mile (412.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.07% African American, 6.30% White, 0.45% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.
There were 779 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 44.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.64.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.7% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 82.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $18,596, and the median income for a family was $20,625. Males had a median income of $21,264 versus $18,917 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $6,262. About 59.2% of families and 68.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 70.1% of those under age 18 and 78.6% of those age 65 or over. Wellston is one of the 10 poorest cities in Missouri
Missouri locations by per capita income
Missouri is the thirtieth richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $19,936 .- Missouri places ranked by per capita income :# Baker, Missouri – $182,000# Huntleigh, Missouri – $104,420...
.