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Once a farming community, the city of Creve Coeur grew up along Olive Street Road, now called Olive Boulevard. The road followed a Native American trail that took the high ground from the Mississippi River to the Missouri River. The city’s name -- French for “broken heart” - provides a reminder of the city’s original settlers. Legend has it that a native maiden, distraught because the French trapper she loved didn’t return her affection, threw herself off a cliff at Creve Coeur Lake. According to the story, the lake then reshaped itself into the form of a broken heart.
The city attracted German immigrants in the early 1800s. German was the main language spoken throughout the area, but Creve Coeur retained its French name. The city was incorporated in December 1949. The town preserves its history by maintaining the Lake School, Clester Cabin, Hackmann Log Cabin and the Tappmeyer Homestead. These historic structures, built by early settlers, are restored and on display at Lake School Park, Conway Park and Millennium Park. Numerous other area parks offer a diverse range of recreational activities. Creve Coeur Park features a lake and an archery field. Several prestigious country clubs serve the Creve Coeur area, including Bellerive, Westwood, Old Warson and the Creve Coeur Country Club. Polo matches are also popular in the area. Nearby Forest Park is a large county park to the east of Creve Coeur. Forest Park is home to the “Muny” outdoor theater, where the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs summer concerts. The St. Louis Zoo, the Science Center and Omnimax Theater, a wintertime outdoor ice rink, the Jewel Box floral conservatory, the Missouri History Museum and the St. Louis Art Museum are also located at Forest Park. For those who enjoy gaming, the area has six riverboat casinos, as well as thoroughbred and harness racing at Fairmount Park Race Track. |
