History of Oakville
There are numerous sources for histories and background descriptions relating to the Oakville, MO Community. The In 1998, the Oakville Community Area Study Update Advisory Committee prepared a report for the St. Louis County Department of Planning relating to a study of land uses in the southern portion of the Oakville area. This is one of the better history summaries regarding Oakville, MO There are other publications and chronicles available but this is a good overview and background relating to Oakville, MO
According to the journal of Father Jacques Gravier, a Jesuit priest and missionary, he and five canoes of Frenchmen made camp in the southern Oakville area while exploring the lower Mississippi River in 1704. His journal also makes note of the discovery of the Meramec River.
Jean Baptiste D’Gamache Jr. in 1789 completed his services as the surveyor and builder of the “King’s Highway”, a road running from St. Louis southward along the route of Lemay Ferry Road and continuing on to southern Missouri. Gamache was given extensive land grants in the Oakville area in payment for his services by the Spanish Government, which controlled what was known as the Louisiana territory. He was most likely the first permanent settler in the Oakville-Point area. The Point refers to the point of land that is bordered to the North and West of the intersection of the Mississippi and Meramec Rivers. He is also credited with establishing the first ferry across the Meramec River in the vicinity of Telegraph Road. This Ferry service was discontinued in 1780 due to Native American disturbances in the area.
In 1783, Phillip Fine, Sr. obtained permits from the Spanish government to operate ferries across both the Meramec and Mississippi Rivers. The Meramec River Ferry was later named Loverings Ferry after Phillip Fine’s son-in-law and was located near Telegraph Road. Before the Civil War Loverings Ferry Rd. was changed to Telegraph Road. The road was named this due to the telegraph line which extended across sections of this route. Prior to the Civil War residents in the Oakville area wanted to build a bridge across the Meramec at Telegraph Rd. This attempt was not successful and a bridge across the Meramec was completed at the Lemay Ferry Road location. A Telegraph Road Bridge was eventually constructed in 1937. Phillip Fine also aspired to create a community to compete with St. Louis downriver at the Oakville location. Although plats were filed in the County surveyor’s office, the proposed town never really got off the ground. However, today Finestown Rd. is a reminder of that early attempt to build a prosperous community. Around 1866, Henrich Shulte, Justice of the Peace and a school teacher conferred the name of Oakville upon the area. No doubt due to the extensive oak trees growing in the area.
Historians indicate that there were not many residents in the Oakville area in the 1830s. However, during the 1840s and 1850s many German immigrants came to the area and settled in Oakville. They built their homes and began farming the land. In 1844, a log church, St. Paul’s German Evangelical Church was built. In 1905 the congregation acquired three acres on Telegraph Rd. and in 1918 built what is now named St. Paul’s United Church of Christ.
After the Civil War, farming activities increased with varied types of crops. Most of the crops were destined for the St. Louis market. This trend continued into the twentieth century as the “truck farming business” prospered. After World War Two and particularly since 1970, suburban housing has overtaken the area and the modern suburb of Oakville has emerged.
This growth of residential housing and its related commerce has grown unabated over the last several decades. Today, Oakville is a vibrant community made up of many households and businesses. Our business community provides thousands of jobs for the metro area as well as goods and services for our community. Our directory of Oakville businesses contains many of these businesses. Please look for these Oakville, MO businesses on this website. Our onlineoakville.com business directory contains many local owners, operators and small business people who are your neighbors.
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