Wellston, Missouri Explained

Official Name:Wellston, Missouri
Settlement Type:City
Mapsize:250x200px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Missouri
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:St. Louis
Established Title1:Incorporated
Established Date1:1909
Established Title2:Dissolved
Established Date2:1912
Established Title3:Re-incorporated
Established Date3:1949
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:2.41
Area Land Km2:2.41
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Total Sq Mi:0.93
Area Land Sq Mi:0.93
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:1537
Population Density Km2:636.54
Population Density Sq Mi:1649.14
Timezone:Central (CST)
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Elevation Ft:548
Coordinates:38.675°N -90.2942°W
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:29-78370[2]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:2397251

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.[3]

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.[4] The city was named for Erastus Wells.[5]

During the early 1900s, the Wagner Electric Company, a manufacturer of small motors for appliances and transformers, began development along Plymouth Avenue in Wellston, growing to occupy the entire block and providing 4,500 jobs during World War I.[4] North of the Wagner site, ABEX Corporation built a steel foundry that began operation in 1923.[4]

In 1982 ABEX moved out of its Wellston location; the next year, the Wagner Electric Company closed its doors.[4] 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 of the Wagner brownfield land along the MetroLink so that it could be made marketable as the Plymouth Industrial Park.[6]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.93sqmi, all land.[7]

Transportation

Wellston has a few major roads within its boundaries, including Missouri Route 180, Missouri Route 340, and SR-D.

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.

Education

Public education is provided by the Normandy Schools Collaborative.

Demographics

Wellston is one of the 10 poorest cities in Missouri (2010).

2020 census

Wellston, Missouri – Racial and ethnic composition
!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)!Pop 2000[8] !Pop 2010[9] ![10] !% 2000!% 2010!
White alone (NH)15554style='background: #ffffe6; 356.30%2.33%style='background: #ffffe6; 2.28%
Black or African American alone (NH)2,2452,200style='background: #ffffe6; 1,43091.26%95.11%style='background: #ffffe6; 93.04%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)113style='background: #ffffe6; 50.45%0.13%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.33%
Asian alone (NH)45style='background: #ffffe6; 10.16%0.22%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.07%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)10style='background: #ffffe6; 00.04%0.00%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.00%
Other race alone (NH)33style='background: #ffffe6; 100.12%0.13%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.65%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)1539style='background: #ffffe6; 310.61%1.69%style='background: #ffffe6; 2.02%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)269style='background: #ffffe6; 251.06%0.39%style='background: #ffffe6; 1.63%
Total2,4602,313style='background: #ffffe6; 1,537100.00%100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; 100.00%

2010 census

As of the census[11] of 2010, there were 2,313 people, 785 households, and 540 families living in the city. The population density was 2487.1PD/sqmi. There were 999 housing units at an average density of 1074.2/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 2.4% White, 95.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.4% of the population.

There were 785 households, of which 47.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 14.6% were married couples living together, 47.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.2% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.62.

The median age in the city was 26.2 years. 37% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.6% were from 25 to 44; 19.6% were from 45 to 64; and 8.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 44.9% male and 55.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,460 people, 779 households, and 578 families living in the city. The population density was 2732.6sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 961 housing units at an average density of 1067.5sp=usNaNsp=us. 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.

Notable people

Ben McLemore (born 1993), NBA player

Eugene Deal (born 1963)Public FigurePublished Author

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ArcGIS REST Services Directory. United States Census Bureau. August 28, 2022.
  2. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2008-01-31.
  3. Web site: Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File (QT-PL), Wellston city, Missouri. United States Census Bureau. October 25, 2011.
  4. A case study of brownfield redevelopment in Wellston, MO. . . 2009 . Ashley Williams . 2097/1340. Thesis .
  5. http://stlouis.missouri.org/neighborhoods/history/arlington/text1.htm Neighborhood Histories--Arlington accessed 8/29/2010
  6. News: Wellston industrial park prepped for construction . . January 28, 2005 . 2010-04-20 . Leigh . O'Keefe.
  7. Web site: US Gazetteer files 2010. United States Census Bureau. 2012-07-08.
  8. Web site: P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wellston city, Missouri . United States Census Bureau.
  9. Web site: P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wellston city, Missouri . United States Census Bureau.
  10. Web site: P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wellston city, Missouri . United States Census Bureau.
  11. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2012-07-08.