Let me tell you about my hometown…

 

The City of Jennings is a diverse community of 15,000 residents, located ten minutes from downtown St. Louis and ten minutes from Lambert Airport.

Incorporated as a city in 1946, the Jennings community has a history dating back to 1839, when James Jennings moved here from Virginia, purchased a large tract of land and began farming.  The community began to grow in the 1800’s as the railroad made the area more accessible to residents of St. Louis City.

 

Linda Schmerber, President of the Jennings Historical Society, is researching the history of Jennings for a book she is writing.  She also keeps in touch with members of the original Jennings family and anyone else, anywhere they might be, who can contribute to the files or collection of artifacts kept by the Historical Society.

 

The future is also very much on the minds of Jennings residents and elected officials.  In the past few years, the city has developed a new Comprehensive Plan and a Park Master Plan.  City officials are working with St. Louis County and Sustainable Neighborhoods to bring about the improvements residents have said they want to see.

 

Northland Shopping Center, built in 1955 as the first major shopping center in Missouri, is being completely redeveloped with new stores and offices.

 

River Roads Shopping Center, built in 1961 as the first enclosed mall in Missouri, will be torn down and a new residential community will take its place, featuring new homes and townhomes along with a neighborhood commercial area.  The west coast trend of converting outdated shopping centers to thriving new neighborhoods will soon be seen in Jennings.

 

State improvements to Highway 70 and county improvements to Jennings Station Road have sparked redevelopment plans in the southern part of Jennings, to include several new restaurants and other businesses.

 

On the northeastern side of the city, improvements are planned to Highway 367, and the North Drive-In Theater, the last remaining drive-in in St. Louis County, has been purchased by Taylor Morley Homes.  It will soon be the site of Alexandria Place, a community of single family homes, townhomes and condominiums featuring a park with a playground and a neighborhood walking trail.  Alexandria Place will also feature a neighborhood commercial district.

  

Mayor Ben Sutphin says that this is an exciting time for Jennings, as we see things begin to happen that will benefit the community for years to come.

 

The Jennings School District was established in 1871, and is a growing school district with over 3,100 students.  The district is fully accredited.  There are five elementary schools, two of which opened in 2001  and 2002; one junior high school and one high school, both of which have several new facilities.  The Jennings School District has won two national awards for its effective use of instructional technology and is recognized statewide as a leader of computers in the classroom.  The Jennings School District is also recognized statewide for its strong staff development program for teachers and is the highest paying school district for teachers’ salaries in the state.

 

The Jennings Beautification Committee sponsors two award-winning community gardens and many street-side and neighborhood beautification projects.  They also hold community events such as Concerts in the Park, often co-sponsored by the Jennings Neighborhood Watch.

 

Senior Citizens in Jennings go to the grocery store, the doctor’s office and on recreational trips using the two buses provided by the city.  Teens enjoy a variety of sports and cultural events because of programs offered jointly by the Jennings Recreation Department, the Jennings School District, the St. Louis County Housing Authority, and St. Louis for Kids.  Young children enjoy holiday activities throughout the year, and summer day camp is held for eight weeks each summer in Lions Park.  If it gets too hot, the Jennings Fire Department can be depended on to provide a spray of cooling relief.

 

<>If you like toasted ravioli or ice cream, chances are you’ve sampled a product made in Jennings.  Louisa Foods makes 100,000 pounds of Italian food every week, distributed to local grocery stores and restaurants.  Velvet Freeze Ice Cream, long a St. Louis favorite, is also made in Jennings at the Velvet Freeze store on West Florissant Avenue.  Stout Marketing makes metal advertising signs, fascia systems, and point-of-purchase displays for customers all over the country and the world.  Sun Auto, with two locations on West Florissant, is a recent winner of the Car Quest “Top Repair Shop In The U.S.” award.  Knodels Bakery, known for their wedding and decorated cakes, has been in Jennings for 67 years.  Jennings is also proud to be the home of Norwood Hills Country Club, founded in 1923.  Over the years, Norwood has hosted many national events including the National PGA Championship, the PGA St. Louis Classic, and the USGA Senior Amateur.

 

These are just a few reasons why Jennings residents are proud to call Jennings “home”!