They’re doing some great things out in St. Charles County. Yes, I know you might be really surprised to hear me say that, but it’s true.

Let’s head out to the historic town of Cottleville (where yes, they were still repairing some damage from the unrelenting severe storms that have hit our region this spring), and look at what’s been happening.

Jeff Phillips, a part time contributor to this website, actually grew up out this way, and remembers when most of these buildings were boarded up and abandoned. Now, decades later, they have been renovated and sensitive in-fill has been built right up at the sidewalk line.

This is along Route N, which of course is the old Boons Lick Road, a former trail. Instead of demolishing everything for strip malls, Cottleville is embracing urban design, and reaping the benefits of a thriving downtown–and the resulting tax dollars.

You can read a little about the city’s plans for the downtown here, as well as the town’s history, which dates back to the Eighteenth Century.

This historic house anchors a food truck garden and stage, which brings in a large number of people every weekend.

Nearby, the former marshlands of the Dardenne Creek can be seen. Humans have been manipulating the area for centuries. If you look at a map, you can see the “creek” is actually straight as an arrow now. The same thing was done in St. Louis, as well.

Perhaps what is also exceptional is the large number of trails that connect different neighborhoods and parks, making walking and biking easy. St. Charles County has a lot of surprises.