I hope you all read the (finally!) positive comments made by the staff reporter, Matt Woolsey, of Forbes.com regarding the St. Louis area! Due to their copyright requirements & privacy policy, you'll need to do a search for the specific video or text. Click the above link & just use the key words "Top Home Selling Markets" or "Housing Trends" to locate the information. Like I've said before, "Bubble, What Bubble?" Not here in our river city. We still offer you one of the best areas to live and buy in! Welcome to our Mid-Western values & friendliness. Don't like the weather? Wait a day or so...you never know what's on the horizon! LOL!

Did you ever notice that the media seldom is regional specific? Lump all of us together, let the folks hear things are not going well. Watch the market begin to slump. Gloom & Doom! I swear, it's like watching the weather report. Do people still believe what they (media) tell you (in Missouri?) "SHOW ME" is our state motto!  We live in an area that is difficult to predict weather. We don't fit in the East/West coast mold. Question exactly where they are getting their numbers from and to what area it applies. Like I said, "Show Me"!

Valley Park is located near Highway 141 and Interstate Highway 44. It's an old river town with a history of being one of the places that had clubhouses built up on stilts. Almost every spring, you could expect some flooding there. Sometimes a little water, sometimes alot. The river played an important part in the success of the river town. A railroad (AMTRAC) still goes through the town, but does not stop here. You can catch the train in  nearby Kirkwood though and ride to Chicago or head for Kansas City! 

Both Missouri Pacific and the Frisco rail lines came through this town. Stop in and visit the Frisco Hotel located at 28 Front Street which is one of the original old buildings preserved and a big part of the towns history. The Whittle Shortline store now occupies the building, but you're welcome to stop in and look around.

Recently  (April, 2006) they had the Meramec Valley River Basin Levee built that will keep that from happening, much to the delight of the residents!  With the completion of the levee they plan on having trails along the Meramec River for hiking and biking as part of the Ozark Greenway Trails.

They have several parks now: Vance Trails Park, Leonard Park, Brignole Park, and Meramec Landing for anglers and boaters. Simpson St. Louis County Park and Lake are also within their City limits. Be sure to check out the Museum Of Transportion which is just wonderful and full of trains, and also some old, but prime cars. Just outside of the city limits is Lone Elk Park and The Wild Bird Sanctuary, which we visited recently. The Sanctuary has more than birds too. They have snakes, bison, deer and other wildlife there and a "hand's on" area. It's located in a park that is hilly and offers wonderful views. Some areas are restricted and you need to stay in the car to view the animals, but other spots offer picnic benches and places for you to follow trails. Check out the photo's I took!