Berkeley is a community with lasting ties to aviation
Flight is part of Berkeley’s DNA. In 1910, 27 years before the city of Berkeley was incorporated, the first St. Louis-built airplane took flight here over a rustic meadow, and the budding flying community attracted names like Charles Lindbergh, Theodore Roosevelt and the Wright brothers to northern St. Louis County. A decade later a “flying field” opened in the area, eventually transforming into St. Louis Lambert International Airport that today sits just west of Berkeley. But Berkeley isn’t just a community where planes frequently pass overhead; it’s also where they’re made. The city of 8,000 people is home to a Boeing Co. military jet manufacturing plant that employs more than 14,000 people.
City has many mid-20th century homes
Many of Berkeley’s houses popped up in the decade following World War II, which is why ‘40s and ‘50s minimal traditional homes and ranch homes are dominant in the community. These compact, simple house styles lend well to renting, which is common in the city, says Eaton Properties Realtor Carol Farley, who finds the most common type of homebuyers she works with in Berkeley are investors. They’re drawn to Berkeley’s home prices, which typically are around $70,000 to $80,000, adds Farley. That price range typically will land you a two- or three-bedroom house from the middle of the 20th century, while three-bedroom houses updated with new roofs, modern air conditioning and stainless-steel appliances are more likely to be priced in the low $100,000s.
Ferguson-Florissant School District serves the area
Berkeley is part of the Ferguson-Florissant School District, with two public school campuses in its boundaries: Holman Primary School and Berkeley Intermediate School. Niche awards the Ferguson-Florissant district a B when it comes to clubs and after-school activities, a facet of the district that’s apparent at Holman, home of the student LEGO League, and Berkeley Intermediate, where extracurricular options range from STEM Club to Girls Who Code. After fifth grade Berkeley Intermediate students advance to Johnson-Wabash 6th Grade Center about half a mile east of the city. They spend seventh and eighth grades at Ferguson Middle School next door to Johnson-Wabash and then go to McCluer High School, about 1.5 miles to the city’s northeast.
Recreational amenities include a fishing hole, trail and playground
Hidden behind an Amazon warehouse on the south side of town is Ramona-Mathison Lake Park, a crater of a lake that makes for an ideal fishing hole. The water is stocked with 600 pounds of fish twice a month from April through October, meaning there are plenty of opportunities for amateur and avid anglers alike. All anglers need is themselves and a pole because a small outbuilding at the park sells bait, tackle and concessions. The lake is complemented by a paved walking trail and a playground.
Airport Road offers shopping and dining options
The aptly named Airport Road is where to go in Berkeley to find storefronts and restaurants. Jody B’s on Airport Road is a quick spot to pop in and pick up a tray full of hot honey wings or mostaccioli pasta smothered in gooey cheese and tomato sauce. Shopping options are limited, and residents usually need to run a mile east to the Schnucks in Ferguson to pick up groceries. However the city aims to level up its business district with a new Downtown Master Plan. Though the plan is still in the works, the city wants it to guide the improvement of downtown Berkeley’s streetscapes and the attraction of new businesses.
Photography Contributed By
Mark Huddleston
