A city that brought together four towns
Located just northwest of the regional hub of Farmington, Park Hills is much more than an exurb of the St. Francois County seat. In fact, Park Hills derives its unique character from its merger of four smaller cities, each with their own histories and traditions, in 1994. This former mining settlement is now home to a developing downtown retail scene, an enduring manufacturing sector and Farmington-area suburbanization. Just over 8,500 people live in this city, many of them in refurbished homes built during the early 20th century. With Farmington just 15 minutes away and St. Louis just over an hour’s drive to the north, semi-rural Park Hills is never far from the action of bigger cities.
Older homes fetch competitive prices
Though Park Hills brought together the cities of Elvins, Esther, Rivermines and Flat River in a 1994 merger, the city is still divided into distinct communities, occasionally with a mile of main road between them. Most of Park Hills’ houses were built in the first three decades of the 1900s, with new waves of homebuilding occurring from the 1960s to 1970s and from the 1990s to 2000s. Park Hills’ ranch-style, bungalow and Cape Cod-style residences tend to sit along quiet streets with generous yard sizes and occasional sideway access. Because of Park Hills’ semi-remote location within Missouri, a state with relatively low costs of living, home values in Park Hills are highly competitive. Park Hills’ median home value of $153,000 is less than half that of the Farmington median of $310,557 and the St. Louis average of $320,000.
Industry is still strong in Park Hills
Park Hills’ economy, once reliant on mining, continues to be powered by light industry whilst also diversifying through the services industry. Among Park Hills’ largest employers are MOCAP, which produces pharmaceutical plastics, as well as the trailer refurbishing company Bulk Tank, Lee Mechanical and the electrical power supplier Ameren Missouri. Healthcare, education and retail provide additional job opportunities.
Dirt-biking past a former mine
The decline of mining in Park Hills may have had an adverse impact on the city’s economy, but nature has since reclaimed the lands where lead and zinc were extracted until the 1970s. The Missouri Mines State Historic Site invites visitors to tour the rusty ruins of Federal Mill No. 3, which was built in 1907 and retired in 1972 after the local ore dried up. A trail connects this open-air museum to the larger St. Joe State Park, established in 1976 to preserve over 8,000 acres of nature and former mill country. Warrens of off-road trails are open to dirt-biking and quadding, while the park also offers camping facilities and both pedestrian and equestrian trails. Closer to home, Columbia Park includes a public pool, a playground and a disc golf course in addition to spacious fields utilized for picnics and parties.
Smalltown shopping, brewing and eating
Main Street serves as Park Hills’ main retail thoroughfare, along which both chain and local restaurants share sidewalks with pawn shops, boutique stores and small businesses. Harps Food Stores sits along Main Street, while the Parkland Hope Center on St. Joe Drive offers discounted groceries. The Four Towns Brewing Company, which takes its name from Park Hills’ four predecessors, is as much a venue for live music and comfort food as it is for local brews. The creatively named General Custard’s Re-Treat has served up frozen yogurt since 1987, inviting families to enjoy sweet treats within a Western-themed edifice.
B-rated education at Central R-III schools
Park Hills’ students attend the Central R-III School District, which receives a B rating from Niche. After attending Central High School, which receives a B rating, students may opt to attend the local Mineral Area College for two-year industrial training programs. This community college has on-campus partnerships with Central Methodist University and Missouri Baptist University to offer fully accredited degree completion programs.
Keeping safe in Park Hills
According to a 2023 FBI report, Park Hills has a crime rate mostly in line with the national average and below the Missouri rate. This city also contends with the ever-present risk of flash floods, tornadoes and earthquakes, and it utilizes the MessageSpring notification system to keep residents updated about natural disasters.
Highway access to St. Louis and Farmington
As Park Hills does not have a public transit system, Farmington-bound commuters drive 20 minutes down Highway 67 to access that city’s employment opportunities. St. Louis sits just over an hour to the north up that same highway, while St. Louis International Airport is less than an hour and a half away.
