Weldon Spring

Sandwiched between O’Fallon and Chesterfield – two of the fastest-growing cities in Missouri – Weldon Spring is better known for the greens of its wilderness reserves and golf courses than an expanding population. The city of 5,200 residents hugs the forested banks of the Missouri River, where thousands of protected acres await hikers and hunters. Luxurious homes in other parts of town occupy spacious lots along country club fairways.

In fact, Weldon Spring hosts some of the highest-priced houses in St. Charles County, says Keller Williams Realty West Team Leader Chad Wilson. The city is full of new-construction subdivisions with Arts & Crafts-inspired homes and country club communities that include Tudor-like mansions, with price tags starting in the $400,000s and extending north of $1.5 million. The average home sells in three weeks – more than two weeks faster than the U.S. average. Plus there are less than two months’ worth of supply on the market, limiting choices for buyers and giving sellers the upper hand in negotiations.

Children in this community are likely to start their education at Independence Elementary School, which not only gets a Niche grade of A for its academics but also was one of 36 schools nationwide named to the 2023 National School of Character list. Nonprofit Character.org awards this honor to schools that encourage ethical character, self-motivation and strong academics. After fifth grade students attend Bryan Middle School, an A-rated school where a geography teacher recently participated in a National Geographic Society-backed expedition to the Arctic. When students arrive at Francis Howell High School – ranked the best public high school in the county by Niche – they can join the Early College Program and earn an associate degree by the time they wrap up their senior year.

Locals and tourists alike enjoy hikes to the top of the mountain of rocks at the Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center, but that mound covers a containment cell of nuclear waste. The site was used to manufacture explosives during the ‘40s before being used for uranium processing in the ‘50s. Radioactive waste was dumped in a nearby quarry, and uranium leached into the groundwater. The site was cleaned up more than 20 years ago. While the federal government considers the site safe, studies done by the Department of Energy and other government agencies show the amount of uranium in the groundwater hasn’t decreased in recent years. Still Wilson, who grew up in St. Charles County, says the former uranium plant, while public knowledge, doesn’t come up as an issue of concern. “It doesn’t seem to be a big topic. I’m not aware of lingering effects.”

Of course, a trek up the uranium disposal cell isn’t the only recreation for residents. Weldon Spring City Park is the spot for a game of baseball or a round of disc golf, while a small pond makes for a reliable fishing hole. Faux rock walls and sturdy nets elevate the playground from a jungle gym to a challenging climbing course. Food trucks, inflatables and residents fill the park each July for the Independence Day celebration, capped by fireworks erupting over the park’s pond. Venture toward the river to explore Weldon Spring Conservation Area, 8,300 acres of mountain bike trails and hiking paths, as well as spots to hunt turkey, deer and doves.

Weldon Spring’s Highway K is dotted with restaurants such as The Brass Rail, a versatile eatery where you can chow down on chicken wings at the TV-lined bar or dine on crab cakes on the gardenesque patio. Highway K also serves as a straight shot to Schnucks supermarket, so groceries are always in reach. Though the city isn’t retail-heavy, residents can jet 10 miles across the river to reach the shopping haven of Chesterfield. Continue about 20 miles past Chesterfield, and you’ll arrive in the bustling metropolis of St. Louis.

Written By

Alex Soderstrom

Photography Contributed By

Javier Briseno

Video By

Brad Davis