Located ten miles southwest of St. Louis, Missouri, today’s Webster Groves was an area known to Indians and fur trappers as Dry Ridge until around 1845. Prior to 1802 the land had changed rule from French to Spanish and back to French. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1802, the Territory changed to American ownership.
The area continued to grow. People moved from downtown St. Louis city to cleaner areas further out, commuting on the Pacific Railroad. This railroad was very important to the growth of the area. Subdivisions were developed along the rail road and train stations. Maplewood,
Kirkwood, Rock Hill were neighboring towns to crop up.