Bounded by the Mississippi River to the east, the Missouri River to the north, Missouri Highway 367 to the west, and Interstate Highway 270 to the south, Spanish Lake is an unincorporated town in northeastern St. Louis County, Missouri. Surrounding communities include Black Jack, Castle Point, and Glasgow Village. Some Spanish Lakes addresses are served by a St. Louis post office. Known as Spanish Pond until the late 1800s, the community was named for the Spanish troops who camped there while building a fort in 1768. Largely a farming village in the 19th century, the community prospered when Fort Bellefontaine was relocated to the northern part of the area, along the Missouri River. German immigrants began to arrive in the late 1800s and, by the 1870s, most of its residents were of German heritage. Spanish Lake remained a rural farming community until the 1950s when it began to be transformed into a suburb of St. Louis, and dense apartment buildings began to be erected in the 1970s, largely inhabited by black Americans, and the 1990s saw a large-scale exodus of the community’s white population, an event that was documented in the movie, Spanish Lake.
Recommended Resources
Based in the St. Louis suburb of Spanish Lake, Missouri, Applied Scholastics is a non-profit organization that implements learning tools researched and developed by L. Ron Hubbard. Its history, background and mission are put forward, along with affiliated schools and educational programs. Its training materials, results, and an online bookstore are featured.
http://www.appliedscholastics.org/
Maintained by the Spanish Lake Community Association, a non-profit organization formed to promote a strong community identity and to encourage participation and communication between residents, churches, schools and businesses, the site offers a history of the community and a guide to local government facilities, businesses, schools, and services.
http://www.spanishlakemo.org/
A St. Louis County Park since 1986, Fort Belle Fontaine was the first U.S. military installation west of the Mississippi River, established in 1805, playing host to the Lewis and Clark Expedition when it came through. Area trails, camping locations, and attractions are featured, along with directions to the park.
http://www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/ParkPages/FortBelleFontaine
Kuhs Farm is a historic 150-acre farm and estate in Spanish Lake, twenty-five minutes north of St. Louis, Missouri. The outdoor venue hosts weddings and a variety of events, offering catering services and a view from the Missouri Bluffs. Several photographs are presented, and an overview of its services, events, and press information are featured.
http://www.kuhsfarm.com/
Spanish Lake Community Development Corporation
SL-CDC was formed to promote and engage in neighborhood improvement projects and other activities for the Spanish Lake, Missouri region. Its organizational structure, projects, and a calendar of events are projected, along with a directory of local businesses and organizations.
http://www.spanishlakecdc.org/
Spanish Lake Fire Protection District
The fire department covers a 19 square mile area in northern St. Louis County, bounded by the Missouri River to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, I-270 to the south, and State Highway 67 to the west. Its services, capabilities, and organizational structure are defined, with contacts.
http://www.spanishlakefd.com/
