What is the history of Kimmswick, Missouri?
Kimmswick was founded in 1859 by dry goods merchant Theodore Kimms, who named the town after himself. He laid the town out on 160 acres on land purchased from the widow of Captain George Waters. The area was settled by German immigrant stonecutters and wealthy St. Louisans. There are numerous salt springs in the area, which were used by Native Americans in the United StatesNative Americans as a source of salt. These salt springs also attracted prehistoric animals; nearby is the Mastodon State Historic Site, where bones of this extinct elephant were discovered. A spa and resort area in Kimmswick was a popular steamboat daytrip destination for St. Louis, MissouriSaint Louisians in the late 19th century. By the early 1970s, the town’s existence was threatened by construction of Interstate 55 and flooding of the Mississippi River. The Kimmswick Historical Society, founded in 1969, was instrumental in saving the town and preserving its historic architecture. The town is now a popular touris
