St. Charles County, Missouri

St. Charles County, Missouri boasts 592 square miles located on the eastern border of the state. The county is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. St. Charles County, MO is bordered by Lincoln County to the northwest, Calhoun County, Illinois to the north, Jersey County, Illinois to the northeast, Madison County, Illinois to the east, St. Louis County to the southeast, Franklin County to the south, and Warren County to the west.

St. Charles is the county seat of St. Charles County, Missouri. It lies just northwest of St. Louis, and Belleville on the Missouri River. St. Charles, the first state capital of Missouri, was the starting point for the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. St. Charles is a charter city (a city in which the governing system is defined by the city's own charter document rather than by state or national laws).

American settlers began arriving in St. Charles County, MO during the late 1700s. One of the first American settlers in the county was Daniel Boone, the famous frontiersman, who built his home in the county in 1779. St. Charles was originally called St. Carlos, but in 1804, when the Louisiana Purchase was finalized, San Carlos’ name was changed to St. Charles. German immigrants began arriving in large numbers in the early 1800s. By the 1850s, these German-Americans were well-known for their vineyards and wine-making. The vineyards in St. Charles County were dealt a severe blow by Prohibition, but today St. Charles County, MO has an area in the Central Mississippi River Valley with numerous thriving vineyards and wineries.

St. Charles County has 21 municipalities, the largest being St. Charles, St. Peters, O'Fallon, Lake St. Louis and Wentzville. The county's total population was 349,407 in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This was a 23.1 percent increase from 2000 (Missouri average was only a 5.6 percent increase).

According to the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association, the largest employers in St. Charles County are MasterCard International Inc., Ameristar Casinos Inc, Verizon, CitiMortgage and the Francis Howell School District. The county has a labor force of 200,393 with a low unemployment rate of 4.6 percent.

Post-secondary education for St. Charles County residents is provided by Lindenwood University, St. Charles Community College, Maryville University, Vatterott College in O'Fallon, a satellite campus of The University of Phoenix, and East Central College. There are more than 20 private schools located within the county and six public school districts.

Numerous hospitals serve St. Charles County, Missouri. They include St. Joseph Hospital West, SSM St. Joseph Health Center, Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital in St. Peters, Progress West Healthcare Center and SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center. Cardinal Glennon in St. Louis, MO, is home to the Missouri Regional Poison Center, which provides free statewide service.

Tourism is one of St. Charles County's newest industries. Notable attractions include the Daniel Boone Home in Defiance, Missouri, the Lewis & Clark Boat House and Nature Center in St. Charles, and the First State Capitol of Missouri State Historic Site in the historic downtown district of St. Charles. Located in St. Charles, the Ameristar Casino is the premier entertainment attraction in the county, annually drawing millions of visitors. A major draw for the county, the St. Charles Convention Center, annually hosts more than 400 conferences, trade shows, and a variety of public sales and shows.

The St. Charles County Sheriff Department is responsible for the safety and security of residents residing in the unincorporated areas of the county. This is the largest sheriff's office in the state of Missouri and the largest law enforcement agency in St. Charles County, MO.

Missouri's counties and the city of St. Louis are organized into 45 judicial circuits. There is a court in every county. The circuit court is typically in the county seat. In St. Charles's case, the circuit court is located in the city of St. Charles. The St. Charles County Courthouse, Judicial Circuit 11, is located at 300 N. 2nd Street, St. Charles, MO 63301.