Des Peres, Route 66 Missouri

Route 66 in Des Peres, Mo

Index to this page

About Des Peres
Des Peres's Weather
Hotels and accommodation
Map of US 66
What to see and do in Des Peres

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About Des Peres, Missouri

Facts, Trivia and useful information

It is believed to be the oldest European settlement in Missouri: it was established by the French on December 3, 1700. Its first name was Saint Francis Xavier.

Later named Des Peres, it changed to Hathaway City in the mid 1800s, but returned to its original name in 1876. The first post office opened then, closing in 1903.

The name: Des Peres

The words are French and means: "The Fathers", after the first settlers which were members of a Catholic order. Their mission was at the mouth of the River des Peres, where it joined the Mississippi. They had moved into Missouri to find better lands for their mission.

Getting to Des Peres

Reach Des Peres driving the historic 1926 - 1932 Route 66 now known as Missouri State Highway 100, or use Interstate I-44. I-270, US 50, US 61, I-55 and I-64 cross the area.

Where to Lodge in Des Peres, Missouri

Accommodation and hotels close to Des Peres

> > Book your accommodation in neighboring Kirkwood

More Lodging close to Des Peres along Route 66

You can find more hotels and motels in other towns on Route 66 nearby: Click on any of the following links to check out the accommodation options in each town.

South on Route 66 in Missouri

17 mi Eureka
24 mi Pacific

Hotels to the west in MO, KS and OK

43 mi Saint Clair
59 mi Sullivan
77 mi Cuba
90 mi Saint James
100 mi Rolla
127 mi St. Robert
129 mi Waynesville
161 mi Lebanon
192 mi Marshfield
205 mi Strafford
224 mi Springfield
290 mi Carthage
302 mi Joplin
314 mi Baxter Springs
328 mi Miami
343 mi Afton
357 mi Vinita
392 mi Claremore
415 mi Catoosa
418 mi Tulsa

Heading East in Missouri

2 mi Kirkwood (along Bypass 66)
10 mi Hotels in Fenton
16 mi St. Louis

Hotels further East, in Illinois

14 mi East St. Louis
20 mi Granite City
22 mi Pontoon Beach
30 mi Glen Carbon
35 mi Troy
40 mi Edwardsville
50 mi Hamel
57 mi Williamson
62 mi Staunton
73 mi Litchfield
86 mi Raymond
114 mi Springfield IL
150 mi Lincoln
162 mi Atlanta
184 mi Bloomington
196 mi Normal
210 mi Chenoa
220 mi Pontiac
277 mi Joliet
317 mi Chicago

>> Check out the RV campground close by, in Fenton

Weather in Des Peres

Location of Des Peres on U.S. Hwy. 66

Des Peres has four well marked seasons. It is located in the area where humid continental climate shifts towards a humid subtropical climate, so summers are hot and humid while winters are cold. It gets cold Arctic air and hot damp tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico. Spring is wet and may have extreme weather (tornados, thunderstorms, and even winter storms). Fall is sunny and less humid, with mild weather.

Rainfall averages around 41 in. (1.041 mm). The most rainy months are from May through July with more than 4 in per month (100 mm). Snow falls from Nov. to Apr.: 17.8 in. (45 cm). Relative humidity is on average 69% the whole year.

The average winter high (Jan) is a chilly 39.9°F (4.4°C) and the winter low is on average 23.7°F (-4.6°C). The summer (Jul) average high is 89.1°F (31.7°C) and the average low is 71°F (21.7°C).

Tornado risk

Des Peres is inside Missouri's "Tornado Alley" and St. Louis County has around 7 tornados each year.

Tornado Risk: read more about Tornado Risk along U.S. 66.

Map of Route 66 in Des Peres Missouri

1940 Topo Map showing Route 66 in Des Peres MO
Click on Map to Enlarge

The thumbnail map (click on it to see full size map) shows US 50, running from left to right through Des Peres, the townsite is marked with a blue arrow. The modern alignment of I-270 is shown with a dashed black line. On the right side of the image is the town of Kirkwood with Main Route 66 (BYP66) running from top to bottom -red arrow.

By 1940 Route 66 had already been realigned through Eureka into St. Louis: it was moved in 1932, leaving US 50 alone on Manchester Rd. The 1931 map below shows the original 1926 to 32 Route 66 alignment. Des Peres does not figure, though neighboring Manchester and Kirkwood do.

1931 Roadmap showing Route 66 near St. Louis MO — A 1931 Map showing Route 66 in St. Louis area, Missouri See large map

See this map with US66 1926-32 alignment in Des Peres, greatly modified since then, including an interchange with State Hwy. 141.

The Route 66 alignment in Des Peres

Visit our pages with old maps and plenty of information about US 66's alignments.

Gray Summit to Rolla (next)
Route 66 St. Louis to Gray Summit (In Des Peres)
Route 66 Hamel IL to St. Louis MO (previous)

Route 66 Sights in Des Peres

Landmarks and Places to See

Progress and time have removed all the original landmarks that once stood by Route 66, all have gone except one (the Village General Store). The buildings that were torn down are: the old Des Peres Station stood at 11811 Manchester Rd; Manchester Drive-In (12400 Manchester Rd.) and Pennant Tavern (12700 Manchester Rd.)

Village General Store

Driving west along Route 66, to your right, at 12247 Manchester Rd. is the old store.

The Village Bar also known as Diem's Tavern (after its owner Joseph Diem), in Des Peres and the store next to it, have been standing next to Manchester Rd. since the turn of the last century. The two storey home was owned by Joseph Diem, and he ran a General Store there on the north side of Manchester.

The old general store became the "Custome Wig Shoppe". Below are a "Then and Now" series of images:

Mr. Diem was a shareholder in a railroad company that was formed in 1901 to link St. Louis with Manchester (See this article published in 1901).