Rock Hill

About Rock Hill, Missouri

Facts, Trivia and useful information

James Collier Marshal (1804-1864) was a farmer from Worcester County in Maryland and he moved to what is now Rock Hill around 1838. He and his brother eventually owned 900 acres along Manchester Road in what was then Central Township.

The road was improved after 1837 (until then it was an Indian and trapper trail) and widened to 30 ft.

The name was recorded as Rock Hill in 1841 when John Marshal was postmaster (the post office closed in 1897). By 1850 the population of Central Township was 1,133. Rock Hill had only 50 residents in 1881.

The town incorporated in 1929, just three years after Route 66 passed through it. The highway was realigned further south in 1932.

Getting to Rock Hill

Reach Rock Hill 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.

Hotels and lodging near Rock Hill

Accommodation and hotels close to Rock Hill. The next town west of Rock Hill is Kirkwood and it has plenty of motels and lodging options.

> > Book your accommodation in neighboring Kirkwood

More Lodging close to Rock Hill 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.

Weather in Rock Hill

Location of Rock Hill on U.S. Hwy. 66

Rainfall is on average, 41 in. (1.041 mm) per year. The wettesty months are from May through July with over 4.1 in monthly (104 mm). Snow falls from Nov. to Apr.: 17.8 in. (45 cm). Relative humidity is on average 69% all 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).

Rock Hill has four well marked seasons. Placed in the zone where the humid continental climate becomes a humid subtropical one, its summers are hot and wet and its 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 has mild weather with plenty of sun and is less humid than summer.

Tornado risk

Rock Hill is located within Missouri's "Tornado Alley"; St. Louis County is hit by some 7 tornados every year.

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

Map of Route 66 in Rock Hill Missouri

The first alignment of Route 66, from 1926 to 1932 ran along Manchester Rd. and you can see it in the map below, published in 1931.

Map 1931 showing the original US66 into St. Louis

See this map showing the 1926-32 alignment of Route 66 near Rock Hill.

Route 66 Sights in Rock Hill

Landmarks and Places to See

None of the classic gas stations, garages or cafes from the 1926-32 Route 66 days have survived, but there is an old burger place from the 1890s, and an interesting house built in 1841, which for America is a very old building!

Trainwreck Saloon Rock Hill MO
Click for street view

Trainwreck Saloon

Driving westwards from Brentwood, to your right, at 9243 Manchester Rd. before crossing Deer Creek.

This is The oldest continuously operated tavern in St. Louis.
It has burgers and bar food. It dates back to 1890, with original elements still in place. Notice the gas pumps in the 1930s photo below and the sign with its name "9 mile house Lone Elm" offering hot and cold sandwiches.

Vintage picture of the Trainwreck

Head west, cross the creek and 0.2 mi ahead turn right along McKnight Rd. to visit the oldest building in this area:

Fairfax House

Located at 2830-2876 S McKnight Rd.
Originally located on the other side of Manchester Rd., facing north, in 1941 it was moved 450 feet to the north, and across the street to its present location. It moved again, in 1997 to its current site after it was threatened by real estate development.

It was built in 1841 by James C. Marshal and was the first permanent building in what is now Rock Hill. At that time Manchester Road was known as the "Old State Road" and present Rock Hill Road was then "Military Road".

Fairfax House was named for the Marshall family home, Fairfax, near Berlin, Maryland.

It was the origin of the town, because by 1850 there was a post office, stage coach stop, church, store and school close to it.

Above is a winter view of the building, see it in summer in this 2021 Street View.

This is the end of this leg of your Route 66 Road Trip. Drive west into Kirkwood to continue your adventure.

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Credits

Banner image: Hackberry General Store, Hackberry, Arizona by Perla Eichenblat

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