The town of Ladue in Missouri is a suburb of St. Louis. It began as a farming community and was once known as “Township 45”. Its original residents were families of farmers, descended from Irish, German, French, and English – the Dennys, Dwyers, Conways, McCutcheons, McKnights, Litzinger, Schraeders, Spoedes, LaDue, Warsons, Lays, Barnes, Prices, and Watsons.
Originally, Ladue was a farming community suburb of St. Louis County. In 1876, St. Louis County was ejected by St. Louis City, and after that Ladue was simply known as ranges 4 and 5 of “Township 45”. The original farming families of Township 45 included the Dennys, Dwyers, Conways, McCutcheons, McKnights (all of whom were Irish), Litzinger, von Schraders, Spoedes, Luedloffs, Muellers, and Seigers (all of whom were German), LaDues (French), and the Warsons, Lays, Barnes, Prices, and Watsons (all English). Clayton was the political hub of this area. When the primary mode of transportation shifted from horses and wagons to automobiles, the area’s farmers started to sell portions of their land to city workers who did not want to live in an urban area. The town name of Ladue was named for Ladue Road, the main road leading from St. Louis City to Peter Albert LaDue’s property, located at the intersection of Warson Rd. and Ladue Rd. This property included the land of St. Louis’s Country Club. In 1936, three small villages merged to become what is now known as Ladue. Those villages were the Village of LaDue, the Village of Deer Creek, and the Village of McKnight.
The main thoroughfare in this area was Ladue Road. It led from St. Louis City to the property of a wealthy entrepreneur, located at the intersection of Ladue Road and Warson. The name of this man was Peter LaDue. He was born in 1821 in Kinderhook, New York and was a descendant of Pierre LaDoux, a Frenchman who arrived in the 1600s. In 1848, Peter LaDue arrived in St. Louis. Later, LaDue became a notable attorney, banker, alderman, and land speculator. The city of Ladue was named after Ladue Road.
The area of Ladue is a choice location for a country estate experience, with many country clubs and horse riding trails. It has a lot of traditional architecture, but there are also many customized homes with a contemporary design, many of them from the middle of the last century.
Ladue is one of the best-educated cities in Missouri. 75% of adult residents aged 25 or older hold an associates degree or higher, and 71% hold a baccalaureate or higher. Its school district is award-winning and covers 8 municipalities (including Ladue, parts of Creve Coeur, Frontenac, Richmond Heights, Olivette, Kirkwood, and Crystal Lake), providing a great draw for home buyers.
Ladue is close to Plaza Frontenac and the Clayton Road commercial district, offering easy access to shopping and entertainment. The 40/64 corridor can be easily accessed from most of the area, allowing a commute to almost anywhere in the area with ease and speed.
