Originally home to German and Irish immigrants, The Ville became one of the few areas of St. Louis where African Americans could own property in the early 1900s. As a result, the neighborhood became a cradle of Black culture by the 1920s and 1930s.
Attracting major figures in a number of fields, The Ville was home to businesspeople and entertainers as well as businesswoman, inventor and philanthropist Annie Malone, who became one of the country’s first African American millionaires.
Founded in 1875, Sumner High School was one of the neighborhood’s first major institutions and the first school west of the Mississippi River to provide secondary education for Black students. The school’s best-known alumni include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Chuck Berry, opera diva Grace Bumbry and tennis star Arthur Ashe.
Northwest of downtown St. Louis, The Ville’s status continued to rise due to the establishment and success of more Black businesses and institutions – many of which still function today.
Due to the long period of development in The Ville, visitors can see a wide variety of architectural styles and building types, which is partly why it was designated as a local historic district in 1987.
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