History Continued
Wabash Club
Thomas January, a wholesale grocer and director of the North Missouri Railroad, contracted with the railroad to enlarge a spring-fed lake on his property, and use the water to supply the tank at the depot. The January estate later was sold to the railroad for use as recreation area for company employees, and it became known as the "Wabash Club." In 1948, the City of Ferguson purchased the property for January Wabash Park, which now contains one of the most heavily fished urban lakes in the State of Missouri.
Streetcars Lead to Expansion
By the end of the 1800s Ferguson was a major hub for both freight and passenger rail traffic. As many as six trains a day served commuters working in St. Louis, and Ferguson became a popular location for suburban executive homes. In 1900, a streetcar line opened connecting Ferguson and Kirkwood, another growing suburb 10 miles to the south. Former slaves of Thomas January and other slaves freed after the Civil War contributed to the early establishment of a racially diverse population.
Booming City
The City boomed during the post-World War II era. Commuter trains were replaced by automobile traffic. Plentiful employment was provided by new industries, including the relocated headquarters of Emerson Electric Co. Scores of new homes were built and the city's population continued to expand. In 1954, Ferguson became a Charter City, one of the first in St. Louis County to adopt the Council-Manager form of government.
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