Kimmswick is located along the banks of the Mississippi River just 22 miles south of St. Louis. The area along Rock Creek contained 14 mineral springs that were a source of salt for early Native Americans. In 1779 Thomas Jones established a salt works but had to abandon the endeavor due to hostile raids by local tribes. During the colonial era there were two main modes of travel available to area inhabitants. Using boats or canoes on the Mississippi provided the easiest form of transportation, particularly for destinations downriver.
The history of the town itself begins when Theodore Kimm, a successful St. Louis dry goods merchant and native of Brunswick, Germany, moved to Jefferson County in 1850 and purchased a large tact of land. In 1858 the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad laid track through his land. The town was platted by Kimm along the tracks of the railroad along the Mississippi River at the mouth of Rock Creek in 1859.
~from GreatRiverRoad.com
Missouri DNR fact sheet (
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