Area Information

The James Family founded the Maramec Iron Works in 1826 which led to the establishment of the town of St. James in the 1800s. Lucy Wortham James, the granddaughter of Thomas James, bought it back in 1926 and created a park for the enjoyment of the people of St. James and surrounding community. Lucy Wortham James created the James Foundation with specific instructions as to the use of the land and the income produced from the trust. This park averages over 560,000 visitors yearly. The spring averages 96 million gallons a day. Interest from the trust continues to enhance living in the St. James area.

Phelps County Regional Medical Center (PCRMC) is a progressive hospital with 232 beds and more than 100 doctors, it continually adds new services and state-of-the-art equipment to meet the needs of the region. Four other local hospitals, located in Sullivan, Salem, Hermann and Potosi, also provide top-notch health care. Fort Leonard Wood Army Hospital serves retired military personnel. Numerous doctors, dentists, chiropractors and psychologists can be found throughout the region as well, and urgent care facilities are becoming commonplace here. Committed to excellence, many area schools have achieved awards and recognition, such as Blue Ribbon schools, A+ schools and accelerated schools. Higher education in the region is heads above the rest and still growing with many new facilities under construction. The University of Missouri-Rolla plus other four-year and post-graduate programs. Such schools as Columbia College, Drury College, Southwest Baptist University, East Central College and Webster University have established education centers here. Setting the Meramec Region apart from its neighbors are most definitely its wineries. Both St. James and Hermann have their share of wineries. Hermann is also well known for its German heritage, its Maifests and Octoberfests. Wal-Mart Distribution Center opened recently in St. James with over 750 jobs. This is also the site of Boys and Girls Town of Missouri and the Missouri Veterans Home. Other major employers in the region are the University of Missouri-Rolla with 1,500 employees followed closely by Phelps County Regional Medical Center with 1,114 employees plus several state and federal institutions including the United States Geological Survey and several highly technical businesses. The region's two major private manufacturing employers are Von Hoffman Graphics in Owensville with 600 employees and Briggs & Stratton with an estimated 750 employees. Opportunities to play abound in the Meramec Region! There are plenty of clear, meandering streams, including the Meramec, Gasconade, Courtois and Huzzah rivers, perfect for boating, floating, swimming and fishing for trout, bass, catfish & crappie. Maramec Spring Park has a trout hatchery and fishing and a wonderful historical agricultural museum. Onondaga Cave and Jesse James Hideout are more special attractions. Missouri is known as "The Cave State" for good reason! Campgrounds galore & wooded areas filled with deer and turkey are other attractions among nature's wonders. Antique and craft shops located in "every" community in the region, and almost all communities offer local recreational opportunities in the form of parks, trails, swimming pools, summer ball leagues, country clubs, libraries and golf courses as well as annual fairs, festivals and celebrations that often feature nationally known entertainers. The region is filled with parks that offer an array of sights and sounds. Places like Meramec Spring, a former late 1800s iron works operation, and Dillard Mill, a restored grist mill, allow one to relive olden days, learn about history and picnic amid beautiful surroundings. Many area communities have theatre groups that produce plays throughout the year. The University of Missouri-Rolla, with its Leach Theatre, hosts many quality plays, inspiring lectures and symphonies.

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