Discover Kinloch: History, Aviation and Art

Kinloch is a place with an unusually rich history of African American self-government, early aviation and distinctive art. Anyone planning a trip to Missouri who is looking for more than well-known attractions will find a range of themes here to incorporate into their plans: the development of an African American community, historic churches and schools, Kinloch Field, and a basketball court designed as a large-scale work of art.

African American History and Self-Government

Kinloch is the oldest African American community to be incorporated in the state of Missouri. It was also incorporated as Missouri’s first fourth-class African American city. Kinloch therefore remains a symbol of Black self-government and resilience. Its development is also connected with the Wabash Railroad, which ran from downtown St. Louis through the Kinloch area and helped initiate development by white people.

Kinloch Park was developed as a commuter suburb in the 1890s. The town’s later history was shaped by far-reaching changes: property purchases by the City of St. Louis in connection with the expansion of Lambert-Saint Louis International Airport significantly reduced Kinloch in the 1980s. This development is one of the important contexts to understand if you want to see the place not only as a destination, but also as a historic site.

Churches and Schools as Historical Traces

Several churches illustrate Kinloch’s religious and community development. First Missionary Baptist Church of Kinloch was founded in 1901 and is now located in Black Jack, Missouri. First United Methodist Church followed in 1904. Second Missionary Baptist Church was founded in 1914 and was located at 5508 Lyons. Kinloch Church of God in Christ was also established in 1914 and is now called Tabernacle of Faith and Deliverance.

Our Lady of the Angels, originally Holy Angels, was established in Kinloch in the early 1920s. Holy Angels Elementary School, now Our Lady of the Angels, opened in 1931 and served students from Kinloch. The second church building of Holy Angels, or Our Lady of the Angels, at 8122 Scott Avenue was built in 1952. The Catholic parish is permanently closed. The schools are also significant to the local history: the one-room wooden Vernon School opened for Black children in 1885 and closed again a few months later. The building continued to be used as a school for Black children in the Ferguson District until 1967. Dunbar Elementary School opened in 1914, and Kinloch High School in 1937.

Kinloch Field and Early Aviation

Aviation history also gives Kinloch a distinctive profile. In 1910, President Theodore Roosevelt took his first airplane flight at Kinloch Field. Two years later, the first successful parachute jump from an airplane took place there. Kinloch Field, also known as Kinloch Park Grounds, was later transformed into today’s St. Louis Lambert International Airport. These historical facts make Kinloch particularly interesting for travelers who want to connect city history with technological and social developments.

Art at the Basketball Court

Another special feature is located at the basketball court in Kinloch Park. The court is a 100 × 150-foot abstract Cubist work of art. The mural by William LaChance was described by Architectural Digest as the world’s best-designed basketball court. Weekend games and 3-on-3 tournaments were also held at the basketball court. For your travel planning, this creates an exciting contrast between African American local history, sport and contemporary design.

The Right Accommodation for Your Travel Plans

When looking for a vacation rental in Kinloch, you can determine the focus of your trip. If you are primarily interested in the history of African American self-government, the development of the community, Kinloch Park, the churches and the schools take center stage. Those who prefer aviation history can include Kinloch Field and its significance for early aviation in their plans. Art and sports enthusiasts will find their own theme in William LaChance’s basketball court. For families with different interests, this division provides a good basis for combining shared discoveries and individual focuses without limiting the trip to just one era or experience.

You can find more local pages here: Eureka, Wildwood, Sunset Hills, St. Louis, Ferguson, Maryland Heights, Edmundson and St Ann.

To the higher-level travel overview: St Louis.