RESIDENTS ATTEND OLD TOWN EVENT, TOWN HALL MEETINGS HONORING 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF CITY’S 1939 OFFICIAL NAME CHANGE TO FLORISSANT

FLORISSANT, MO, July 2, 2014  --  Residents of Florissant gathered in Old Town on June 25 and at the James J. Eagan Civic Center on June 26 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the city’s official name change to Florissant in 1939.

Mayor Thomas P. Schneider, members of the City Council, Judge Dan Boyle and other representatives of the City of Florissant joined Old Town Partners at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25 in the 600 block of rue St. Francois, site of the first two City Halls, for the June edition of the “Wednesday Night Out” held by Old Town Partners on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

“The Louisiana Territory (in the 18th century) was ruled alternately and collaboratively by both France and Spain,” said Mayor Schneider to those in attendance.  “French Catholic pioneers traveling down the Mississippi stopped in a place where the soil was so fertile that flowering plants burst forth in abundance.  They used their French word for ‘flourishing’ to name this valley Fleurissant.

“In 1786 the Spanish governor (of the Louisiana Territory) came upon our prospering village,” added Mayor Schneider, “and bestowed the name San Fernando on our town…When we became part of the United States territory in 1804 the name was anglicized to St. Ferdinand.”

Mayor Schneider noted, though, that the original French name that had become anglicized as Florissant never went away and “persisted on historical documents and letters and maps…If you are confused then you know why Mayor (Arthur) Bangert and his City Council passed ordinance #129, officially changing the name of our city from St. Ferdinand to Florissant June 26, 1939.”

On Thursday, June 26, 2014, the official 75th anniversary of the city’s name change, Mayor Schneider, members of the City Council and City Department heads met with residents at a pair of Town Hall meetings that were held at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre.  They described the goals and objectives of the Administration for the City’s next 75 years. 

In honor of the City of Florissant’s 75th anniversary, a giant birthday cake prepared by Wedding Wonderland of Florissant was shared with everyone in attendance to mark the occasion.

Founded in 1786, Florissant is the largest city in St. Louis County, with a population of more than 52,000 residents.  The City of Florissant regularly is listed among the safest cities in America for its population range, and provides abundant services for all sectors of the community, including children, young adults and seniors.  In 2012, Florissant was ranked among the Top 75 Best Places to Live by CNN’s Money Magazine.

Florissant has two community centers, three swimming pools, a renowned theater, a covered skating rink, an abundance of parks and recreational sites, a new championship disk golf course and the only 18-hole municipal golf course in St. Louis County.  For more information, visit www.florissantmo.com or call 314-921-5700.

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