Chesterfield has a rich and varied history. Did you know Chesterfield, now a thriving community of nearly 50,000, once housed a prisoner of war camp during World War II on a farm located in Chesterfield Valley (formerly Gumbo Flats)? Or, that Chesterfield has the dubious honor of being the site of the first criminal execution by court order west of the Mississippi? A complicated family feud resulted in the first murder in the area. In 1807, local resident, George Gordon, married the widow Priscilla Long. After a short-lived and bitter marriage, including episodes of adultery, threats, and lawsuits, Priscilla’s son, John Long Jr., shot and killed his stepfather, Gordon, as he left the Longs’ mill one morning. Following a trial and subsequent appeal, Long was sentenced to death by hanging. The Missouri Gazette reported that Long was “launched into eternity” on Sept. 20, 1809. You might also be surprised to know that the home of Missouri’s second governor, American attorney and politician, Frederick Bates — Thornhill, built in 1817 — still stands today in Faust Park. An early “commuter,” Governor Bates would ride his horse down to the Missouri River, take the ferry across the water, and make his way to the capitol building in St. Charles. At the end of the day, he would “commute” the same way, back to his home in Chesterfield. Call or visit our local Chesterfield Commons Dobbs Tire & Auto Centers for all of your tire and automotive maintenance and repair service needs, including brakes, alignments, oil changes, and more.
