The 370 Valley encompasses a unique location within the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers — with the “Little Hills” on the Southern Border and the karst topography that makes up Pere Marquette State Park and the river bluffs on the Northern Border.
A large swath of this land includes the fertile soil of Orchard Farm that is home to multi-generational farming that helps produce a number of crops — such as soybeans, corn and wheat. Not only does the farming in this area help provide feed and fuel to the country, but it also plays a vital role in the conservation efforts of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Confluence.
This confluence is a major part of one of the great natural highways and migratory routes for birds — with over 325 species passing through on an annual basis that occupy conservation zones, such as the Pelican Island Natural Area and the Marais Temps Clair Conservation Area. These zones offer some of the most diverse and frequent bird-watching opportunities throughout each of the four seasons.
With such a large footprint and one that is nestled in between the two largest rivers in the US, the 370 Valley area offers up a plethora of recreational activities for all walks of life and is an all-inclusive area for an active lifestyle.
From canoeing the Mississippi Water Trail to cycling the backroads of Orchard Farm to fishing on the many lakes in the region, there is no shortage of activities for folks to explore. The best part is that all of the recreation is just a hop, skip and a jump away from the local neighborhoods, enabling people to have a regular hobby—whether it be on the weekends or weekdays.
FISHING
With over 20 designated fishing areas, one can argue that the area offers some of the most diverse fishing in the entire state of Missouri—from the 140 acre Lakeside 370 area, to the Fountain Lakes region, to the banks of the Mississippi River, to the neighborhood lakes in New Town & Charlestowne, one can encounter a diverse range of fish species that vary in size from small sunfish to large catfish.
CANOEING & KAYAKING
With two identified water trails in the area—the Dardene Blueway and the Mississippi Water Trail—paddlers can experience the waterways as day outings or as multi-day trip experiences, including opportunities to camp on the beaches that line the islands of the Mississippi River. Paddlers can also take a more leisurely pace on the main lake at Lakeside 370 or in one of the neighborhood lakes/access points.
CYCLING
With over 60 miles of country roads in the confluence and Orchard Farm, this area offers some of the best, uninhibited road cycling in the entire State of Missouri. That, coupled with a trip across the river on the Golden Eagle Ferry to ride the bucolic hills of Calhoun County, provides an experience like no other in the metropolitan region. The Boschert Greenway also provides a pathway to connect New Town directly to Frenchtown.
PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS
With the number of families in the region, there are numerous parks and playgrounds to entertain the little ones over the weekend or on a weekday during the long days of summer. A few highlights in the area include the Lakeside 370 Park, the Jaycee Park off of Elm Street, Blanchette Park near Little Hills Expressway, the animal park in New Town and the DuSable Playground. Each one of these parks offers unique play structures—with the Lakeside 370 and Elm Street locations also having splash zones in the warmer months. Lakeside 370 and DuSable also offer dog parks.
TEAM SPORTS
There is no shortage of sports that both youth and adults can get involved with in the area. Whether it be the youth soccer programs at they SLYSA and St. Charles Soccer Complex fields, the DuSable Cricket Cages, Portage Des Sioux youth baseball programs or the active pickleball program in New Town, team sports play an active part in the community.
RESTAURANTS & SHOPPING
From the 370 highway, there are two main exits to access restaurants and shopping in the area—the Elm Street/New Town Blvd exit and the Old Highway 94/3rd St. Exit. Each area offers unique options, from the likes of Massa’s Italian Restaurant and El Agave near the exit or smoked barbecue from BobaQue in New Town. Farther east, Old Highway 94 includes a range of fare—from Greek food at Gyros to sourdough pizza and craft beer at Good News Brewery. Both the Frenchtown and New Town areas also offer boutique style shopping.
NEIGHBORHOODS & SCHOOL DISTRICT
The most concentrated area of homes lies off of the Elm Street/New Town Blvd and Boschertown Road/highway B—with the largest developments being the Charlestowne group of neighborhoods and New Town. Multi-generational farms make up the vast majority of the Orchard Farm area, with a few new developments, such as the Twin Silos neighborhood, in that region. The main school district is the Orchard Farm School District—comprised of two elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.
BUSINESS
The area boasts large manufacturers in the aerospace industry, including Boeing, and numerous logistics companies. The newly developed Premier 370 Business Park is an 850-acre business community that has attracted big names like Amazon and Best Buy. Premier 370 has access to rail and more than 4 million total square feet of space to accommodate a full spectrum of real estate business solutions. Additionally, multiple professional and services businesses call 370 Valley home and The Commons—a coworking space in New Town—has recently become the go-to space for startups and small businesses to plant themselves and blossom. Business development in the area has helped to spur population growth in the 370 Valley corridor.
