Northampton - Saint Louis, MO

Two Spanish land grants originally bound up this area of St. Louis in the late 1700s, and city officials platted it into tracts in the mid 1800s. The tracts were then subdivided up until the first quarter of the 20th century. The various architectural styles of this section developed from the late 1800s up to the mid 1900s and create an eclectic balance.

This neighborhood's infancy laid the groundwork for the culture that distinguishes it. Two active neighborhood associations keep this little pocket of St. Louis nurtured and informed. They put pressure on city officials if something needs to be fixed or cleaned up, and get the work done as soon as possible. The Tiles Park Neighborhood Association looks after the western half of North Hampton and Kinghighway Hills Neighborhood Association takes care of the eastern section.

With so many restaurants and neighborhood bars within and on the immediate outskirts of Northampton, residents can walk to a different place every night, and many do.

Customers rave about the mixed drinks served at the Famous Bar and describe it as a little bit upscale and a little bit of a dive. You can expect live entertainment on a regular basis, but a cover charge may apply, depending on the artists that play this lounge. The Famous Bar opened its doors in 1933 and has operated continually under several different names. The Anheuser-Busch brewery built this walk-in, and the beautifully crafted mahogany bar counter saw many finely-attired patrons order drinks across it after prohibition ended.

Take a walk three blocks to the east, and have a seat at the Southtown Pub. This happening spot celebrates something every month of the year with customer specials. Southtown Pub can brag about its growth without fear of sounding immodest. It has grown from a crumbling building to a major destination that draws St. Louis revelers from all over the city, yet it keeps a family-type atmosphere for locals. Check out the appetizer menu if you need a little something in your belly. It's not a big menu, but it's good eats.

Hungry for some pancakes? Get in line. At Uncle Bill's Pancake and Dinner House, you wait for a table at peak times. St. Louis holds a generational appreciation for Uncle Bill's, and it never closes. People eat there 24/7. Everything they serve is cooked with enthusiasm, and the waitresses call their customers "hun." Try the chicken-fried steak with yummy gravy and cloud-like biscuits for dinner, then order one of the 15 types of pancakes for dessert, if you can pass up the pies and cakes.

Driving remains the preferred method of transportation, but many residents enjoy walking to visit pubs and eateries. Cars must share Macklind Avenue with bicycles, and two dedicated bike trails run from Oleatha Avenue and Sublette Avenue north to Arsenal Street. Two cab companies and Uber operate in St. Louis and provide services to Hazelwood. Metro St. Louis Transit bus routes 90, 11 and 95 make stops on Hampton Avenue, Chippewa Street and South King's Highway Boulevard, respectively. No convenient Metrolink stations exist near the neighborhood, but the Central West End Metrolink Station, available by bus, is the closest.

South Kingshighway intersects with Interstate 44 two miles north of North Hampton. From there you can head east to downtown St. Louis where Interstates 55 and 64 merge with I-44 a few miles apart.

North Hampton residents make full use of Tiles Park, the heartbeat of the neighborhood located on the western border. The Tiles Park Neighborhood Association schedules a yearly park clean-up day and sponsors movie nights under the stars. Families can bring their picnics and chairs and watch a movie projected onto the side of the handball courts.

The St. Louis Parks and Recreation Department presents Winter Wonderland at Tiles Park every year from late November to January 1. People visit Tiles Park from all over St. Louis to see the explosion of Christmas-themed lighted displays for an admission fee, and rides in the horse drawn carriages. Traffic attendants guide the vehicular tours.

Tiles Park provides residents with a small bicycle path, eight athletic courts and fields, a playground and a hockey/skate rink. Visitors can walk their dogs on leashes.

A one-bedroom apartment ranges from just under $600 up to $1,000 per month. It costs 2 percent more to live in North Hampton than in St. Louis, which is about 3 percent less than the national average.

The St. Louis Metro Transit system accepts cash fares on both the rail and bus systems, which are $2.50 and $2 respectively. A one-day pass to ride both systems costs $7.50.

Northhampton certainly cooks. Several grocery and specialty-food stores open their doors for residents only one mile away from any direction. Schnucks, a large grocery chain with a bakery, pharmacy and deli, sits on the south side, with Shop and Save one mile to the east. The Tower Grove Farmers Market, three miles north, opens on Saturdays and features local farming produce and artisan vendor's products.

Salume Beddu produces the fine Italian and European cured meats and carries a large inventory of Italian specialty products. It dishes out appetizing lunch specials between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Try out one of their customer's favorites, pork sugo, slow-cooked all day and ladled over a rich bed of polenta.

African Naturals serves a healthy purpose with their products, selling African/Jamaican groceries and health-related supplements, plus natural cosmetics and beauty products. Customers consider the people who operate this store extremely knowledgeable about all of the products.

G&W Bavarian Style Sausage Company carries delectable German, Cajun, Italian and Mexican specialty sausages, plus condiments, clothes and gifts. G&W treats their customers to a complimentary beer if they have to wait in the lines that form during peak business hours. They also provide deer and game meat processing.