Deerfield, MO

Deerfield is a town located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 10,868 at the 2010 census. Deerfield is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The town of Deerfield was founded in 1836 and named for General James Wilkinson's estate near the town site. The first settlers were Irish immigrants who arrived in 1835 to work on the construction of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad through what would become Deerfield Township. In 1838, a post office was established and by 1840 there were enough residents to form a village with a population of about 100 people. The village grew rapidly as farmers settled around it and businesses opened to serve them; by 1850, the population had reached 1,000 people and by 1860 it had reached 2,500 people.

In 1870, Deerfield Township was created from portions of Manchester Township and Clayton Township; this growth continued as new farms were developed and more homes were built to accommodate the growing population. By 1890, Deerfield had a population of 6,000 people and it continued to grow rapidly; by 1920 it had reached 12,000 people and by 1930 it had reached 20,000 people. In 1940, Deerfield annexed portions of Manchester Township which increased its size even more; as of 2010 it has a population of over 10 thousand residents!

Today's economy in Deerfield is based largely on services rather than agriculture; however there are still many farms in the township which provide food for local consumers as well as livestock for local farmers markets or slaughterhouses. Manufacturing also plays an important role in the economy with companies such as Emerson Electric Company having plants in town along with other smaller businesses which provide goods and services needed by residents or businesses in the area.