The town of St. Peters is located in Dardenne township, 10 miles west of St. Charles, on the low lands adjacent to Dardenne creek. The first settler was Joseph Trenly, who came into the vicinity in 1823, although there was no effort made to create a village until 1868, when the present plat and survey was perfected by Henry Reineke and H. Deppe, who laid out the town. Tradition has it that as far back as 1819, the Jesuits established a mission school on the hills, now included in the town, but it is not positively known where the school was located. Connected with the flourishing Catholic church, mentioned hereafter, is a large and successful parish school, and the town also has the advantage of a good graded public school system.

The various branches of mercantile business are well represented, it being at the junction of the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific, and St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern Railways.

In 1882 the village was literally overflowed by the waters of Dardenne creek. The event resulted in considerable damage to property, and created a sudden demand for high residence property.