Editing Arnold, Missouri (section)

== History ==
The [[Osage Nation|Osage peoples]] were the first people that lived in what today is Arnold, many artifacts have been found in the area that show there was an ancient Osage village near where the [[Meramec River]] meets the [[Mississippi River]]. In the area where 2 [[Mineral lick|salt licks]] used to be, [[human bones]] have been found, along with pottery shards and many other artifacts. The first European settler in Arnold, was John Hildebrand an immigrant from [[Germany]], that lived in Monongahela County, Pennsylvania. He was the first white settler in the area that is today Jefferson county, he established a settlement near [[Saline Creek (Mississippi River tributary)|saline creek]], with a fort for protection. In 1776 Jean Baptiste Gamache, who operated a ferry boat across the [[Meramec River]] was granted 1050 arpents of land by [[Charles III of Spain|king Charles III]] of [[Spain]]. This ferry was on the King's Trace or El Camino Real, from [[St. Louis]] to [[Ste. Genevieve, Missouri]].[https://arnoldmo.org/arnold-history-timeline/ <nowiki>[1]</nowiki>] [https://www.arnoldmo.org/thousands-of-osage-native-americans-called-the-arnold-area-home/#:~:text=Osage%20villages%20were%20spread%20along,the%20other%20on%20flat%20land. <nowiki>[2]</nowiki>]

=== Eminent domain ===
Arnold was a focal point over the [[eminent domain]] issue in Missouri.<ref name="mocourt">[http://www.courts.mo.gov/sup/index.nsf/9f4cd5a463e4c22386256ac4004a490f/43f3ef4f7bebaf208625739900544a81?OpenDocument] Case Summary for January 17, 2008</ref> In January 2004, the City of Arnold announced that THF Realty had approached them regarding developing a section of Arnold known as the Triangle,<ref name=showme>{{cite web|url=http://showmeinstitute.org/publication/id.85/pub_detail.asp |title=Show-Me Institute - Homer Tourkakis: Victim of Eminent Domain Abuse |access-date=2008-07-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706124210/http://showmeinstitute.org/publication/id.85/pub_detail.asp |archive-date=2008-07-06 }} Homer Tourkakis: Victim of Eminent Domain Abuse</ref> an area bordered by Route 141, [[Interstate 55 in Missouri|Interstate 55]] and Church Road in the city limits. The city voted in favor of the Triangle Development project proceeding on September 16, 2005.

According to an agreement with THF, Arnold would acquire the properties in the triangle and would be reimbursed its costs by THF. Arnold offered the property owners a buy-out, and most accepted. Some businesses were promised relocation<ref name=showme/> either in the new development or elsewhere in the city.  Others were not given this option. Some refused the offer, and the city moved to condemn the dissenting properties. One such hold out was Homer R. Tourkakis, the owner of a dental practice on the corner of the triangle formed by Route 141 and Interstate 55.

Tourkakis claims that THF never made a fair-market offer. THF claims they offered to rebuild his practice elsewhere and purchase his property for $600,000. Tourkakis's property was declared blighted, and Arnold sought to seize it under eminent domain. Tourkakis fought these proceedings in the Jefferson County courts. Arnold and THF argued that although incorporated cities are not explicitly granted the use of eminent domain does not imply they are denied it. The judge ruled that because Arnold is a third-class city, under Missouri law, it cannot use eminent domain to seize properties.<ref name=mocourt/> In appeal to the [[Missouri Supreme Court]], the decision was reversed, ruling that through the TIF act and the City of Arnold being an incorporated [[municipality]], had the right to use eminent domain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/mo-supreme-court/1145200.html|title=FindLaw's Supreme Court of Missouri case and opinions.|website=Findlaw}}</ref>

===Red light cameras===
In 2005, Arnold became the first city in Missouri to install [[red light camera]]s.<ref>Lynn Horsley, Caught Red Handed? Although Red-Light Cameras Haven't Gotten an OK in Kansas, Some Missouri Cities Are Installing Them, THE KANSAS CITY STAR, Apr. 1, 2006, p. A1</ref> A 2009 lawsuit against the cameras was dismissed on procedural grounds.<ref>Hoekstra v. City of Arnold, No. 4:08CV0267, 2009 WL 259857 (E.D. Mo. Feb. 3, 2009)</ref> In 2013 the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District ruled the Arnold red-light camera ordinance to be unconstitutional.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Thorsen|first1=Leah|title=No need to pay red-light ticket in Arnold|url=http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/no-need-to-pay-red-light-tickets-in-arnold/article_f85d27e3-230d-5cf0-81d6-dfbdbe05c7a9.html|access-date=27 June 2017|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=Feb 8, 2014}}</ref>

===Notable events===
On October 24, 1988 Republican vice-presidential candidate [[Dan Quayle]] addressed the students at Fox High School, listening to questions and discussing the fight on drugs.

On July 17, 1993 [[President of the United States|President]] [[Bill Clinton]] with several members of his cabinet held a "flood summit" at [[Fox High School]] during the [[Great Flood of 1993]]. During the summit, Clinton promised the governors of flood-damaged states that his administration would not abandon them once the water recedes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/archives/years-ago-the-president---and-the-world-/article_fef70b40-c0f4-53dc-b575-4b42a17c39a5.html/|title = 25 years ago: The president - and the world - get a stunning view of flood damage| date=July 17, 2023 }}</ref>

On April 29, 2009, [[United States]] President [[Barack Obama]] held a town hall meeting commemorating his 100th day in office at [[Fox High School]] in Arnold. Several members of the presidents cabinet and staff attended the event including senior White House advisers [[Valerie Jarrett]] and [[David Axelrod (political consultant)|David Axelrod]] and [[National Security Advisor (United States)|National Security Adviser]] [[James L. Jones]].

=== Meramec River flooding ===
The [[Meramec River]] crested at a record level of 47.26 feet on December 31, 2015, after a weekend of heavy rain, affecting over 300 homes and breaking the previous record crest from 1993.<ref>"Flooding cleanup continues in Arnold," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jan. 11 2016, http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/flooding-cleanup-continues-in-arnold/article_d0ae7567-0be2-560a-8f9b-53c56680b3e9.html, Accessed 6-27-17</ref> The floodwaters closed Interstate 55 at the Meramec just north of Arnold.<ref>Tim O'Neill, "Surging Meramec River swamps flood records and major highways," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Dec. 31, 2015, http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/surging-meramec-river-swamps-flood-records-and-major-highways/article_41b2d24a-5df9-5a77-a7b5-57b8005fd0f9.html, Accessed 6-27-17</ref>

Flooding struck again in 2017 after heavy rains, with the Meramec cresting at 45.62 feet on May 3. Only the southbound lanes of I-55 were closed by floodwater.<ref>Doug Moore, "Cleanup begins along Meramec as floodwater recedes, but sandbags remain with new crests coming," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 4, 2017, http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/cleanup-begins-along-meramec-as-floodwater-recedes-but-sandbags-remain/article_6737a1cd-5509-57c8-a512-688de23cfc8f.html, Accessed 6-27-17</ref> Approximately 20 homes were affected.<ref>Jacob Long, "Flood recovery begins for Arnold residents," KDSK, May 6, 2017, http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/flood-recovery-begins-for-arnold-residents/437338996, Accessed 6-27-17</ref>