Editing Bridgeton, Missouri (section)

===Modern history===
[[File:Tornado - Bridgeton, Mo. , May 18, 2011 -- This home located on Old St. Charles Road in Bridgeton was among the hardest hit during the Good Friday tornado. A Disaster Recovery Cente - DPLA - f869615df241810eb71eae337ba69813.jpg|thumb|right|Building damaged by tornado, 2011]]
By 1950, Bridgeton's population was 276, lower than it had been in the late 1790s and early 19th century. The city expanded in size during the decade, growing through [[annexation]], to {{convert|16|sqmi|km2}}. The decade included the founding of the Northwest Chamber of Commerce,<ref>[http://www.northwestchamber.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=86 About Us] from the Northwest Chamber of Commerce website</ref> the [[chamber of commerce]] for the [[Northwest St. Louis]] area, which includes Bridgeton.<ref>[http://www.northwestchamber.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=109&Itemid=76 Community Home] from the Northwest Chamber of Commerce website</ref>

This led into its period of greatest residential growth, the 1960s, during which nearly 8000 single-family homes were built. Denser development was strong during that decade as well, at nearly 2000 units. Unlike with single-family development, the multi-family development continued at about the same average pace during the 1970s and 1980s.

In 1968, the city bought the [[Payne-Gentry House]], the oldest home in Bridgeton, from the heirs of the Payne Gentry family and built Gentry Park around the home. The home was later put on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and contains the oldest surviving doctor's office in Missouri.

While residential construction nearly ended in the 1990s, that decade had seen significant growth in commercial development. [[Levee]]-protected [[floodplain]]s of the river, together with good access to interstate highways, rail, and the airport have translated into continued growth for Bridgeton and nearby communities, and a diversification of the city's tax base.  Proximity to [[Lambert-Saint Louis International Airport]] proved to be a mixed blessing. Starting in 1995, an expansion plan for the airport,<ref>{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> centered on a new runway plan called W-1W, was fought (unsuccessfully) by the city. The new runway led to the elimination of 2000 homes in the city, most notably in the Carrollton subdivision, undoubtedly playing a significant role in the city's recent population decline.<ref>{{cite web| title= Bridgeton prepares to move city offices| url= http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/metro/news/bridgeton-prepares-to-move-city-offices/article_c126c810-4c21-5cb2-ba2b-00148df20a90.html| date=November 30, 2010 | first=Scott | last= Bandle | publisher= STLtoday.com| access-date=2013-03-12}}</ref>