As a suburban municipality, Webster Groves has its origins as five separate communities along adjacent railroad lines. Webster, Old Orchard, Webster Park, Tuxedo Park, and Selma merged in 1896 in order to implement public services and develop a unified city government. Webster Groves has been named a Missouri Creative Community, one of America's 100 Best Places to Live by Money magazine, one of the Best Cities for Families in America by Family Circle magazine, and is consistently included on lists of the Safest Cities in Missouri.