Ferguson: All-America City Finalist. Who Knew?

​St. Louis has an All-American city in its northern suburbs.

The National Civic League recently named Ferguson as one of 26 finalists in its 2010 All-America City Awards.

To become a finalist, Ferguson completed an application documenting three community projects that address their communities' most pressing challenges. Only 500 communities from around the country have earned this distinguished title over the past 61 years.

Ferguson will now send a delegation to Kansas City to tell sell its story to a jury of civic experts. The ten All-America Cities will be announced on June 18.

So what are Ferguson's three community projects that won over the judges?

As Ferguson spokesman Sam Anselm tells Daily RFT, the projects included a community garden, a neighborhood policing effort and the city's Challenger Learning Center that teaches children about space exploration.

Other cities named as All-America City finalists include:

Chandler, AZ; Bentonville, AR; Dublin, CA; Lynwood, CA; Rancho Cordova, CA; Vernon Central (neighborhood) CA; Miami Lakes, FL; North Miami. FL; Acworth, GA; Belleville, IL; Canton, IL; Noblesville, IN; Des Moines, IA; Lenexa, KS; Scott County, KS; Bowling Green, KY; Salisbury, MD; Riverside, MO; Lynbrook, NY; Gastonia, NC; West Chester, OH; Wyoming, OH; Mount Pleasant, SC; El Paso, TX; Abingdon, VA; and Middleton, WI.