MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS: ESSAY THREE

LOUIS SCHMIDT

"OAKLAND AVENUE"

AROUND THE PARK THE LAND WAS MOSTLY FARMLAND WITH CLUSTERS OF HOUSES ALONG CLAYTON ROAD AND SOME INDUSTRY ALONG THE MO-PAC RR SOUTH OF THE PARK. KINGSHIGHWAY RAN EAST OF THE PARK WITH A JOG THAT GAVE THE PARK A PROJECTION IN IT'S SOUTH-EASTERN CORNER. NOW KINGSHIGHWAY HAS BEEN STRAIGHTENED OUT FROM OAKLAND, ACROSS THE PARK TO CONTINUE NORTH AROUND BARNS HOSPITAL. SKINKER EDGED THE PARK ON THE WEST. NEITHER ROAD WAS EVEN GRAVELED. SKINKER ALSO USED SOME PARK LAND WHEN IT WAS WIDENED AND PAVED. TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH NO ROAD DIVIDED THE PARK FROM THE SURROUNDING LAND. ON THE SOUTH SIDE PARK LAND HAD TO BE USED TO MAKE OAKLAND, THE STREET CAR TRACKS, AND HIGHWAY 40 WHICH WAS ALSO WIDENED TO FOUR LANES EACH WAY. NOT TOO SURE OF THE NORTH SIDE. I DON'T THINK IT WAS BOTHERED.

IN THE 1880'S THE "OLD MAN HUT SWIMMING HOLE" WAS ON THE RIVER DES PERES SOUTH OF OAKLAND AVE. BETWEEN THE LATER WALSH STADIUM AND ST.LOUIS U HIGH, THIS WAS SO CALLED AFTER AN OLD MAN WHO LIVED THE LIFE OF A HERMIT IN A LITTLE SHACK NEARBY. AT THIS TIME THE RIVER DES PERES DIDN'T GO UNDER GROUND. CITY SERVICES FINALLY REACHED THE PARK IN 1885.

THIS LAND WAS ORIGINALLY OWNED BY CHARLES GRATIOT. HE RECIEVED WHAT WAS CALLED "GRATIOT LEAGUE SQUARE" (3 SQ.MI.), A LAND GRANT FROM THE SPANISH IN 1785. AFTER CHARLES' DEATH IN 1817, THE LAND WAS DIVIDED AMONG HIS NINE CHILDREN IN APPROX. 1000 FT.STRIPS. THE STRIP I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT BECAME THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF FOREST PARK. ON THE NORTH SIDE OF WHAT IS NOW OAKLAND AVENUE NUMBER FIVE CHILD,EMILY ANNE WHO MARRIED PETER CHOUTEAU-ABOUT 1100FT. ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WHAT IS NOW OAKLAND AVENUE NUMBER TWO CHILD,VICTOIRE WHO MARRIED SYLVESTRE LABBADIE - APPROX.1100FT. ALL THIS WAS FROM KINGSHIGHWAY TO BIG BEND.

BY 1850 PIERRE CHOUTEAU OWNED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF OAKLAND. PETER LINDELL OWNED ON THE SOUTH SIDE FROM SUBLETTE TO BIG BEND. H.H.COHEN OWNED A SMALL STRIP FROM SUBLETTE TO RIVER DES PERES. PIERRE CHOUTEAU OWNED FROM RIVER DES PERES TO KINGSHIGHWAY ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH OF MANCHESTER,AND ALSO EAST OF KINGSHIGHWAY WHICH TURNS OUT TO BE GENERALLY WHERE HAUDRAULIC PRESS BRICK CO. WAS IN LATER YEARS.

IN 1870 CHARLES P.CHOUTEAU AND JULIA MAFFITT OWNED NORTH OF OAKLAND. SOUTH OF OAKLAND THE LAND WAS BROKEN INTO FIVE TO TWENTY ACRE PLOTS. AT THE SAME TIME THE CLAY MINING STARTED. AS AN EXAMPLE-THE CHOUTEAU MINE OPERATED AROUND 1853 ALONG BERTHOLD NEAR KINGSHIGHWAY. THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN MINE (I THINK IT WAS THE HIGHLANDS MINE IN THE 1860'S, MAY-BE THE GRATIOTS OLD MINE OF THE EARLY 1800'S.) MINING TOOK PLACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OAKLAND GENERALLY UP TO 1900. NOW WHEN I SAY OAKLAND, IT MUST BE REMEMBERED OAKLAND DID NOT EXIST IN THE 1870'S AND 80'S. THE ONLY REAL ROAD, AND THAT WAS DIRT WAS CLAYTON. IT ENTERED THE PARK AT THE PRESENT CLAYTON AND KINGSHIGHWAY AND EXITED AT THE PRESENT CLAYTON/OAKLAND INTERSECTION. MACKLIND (ST.LOUIS AVE.) ENTERED THE PARK AND INTERSECTED WITH CLAYTON, AS DID UNION (THEN NAMED SECOND KINGSHIGHWAY)

IN 1875 FOREST PARK WAS PURCHASED BY THE CITY FROM C.P. CHOUTEAU, JULIA MAFFIT, WILLIAM FORSYTH, THOMAS SKINKER, AND OTHERS FOR $799,995.00.(OTHERS - LOUISA G.BURNETT, M.G. HOLLIDAY, WARREN F. PITNEY, WILLIAM D. GRISWOLD, ROBERT FORSYTH, PHILIP DONAHUE AND ROBERT H. FRANKLIN, L.H. BAKER ET AL, HERCULES McCORD, McKILLTPICK, W.A. BRAWNER, HERMAN H. AND FRED W. LAUMEYER, SAM N. HOLLIDAY, C. WITTENBERG, (FROM THE BOOK FOREST PARK).THE PARK WAS ORIGINALLY A BEAUTIFUL FOREST, BUT THERE WERE THE ABOVE MENTIONED ESTATES AND SMALL FARMS. THERE ALSO WAS A MINE WHERE THE ZOO IS NOW(FROM HISTORY OF CHELTENHAM AND ST.JAMES PARISH). MORE NAMES - WILLIAM BRADY, JOSEPH HEFELE, ANDREW KENNEDY, THE TOWNSENDS, JOHN HUNTER, THOMAS LOFTUS, HUGH SHIELDS, AND WILLIAM REAGAN. IN THE 1326 ACRES OF FOREST PARK THERE WERE 29 PARCELS THAT RANGED FROM 294 ACRES DOWN TO LOTS. DAVID TRACY, FATHER OF JULIE TRACY LIVED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF FOREST PARK NEAR THE HIGHLANDS. THE SCHWENKER HOME, ONCE IN THE PARK WAS MOVED TO 1310 GRAHAM ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS ALSO MOVED TO GRAHAM.

IN 1875 A NEW MISSOURI CONSTITUTION CONTAINED A SECTION CALLED "THE MUNICIPAL DIVORCE BILL". IT DEFINED A PROCEDURE FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE CITY AND COUNTY. IT STIPULATED THAT IF THE CITY AND COUNTY SEPARATED, THE CITY WOULD TAKE OVER THE PARKS AND THE PARKS TAX AND ASSUME THE ENTIRE COUNTY DEBT. THE CITY COULD CHOOSE TO EXTEND IT'S BOUNDARIES PAST ALL THE PARKS, WHICH IT DID IN 1876.(THIS INCLUDED CORONDELET,FOREST PARK,AND FAIRGROUNDS PARKS).THE PANIC OF 1873 CAUSED IN PART BY SIMILAR REAL ESTATE SPECULATION NATIONWIDE, LED TO A RECESSION THAT CONTINUED PAST 1876.

FOREST PARK OFFICIALLY OPENED TO THE PUBLIC ON JUNE 24,1876. THE CIVIL WAR HAD ENDED TWELVE YEARS EARLIER. GENERAL GRANT WAS PRESIDENT,AND THIRTY-SEVEN STATES IN THE UNION, AND GENERAL CUSTER WOULD BE KILLED THE NEXT DAY. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WAS HOLDING IT'S NATIONAL CONVENTION IN DOWNTOWN ST.LOUIS IN JUNE. FOREST PARK WAS IN ST.LOUIS COUNTY, ALMOST TWO MILES WEST OF THE CITY LIMITS, A FORTY MINUTE CARRIAGE RIDE FROM DOWNTOWN. IN SPITE OF THE DISTANCE, 50,000 PEOPLE CAME TO THE PARK FOR THE OPENING DAY CEREMONIES. THE PARK WAS PERFECT. THE GENTLE SLOPES PROVIDED A VARIETY OF SCENERY. SPORT FISH JUMPED IN THE PARKS CLEAR STREAMS, SUCH AS RIVER DES PERES. THE FOREST THAT GAVE THE PARK IT'S NAME WAS INDESCRIBABLE IN IT'S LOVELINESS. THE LARGE TREES STOOD AS NATURE PLANTED THEM. COOL WINDS GAVE A RETREAT FROM THE OPPRESSIVE HEAT OF THE CITY.

IN 1891 A NEW MOUNTED POLICE STATION WAS BUILT ON 20 ACRES IN THE PARK. THIS WAS ON THE SITE OF WHAT IS NOW THE PLANITARIUM. THE PANITARIUM NOW HAS A COMPANION BUILDING,THE SCIENCE BUILDING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OAKLAND WITH A BRIDGE OVER HY.40,AND A TUNNELL TO THE PLANITARIUM. THERE IS ALSO A SCIENCE TYPE SCHOOL JUST WEST OF THE SCIENCE CENTER.

ALSO IN 1891 ANNA SNEED CAIRNS MOVED THE KIRKWOOD SEMINARY WHICH STARTED IN 1861 TO THE SITE THAT WOULD BECOME THE ARENA LATER. SHE BOUGHT SEVEN ACRES AND HER HUSBAND BUILT A BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL. THEY CALLED IT "FOREST PARK UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN" (COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND SCHOOL OF ART AND ELOCUTION). IN 1900 SHE BOUGHT MORE LAND WHICH INCREASED IT TO TWELVE ACRES.(FROM ST. LOUIS LOST).IT WAS IN THE CORNER WHERE CLAYTON INTERSECTS WITH OAKLAND. THERE USED TO BE A DEAD END STREET NAMED CAIRNS JUST A HALF BLOCK WEST OF THE INTERSECTION, WHICH MEANS HER PROPERTY COULD HAVE BEEN FROM THERE TO OAKVIEW PLACE, JUST WEST OF THE ARENA.(VERIFIED ON AN 1899 PLAT MAP) KO KOVERLY'S WAS AT THAT CORNER LATER, AND ALSO A TV TOWER. NOW CHANNEL 11 AND A FAST FOOD IS THERE. MRS.CAIRNS WAS A LEADER IN BOTH THE PROHIBITION AND WOMENS SUFFRAGE MOVEMENTS. THE SCHOOL WAS A PREPARATORY SCHOOL AND SERVED BOTH BOARDING AND DAY STUDENTS. UNTIL THE STREETCAR LINE REACHED THE UNIVERSITY IN 1895, DAY STUDENTS TRAVELED BY HORSES AND WAGONETTES, WHICH CROSSED THE PARK HOURLY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THE STREETCAR LINE. THE STREETCAR REMAINED THE BEST WAY TO THE CAMPUS FROM THE CITY, SINCE THERE WAS NO ROAD ALONG THE PARKS SOUTHERN EDGE.

WHEN THE CITY AUTHORIZED OAKLAND IN THE LATE 1890'S, THE ROAD RAN WEST FROM THE UNIVERSITY TOWARD ST.LOUIS COUNTY, NOT EAST TOWARD THE CITY. MRS. CAIRNS WAS A STRONG WILLED WOMAN AND THE BACKBONE OF THE SCHOOL, AND THE WATCH-DOG FOR THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF FOREST PARK. A LEADER IN THE FOREST PARK SOUTH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. SHE WAS GETTING TOO OLD,(IN THE 80'S),TO KEEP GOING AND THE SCHOOL WENT DOWN. IN 1926 SHE SOLD THE LAND TO A DEVELOPER. BY THE TIME SHE DIED IN 1930 THE LAND HAD BEEN DIVIDED AND SOLD. THE ARENA WAS BUILT IN 1929. THE ARENA HAS BEEN CLOSED, BUT WE ARE STILL HOPING FOR SOMETHING TO MOVE IN THERE. HOPEFULLY THE PROPOSED AQUARIUM.

IN THE SOUTH EASTERN CORNER OF THE PARK(KINGSHIGHWAY AND OAKLAND) WAS AN ENTRANCE WITH A CIRCLE DRIVE. IN 1895 "THE MISSOURI PAVILION" WAS BUILT HERE TO SERVICE THE CHOUTEAU AVENUE LINE OF THE LINDELL R.R.CO. WHEN IT WAS EXTENDED TO FOREST PARK. THE LINE WAS EXTENDED ALONG THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF FOREST PARK AND CALLED "THE FOREST PARK LINE" TO SERVE THE "FOREST PARK HIGHLANDS",WHICH WAS OPENED AS A BEER GARDEN (BIG PLACE ON THE HILL)IN 1896. IT OFFERED A MINSTREL SHOW, COMEDY GYMNASTS, AND "THE 20TH CENTURY COMEDIAN".

THE FOLLOWING YEAR ANTON STEUVER BOUGHT THE BEER GARDEN AND CHANGED IT INTO A SUMMER GARDEN, OR AS STEUVER ADVERTISED,AN "AL FRESCO PARK--ESPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN." STEUVER, A DEMOCRAT, HAD POLITICAL CONNECTIONS AND OTHER BUSINESS INTERESTS. HIS POSITIONS INCLUDED BREWER WITH THE HOME BREWING COMPANY (WHOSE BOTTLED AND DRAUGHT BEER WERE SOLD AT THE HIGHLANDS), AND PRESIDENT OF THE HIGHLANDS FIRE CLAY COMPANY, EAST OF THE AMUSEMENT PARK. HE PROMOTED AN AMUSEMENT RIDE, THE SCENIC RAILWAY, AND A "HIGH-CLASS AND REFINED VAUDEVILLE",IN A NEW PAVILION MANAGED BY J.D. HOPKINS. HIS FIRST PROGRAM ON MAY 23,1897 FEATURED MARIE DRESSLER, AT PRICES RANGING FROM TEN TO THIRTY CENTS. BY THE TIME OF THE WORLDS FAIR IT WAS AN AMUSEMENT CENTER. IN 1904 THE WORLDS FAIR OPENED. TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE WENT BY DEC.1, AN AVERAGE OF 100,000 FOR EACH DAY THE FAIR WAS OPEN. IT ONLY USED HALF THE PARK,AND WENT TO BIG BEND. IT HAD A TALL WROUGHT IRON FENCE AROUND IT. AN ENTRANCE WAS AT HAMPTON. IT COST FIFTY CENTS FOR ADULTS.

I THINK I'VE FOUND THE MYSTERIOUS RAILROAD THAT I HEARD WENT UP THE EAST SIDE OF LOUISVILLE FROM THE MO/PAC TRACKS. ON A MAP OF THE WORLDS FAIR, A RAILROAD ENTRANCE AT APPROX. THE INTERSECTION OF LOUISVILLE AND OAKLAND. THE MAP SHOWED THE TRACKS, LOCOMOTIVE HOUSE, AND COAL CHUTE. IT WAS CALLED "TAYLOR CITY BELT R.R.". THE TRACKS WENT ALONGSIDE VALLEY ROAD (DALE), THEN ALONG SANFORD, AND UP A LITTLE VALLEY WHICH YOU CAN RECOGNIZE ON WEST PARK WHERE IT MAKES A LOW DIP JUST EAST OF LOUISVILLE, THEN PAST WISE AND CLAYTON TO THE PARK. IT THEN WENT AROUND THE EDGE OF THE FAIR, THEN BACK TO THE ENTRANCE. I SUSPECT CLAYTON ROAD WAS LOWER AND MORE IN LINE WITH THE LITTLE VALLEY. GEORGE ODE RECALLS A WOODEN BRIDGE ON CLAYTON ROAD OVER THE TRACKS.

"THE WEST END HEIGHTS AMUSEMENT CENTER"

THE STREET CAR ALSO BROUGHT THIS AMUSEMENT CENTER. NOT SURE WHAT THIS ENTAILS, WAS LUCKY TO FIND IT. WEST END HEIGHTS WAS AN AREA(APPROX.) FROM HI POINT ON THE EAST, WISE ON THE SOUTH, CITY LIMITS ON THE WEST, AND CLAYTON ON THE NORTH.-(FROM A 1905 PLAT MAP) I REMEMBER A POST OFFICE, AND A SMALL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT ON OAKLAND JUST INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. THE POST OFFICE NAME SURLY WAS "WEST END HEIGHTS POST OFFICE".I'LL FIND OUT. THIS CENTER ALSO BURNED IN 1913. THE HIGH POINT THEATER AND THE CHESHIRE INN ARE NOW IN THIS LOCATION. THERE IS NO DEFINITE LOCATION OF THE AMUSEMENT CENTER. BY 1926 THE HI-POINT CORNER, ALREADY CONTAINED A MOVIE THEATER AND TWO GAS STATIONS. ONE OF THE STATIONS STOOD ON A TRIANGLE OF LAND THAT HAD BEEN OFFERED TO THE CITY AS AN ENTRANCE TO FOREST PARK. IN 1922 AFTER THE CITY HAD IGNORED THE OFFERED SALE FOR EIGHTEEN MONTHS, THE OWNERS WITHDREW THE OFFER AND SOLD TO THE PIERCE OIL COMPANY. THIS IS NOW THE STANDARD SIGN (AMOCO).

"ST.LOUIS U.HIGH"

IN 1924 "ST.LOUIS U.HIGH" - COMPLETED AT KINGSHIGHWAY AND OAKLAND.IT HAD STARTED IN 1818 AS PART OF ST.LOUIS UNIVERSITY,AND WAS CALLED "ST.LOUIS ACADEMY". ST.LOUIS U. HIGH MOVED NEXT TO ST. LOUIS U. STADIUM IN THE MIDDLE 1920'S. THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THE UNIVERSITY SHARED THE PLAYING FIELDS. BY 1930 THE CITY HAD IMPROVED ACCESS TO THE SCHOOL BY OPENING OAKLAND AVE WHERE FORMERLY THERE HAD BEEN ONLY STREETCAR TRACKS, FROM KINGSHIGHWAY WEST TO FOREST PARK UNIVERSITY, THUS COMPLETING THE FRAME OF ROADS AROUND THE PARK.

"WALSH STADIUM" WAS JUST WEST OF ST. LOUIS U HIGH, ABOUT WHERE THE RIVER DES PERES CROSSES OAKLAND (BUILT IN 1930 - DEMOLISHED IN THE 1950'S). ORIGINALLY ST.LOUIS U.STADIUM. IN THE 50'S THERE USED TO BE MIDGET RACERS, AND THEN STOCK CAR RACES THERE. ST.LOUIS U.HIGH HAS A SPORTS FIELD THERE NOW, AND THE NEW SCIENCE CENTER MAY TAKE UP PART OF THE AREA.

"CHIPPING AWAY"

IN 1913 THE CITY SET ASIDE 70 ACRES FOR THE ZOO. IN 1918 THE CITY SET ASIDE LAND NEAR THE MOUNTED POLICE STATION FOR A LANDING FIELD FOR AIR-MAIL SERVICE. IT ONLY LASTED A YEAR.THIS IS WHERE THE BALL FIELDS ARE NOW ACROSS FROM THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.THE MOUNTED POLICE HAVE A STABLE THERE NOW. THIS COULD BE THE ORIGINAL HANGER.

ALSO IN 1918 THE CITY REJECTED ANTON STEUVER'S PLAN TO MINE FIRE CLAY UNDER THE PARK. THERE WAS A RICH VEIN THERE AND HE THOUGHT HIS COMPANY WOULDN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT THAT CLAY.(THE HIGHLAND FIRE CLAY COMPANY)

IN 1919 THE PARK DEPARTMENT AND THE RED CROSS OPENED A VACATION VILLAGE CLOSE TO THE ZOO FOR THE POOR. THEY HAD A HOSPITAL WITH A NURSE, A MESS TENT, A SHOWER TENT, AND CAMPING TENTS AND EQUIPTMENT, PLUS A CHILDRENS PLAYGROUND.

IN THE 1920'S THE LAND NOW FREE FROM THE RIVER DES PERES WHICH BECAME AN UNDERGROUND SEWER AND THE JEFFERSON LAKE BUILT ON TOP OF IT. THIS LAND WAS WANTED FOR MANY DIFFERENT PROJECTS. 1) A NEW CENTRAL HIGHSCHOOL, 2) A 50,000 SEAT STADIUM. NOTHING HAPPENED, BUT ANOTHER TRY WAS MADE IN 1935 NO/GO.

THE SOUTHEAST CORNER WAS ALWAYS A TARGET. SOME WANTED NEW BUILDINGS JUST LIKE THE 1920'S. PROPOSALS FOR A NEW CITY PSYCHOPATHIC HOSPITAL AND A STATE CANCER HOSPITAL WERE MADE IN THE 1930'S, THEN DISCARDED FOLLOWING LOUD OPPOSITION.

THE DEACONESS HOSPITAL MOVED FROM MIDTOWN IN 1928 TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION. IN THE EARLY 1920'S THERE WAS A COAL MINE HERE. THE NAME OF THE MINE IS UNKNOWN. THE LAND FILL BEHIND THE ODE HOUSE ON LOUISVILLE IS FROM THE HOLE THEY DUG FOR THE BASEMENT OF DEACONESS. THE NEXT FEW YEARS BROUGHT NEW CONSTRUCTION ALONG OAKLAND WEST OF THE UNIVERSITY. APARTMENTS A FEW BLOCKS WEST,IN 1928, AND THE JEWISH ORPHANS' HOME IN THE LATE 1920'S.

AFTER MRS. CAIRNS DIED, IN SEPT. 1926 THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SPONSORED ANOTHER ACTIVITY IN SOUTHERN FOREST PARK INTENDED TO BOLSTER THE ECONOMY. MORE THAN 300,000 PEOPLE WENT TO THE ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION ON FORTY ACRES ALONG THE PARKS SOUTHERN EDGE. IT TOOK THREE MONTHS TO BUILD, AND WAS TO RUN FOR TWO WEEKS. THEY WERE RAINED OUT, SO EXTENDED ANOTHER WEEK BUT RAINED THEN TOO. IT LOST MONEY AND LOST SUPPORT FOR ANOTHER ONE. THE PEOPLE AROUND THE AREA SIGHED A RELIEF, ESPECIALLY THE HOSPITALS ALONG KINGSHIGHWAY FOR THE PATIENTS HAD BEEN DISTURBED BY THE "FRENCH 75" CANNON, FIRED AS PART OF THE ENTERTAINMENT.

IN 1928 A GROUP OF STABLES OUTSIDE THE PARK'S SOUTHERN BOARDER ON MACKLIND ATTRACTED HORSEBACK RIDERS TO FOREST PARK. THE MISSOURI STABLES AND THE J.E. VAN EPPES STABLES BOARDED AND RENTED HORSES. BOTH STABLES OFFERED LESSONS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FOR GROUPS. THE PRIVATE RIDING AND HUNT CLUB SERVED MEMBERS ONLY. ALMOST ALL RIDERS ARRIVED BY CAR, THEN MOUNTED AND RODE ALONG THE FOREST PARK BRIDLE PATH. EARLY MORNING WAS THE POPULAR TIME, ESPECIALLY SATURDAY FOR CHILDREN AND SUNDAY FOR ADULTS. IN 1929 THE CITY INSTALLED A STOPLIGHT TO HALT AUTO TRAFFIC ON OAKLAND. FROM HORSEBACK, RIDERS COULD CONTROL THE LIGHT, WHICH THEY HAD HELPED PAY FOR. RIDERS PRESSURED THE CITY TO KEEP THE FOREST PARK BRIDLE PATH WELL MAINTAINED AND WELL MARKED. I THINK THIS IS NOW THE JOGGING,BIKE TRAIL.

IN 1936 THE "OAKLAND EXPRESS WAS OPENED CUTTING OFF THE SOUTHEAST CORNER.

THEN IN THE 1940'S THE ARMY RECREATION CAMP PREVENTED BUILDING IN THE CORNER UNTIL AFTER THE WAR. THE ARMY RECREATION CAMP IN THAT CORNER HOUSED SERVICE MEN ON LEAVE FROM FORT LEONARD WOOD, SCOTT FIELD, AND OTHER NEARBY BASES. IT WAS THE FINEST REST CAMP ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

IN THE 1950'S THE FIRE WARNING SYSTEM AT OAKLAND AND KINGSHIGHWAY BUILT A HALF UNDER GROUND BUILDING WHICH FACES OAKLAND.

ALSO THE BARNES HOSPITAL BUILT AN UNDERGROUND GARAGE IN THE PARK, AND MADE A PARK AND TENNIS COURTS ON TOP.

IN 1975, ENCOURAGED BY BARNES HOSPITAL'S PARKING LOT, THE SOLOMONS TRIED TO GET A PARKING LOT IN THE PARK FOR THE ARENA. THIS FAILED.

IN 1976 THE CHILDRENS HOSPITAL TRIED TO EXPAND OVER KINGSHIGHWAY AND INTO THE PARK

MOST ATTACKS ON THE PARK HAVE BEEN BEATEN. BUT DON'T BE RELAXED, IT'S NOT OVER YET. THE MUSEUM IS BEING EXPANDED, ALSO THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL. TO CAP IT ALL OFF THE LATEST PROPOSAL IS TO USE MORE PARK GROUND FOR THE METRO LINK, ABOVE OR BELOW GROUND INCLUDING UNDER THE ZOO. MOST OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION WAS TAKEN FROM THE BOOK "FOREST PARK"

THE LATEST NEWS IS THE UNDERGROUND SEWER (60FT. DOWN) WHICH IS BEING TUNNELLED UNDER McCAUSLAND,THE PARK,AND SKINKER TO UNIVERSITY CITY. THIS WILL BE USED TO SEPARATE SEWAGE FROM THE RAIN DRAIN. THIS MUST HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. REMEMBER THE SMELL?

RICHMOND HEIGHTS

INCORPORATED IN 1913,IT ADJOINS THE "INNER SUBURB" OF MAPLEWOOD ON THE NORTH, WHICH ALSO SHARES A HIGH SCHOOL NAMED FOR BOTH COMMUNITIES. THIS WAS PART OF GRATIOT LEAGUE SQUARE (TO BIG BEND). TWO STRIPS OF THIS LAND WERE OWNED BY PETER LINDELL AND PAUL GRATIOT (FROM OAKLAND TO DALE). HIGH POINT FELL INTO THIS AREA. FREDERICK E.NIESEN,A WEALTHY ST.LOUIS REAL ESTATE MAN STRAYED WHILE QUAIL HUNTING IN 1887. HE LOVED THE AREA SO MUCH, HE PURCHASED THE PROPERTY FROM ARMAND FRANCOIS ROBERT THE COUNT de GIVERVILLE (AN HEIR BY MARRIAGE OF THE CABANNE FAMILY), AND BUILT A FRAME MANSION IN 1892. DURING THE NEXT DECADE,THE NIESENS WERE JOINED BY OTHERS, AND THE CHILDREN PLAYED IN THE RUINS OF CIVIL WAR ERA POWDER HOUSES WHICH HAD BEEN PUT UP BY THE UNION ARMY TO REPEL A POSSIBLE ASSAULT BY CONFEDERATE GENERAL STERLING PRICE.

THIS AREA BECAME MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ST.LOUIS WITH THE COMPLETION OF AN ELECTRIC STREETCAR LINE ALONG THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF FOREST PARK IN 1895. AN AMUSEMENT PARK CALLED WEST END HEIGHTS WAS BUILT AT CLAYTON AND McCAUSLAND. THE PARK REMAINED IN EXISTENCE UNTIL 1914. WITH THE COMING OF THE WORLDS FAIR, ATTENTION CAME. JOHN RANKIN DYER BOUGHT 120 ACRES ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HEIGHTS. SOME OF THE HOUSES IN THAT PORTION,THEN CALLED SUNSET HILLS, WERE BUILT WITH LUMBER SALVAGED FROM THE DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS ON THE FAIRGROUNDS.

DURING THE LATE 1890'S, A BRANCH OF THE ST.LOUIS AND KIRKWOOD RAILWAY WAS BUILT FROM HI-POINT SOUTHWEST TO A CONNECTION WITH IT'S MAIN LINE IN BRENTWOOD. ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE ST. LOUIS CROSS-COUNTY RAILROAD OPENED A LINE FROM HI-POINT TO A JUNCTION WITH THE CLAYTON LINE AT WYDOWN BLVD. AND DeMUN. THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE CITY LIMITS CAR LINE, WHICH WAS EXTENDED SOUTHWARD TO MAPLEWOOD IN 1918.IN THE POST-FAIR PERIOD A "DINKY" OPERATED FROM WEST END HEIGHTS TO THE CENTER OF RICHNOND HEIGHTS.

A "MORAL BLEMISH" ENGENDERED AN EARLY EXPANSION OF THE CITY'S BOUNDARIES IN 1919. THIS PROBLEM AROSE FROM A FORMER ROADHOUSE AND PICNIC GROUNDS CALLED "CAMPBELL'S FOREST HOME", ON THE SITE OF THE OLD GUNPOWDER HOUSES. DURING THE WW1 ERA, THE PLACE WAS TAKEN OVER BY GAMBLERS. THEY CONVERTED IT INTO A "DEN OF INIQUITY" FEATURING ALL FORMS OF GAMBLING, AND A BARRELL HOUSE SALOON. IT WAS THE TARGET OF NUMEROUS ATTACKS FROM THE PULPIT AND THE PRESS. THE VOTERS OF RICHMOND HEIGHTS AT LENGTH APPROVED ANNEXATION OF A THREE BLOCK-WIDE AREA NORTH FROM THE CITY BOUNDARY TO CLAYTON RD. INCLUDING THE FOREST HOME. IN 1920 THE HOUSE MYSTERIOUSLY BURNED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PROPERTY WAS AQUIRED BY THE SISTERS OF ST.MARY AS THE SITE FOR THEIR NEW HOSPITAL WHICH OPENED IN 1923. THE FOREST HOME EXPERIENCE LEFT IT'S MARK ON THE LAWS OF RICHMOND HEIGHTS. THEY RAN A TIGHT SHIP - EARLY ORDINANCES - NO POOL ROOMS, LIMITED TAVERNS, $300.00 FINE FOR BETTING, A DRY LAW FROM 1912 TO 1937.