The East Gate entrance to Tower Grove Park is an example of the formal architecture that appears within the park. The gate consists of two stone pylons, each topped by a winged lion or griffin sculpture. Due to a heavy patina on the sculptures, they now appear green in color. The griffins were cast in zinc and installed at the East Gate entrance in 1872.The gate is flanked by an elaborate wrought iron fence and leafy trees. In total, the park has over 8,000 trees reflecting over one hundred different species, and it is today a certified arboretum. Yet, the Victorian park is perhaps best known for its historic architecture, including its buildings, pavilions, gateways, and statues. The East Gate is one of the most formal examples of architecture in the park. When Tower Grove Park was designed in the late 1860s, the city of St. Louis still lay to the east of the park. However, the park's founder, Henry Shaw, knew that the city would eventually spread west and encompass the area around this green space. While the landscape was once part of the countryside, Tower Grove Park is now an urban oasis in the heart of St. Louis.

Griffin statue at the East Gate entrance to Tower Grove Park

Griffin statue at the East Gate entrance to Tower Grove Park, circa 1930s

Architectural drawing of East Gate entrance

Tower Grove Park Nomination Form - National Register of Historic Places

More Info

Sequence of 13 images of the East Gate entrance, circa 1930s

The East Gate is the formal entrance to Tower Grove Park from Grand Boulevard. It is comprised of two stone pylons, each topped with a griffin or winged lion sculpture. The pylons are flanked by an ornate wrought iron fence that extends into the green space filled with trees. In the roadway median, a wrought iron sign with gold lettering welcomes visitors to the park. The gate was built circa 1872, and it reflects a formal style of architecture that was popular in the late nineteenth century.

East Gate 

Established in 1868 and opened in 1872, Tower Grove Park is now an accredited arboretum containing a notable collection of trees and plants, in addition to several Victorian-era structures. Its founder, Henry Shaw, believed in the importance of establishing parks in or near cities for the benefit and wellbeing of the public. This late-nineteenth viewpoint was held by several other philanthropists at the time.In Shaw's words, parks had immeasurable value, "not only as ornaments to a great city, but as conducive to the health and happiness of its inhabitants and to the advancement of refinement and culture." Because Shaw was interested in European culture, travel, and classics, much of the architecture throughout the park reflects this emphasis.Tower Grove Park is a National Historic Landmark, one of only eight parks in the U.S. to receive this designation. Nearly 300 acres, the landscape contains eleven Victorian pavilions that serve as picnic sites, as well as several waterlily ponds, a fountain with faux-ruins, formal gardens featuring tulips and other flowers, a park foreman's house, and historic horse stables. Along with intersecting footpaths, there is a carriage trail around the perimeter.In 2017, a master plan was approved to upgrade the park for the 21st century, while preserving its historic elements. The plan put an emphasis on accessibility, such as building a new bridge over the waterlily ponds, restoring courts for basketball (a Victorian-era sport), and adding two new playgrounds. There is also an expanded space for the open-air Saturday morning Farmers' Market, which is held near the Shakespeare statue.The 2017 master plan also included the restoration of a stream that once ran through the site. Evidence of the stream's existence were visible via the stone bridges traversing dry land. Although two other streams remained extant at the park, one stream was buried underground a century ago due to sanitation reasons. In recent years, park staff worked alongside the indigenous people of Osage Nation to restore this stream.The stream restoration project also entails the cultivation of local plants significant to the Osage people, particularly plants that have traditionally provided food and medicine. The Osage people lived on this land for over a thousand years until the arrival of European settlers in 1763; they were forced to cede the land to the U.S. government by treaty in 1808. With the completion of the stream restoration project in spring 2022, the Park seeks to honor the Osage people and include them in future efforts to revitalize the landscape.In 2022, Tower Grove Park celebrated its sesquicentennial (or 150th Anniversary) with a year-long celebration of special events. The calendar of events included "Love in the Park," held on site at the Roman Pavilion in June. Couples who had previously been engaged or married at the park were invited to renew their vows, and enjoy another 'first dance' and flower toss together.Throughout the year, the Park also hosts outdoor movie screenings, and it offers public tours of historic structures on site. In addition to being a popular destination for marriage proposals and weddings, Tower Grove Park is enjoyed throughout the seasons by photographers, cyclists, walkers, joggers, birders, and people of all ages.

Tower Grove Park was founded in 1868 by Henry Shaw, a retired merchant, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Shaw had previously established the Missouri Botanical Garden on land that was part of his country estate, located to the west of St. Louis. To expand upon this plan, he set aside another tract of land as green space outside the city for the public to enjoy, and Tower Grove Park emerged from this vision. The park is a National Historic Landmark, one of only eight parks in the U.S. to have received this special designation.

Designed by Eugene Greenleaf, the Old Playground Pavilion or 'summer house' was built in 1870-71. The Old Playground Pavilion is an octagonal structure with a domed roof. The original paint colors (blue and cream) have been maintained, along with bright yellow and red decorative trim. This is one of ten Victorian pavilions at Tower Grove Park, each with a distinctive look.In addition to a view of the children's playground, the pavilion overlooks a large expanse of grass that was used for croquet tournaments. At the time that Tower Grove Park opened to the public in 1872, recreational activities such as croquet and kite-flying were discouraged. The park's founder, Henry Shaw, preferred that people enjoy the park by driving through the landscape in horse-drawn carriages, strolling along the footpaths, admiring the gardens, or relaxing in the pavilions. Shaw funded free classical musical concerts as the park's major form of entertainment. It was not until years later that the park became a popular site for sports and recreational activities such as tennis, pickleball, and croquet.In 2021, Tower Grove Park restored and upgraded the Old Playground Pavilion. The structure received a fresh coat of paint, matching the original color palette, and lighting was added to illuminate the historic structure at night. This project coincided with the park's sesquicentennial in 2022 to ensure that this pavilion and others looked their best for the park's 150th Anniversary.

The Old Playground Pavilion in Tower Grove Park was built in 1870-71. Designed by Eugene Greenleaf, the octagonal Victorian pavilion features a blue bell-cast metal roof mounted by a dome-shaped cupola. Rounded arches and ornamental scrollwork add to its distinct style. The pavilion looks out on a croquet lawns as well as a playground. In 2021, the pavilion was renovated with lighting added to illuminate the historic structure at night.

Old Playground Pavilion

The South Gate Lodge was the final major structure constructed under the supervision of Henry Shaw, founder of Tower Gate Park. Built from rough limestone, the lodge was designed in an Italian villa style with an off-center tower and hip-roofed porches. Also characteristic of Romanesque Revival architecture, the lodge features rough-cut granite porch columns and two-tone stone masonry. Above the tower, there is a bell-shaped green metal roof which draws the eye upwards.Near the lodge is a gate comprised of limestone pillars with an ornamental wrought iron railing. The gate was designed in the monumental style, which was popular in the late nineteenth century. Although the south gate was originally intended as a pedestrian entrance, over time it became a busy thoroughfare for horse-drawn carriages, and later, for automobiles. The south gate on Arsenal Street was built in a complementary fashion to the north gate on Magnolia Avenue.Tower Grove Park was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1989. Along with several of the other Victorian-era buildings at the park, the South Gate Lodge is considered one of the contributing historic structures. At the time of the park's construction, it was described as "one of the most beautifully artistic and classically adorned places of its kind, of such limited area, that any city in the land can boast of."

South Gate Lodge is a Romanesque Revival structure near the southern entrance to Tower Grove Park. Originally, this was the pedestrian entrance to the park from Arsenal Street. The lodge was designed by the St. Louis architect George I. Barnett in the style of an Italian villa. Along with the south gate, it was built from limestone in 1888. Nearly a century later, it was restored as the park's headquarters in 1978. Today, it is home to ArtScope, an organization that provides educational opportunities for youths.

South Gate Lodge

Tower Grove Park opened to the public in 1872 as a place for scenic carriage drives, listening to musical concerts, walking along winding footpaths, and enjoying the shade of the park's pavilions. Prior to the park's founder, Henry Shaw, purchasing and donating this land from his country estate to the City, it was an open prairie landscape. Known as Prairie des Noyes, the land was used as common fields for agriculture, and crops were planted in long, narrow, rectangular rows. When the land was developed to become Tower Grove Park, the result was a landscape shaped in a long, wide, narrow rectangle. Located throughout the park, a series of Victorian pavilions provide decorative yet functional places to sit and enjoy the landscape. Built as a summer house offering shelter and shade, this red and white striped pavilion was originally a dovecote or dove house until 1892. The curved upper tiers of the metal roof are crowned by a bulb-shaped finial, while the outer posts and lintels are constructed of blue-painted iron. Further interior support is provided by paired wooden posts.In 1892, the Board of Commissioners decided to upgrade the pavilion, expanding its size and height. Large lower tiers were added to the red and white striped metal roof, which was supported by new iron posts. The structure later became known as the Turkish Pavilion due to the style of the roof. Located in the center of the park, it is most easily reached from the south gate entrance. In 2021, lighting was added to the interior roof of the pavilions so that they could be viewed while illuminated at night.

Built in 1871-72, this pavilion features a curved roof with alternating red and white stripes. Designed by the architect Eugene Greenleaf, it is one of the park's original Victorian-era pavilions, or 'summer houses.' Originally, the structure served as a Dove-cot or Dovecote (dove house), because it provided roosts for birds in the upper portion of the cupola roof. In 1892, the roosts were closed, and the structure underwent a renovation. New tiers added to the metal roof, and the base of the pavilion was also widened with additional iron beams for support.

Historic Dovecote and Pavilion

In 1867, the retired St. Louis merchant Henry Shaw began his second major philanthropic project in St. Louis with the establishment of a public park. He had already completed his first comprehensive project in 1859 with the founding of the Missouri Botanical Garden on land that was adjacent to his own country estate. In the 1860s, he decided to donate park of his estate in order to create Tower Grove Park.At that time, the city of St. Louis had not yet spread far enough westward to include the Missouri Botanical Garden or the land adjacent to it, which was part of Shaw's estate. However, residential neighborhoods were gradually developing and expanding the city's reach. Shaw recognized that the trend would continue, and he wanted to offer a place where people could escape the pollution and smog that beset downtown. He envisioned a new public park created in the Gardenesque style with winding paths, densely planted flower gardens, and colorfully-painted Victorian pavilions or 'summer houses.'From the start, the park was designed for the pre-automobile era. Horse-drawn carriages were the primary means of transit along the wide loop through the park, although pedestrians were also welcomed when the site officially opened to the public in 1872. As described in a Tower Grove Park brochure, the Old Carriage Shelter was an open-air pavilion that provided a rest stop for visitors arriving on horseback or in carriages. Those who were "desiring to stroll about in the shade while listening to the music could leave their horses or vehicles at this spot, where they would be safe and out of the way."

Designed in 1873 by Henry Thiele, this wooden pavilion near the Music Stand in Tower Grove Park was built as a rest station to support the many people who enjoyed carriage drives through the park in the late nineteenth century. At the time, the facility also included hitching posts for horses and a wooden fence built in the Chinese Chippendale style that has since been removed along with the hitching posts. The Old Carriage Shelter is one of ten colorful Victorian pavilions in Tower Grove Park. Each pavilion adds to the historic character of the landscape while offering places to sit and relax. Tower Grove Park was founded by the philanthropist Henry Shaw as a public space for people to enjoy the outdoors.

Old Carriage Shelter Pavilion

This statue depicts the nineteenth-century Prussian explorer, geographer, and naturalist, Alexander von Humboldt (1769 - 1859). Initially, Humboldt trained as a geologist at the School of Mines in Frieburg before devoting himself to scientific expeditions around the world. This 11-foot statue was cast from bronze by a German artist, Ferdinand von Miller, and it sits atop a 13-foot red granite pedestal designed by George I. Barnett. The pedestal contains four bronze panels featuring details about Alexander von Humboldt's life. The first panel contains an image of Mount Chimborazo, the tallest mountain in Ecuador (which, at one time, was believed to be the tallest mountain in the world), as Humboldt was the first European to climb to this volcanic peak. With the help of local guides, he was able to reach the summit, and remarkably, he did so without the use of any supplemental oxygen. Afterwards, Humboldt created detailed drawings of the volcano's micro-climates and flora, and his work helped to establish the formal study of geobotany (botanical geography) and climatology. His maps and writings influenced numerous nineteenth-century scientists, naturalists, and philosophers, including Charles Darwin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau. Some of his books were read widely by general audiences, as he popularized scientific concepts.As depicted on the statue's second panel, Humboldt was also the first known European to travel the Amazon River to its source. Although this panel was stolen in December 1974, it was later recovered and reinstalled in 1995. Humboldt's extensive notes on South America inspired the nineteenth-century landscape painter, Frederic Edwin Church, to also travel to Ecuador, where he spent nine weeks sketching landscapes in order to create his masterpiece, Heart of the Andes (1859). Based partly on Church's own sketches, it also drew heavily upon Humboldt's maps and descriptions of the region, including its mountains, rivers, valleys, flora, fauna, and human inhabitants. Church's painting depicts at least 100 specific species of plants and trees in a densely vegetated landscape of varied topography. Included in the painting are many of the same plants that Humboldt cataloged, including the passion flower, the arum flower, and the morning glory vine. In addition, Church's painting depicts a village near a river, as well as humans engaging directly with the natural world, with the overall composition portraying an integrated ecology of plant, animal, and human life in alignment with Humboldt's philosophy.According to his biographer, Andrea Wulf, Humboldt endorsed a holistic view of nature in which he recognized the interconnectedness between peoples and cultures around the world, and between humans and nature. While traveling throughout the U.S., Humboldt decried the existence of slavery, penning an open letter that he hoped would convert President Jefferson to abolitionism. During the early 1800s, the Napoleonic Wars disrupted science in Europe, and Humboldt struggled to secure financing for his expeditions. As he eventually received funding from the Spanish Crown, some historians have examined his work in the context of nationalism. Others have focused on his contributions to nineteenth-century science, noting that Charles Darwin acknowledged being influenced by Humboldt, despite that Darwin's theory of natural selection seemed to challenge Humboldt's ecological worldview. Some scholars have highlighted Humboldt's respect for indigenous knowledge in the places he traveled, such as his reliance on local guides in South America. While opinions about Humboldt may vary today, in 1869 (the centennial of his birth), his popularity remained so strong even after his death, people in various parts of the world celebrated him with parades and statues.An exhibition on Alexander von Humboldt at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 2020-21 presented him as a renowned international scholar and as one of the nineteenth century's most widely-admired public figures, noting that even though his name disappeared from popular memory in the U.S. in the twentieth century, many of his ideas did not. Andrea Wulf's biography of Humboldt, The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World, pointed out that numerous towns, counties, schools, and parks in Europe and America have been named in Humboldt's honor (along with the Humboldt Current and the Humboldt penguin), yet few people today are familiar with his writings or contributions to science. She posited that Humboldt's popularity began waning in the early twentieth century, due to anti-German sentiment during World War I. Yet while Humboldt's legacy may have faltered, his ideas continued to be referenced, and they are being revisited today through the lens of ecology.When Henry Shaw, the founder of Tower Grove Park (and the Missouri Botanical Garden), commissioned the statue of Humboldt in the late 1870s, he was certainly aware of Humboldt's scientific contributions and writings on the natural world, especially as Humboldt was also a popularizer of science. His books, including the five-volume Cosmos published between 1845 and 1862, remained in circulation after his death, and his name was still known to many people at that time. Henry Shaw commissioned the German artist, Ferdinand von Miller, to create the statue of Humboldt at his Royal Bronze Foundry in Munich. Many other notable nineteenth-century U.S. monuments had been cast at this foundry. After completing the Humboldt statue, Miller shipped it to Missouri, where it was installed in Tower Grove Park during a dedication ceremony in November 1878.The third bronze panel on the pedestal of the Humboldt statue includes an inscription honoring travelers, while the fourth and last panel contains an image of the park's founder, Henry Shaw. The Friends of Tower Grove Park, the German American Heritage Society, the Victorian Society of America, and other donors provided the funding for the panels commemorating the life of the Prussian naturalist and explorer. The Humboldt statue in Tower Grove Park sits opposite a bronze cast of the English playwright William Shakespeare, also created by Ferdinand von Miller. There were originally four statues in the park, along with six busts of musical composers, which are still on site. The Tower Grove Park Board of Commissioners voted to remove one of the statues, a bronze of Christopher Columbus, in June 2020 in response to protests, with the Board stating that the Columbus statue symbolized "a historical disregard for indigenous peoples and cultures and destruction of their communities." The other three statues remain standing.

This bronze statue depicts the nineteenth-century Prussian naturalist, geographer, and explorer, Alexander von Humboldt (1769 - 1859). Humboldt is credited with shaping a nineteenth-century understanding of ecology in a Western scientific context through his travels and detailed studies of geobotany (botanical geography), climatology, geology, and other earth sciences. While exploring Ecuador's Mount Chimborazo in South America, Humboldt produced detailed, illustrated maps depicting plants in various micro-climates. He also put forward his theory of isotherms, or climates shared across different parts of the world. As Humboldt reflected on the intersection between nature and culture, his work also integrated various scientific disciplines and fields of study. A holistic, environmental thinker and popularizer of science, Humboldt wrote several influential treatises, including his five-volume Cosmos: A Sketch of a Physical Description of the Universe, which was published between 1845 and 1862. The Humboldt statue in Tower Grove Park was created by the German sculptor, Ferdinand von Miller, and was installed at the park in 1878.

Alexander von Humboldt Statue

The Music Stand in Tower Grove Park was built in 1872. This octagonal, open-air gazebo is situated on a grassy knoll, surrounded by the busts of six famous musical composers: Mozart, Wagner, Rossini, Gounod, Beethoven, and Verdi. It was a favorite location of the park's founder, the St. Louis merchant Henry Shaw.During the late nineteenth century, Sunday afternoon concerts were performed in the Music Stand. The interior of the roof was lowered in 1910, and interior lighting was later added. The color palette has been modified from originally muted tones of olive, cream, mustard, and brown to brighter shades of white, red, and turquoise. However, the original bright red roof has been preserved, with thin decorative vertical stripes in navy.The octagonal, gazebo-style structure bears stylistic resemblance to the ten iconic pavilions in the park. These Victorian-era structures have been preserved since the park was established in the late nineteenth century (opened to the public in 1872), and they contribute to the park's designation as a National Historic Landmark.Today, the Music Stand still remains in use for weddings, special concerts, and performances. During 2022, Tower Grove Park celebrated its 150th Anniversary by offering music and other lively festivities throughout the park.

The Music Stand is one of the best-known features in Tower Grove Park. Built in 1872, it was designed by Eugene Greenleaf. The octagonal open-air bandstand has a dome-shaped red roof, upon which is mounted a tall finial. The roof is supported by six columns constructed from Missouri granite. The original colors (brown, mustard, cream, and olive) have been modified, and the pavilion is now painted in white with turquoise trim. Bright red paint is still used for the dome-shaped roof and other decorative trim.

Music Stand, Tower Grove Park

The Fountain Pond and Ruins in Tower Grove Park contains a historical plaque embedded at the site, noting that the 'faux' ruins were created between 1872 and 1873 by Henry Shaw, the park's founder. Henry Shaw was an entrepreneur who envisioned a grand plan for a park and botanical garden in St. Louis. Both Tower Grove Park and the adjacent Missouri Botanical Garden emerged from his initial vision. The stones that were used to create the Fountain Pond and Ruins are historic, having been repurposed from the Old Lindell House Hotel, which was destroyed in a fire in 1867. The Lindell Hotel was an ornate, six-story building constructed in iron, brick, and stone. As a premiere hotel in St. Louis, it was considered an architectural marvel. When it caught fire on March 30, 1867, its well-to-do residents were convinced that they would remain safe within the strong, solid edifice. However, this was not the case.An article from the Missouri History Museum describes how the hotel's residents continued eating and drinking in a state of revelry, so sure were they that the hotel was fireproof. Their folly has since been compared to the passengers on the Titanic who falsely believed their ship to be unsinkable, as the Lindell Hotel did in fact end up destroyed by the fire. A new Lindell Hotel was built on the same site in 1874, yet it too caught fire in 1885, and it was eventually demolished. Although the destruction of the Old Lindell Hotel was a great loss to the city, Henry Shaw decided that its stones could be used for the design of a decorative fountain and rockery in his Tower Grove Park. In keeping with the fashion in landscape architecture at the time, the stones were meant to appear in the style of an 'ancient' ruin from classical antiquity. Thus, the historic stones that once comprised the nineteenth-century Lindell Hotel were repurposed to evoke a decorative fountain from ancient Europe.

One of the premiere attractions in Tower Grove Park, the Fountain Pond and Ruins contains stones from the Old Lindell House Hotel. The historic stones were used to create a decorative fountain and rockery, featuring stonework arranged artistically within the landscape. Nestled amidst the historic stones are flower gardens and benches. There are also several waterlily ponds nearby. The site is a focal point within Tower Grove Park, which opened to the public in 1872 and is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

Fountain Pond and Ruins

Following Henry Shaw's vision for the creation of a new park on land that was located just outside the city of St. Louis, Tower Grove Park opened to the public in 1872. It remains an accessible counterpart to the adjacent Missouri Botanical Garden. To date, Tower Grove Park is still considered the best-preserved example of a late nineteenth-century Gardenesque style landscape in the U.S. Gardenesque is a formal style of landscape architecture that emerged during the Victorian Era in Britain, while also becoming popular in America during the late 1800s. Characterized by its use of orderly, symmetrical design and large swaths of bright foliage, it was distinct from picturesque landscaping, which had a more naturalistic look. The Gardenesque style favored dense groupings of ornamental plants and colorful annual flowers. In addition, ornate architectural elements such as gates, pavilions, and gazebos were often incorporated into Gardenesque landscapes.A collection of archival photographs from the Missouri Historical Society offers a glimpse of an outing at the park, circa 1900 - 1905. These photographs show women holding parasols and men wearing top hats while standing on the waterlilies in the middle of the pond. Because the plants were exceptionally large and sturdy, the visitors were easily able to balance on them and remain afloat. In one particular image, a man in a suit was photographed holding a small child, while standing on a waterlily. Another image shows a young woman in a full-length dress playing a violin, while balancing perfectly atop a waterlily in the pond.

The historic waterlily ponds at Tower Grove Park were the vision of Henry Shaw, founder of the park and of the nearby Missouri Botanical Garden. Established in 1872, the 285-acre park was situated on land south of the city and designed in the formal Gardenesque style. In 2008, the park underwent a major restoration, after which the waterlily ponds more closely resembled their original nineteenth-century appearance. A collection of photographs at the Missouri Historical Society depicts visitors to the park (circa 1900 - 1905) standing atop the large waterlilies.

Historic Waterlily Ponds

Englishman Henry Shaw relocated to the U.S. and became a successful merchant in St. Louis by selling supplies to settlers as the nation expanded westward. Retiring at an early age with considerable wealth, he became a philanthropist, establishing the Missouri Botanical Garden and the adjacent Tower Grove Park, which opened in 1872. Both projects were influenced by Shaw's return trip to London, England, where he viewed the 1851 Great Exhibition that was held in the Crystal Palace. The Crystal Palace was a gigantic conservatory filled with artifacts, innovations, and plants from around the world. These exhibits and displays were intended to symbolize the wealth of the British Empire. Using his own funds to establish Tower Grove Park in St. Louis, Henry Shaw commissioned the Piper Palm House as a greenhouse for the park's collection of tropical plants, such as palms and orange trees. Situated within an open air plaza that looks out onto the historic waterlily ponds, the conservatory-style building features huge windows and an atrium ceiling that allows considerable light to enter. Today a venue for weddings and corporate events, the brick palm house was originally designed to house lush tropical plants that required warm temperatures and sufficient sunlight. At one time, it was also used as a Victorian tea house. There are still several towering palm plants that line the interior of the space. These are juxtaposed between marble busts of musical composers, which have been placed along the main interior walls. The Piper Palm House is included among the park's historic structures in the new illustrated book, Tower Grove Park: Common Ground and Grateful Shade. Written by Amanda E. Doyle, the book details the park's founding and history, including its Victorian-era structures, as well as its ecological significance. It was published in 2022 to commemorate the sesquicentennial, or 150th Anniversary, of the park.

Built in 1878, the Piper Palm House holds the distinction of being the oldest greenhouse located west of the Mississippi River. Situated at Tower Grove Park, it was constructed as a place to overwinter the park's collection of tropical plants. In 1885, a nearly identical building, the Piper Plant House, was constructed adjacent to it. Although both structures were primarily used as greenhouses since the late nineteenth century, the Piper Palm House now serves as a venue for weddings and other special events.

Piper Palm House

Tower Grove Park was designed with four major entrances at each of the cardinal directions. Similar to the three other gates at the west, south, and east of the park, visitors could enter through the North Gate on foot or in a carriage. Horse-drawn carriage drives through the park, especially on Sunday afternoons, were a popular weekend activity for those who could afford this form of transportation. The North Gate was constructed from stone and designed in a grand, monumental style. The stones used in the columns were obtained from the St. Louis Courthouse, following the renovation of that building in 1870. The columned gate is flanked by flowering trees in springtime, and there is a view of the park superintendent's house when looking to the southeast.Tower Grove Park was established by the retired merchant Henry Shaw. In alignment with ideals of late nineteenth century philanthropy, Shaw wanted to create a public green space where people of all classes could enjoy the outdoors, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. At the time, St. Louis still lay to the east of the park, although it was slowly expanding westward. Because the city was beset by smog, Shaw envisioned the park as a place for people to escape urban crowding and enjoy fresh air.

Built between 1870 and 1872, the North Gate is the entrance to Tower Grove Park from Magnolia Avenue. This gate includes two towering ornamental stones columns, which were intended to create an impression of grandeur when visiting the park. The columns were constructed in a formal, monumental style that was favored by landscape architects in the late nineteenth century. The stones used in the columns came from the St. Louis Courthouse following the renovation of that building in 1870.

North Gate

Created in 1911, the historic lawn tennis courts at Tower Grove Park are unique in the midwest, according to the tennis pro on site. In an article written for the local newspaper, West End Word, David Linzee recounts how the park's tennis pro, Joe Kovar, had the task of calling other area tennis facilities to figure out how much to charge people to rent time at the courts. He was surprised to find that there were no other lawn tennis courts anywhere in the region, even in Chicago. In 1912, clay courts were added to the site, and tournaments began to be held each spring and summer. Four decades later, a dozen all-weather hard-surface asphalt courts were built in 1952, along with a stone memorial pavilion at the entrance. Designed by Study, Farrar, and Majars in a classical style with a central loggia, the pavilion was modified by Schwarz and Von Hoefen in 1966 with a new east wing. Dedicated to the park's founder, Henry Shaw, the pavilion is similar in appearance to the park's Roman Pavilion and Old Comfort Station. Bronze plaques were added to commemorate Shaw's role, along with "three generations of Gurneys who watched over the park" from Shaw's death until 1976. Lawn tennis is a traditional Victorian-era sport, perhaps most recognizable from the professional British tournament known as Wimbledon, which is played on grass courts. However, grass courts can be expensive to maintain and are notoriously difficult to play on, as they create a more challenging and unpredictable surface area compared to clay or asphalt. The courts can become slippery due to rain, and players often find themselves sliding to reach a shot when the court is damp. For these reasons, most contemporary tennis players prefer clay or asphalt courts.In 2017, the park's all-weather hard-surface courts were resurfaced, and new pickleball courts were also added to the site. Invented in the 1950s, pickleball is a relatively new sport that is enjoying a current wave of popularity, It makes use of smaller court sizes compared to traditional tennis. During the spring and summer, tennis and pickleball tournaments are held at Tower Grove Park, including traditional tennis matches on the lawn courts. People can sign-up to play tennis and pickleball, including participation in tournaments, for an annual membership fee.

Tower Grove Park has three historic lawn tennis courts (built in 1911), in addition to clay courts (1912) and a dozen all-weather asphalt courts (installed in 1952). Pickle-ball courts were also added to the park in 2017. Lawn tennis is a traditional Victorian-era sport, yet grass courts are notoriously difficult to play on and to maintain, as compared with other surfaces. According to the tennis pro at Tower Grove Park, these lawn courts are the only remaining grass tennis courts in the midwest. For an annual membership fee, players can use the courts and participate in tournaments. At the entrance to the tennis and pickleball courts is a classical stone pavilion, built in 1952 and dedicated to the park's founder.

Historic Tennis Courts 

As a Victorian-era landscape, Tower Grove Park was designed with pedestrians in mind. Footpaths as well as carriage trails were created so that visitors could enjoy the gardens and ponds throughout the landscape, which opened to the public in 1872. Horse-drawn carriages were the primary means of transportation for affluent residents of St. Louis during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Such visitors enjoyed carriage rides through the park as a way of escaping the crowds and pollution of the city.Once automobiles became the primary means of vehicle transport, however, the carriages were put aside for several decades. Then, in 1998, a philanthropist came forward to help the park purchase two Victorian-style carriages and a horse as a way of celebrating the history of the site. Around this same period, the stables underwent a renovation project, upgrading the space and adding a small office to the building. Following this restoration, Tower Grove Park now owns two horses: a Clydesdale gelding named Moonshine, along with a companion animal, a Shetland pony named Sheffield. A full-time stable master cares for these animals in addition to looking after several chickens.Today, visitors can experience the historic landscape during a carriage ride around the park, followed by a tour of the stables featuring a history of the site. Recently, the park's executive director, Bill Reininger, discussed the inclusion of horses back to Tower Grove Park. In his own words, Reininger described how “the clip-clop of hooves from a horse-drawn carriage ringing out in the Park creates a magical connection to the past.”

Built in 1868, these historic stables are adjacent to the Park Foreman's Residence in Tower Grove Park. Constructed from coarse limestone in a deliberately rustic, vernacular style, the building includes a ten-stall horse stable. There is also a bell-tower that is reminiscent of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Following the design and completion of Tower Grove Park, the landscape was opened to the public in 1872 as a place for strolling along the footpaths, enjoying the formal gardens, and going on horse-drawn carriage rides. Over a century later, in 1989, the park was designated a National Historic Landmark. The horse stables are considered a contributing structure to this historic landscape.

Historic Horse Stables, Tower Grove Park

Built in 1870, the west gate and gatehouse were constructed from rough-hewn limestone in the Gothic Revival tradition. Gothic Revival was an ornate architectural style that was popular during the nineteenth-century in Europe and the U.S., although it was rarely used in Missouri.The gatehouse was designed as a step-gabled stone lodge, initially containing one bedroom and one bathroom. The gate was constructed as two stone towers, each forty feet tall. Evoking the appearance of a small castle, the west gate and gatehouse are contributing structures to the park's designation as a National Historic Landmark. Because the park was initially designed for carriages, the west gate needed to be wide enough for horse-drawn carriages to pass through. The park's founder, Henry Shaw, had purchased and donated the land for the park from his own country estate. Shaw wanted the gate and gatehouse to give an impression of grandeur at the park's western entrance. In the 1860s and 1870s, Tower Grove Park was still considered west of the city. Over time, however, it became part of St. Louis as development increased and the city grew larger. The park was founded in 1868, and it officially opened to the public in 1872. In 2022, the Park raised $1.3 million for a renovation of the west gate and gatehouse. The slate roof was replaced with titles that more accurately reflected the original purple-tinted slate roof, with the letters "TGP" for "Tower Grove Park" spelled out in the stone. The gatehouse was also converted for use as park office space.

At the western entrance to Tower Grove Park, this 1870 gate and gatehouse are the only examples of Gothic Revival architecture within the park. They are also one of the few examples of the Gothic Revival style in Missouri. In keeping with the vision of the park's founder, Henry Shaw, the opulent gate and gatehouse were designed to create an impression of grandeur. Constructed from coarse limestone, the gatehouse features a step-gabled roof, while the castle-like gate is comprised of two forty-foot limestone towers. The park opened to the public in 1872, and it is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

Tower Grove Park

East Gate

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information