East Gate

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.

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.

Nomination Form - National Register of Historic Places, NPS. Accessed November 9th, 2022. https://preview.catalog.archives.gov/id/63818182.

Tower Grove Park, East Gate Entrance, 4255 Arsenal Street, Saint Louis, Independent City, MO, LOC. Accessed November 9th, 2022. https://www.loc.gov/item/mo0167/.

Griffin Statue | Tower Grove Park - East Entrance Gate | St. Louis, MO, City of St. Louis Missouri Flickr. Accessed November 9th, 2022. https://www.flickr.com/photos/stlouis-mo/28143902116.