Historic Tennis Courts

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.

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.

Tennis and Pickleball, Tower Grove Park. Accessed November 20th, 2022. https://www.towergrovepark.org/tennisandpickleball.

Linzee, David. Old-Fashioned Lawn Tennis At Tower Grove Park, West End Word. May 6th, 2012. Accessed November 20th, 2022. https://www.timesnewspapers.com/westendword/opinion/old-fashioned-lawn-tennis-at-tower-grove-park/article_e2787c50-c19e-5e86-a125-34f672eeed5d.html.

Tennis Center - Tower Grove Park, Waymarking. Accessed November 20th, 2022. https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMQBC0_Tennis_Center_Tower_Grove_Park_St_Louis_MO.

Tower Grove Park Nomination Form - National Register of Historic Places, NPS. Accessed November 20th, 2022. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/92221a8a-360f-48f9-8289-6fab4fc22b65.

McGrogan, Ed. USTA. May 19th, 2017. Accessed November 20th, 2022. https://www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/national/grass-court-tennis-in-the-u-s-.html.