Cherokee Street is the proud host to St. Louis’ most eclectic celebration. The Cinco de Mayo Festival celebrates Mexican heritage, but also places on display the multiplicity of creative people living, working, and playing along this historic street. At this outdoor event, a throng of thousands sample delectable fare (emphasis on antojitos, Mexican street food like tacos, tamales, and tortas) from local restaurants, food trucks, and food tents, while listening to live music on three stages, and browsing through exhibits by so-called “Cherokee People” (the artists and entrepreneurs who live and/or work in the neighborhood).
The origin of the Missouri Botanical Garden is a story steeped in the history of its founder, Henry Shaw. Mr. Shaw moved to St. Louis from Sheffield, England, around 1819, and set up a hardware shop to sell goods imported from back home. At the time, the city was on the verge of major growth, and Shaw’s venture* proved prescient. Henry Shaw purchased large swathes of land with the profits from his business, which was so successful that he was able to retire at an early age (40). After traveling extensively, Shaw returned to St. Louis determined to champion his love of botany.
Around his manse, Tower Grove House, Mr. Shaw began to construct a garden that attracted leading botanists from around the world. With their cooperation, Missouri Botanical Garden was expanded extensively, and eventually opened to the public in 1859. Afterward, Shaw donated a considerable amount of land, adjoining the Garden, to the city of St. Louis for a public park. The presence of Henry Shaw’s Garden, Tower Grove Park, and Shaw Place (a residential development informed/owned by its namesake) spurred development and transformed south St. Louis forever.
Located in far south St. Louis, Carondelet Park is the third largest park in the city, and dates back to 1875. The green space is hilly and tree filled, with several bodies of water and unique architectural features (including the Lyle House, the 1842 home of the original owners of the grounds that the park is built upon). The 180-acre park is geologically significant in that it is the only representation of Karst topography evident in the St. Louis city parks system. This distinctive feature means that Carondelet Park possesses characteristic landforms, including sinkholes, that provides a glimpse into what the area of south St. Louis would’ve looked like before development.
Situated just east of Henry Shaw’s Tower Grove Park, the neighborhood of Tower Grove East is home to stunning architecture, the South Grand shopping and dining district, and a multicultural community. Most of what’s tangible dates back to the early 1900′s when German immigrants, following their relatives to adjoining communities, spurred building development in TGE. Since that time, many social and ethnic groups have made their mark, leaving this area as an extremely diverse place to live.
Certainly, St. Louis is a city of contrasts, and Ellendale, on our far western border, is a firm example. It’s 130-year history includes successes in industry (Scullins Steel) and failures in renewal (St. Louis Marketplace); interestingly and somewhat ironically, the latter sits on the exact site of the former. Nonetheless, Ellendale has persisted through the years, and this fact offered for some exciting architectural variety to photograph. Here, shotgun style and flounder houses rub elbows with Victorians, and apartment buildings sit across the street from sprawling industrial complexes. “Encrustation” is visible everywhere, from attached garages converted into living spaces, to brick homes with wood or vinyl-sided expansions. Even so, the area appears very well-maintained, and thoroughly “lived-in”; it is a working class community with an expansive heritage and a lot of heart.
Old North Saint Louis is a neighborhood of distinction that is experiencing a rebirth. From arts advocacy groups, to restauranteurs and building developers, to a committed and close-knit community, Old North Saint Louis continues work to reclaim its former glory.
The Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the most comprehensive art museums in the Nation, and it is entirely free to visit (sans some of the special exhibits), making it a tremendous cultural asset for the city.
The Museum itself is a Beaux Arts-style structure (designed by Cass Gilbert) and sits atop Art Hill; a position of grandeur that it has held ever since its construction as the Palace of Fine Arts for the World’s Fair of 1904. If you happen to approach from the Grand Basin, it is easy to understand why many St. Louisans refer to SLAM as the “crown-jewel of Forest Park”.
St. Louis’ favorite place to relax and unwind is undeniably Forest Park. Opened in 1876, this 1,371-acre green space is one of the largest urban parks in the country, and hosts many attractions including the St. Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, The Muny (a municipal theatre), and Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, among others. It is also a fabulous place to walk; I have personally spent countless hours wandering the trails of the John F. Kennedy Forest and beyond.
Hiding out in the far southern tip of the city is a wonderful, historic neighborhood with architectural characteristics representing a Creole and (later) German heritage. The Patch is a true gem that is often overshadowed by the larger Carondelet neighborhood to its north and west. This is a shame because The Patch has a lot to offer, from one-of-a-kind stone buildings (some Civil War era), to fantastic restaurants and shops, to great craft beer.
Soulard typifies St. Louis. In this historic neighborhood, the original French character was absorbed and transformed by the many German immigrants who moved here in search of a new Rhineland. Among those moving here were the Anheuser and Busch families, whose collaborations spawned the renowned brewery that still bears their names (and has its North American headquarters in Soulard). This process of new cultures moving in and out of the area is what afforded St. Louis with so much early success. It is, after all, the “Gateway City”.
On the afternoon that Photo Flood Saint Louis visited Soulard, the neighborhood was in the midst of celebrating its annual Oktoberfest. It’s a great excuse to hit the red bricks and grab a beer in one of the abundant local watering holes or at the festival itself. The neighborhood also hosts Mardi Gras and a Bastille Day event.
photograph by Joshua Meyer
Walking around Soulard, it is impossible to not feel the presence of its history. From the Soulard Farmers Market (which claims to be the oldest farmers market in the U.S.) to the red brick sidewalks, this is a neighborhood linked to the culmination of forces driving the region. Continue Reading →
