Forest Park

For the park in New York see Forest Park (Queens)

Forest Park
The Jewel box in Forest park
Type	Municipal (St. Louis Parks Department)
Location	St. Louis
Coordinates	40°46′55″N, 73°57′58″W
Size	1,293 acres (5.2 km²)
Opened	1876
Operated by	St. Louis Parks Department
Status	Open all year

McDonnell Planetarium

Old Footbridge in Forest Park

Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri, opened in 1876 and the former site of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904, (better known as "The World's Fair") is one of the large urban landscape parks created during the later 19th century, following the example of Central Park in New York City. At 1,293 acres (5.2 km²), Forest Park is considerably larger than New York's Central Park (843 acres or 3.41 km²).

The park is located along the western edge of the City of St. Louis, though it is located nearly in the center of the entire metropolitan area. It is bordered by Skinker Boulevard and Washington University in St. Louis to the west, Highway 64/40 and Oakland Avenue to the south, Kingshighway Boulevard and Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Washington University Medical Center to the east, and Lindell Boulevard to the north.

At one time the River des Peres ran openly through the park, but due to sanitary concerns it was moved into a wooden box underground shortly before the World's Fair.[1] However, as part of the park's "Master Plan"[2], the river was brought back to the surface to link the park's lakes.

Other major parks in the city of St. Louis include Tower Grove Park and Carondelet Park.

Architects

The park was dedicated June 24, 1876, and was originally four miles outside the St. Louis city limits.

Maximillian G. Kern designed the Park's original plan. Kern also designed parks at the Compton Hill and Chain of Rocks Reservoir.[3]

George Kessler who designed many urban parks throughout Texas and the Midwest created a new master design for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

A popular myth says that Frederick Law Olmsted designed the park, fair grounds and Washington University campus. Kessler had worked briefly for Olmsted as a Central Park gardener when he was in his 20s. Furthering this confusion is that Olmstead was involved with Forest Park (Queens) in New York. Olmsted died in 1903 - a year before the fair. Olmsted however did create the master plan in 1897 for renovations to the Missouri Botanical Garden a few miles to the southeast of the park.[4]. Those plans were only partially implemented (construction of the two ponds).

Attractions

Missouri History Museum in Forest Park

• Saint Louis Zoological Park
• The Muny, The Municipal Opera Association of St. Louis
• St. Louis Science Center (including the McDonnell Planetarium)
• Saint Louis Art Museum
• Jewel Box
• Boathouse Restaurant and boat rentals
• Steinberg Skating rink
• Missouri History Museum
• World's Fair Pavilion
• Turtle Playground
• Dwight Davis Tennis Center
• Softball, Baseball, and Soccer Fields
• Archery Range
• Bike and Running Paths
• Triple A Golf and Tennis Club
• Norman Probstein Community Golf Course
• The Great Forest Park Balloon Race
• Pace Series

See also

• Central West End
• Forest Park-DeBaliviere Metrolink station

External links

• Forest Park - official St. Louis Parks Department website.
  • The History Of Forest Park
  • The Forest Park Master Plan
• St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission Fact Sheet on Forest Park
• Forest Park Forever - an organization supporting restoration of Forest Park
• Forest Park Map (pdf)
• Boathouse

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