For the first time ever, I’ve begun to explore Forest Park further away from the major attractions, and the portion of the park nearest the Central West End is a quiet and little known patch of tranquility. It seems to be the best preserved from the time when the park was out in the country, and the so-called Victorian Foot Bridge is a great example of that.
Replete with Italianate ornamentation, as well as some fleur-de-lis, it is apparently a pony truss style bridge.
I like how the bridge fits into the natural scenery so well.
These steps lead over Forest Park Parkway to the intersection of Lindell and Kingshighway.
09/07/2012, 10:47 am
Yeah, that bridge is so many different shades of beautiful.
09/07/2012, 02:55 pm
A charming vestige of an earlier time – Thanks!
Does this date to before the Fair – or was it added for the Fair?
Long ago, I had asked my Grandmother about it (she attended the Fair in her late-20s), but she did not know.
I wonder why the rails of the modern steps were not painted in a complimentary color?
I noted also that a mesh had also not been installed to keep small children from falling between the gaps – Shhhh!
09/09/2012, 10:44 pm
Tom, good question: it was built well before the fair, when the park was out in the country still.