South Entrance Lodge, Tower Grove Park

I can’t find much information about the South Entrance Lodge of Tower Grove Park, but it is a wonderful building combining a mostly Romanesque Revival Style structure with elements of the Baroque Revival. It sits close to the Arsenal Entrance and Center Cross Street, and the busy cut-through traffic from Tower Grove Avenue and Magnolia Avenue to the north. There is some great, well-preserved detailing from this 1888 building.

5 Comments Add yours

  1. Tom Maher - Kirkwood MO says:

    Just – Wow! Do photos of the interior exist?
    Was this used as a caretaker’s residence or for receptions or perhaps as an information booth?

    1. Chris Naffziger says:

      Great question: I assume it was a gardener and caretaker’s house.

  2. James Woodman says:

    I imagine all of st louis looking like this, if only people could have kept up maintenance…when I drive in the north side I always think it should all look like main street st.charles, if only…..

  3. Brandon Cox says:

    Hi Chris, I saw some info on this recently in the Tower Grove Park Master Plan from 2017 (they have info on the other park buildings as well). From the plan: “The last major park structure built under Henry Shaw’s supervision, the building was designed by the architectural firm George I. Barnett and Son, and completed in 1889… Originally constructed as a small park lodge in 1889, the building was occupied as an office for the Park Board of Commissioners in 1913.”

    1. Chris Naffziger says:

      Ah, that’s really interesting! I’m not surprised to learn it came out of the Barnett office.

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