The western portion of Forest Park was hit hard, and while the major institutions were not damaged, thousands of trees were lost.
At first glance, many trees looked like they had escaped damage from the tornado, but upon closer inspection, it becomes obvious that many trees lost limbs and foliage.
North along Lindell Boulevard, where some of the largest houses and lots in the city are located, there is substantial damage.
No houses were completely destroyed, nor suffered severe damage, but houses, such as the one below that once belonged to Gussie Busch before he moved to Grant’s Farm, saw their roofs and other details such as dormers affected by the tornado.
A substantial percentage of the grand trees that lined Lindell are now gone, and I remarked that the streetscape now looks much as it did back in the years immediately after the World’s Fair, when many of these mansions were built and trees were just being planted. After all, this was prairie and farmland originally.
The vast majority of the roofs I saw along this stretch had tarps installed already two weeks after the tornado had struck.
I can only imagine how many thousands of tons of wood that will be cleared in the coming months, and what has already been removed.
I am also curious about the long term health of the trees left standing but damaged.
This pile of debris was lying on the other side of a balustrade at an entrance to Forest Park.
We reach Union Boulevard, where we will then head north tomorrow.
Sad that the national media ignores St louis. HAve a retired priest classmate who resides in North St Louis. The residence he lves in with other retired priests survived but homes right next to thiers were severly damaged.
Todays pictures of Lindell brought bgack memories of the place My garndmother loived and worked at for many years asa Cook, It belonged to Dr DK Rose. Gandma Passed before teh Roses did and we lost track of the family years ago.
I believe these photographic essays are far more important than you do. How loving you are to consider these photos from an ethical viewpoint. But neither the City of St. Louis nor the insurance companies will do justice the way you are, as they will have motives of either control or money. Here, we see the truth, uninfluenced by money or other motives.
Thanks, Chris.
I know you can’t include everything but want to note that in Debaliviere Place just north of these mansion between Union and Debaliviere is one of the city’s most dense city residential enclaves, virtually all apartments and condos, both 3- and 4-story buildings & high rises, on long blocks of Waterman and Pershing. Some folks aren’t as familiar with the West End & think it’s all mansions, so I wanted to note as I have friends and family who live here and wee impacted. The center of tornado went down these densely populated streets with many middle class and surely also working class residents, continuing northeast. If you look at PD storm track map you’ll see that this area of Debaliviere Place/West End is where the dots showing EF-2 damage start to appear. EF-3 (northeast of here) is the highest level of damage from this storm (4th-highest level on a 6-level scale that starts at EF-0).
Mary, I’m going to work on trying to cover as many neighborhoods as possible, and Skinker-DeBaliviere is definitely on my list in the future.