Update: I revisited the park at sunset in December of 2014 in this post; see Sister Marie Charles Park down below this park in 2020.
Ever wonder what that majestic bridge stretching over South Broadway in Carondelet is for? It is one section of what was to be a glorious “Kingshighway System” of dramatic boulevards that stretched around the entire city, before the interstate highway system put such plans to rest. Small portions of the entire parkway system were actually built, such as Christy Blvd and Bellerive Blvd in Carondelet.
At the terminus of Bellerive Blvd is an amazing Renaissance Revival pavilion, based off the Palazzo del Te in Mantua by Giulio Romano that overlooks the Mississippi River from high above on the bluffs.
Looking south, you can just see the Jefferson Barracks Bridge, miles to the south.
Looking to the north, you can see the Cahokia Power Plant in the distance, as well as much of downtown.
Do you have any planning documents that show where this boulevard system was supposed to go? Between O'Fallon, Fairgrounds, Forest, Tower Grove, and Carondolet Parks, I imagine.It would be a fun group bike ride to re-trace it.
Chris, Charmain here, when I moved here as a young adult I always wondered, why this bridge . I often thought it( the bridge) was just an addition to the park. I lived right at the southwest foot of said bridge, in those very small apartments facing Pennsylvania Ave., but the address was very much BELLERIVE BLVD. . I moved here in Carondelet, right before the big flood of ’93, it was an amazing time for my small children and I. I was told why one of the neighborhood churches was named KINGSHIGHWAY METROPOLITAN, all the way down here, that BELLERIVE used to be part of KINGSHIGHWAY BLVD., and back then I just couldn’t comprehend how KINGSHIGHWAY could have stretched all the way down to what we called ” the deep south,” ” silly me, right.” But now as a seasoned adult, I am more relax, the nest is empty, and living my best life while exploring my love for history. I can definitely appreciate the state in which I was born. I enjoy your exploration articles and thanks for the free history lessons, keep up the good work.
Yes, you’re right! I’ve written about the Kingshighway Boulevard system that was planned but never fully implemented here:
https://stlouispatina.com/kingshighway-plan/