Frank Preston Blair worked with Nathaniel Lyon to secure the arms at the Arsenal in 1861, and went on to a successful career fighting for the Union in the Civil War. He also was a statesman, and I find it interesting that the foundation who created this memorial chose to portray him in civilian clothing.
Tag: Forest Park
Kingshighway Viaduct, Wabash Railroad
Update: See the dramatic change in the streetscape in the fall of 2019. Normally, when driving down Kingshighway, you’re just trying to pay attention to the traffic, and you miss the hidden corners of the city, often right in the open. The old Wabash Railroad tunnel, which now serves MetroLink, passes under Kingshighway by Children’s…
A Muny in Winter
I’ve never actually been to a show at the Muny, but the way that it relates to its surroundings in Forest Park, in particular to the bandstand in the middle of the lake, has always impressed me.
World’s Fair Pavillion, Forest Park
Built in 1909 with proceeds from the 1904 World’s Fair, the World’s Fair Pavilion sits high above Forest Park on Government Hill. It’s interesting to see how dramatically styles and fashion had changed since the grand Beaux-Arts buildings of the Fair. More of a Spanish Revival mixed with elements of Art-Deco, it strikes a commanding…
Forest Park Visitors’ Center
Update: I went back to photograph the building in July of 2020. The Forest Park Visitors’ Center is an interesting mix of Spanish Revival architecture with a couple bits of other styles. It was originally built as a streetcar shelter, but I suspect the tower was built later or substantially altered, as it does not…
River Des Peres, Forest Park
The River Des Peres runs underneath Forest Park in the northeast quadrant of the park, and if you stand at this grate, covering a staircase leading down into the darkness, you can hear the water roaring by.
Victorian Footbridge, Forest Park
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,…
Round Lake, Forest Park
Update: The lake underwent a massive rebuild in 2023. Round Lake, one of many water features in the northeast part of Forest Park, is quiet, isolated, but very beautiful. I was in particular intrigued by the mangrove or cypress trees growing along the water line.? The roots of the trees have sprouted up in little…