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, 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.

3 Comments Add yours

  1. samizdat says:

    Yeah, that bridge is so many different shades of beautiful.

  2. Tom Maher - Kirkwood says:

    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!

    1. admin says:

      Tom, good question: it was built well before the fair, when the park was out in the country still.

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