Forest Park in St. Louis.
Forest Park, officially opened to the public on June 24, 1876, is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. At around 1,300 acres, it is bigger than Central Park in New York.
Forest Park offers something for everyone — amazing destinations and institutions that challenge the mind, a Dual Path system that invites both leisurely walks and intense workouts, quiet places to picnic and read, and a variety of popular festivals and events — all set in a city oasis, a place to escape it all.
Forest Park hosted the grandeur and spectacle of the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition -- The World's Fair of 1904. From April 30 through December 1, 1904, more than 20 million people went to the fair, an average of more than 100,000 each day.
I specifically flew the Jewel Box, the fountain in front of the art museum, and the pond/island in front of the Muny theater.
The Jewel Box is 17-acre and was built in 1936. It is listed on the National Historic Register. The Jewel Box was given the designation on the National Register because it is, “locally significant in the area of architecture. The Art Deco building is an outstanding example of greenhouse design.”
The Jewel Box was dedicated Nov. 14, 1936 and cost about $117,000, with about 45 percent coming from Public Works Administration funds. It was designed by city engineer William C. E. Becker and Robert Paulus Construction Co. was the contractor.
With its unconventional glass walls rising majestically 50 feet high, the Jewel Box opened in 1936 to national acclaim. The Post-Dispatch called the Art Deco-style structure, "the latest word in display greenhouses. Today it is an aged St. Louis treasure that has been restored to its former glory.
The many…. What began as a grassy spot between two oak trees has grown into the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre. The Muny story, over a century in the making, is one of vision, perseverance, and commitment to culture and community. The vision for a permanent outdoor theatre in Forest Park likely dates to the 1904 World’s Fair. But it wasn’t until 1916 that the dream would begin to be realized, with plans for a production of As You Like It by Margaret Anglin’s Shakespearean troupe.
The Saint Louis Art Museum traces its roots to 1879, when it was founded as the St. Louis School and Museum of Fine Arts as part of Washington University.
The museum moved into its iconic permanent home atop Art Hill in Forest Park, which was designed by renowned architect Cass Gilbert as the Palace of Fine Arts for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair (Louisiana Purchase Exposition). It was one of the fair's few permanent, stone-built structures.
