History

Today, Lafayette Square stands as one of St. Louis’s most distinctive and beloved neighborhoods. It is known for its beautifully restored Victorian homes, vibrant community life and the historic Lafayette Park at its center. The area’s revival began in the late 1960s and 1970s, when residents launched extensive restoration efforts to preserve its architectural and cultural heritage. In 1972, Lafayette Square became the first historic district designated by the City of St. Louis and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This recognition helped spur decades of reinvestment and revitalization that continue today.

The neighborhood’s renaissance followed a long period of decline in the early and mid-20th century, caused by industrial encroachment, highway construction, and shifting urban trends. Its earlier golden age was cut short by the devastating tornado of 1896, which destroyed many homes and altered the park landscape.

Before the tornado, Lafayette Square had been one of the city’s most fashionable neighborhoods. It was home to ornate Second Empire and Italianate mansions built by some of St. Louis’s wealthiest citizens. The community developed around Lafayette Park, established in 1836 as one of the first public parks west of the Mississippi River and formally named in 1851 to honor the Marquis de Lafayette. Once part of the original St. Louis Common, the park remains the historic and emotional heart of the neighborhood.

Welcome to the Lafayette Square Archives. This is an effort we aim to sustain over time, collecting, cataloging, and sharing the history of the Square, with a special focus on the years of renewal here; say from 1968 on.

We currently have several hundred documents, 92 house tour booklets, and many photos scanned into pdf format in the archives. We’re collecting more all the time, and will share the stories we uncover in future postings.

Content without context is just a data dump – we’ll try to avoid that.  You’re welcomed and encouraged to submit your own stories and memories to archives@lafayettesquare.org.

The big idea is to develop a deeper appreciation of where we’ve been and how we got here, as a community.

The Lafayette Square Archives blog is a work now in progress. With your input, it will only get better as it develops.