CLAYTON-TAMM (42)
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LOCATION
Located directly south of the St. Louis Zoo, the borders are Oakland Avenue and Highway 64/40 on the North, Hampton Avenue on the East, Manchester Avenue on the South, and Dale and Louisville Avenues on the West. The neighborhood is a part of what is referred to as "Dogtown."

HISTORY
Part of what is also known as the Forest Park Southwest area, Clayton-Tamm began to be built up in 1852, when the Pacific Railroad extended its line into Cheltenham. Originally the area was known as West Cheltenham, and then as Dogtown, before being renamed Clayton-Tamm. The first major industries to move into the area were fire-brick companies. The earth contained plenty of excellent raw materials. The mining of clay brought immigrants into the area, notably Irish, Italian, German, and Polish, building up the housing stock around the mines. Many of the newly arrived immigrants were Catholic, prompting the local diocese to establish a mission in 1861, which grew into the St. James the Greater parish. Gradually, as the mines closed, subdivisions were build upon them. After the Second World War, almost all of the mines had been closed, but the legacy still remained. To this day, it is a highly residential, middle-income neighborhood.

CHARICTERISTICS
The neighborhood is still as it was almost 150 years ago: solidly middle-income and residential. Neighborhood statistics reveal that the median household income is over $23,000 per year, while median family income is over $30,000. The majority of households fall between the $15-50,000 brackets, with relatively few people living in poverty. Likewise, the unemployment rate is just over four percent overall, roughly reflecting the current national average.

Of the area’s 3,200 residents, non-whites make up less than 10 percent of the population. The population tends to be evenly spread, with significant populations in all age groupings. The number of people in the 24-34 and 65-plus groupings, however, are by far the largest. The population is educated, with more than 30 percent of the residents over 25 having attended college.

The housing stock is mostly single units, with all other categories making up only 30 percent of the housing (most of this in two- to four-unit housing). More units are owner-occupied than renter-occupied. Just under 10 percent of the units are currently vacant. The average number of persons per house is just over two.

INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
The area still has a number of local institutions. The St. James the Greater Church, built in 1928, is a testament to the dedication of the Catholic Church in the area, which began establishing its presence in 1861. The school that was built by the mission is still going strong. Besides the St. James the Greater School, the Gratiot School, for continuing education, is also located in the area, named after the first owner of the neighborhood lands. The Clayton and Tamm intersection is still a main business district in the area, just as it was almost a century ago.

Families living in the Clayton-Tamm neighborhood benefit from two public parks. Forest Park borders the area to the direct north, and Turtle Park is located within the neighborhood boundaries. The park derives its name from a few giant concrete turtles, made for everyone to climb and play upon. Besides the large turtles, the park also has some smaller turtles, more suitable for less brave visitors. The firm whose work helped to build the statues also developed the City Museum. There is also a community garden on Tamm, the Dogtown Community Garden, leased by Gateway Greening but run by a group of community volunteers.

Also for children, the neighborhood features the St. James the Greater School, as mentioned before, as well as Developmental Child Care Inc. Apart from these, children and adults alike are always welcome at the St. Louis Science Center, located across the highway from Forest Park. The Science Center offers a myriad of activities, from hands-on games and lectures to OmniMax screenings.

The Clayton-Tamm Community Association is very active in the area, publishing a monthly newsletter with neighborhood events and other stories of interest. The association focuses on several tasks, such as increasing and promoting the role of local businesses and organizing community activities, such as Cardinals games.

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
A team has also come up with a "Neighborhood Action Plan" for Clayton-Tamm. It featured the demolition of two units, as well as the development of four more. These were all done in conjunction with the Neighborhood Stabilization Officer, the TRIAD Housing Corp., and Operation Impact. The area has a reported housing shortage of three-bedroom houses. Many families have been forced to move out of the area because they would like more room.