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1875 view of the Clifton Area east from about Sublette
and Arsenal, Watson Road is in the upper left corner
Locale and Topography
In a rather hilly section of
southwest St. Louis, bounded by Hampton Avenue on the east, Fyler Avenue on
the south and Interstate Highway 44 on the north and west, is the Clifton
area. Generally, the land slopes downward to the north and west as it
approaches the valley of the River des Peres, but it presents a varied
topography within its boundaries. Typical of this is the land in the
vicinity of Clifton Heights Park, which creates a picturesque landscape.
There are rather severe slopes on the north side of the area near the
highway and the River des Peres.
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Subdivision
Originally this area was a part
of the Gratiot League Square, so called because it was intended to be three
miles square, although it was later slightly shortened on its western side.
Its northern limit was a line bisecting Forest Park, on the south it reached
to the present Bancroft Avenue and in an east-west direction it extended
from Kingshighway to Big Bend Road. Charles Gratiot was a French immigrant
who settled in Cahokia in 1777 and moved to St. Louis in 1781. In that year
he married Victoire Chouteau, a sister of Auguste Chouteau, one of the
founders of St. Louis. He applied to the Spanish Lieutenant-Governor Cruzat
in 1785 for a large land grant to the west of the Prairie des Noyers Common
field. After a survey by Antoine Soulard in 1796, its area was found to be
5,716 acres.
Gratiot's claim to it was
approved by the territorial government at New Orleans in 1798, after which
he built a log house on the property and cultivated a farm. After the
transfer of the Louisiana Territory to the United States, Gratiot's grant
was confirmed by the Board of Land Commissioners in 1808 as U. S. Survey
2037. In later years, Gratiot became a judge and was chairman of the board
of trustees for the town of St. Louis, as well as organizer of the Bank of
Missouri. Following his death in 1817, the
Gratiot League Square was divided
among his heirs, into a series of east-west strips each about 1,000 feet in
width.
On March 10, 1831
William Sublette bought 446 acres of land on the River DesPeres, six
miles from from St. Louis for $3000 and a few weeks latter on April 26 his
Attorney purchased in his name an adjoining tract of 333 acres for $4000.
The two tracts together more commonly know as Sulphur Springs Tract. The
total 779 rolling, fertile acres were located in a rough triangle formed by
Kingshighway, Southwest, Tamm, and New Manchester which didn't exist until
latter. In 1831 there were no roads, just trails. Old Manchester (southwest)
originally Fox Creek Road was the trail, along with Pattison that Sublette
used to get to his property.
A view of the
Sulphur Springs area in another Muegge watercolor. The resort hotel is on the right, next to the train
station. The stone house in the background may have belonged to William
Sublette. Whether or not it was his own mansion is another matter, for some
accounts place Sublette's home a bit to the east, near Macklind Avenue.
(Courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society)
By 1860 the Clifton area was comprised of
portions of five large tracts owned by
Benjamin F Buchanan,
David W. Graham,
Peter Lindell and the Christy and Cooper estates.
1878 Map of The Clifton Area from
Pitzman's Map of the County of St. Louis, Mo. Click
here for larger view
of this Map.
In the middle 1880's,
subdividing for residential purposes began in three of these tracts.
Earliest of these were Dillon's and Bradley's subdivisions in 1884. They
were located in the southwestern corner of the Christy tract near Fyler
Avenue and the Frisco tracks. They were soon followed by the adjacent Hume's
and Quinette subdivisions in 1887-88. In the Buchanan tract, the first
residential subdivision was Breezy Heights, platted near Arsenal Street and
Ivanhoe Avenue in 1885. Adjoining plats were opened by Octavius C. McCune in
1886 and in Von Phul's Addition to Breezy Heights in 1887. McRee's Clifton
Terrace was opened in 1886 on Tamm Avenue, north of Arsenal.
The southwestern corner of David
W. Graham's Sulphur Spring tract was sold in 1885 to a group headed by a
Methodist minister,
Rev. Benjamin St. James Fry. They hired Julius Pitzman
to survey and lay out Clifton Heights subdivision, with its curving streets
and park. To the north of this, Ritter Place was recorded as a subdivision
in 1887. It was bounded by Knox, Wilson and Famous Avenues, near the Frisco
Railway. To the east of Ritter Place was Thomas Campbell's subdivision,
platted in 1889.
Between 1890 and World War I,
the Clifton area experienced considerable subdivision development. Among
these were Smiley's subdivision at Arsenal and Jamieson in 1892 and
Kirschbaum's Addition at Tamm and Scanlan in the same year. The original
Clifton Heights subdivision was flanked on its eastern side by Eitman's
Addition in 1890, Newberry's Addition in 1894 and Cliftondale in 1908. On
its southern side, across Columbia Avenue, were Cramer's Addition in 1898,
Hallock's Addition in 1900 and Wentworth in 1906. Further west, along the
south side of Southwest Avenue, were the Buchanan Estate subdivision in 1901
and Liberty Heights in 1907.
The earliest subdivision in the
vicinity of Arsenal and Watson was Grandview Place in 1912. Several new
developments occurred in that area during the 1920's, including Seever's
Clifton Addition and Hampton Terrace in 1923, Highland Park in 1924 and the
large Arsenal-Watson Park, between Arsenal and Fyler, in 1925. Harry C.
Vollmar's subdivision was opened at Sulphur and Elizabeth Avenues in 1925
and Franke Court was developed, off of Smiley Avenue west of Tamm, in 1926.
There was not further activity until the large Clifton Hills subdivision,
north of Southwest Avenue and west of Tamm, was platted in 1953-55.
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Parks
The only park facilities in this
area were originally private in character.
Clifton Heights Park, in the
center of the subdivision of that name, was provided as a recreational space
for the residents in the development. This 4.40 acre park was dedicated to
the City in 1912. A 1.25 acre addition to Clifton Heights Park was acquired
by condemnation in the early 1920's.
Frisco Park, on Clifton Avenue near the
Frisco Railway, was privately used and was finally abandoned in later years.
It was partly within the right-of-way for Highway 44.
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Churches
The Roman Catholic parish of the
Epiphany of Our Lord was founded in 1911 by Rev. J. F. English, who had
previously been the assistant pastor of St. Agnes Church. Epiphany Church is
located at 6598 Smiley Avenue at Ivanhoe, and was enlarged by an addition in
1948. The Father English Memorial Hall at 3164-74 Ivanhoe Avenue was erected
in 1949. Its parochial school, which was in charge of the Sisters of St.
Dominic in 1928, is now located in a modern structure, which was completed
in 1958, at 6576-90 Smiley Avenue.
The
Southwest Baptist Church was
founded as a Sunday School, with 27 members, on July 6, 1921. The first
church was erected on the site of the present structure at 6509-15 Scanlan
Avenue. Continued growth required a larger building, which was built at
6313 Scanlan and dedicated on September 12, 1926. The present church plant was
erected in three units, the first of which was an educational unit completed
in 1954. This was followed by a second educational section in 1959. The
church proper was constructed in front of the educational sections and
dedicated on November 30, 1969. Total cost of the existing facilities was
about $1,500,000.
Dr. Fry Memorial Methodist
Church at
2501 Clifton Avenue was founded in 1888 by
Dr. Benjamin St. James
Fry, who was one of the original developers of the Clifton Heights
subdivision. He induced a colony of Methodists from Union M. E. Church to
move into the area and formed the new church to meet their religious needs.
The first services were held in Vera Hall, near
Frisco Park, until after Dr.
Fry's death in 1892, when the church on Clifton Avenue was erected in his
memory. This edifice was destroyed by fire on February 16, 1905, in a blaze
which was fought by a fire company from the World's Fair grounds. The church
was rebuilt in 1905-1906 from plans by architect William A. Cann.
The
Clifton Heights Presbyterian
Church congregation was organized in October, 1891, at a meeting in Vera
Hall, near Clifton and Wilson Avenues, and was located at
6319 Wilson Avenue
in 1896. The existing church building at 6201 Columbia Avenue, was erected
in 1900 and was extensively remodeled in 1958. The original church building
was designed by R. J. Dawson, who was also the architect for several
residences in the area.
Clifton Heights Presbyterian
Church
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
was located on Wilson Avenue, opposite Frisco Park, as early as 1896. In
1923 it was situated at
6266 Wilson Avenue.
Mount Tabor United Church of
Christ at 6520 Arsenal Street was formed in 1928 in a merger of the
congregation of Bethlehem and Messiah Evangelical Churches. The latter
congregation was organized there in 1924. Bethlehem Church relocated from
5801 Southwest Avenue, where it had been situated since 1910. It was founded
in 1889 at Shaw Avenue and Hereford Street, as a German Church in the "Hill"
area.
Another Protestant group in the
area meets at the Clifton Heights Gospel Hall at
6420 Marmaduke Avenue
6420 Marmaduke Avenue
The Watson Terrace Christian Church at
4205 Watson Road was formed in September, 1952, as the result of a
merger between the Clifton Heights and Winona Christian churches. Clifton
Heights Christian Church was the older of the two predecessor churches. It
was organized in 1907 by several potential members who resided in the
sparsely settled vicinity of Tamm and Marmaduke Avenues. A small meeting
house was donated by members and in 1908, the first pastor,
Rev. Elihu Harris, was installed. He
served as pastor for 37 years until his death in 1945 at the age of 93. In
1909, an addition was built with material that was salvaged from the World's
Fair. Three years later a kitchen, baptistry and basement were added. After
World War II, it was decided that the facility was inadequate, and upon
learning that the Winona Christian Church was in similar straits, an
invitation to discuss their mutual problems was extended. This eventually
resulted in the merger of the two churches. Winona Christian Church was
organized in May, 1932, and held its first services in the Harmony Masonic
Temple at 4621 South Kingshighway. The new church was named Southampton
Christian Church. In October, 1932, a store building at 4618 Macklind Avenue
was rented to house the church, but the congregation was forced to vacate
the premises in October, 1935. Later, it met at 4619 Macklind until a
building at Winona and Hereford was purchased and repaired. Dedication
services were held there on November 1, 1936, at which time the name of
Winona was adopted. By 1950, the building proved to be too small and the
congregation joined with the Clifton Heights Church in 1952. Until a new
church could be built, the combined groups met at the Alhambra Grotto for
the next two years. A site at Watson Road and Winnebago Street was purchased
and the present name was adopted because of its location in the Watson
Terrace subdivision. A new educational building was dedicated there in
March, 1955, and served as the church's home for the next ten years. In
November, 1961, the architectural firm of Frederick Dunn and Associates was
hired to prepare plans for a new church sanctuary. Dedication ceremonies
were held on May 24, 1964, and in 1969, the Prayer Chapel, designed by Nolan
L. Stinson, was completed.
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Area Mines
Most of the City of St. Louis rests upon sandstone and extensive solution
limestone. In general, the limestone formations extend from the Mississippi
bluffs west to Kingshighway Boulevard, and further west in some areas. These
limestone formations contain many caves and sinkholes. Over the years, many
of these sinkholes were filled in; some were used as landfills as the city
expanded. Some sinkholes lead into underground springs, resulting in the
formation of sinkhole ponds. Clifton Park Lake in the Clifton Heights
neighborhood is one notable example. Carondelet Park also contains many
sinkholes. Also, the development of clay mines and coal mines in South City
resulted in occasional cave-ins and sinkage, because of the relative
instability of limestone when it is undermined. The portion of the city west
of Kingshighway and generally north of River des Peres, as well as the Baden
and North Pointe areas, rest upon the more stable sandstone. The lower River
des Peres valley in the Patch neighborhood and the lowlands near the
Mississippi River east of Hall Street in the North Riverfront area rest upon
alluvial deposits formed from frequent flooding.
Underground Coal and Clay Mines in the City of
St. Louis
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Schools
The earliest public school in
the Clifton area was the Grandview School which was on Watson Road, south of
Old Manchester Road (Southwest Avenue), in 1881. It was a small one-story
frame building, 25 by 40 feet in size, on a one acre site. It consisted of
one large room accommodating sixty students. Ten years later the school was
noted to be situated on Watson Road opposite Scanlan Avenue. Apparently this
school was abandoned during the 1890's and was replaced by the Clifton
Heights School, which is listed on Old Manchester Road near Columbia Avenue
in 1896. This building, now numbered as
2725 Clifton Avenue, is presently
occupied by commercial uses.
It served as the school for the
area until 1919, when the Isaac M. Mason School at 6031 Southwest Avenue was
opened. That school, which is named for a prominent St. Louis business man,
was designed by architect R. M. Milligan.
The Henry W. Longfellow School
at 6593 Smiley Avenue was completed in 1891 and had additions constructed in
1896 and 1906. It is named for the famous American poet.
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Institutions
On the southwest corner of
Watson Road and Scanlan Avenue is the Machacek Branch of the
St. Louis
Public Library. It is designed in a modern style and was opened in 1974.
The Southwest Station of the
U.
S. Post Office, at
3200 Clifton Avenue, near Fyler, was completed in 1975.
At
2728 Clifton Avenue
is the old Clifton Heights Police Station, which was
built about 1896. It is now occupied by Amvets Post #6.
2728 Clifton Avenue
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Railroads and Transit
The only railroad serving the
area is the
St. Louis and San Francisco Railway, popularly known as the
Frisco. Its main line, which roughly parallels the earlier tracks of the
Missouri Pacific, was built through the area about 1886-87. A station was
maintained for many years at the railroad's crossing at Clifton Avenue.
According to the Frisco Railway's timetable for 1903, ten commuter trains,
five in each direction, were operated daily from Monday through Friday.
There were twelve trains on Saturday and only six on Sunday. Records of 1924
indicate that the service was abandoned by that time.
Transit service to the Clifton
area was provided solely by the Tower Grove
Street Car Line for many years.
Originally a horse car line terminating at Arsenal Street and Grand Avenue,
it was electrified and extended out Arsenal as far as Kingshighway in the
1890's. After the consolidation of the street car lines into a city-wide
transit system in 1900, the line was further extended on Arsenal Street and
Southwest Avenue to a loop at Columbia and Tamm Avenues. The street cars
were superseded by buses during the 1950's and in recent years this line's
service has been lengthened to reach Maplewood over Southwest Avenue. About
1924, bus service was begun by the Peoples Motorbus Company's Lindenwood
Line, with double deck buses operating directly to downtown. This line began
at Fyler Avenue Bridge and traversed the district on Fyler, Ivanhoe and
Scanlan Avenues to Watson Road and thence eastwardly on Southwest and
Vandeventer Avenues.
Bus service on Hampton Avenue
was begun on April 1, 1940, running from the Southampton street car loop
west to Hampton, and thence northwardly to Oakland Avenue. In July, 1940,
the service was extended to the Cherokee loop on Gravois Avenue. In 1945,
the line began operations across Forest Park to Delmar and DeBaliviere and
in 1964 it was combined with the Goodfellow line and was extended to Baden.
Streetcar and bus routes
operated by St. Louis Public Service Co. in 1942.
EARTHQUAKE SHOOK MISSOURI.;
Seismic Disturbance Was in Two Distinct Shocks, Felt Most Acutely at St.
Louis.
January 25, 1902, Saturday
Two distinct shocks of earthquake were felt in St. Louis and in many of the
adjoining towns a few minutes before 5 o'clock this morning. The first shock
was light. The second was more severe. Persons who had slept through the
first disturbance were awakened by the second.
EARTHQUAKE SHOOK MISSOURI. Seismic Disturbance Was in Two Distinct Shocks,
Felt Most Acutely at St. Louis. ST. LOUIS. Jan. 24. -- Two distinct shocks
of earthquake were felt in St. Louis and in many of the adjoining towns a
few minutes before 5 o clock this morning. The first shock was light. The
second was more severe. Persons who had slept through the first disturbance
were awakened by the second. The were accompanied by a rumbling sound.
Reports received from the country show that the shocks were generally felt,
being of .sufficient force to the crockery and swing pictures In residences
at many points. Fred Ruble, th1/2 night operator at the Weather Bureau,
whose office la on the top of the Federal Building here, distinctly felt
the shaking, but failed to note the exact time. He said both shocks came
between 4 and 5 o clock* In Clifton Heights, west of the , the disturbances
were severe, and residents ran into their yards, fearing their houses would
be shaken down. The earthquakes were felt sharply across the river in
Illinois. ,in East St. Louis, Granite City, and Venice. In the latter town
buildings shook and windows rattled so violently that residents believed an
explosion had occurred in the neighborhood. In Belleville, fifteen miles
east of the Mississippi, the shock swayed the houses, and because of the
fact that the ground is honeycombed by coal mines people were panic-stricken
for a time. However, no damage resulted from the disturbance. . Alton also
the vibration was evident. From Kansas City it was reported that the quaking
was experienced most acutely in the northeast extremity of the city. No
damage resulted, however. At Quincy. 111., the seismic disturbance lasted
nearly a minute. The oscillation was from east to ' west. The shaking of
walls was perceptible in many brick buildings. The quaking, accompanied by
rumbling, was felt in Leavenworth and In near-by towns. Lum Evans, a farmer,
while driving to town, felt the shock when near Beverly. It was so severe,
he says, that it frightened bis horses. At St. Joseph, Mo., the vibration
was but slightly felt. The disturbance was mo.- . mentary and no damage
resulted. " -
Wood
in St Louis buildings
The earliest wood buildings in St. Louis - the log structures built by the
fur traders - were mostly demolished as the original townsite became a
commercial area. Most of the early frame houses that remain in the City are
in Carondelet, but the majority of these have been covered with modern
siding so you can't tell what they're really made of. There is another good
cluster of late nineteenth century frame houses in the Clifton Heights
neighborhood. Because of the fear of fire, most houses after the mid-1850s
were not made of wood - the ones which remain are most often found near
the city limits.
1904 St Louis Clifton Heights Real Estate Ad
Recent Updates
Updated
Sunday February 17, 2008 09:00 PM
Clifton Area Census
Images Project
New
Tuesday, 22 January, 2008
Preview Over 100 Years Of Clifton Area Census Images
By Jim Creighton
New
Tuesday, 22 January, 2008
4
GENERATIONS GRACED GRATIOT HOUSE By Donald Berns
New
Tuesday, 22 January, 2008
A FORGOTTEN
LANDSCAPE OF ST. LOUIS By Donald Berns
Updated
Tuesday, 22 January, 2008
William Sublette Links
Link added Tuesday, 22 January, 2008
St
Louis History & Heritage
Link added Saturday, 19 January, 2008
GRATIOT LEAGUE SQUARE LINKS
Link added Monday, 14 January, 2008
Physical Growth of
the City of Saint Louis St Louis Plan Commission 1969
New
Monday, 14 January, 2008
Larger Detail 1878 Clifton Area Map
Link added Friday, 11 January, 2008
History of
Cheltenham And St James Parish By Father P. J. O'Connor 1937 |
