Compton Heights
 Historic Neighborhood


City of Saint Louis, Missouri
History of Historic Compton Heights

The original "Compton Heights Improvement Company" was formed by 33 people who bought $100 shares, in amounts ranging from 50 to 250 shares per person. When the articles of Association were renewed June 1, 1898, Henry Haarstick had increased his holdings from 150 shares in 1888 to 3,080 shares in 1898. THe number of shareholders had dropped from 33 to 7, and the 7 shareholders were the 7 members of the board of directors. Herman Haeussler had increased his holdings from 100 to 120 shares, Edward C. Kehr from 100 to 150, Julius Pitzman from 100 to 250, and the other three remained the same. The second charter covered 20 years, expiring June 1, 1918. Obviously, in 1898 Mr. Haarstick owned a controlling interest in the Compton Hill Improvement Company.

Evidently, lots were not selling as fast as the directors wished as the following was taken from an old plat of Compton Heights: The handsomest subdivision ever auctioned. The directors of the company owning "Compton Heights" subdivision have decided to close out all remaining lots and have commissioned us to sell at auction without limit or reserve. No such property was ever sold at auction in Saint Louis, and the sale offers a remarkable opportunity to secure beautiful property under conditions most favorable to buyers.

Terms: Only one-fourth cash, balance in 1, 2, and 3 years with interest at 5%. Can pay all cash or take up notes at any time and stop interest. Earnest money in sum of $100 on large lots and $50 on smallers lots required on bidding. Title guaranteed perfect. Warranty Deds given. Owners pay taxes for 1902, purchases thereafter, Mercantile Trust Co., Agent, 8th & Locus Street.

The improvement association must have become relatively inactive, as on 8 June, 1921, three years after the charter had expired, a document was registerd with the City of Saint Louis for the purpose of winding up the business. The last election for members of the board had been in 1914, and three of the directors had died. The remaining four were acting to dissolve the corporation.

There were two things that made Compton Heights unique among its contemporary subdivisions. The first was the Pitzman's concept of lnadscaped, curving streets with lovely vistas. The second was the idea of selling lots WITH RESTRICTIONS.

Lawyer Ed Kehr, one of the original share holders, drew up these restrictions which still apply to any lot sold by the Compton Hill Improvement Co. They have been legally tested a numbers of times and held.

What then are these restrictions? In a condensed form they include:

1. A building line is established individually from the street and no building or part may extend over, except the steps and platform in front of the main door--and even that may not be more than eight feet.

2. Only one building, and that a private residence, on any lot. Absolutely no flats or businesses.

3. The building, with the exception of the portes cochere, may not be closer to the side of the lot than 10 feet.

4. If a building does not cost at least $7,000, the plans must be submitted to the improvement company. No fence or wall can be put on the side lines for 30 feet back from the building line. The existing grade of the lot for 60 feet from the street cannot be changed more than 12 inches without consent of the owner of the adjoining lot.

5. A subsequent successor or buyer will be bound by the same restrictions.

Haarstick and his company did not acquire all the land tha tis now included in Compton Heights, as some of it was already individually owned. Only the land that was sold by the Compton Hill Improvement Co in lots which they had subdivided has built-in restrictions.

As long as the Compton Hill Improvement Co was in business, it was naturally in their interest to see that the restrictions were neforced. With the liquidation of the company, it was necessary for the residents to band together to enforce the restrictions. A series of "protective associations" came into being. Records are sketchy, and there is some indication that the associations may have started even earlier than 1921. Judge Julius Muench recalled that he was president of a group organized in the mid-1920s to head off one or more boarding houses which were threatening to establish themselves in the eastern end of the Heights on Milton Boulevard. "At the time we were organized, there was already in existence a sort of protective association for the upper end of the Heights, the part lying west of Compton Avenue. The purpose of this organization as I understand it, was more or less esthetic. Its purpose was to keep the appearance of the district up to its original standard."

The present organization, known officially as "The Compton Heights Imporvement Association" was formed September 10, 1946 and the meetings originally held in the Liederkrans Club on Grand Avenue which now has been replaced by the Jack-In-The-Box. At that time, it was decided to form a new Compton Heights Association because the old one had gone out of business during the early days of World War II.

"The Association has a Board of twelve elected directors, who take care of the business of the Association. Business of the Board may mean anything that conerns us all, from seeing that the area is kept beautiful to bringing suit against anyone violating deed restrictions. The Directors report to members at the June and December meetings, and keep members informed by Newsletters of the business being tended."

The subject of whether occupancy of carriage houses by a person or persons other than the family occupying the main house seems to have arisen in 1973, and it was determined that it could be used separately only if the carriage house had been built before 1926 and had been occupied continuously since then.

In 1966 some new entrance markers were put up. The tiara emblem on the big ornamental iron standard at the Hawthorne-Longfellow wedge was the design of the late Mr. Frank Hilliker. The original dedication of th esigns was postponed because of bad weather, but on April 30, 1966, Mayor A. J. Cervantes was drive in a motorcade around the bounds of the Association's area, and the musicians of the Roosevelt High School Band played at the wedge. Mayor Cervantes used to live in Flora Court. Some people feel that the building of I-44, Compton Heights was even more set apart as a neighborhood.

This article is printed with the permission of a friend of Compton Heights, the late Marion K. Piper.

This article courtesy of the late Compton Heights resident, Roberta Harris.

Compton Heights Historic Neighborhood Home Page

This page was last updated on 9/10/99

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