Forest Park, St. Louis

So far my favorite place in St. Louis is Forest Park.  Well I guess my second favorite...our house is pretty great too.  

Forest Park is the second largest municipal park to Central Park in NYC.  It was the home to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition otherwise know as the 1904 World's Fair.  It was a spectacular event for it's day.  The first weekend we were here in St. Louis, the kiddos and I headed to the local library, got our new library cards and I checked out 2 different books about the Fair.  The second weekend we toured Forest Park and St. Louis Zoo (within the park). 

I am including a link for a website from the Missouri History Museum.  They did a big exhibit in 2004 to celebrate the Centennial of this grand event.  Here is the link if you're interested...1904 World's Fair.  

A few interesting facts I discovered...

1. most of the "Palaces"-12 in all-were built for the fair were temporary and an agreement was made to have the park returned to it's original form afterwords. 

2. only 2 buildings remain in the park today from the Fair...the Art Museum, and the Flight Cage. 

3. the large Ferris wheel or "Observation Wheel" (36 cars total and each held 60 people) built for the fair was dynamited afterward and buried on site...such a shame...it's was a cool structure.  There is a pic on the site I included. 

4. the Fair lasted 215 days, 18,317,457 people attended, and it cost $31,500,000. 

Here is a far away view of the Art Museum...not great as they are doing some major remodeling but you definitely get a scope of how large Forest Park is as this is a small section.  

That is a very big concert tent on the other side of the pond or Great Basin as it's named.  I believe that was there for the fair too. 

Here is the Flight Cage

right outside the entrance

From the inside

So great!

Inside the cage is this cool "porthole"...I love the look I captured. 

The cage remains at the St. Louis Zoo and the intention of it's design was to feel as if you are walking through a bird cage.  It's filled full size trees and many birds.  It's very cool.  



Oh...here is one other pic.  The building is called the Jewel Box and I believe it was built in the 1930's.  I love this building.  It's a very large greenhouse and is magnificent!

Such a lovely day too!

If you visit, leave me a comment!  I love comments!