A Preservation Plan for St. Louis

A 1995 publication by the Heritage and Urban Design Division (now the Cultural Resources Office)

St. Louis is rich in historic architecture; in the number of its important historic building and neighborhoods, the City is the equal of any in the country. But St. Louis' buildings face serious problems as well -- development pressures, limited funding sources, and changing neighborhood patterns all have an impact upon the built environment. In making difficult choices concerning preservation, it is vital that such decisions be based on complete and correct information, and that they be made in a spirit of careful reflection. This Preservation Plan will allow us to assess our resources and form appropriate strategies for the future.

This publication is the product of the first phase of a three-year Preservation Plan for the City of St. Louis and its historic resources. In this first year, we take stock of where we are now, and develop a matrix for future study. No building is created in isolation, and for its historic and architectural history to be fully understood, it must be viewed in relation to the social, cultural, and political life of its time. Thus Section One, St. Louis Historic Contexts, is a summary of the important themes of St. Louis history. Section Two, Property Types, discusses the many building types we have identified in the City, and describes a characteristic example of each. Both sections are intended to provide a framework against which to evaluate resources identified in later phases of the Plan.

The Preservation staff of the Heritage and Urban Design Division would like to thank the City of St. Louis Community Development Agency, and the St. Louis Development Corporation for their support during the preparation of this volume; and the Missouri Historical Society and the Landmarks Association of St. Louis, of whose valuable archives we made ready use. Also, thanks to Millie Benz, Administrative Assistant par excellence and Mara Minarik, Architectural Intern-in-Name-Only, for their valued assistance.

Thanks to William Bailey, Stephanie Cadotte and Chad Quinn of the CDA Graphics Department without whose expertise this document could never have seen the light of day.

 

The Heritage and Urban Design Division
Kathleen E. Shea, Commissioner
Jan Cameron, Preservation Administrator
Dan Krasnoff, Preservation Planner
Chris Wilson, Historic Preservation Specialist

This project has been financed in part with Federal funds administered by the Historic Preservation Program, Division of State Parks, Missouri Department of Natural Resources; and the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior.

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