Oak Knoll Park is a municipal park in Clayton, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Founded in 1958, it includes 14.5 acres of land[1] that host one of the largest native stands of post oak trees.[2] It also includes two early 20th-century stone mansions.[1]
Oak Knoll Park
Turtles sun themselves on a stump near the park's pond.
In 1958, the Clayton Board of Aldermen authorized the purchase of a 21-acre tract of land at the northwest corner of Clayton Road and Big Bend Boulevard. City planners had recommended a purchase of land for the city's second municipal park, after Shaw Park, and this tract was deemed the only suitable candidate. Voters approved a $350,000 bond issue a few months later,[3] and the land was ultimately purchased for $400,000. The tract included two stone mansions of about 20 rooms apiece, both built by prominent St. Louisans of their day: 1 Oak Knoll, built by Charles M. Rice and recently vacated by his widow, and 2 Oak Knoll, built by Alvin D. Goldman[4] and then occupied by his widow,[5] Blanche Lesser Goldman.[6]
Oak Knoll Park was for several decades the site of the St. Louis Museum of Science and Natural History, an operation of the Academy of Science, St. Louis.[7] In 1959, the academy installed part of its collection, by then a century old, in the park's mansions.[8] The academy paid just $1 per year in rent, but was responsible for upkeep on the buildings. The museum, which was free to enter,[9] was immediately popular with the public, but within a few years, the academy was struggling to fund its maintenance. Similar funding problems with the Saint Louis Zoo and the Saint Louis Art Museum led city leaders in 1969 to propose a tax levy to support all three institutions. When voters approved the levy in 1971, control of the museum and its collection passed to a Board of Commissioners. The museum was eventually closed and part of the collection was transferred to the new St. Louis Science Center, which opened in 1992.[10]
In 2021, Clayton leaders announced that renovation of the pond area would be funded by a $150,000 gift.[11]
External linksEdit
Oak Knoll Park
ReferencesEdit
^ ab"Parks | City of Clayton, MO". www.claytonmo.gov. Retrieved 2021-08-15.
^Doyle, Amanda E. (2011-09-30). Finally, A Locally Produced Guidebook to St. Louis by and for St. Louisans, Neighborhood by Neighborhood. Reedy Press LLC. ISBN978-1-935806-07-3.
^"MARCH VOTE PROPOSED FOR CLAYTON BOND ISSUE". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 30, 1958. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
^Alvin Goldman was the son of a German immigrant who served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War and moved to St. Louis in 1875 to enter the cotton business. Alvin himself became president of the Lesser-Goldman Co., "one of the world's largest firms engaged in buying, selling, and merchandising cotton," as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch put it. He died on September 7, 1958, in Charlevoix, Michigan, after suffering a heart attack at his vacation house, and left an estate of $1,017,752, including the Oak Knoll property.
^"A Natural History Museum At Last". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 14, 1958. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
^"Alvin Goldman Leaves $1,017,752". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. October 18, 1958. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
^"About — Academy of Science of St. Louis » Connecting Science and the Community Since 1856". Retrieved 2021-08-15.
knoll, park, municipal, park, clayton, missouri, suburb, louis, founded, 1958, includes, acres, land, that, host, largest, native, stands, post, trees, also, includes, early, 20th, century, stone, mansions, turtles, themselves, stump, near, park, pond, locatio. Oak Knoll Park is a municipal park in Clayton Missouri a suburb of St Louis Founded in 1958 it includes 14 5 acres of land 1 that host one of the largest native stands of post oak trees 2 It also includes two early 20th century stone mansions 1 Oak Knoll ParkTurtles sun themselves on a stump near the park s pond LocationClayton MissouriNearest citySt LouisCoordinates38 38 12 N 90 19 11 W 38 63667 N 90 31972 W 38 63667 90 31972Area14 5 acresCreated1958Operated byCity of Clayton MissouriPublic transit accessMetroBusIn 1958 the Clayton Board of Aldermen authorized the purchase of a 21 acre tract of land at the northwest corner of Clayton Road and Big Bend Boulevard City planners had recommended a purchase of land for the city s second municipal park after Shaw Park and this tract was deemed the only suitable candidate Voters approved a 350 000 bond issue a few months later 3 and the land was ultimately purchased for 400 000 The tract included two stone mansions of about 20 rooms apiece both built by prominent St Louisans of their day 1 Oak Knoll built by Charles M Rice and recently vacated by his widow and 2 Oak Knoll built by Alvin D Goldman 4 and then occupied by his widow 5 Blanche Lesser Goldman 6 Oak Knoll Park was for several decades the site of the St Louis Museum of Science and Natural History an operation of the Academy of Science St Louis 7 In 1959 the academy installed part of its collection by then a century old in the park s mansions 8 The academy paid just 1 per year in rent but was responsible for upkeep on the buildings The museum which was free to enter 9 was immediately popular with the public but within a few years the academy was struggling to fund its maintenance Similar funding problems with the Saint Louis Zoo and the Saint Louis Art Museum led city leaders in 1969 to propose a tax levy to support all three institutions When voters approved the levy in 1971 control of the museum and its collection passed to a Board of Commissioners The museum was eventually closed and part of the collection was transferred to the new St Louis Science Center which opened in 1992 10 In 2021 Clayton leaders announced that renovation of the pond area would be funded by a 150 000 gift 11 External links EditOak Knoll ParkReferences Edit a b Parks City of Clayton MO www claytonmo gov Retrieved 2021 08 15 Doyle Amanda E 2011 09 30 Finally A Locally Produced Guidebook to St Louis by and for St Louisans Neighborhood by Neighborhood Reedy Press LLC ISBN 978 1 935806 07 3 MARCH VOTE PROPOSED FOR CLAYTON BOND ISSUE St Louis Post Dispatch January 30 1958 Retrieved August 14 2021 Alvin Goldman was the son of a German immigrant who served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War and moved to St Louis in 1875 to enter the cotton business Alvin himself became president of the Lesser Goldman Co one of the world s largest firms engaged in buying selling and merchandising cotton as the St Louis Post Dispatch put it He died on September 7 1958 in Charlevoix Michigan after suffering a heart attack at his vacation house and left an estate of 1 017 752 including the Oak Knoll property A Natural History Museum At Last St Louis Post Dispatch December 14 1958 Retrieved August 14 2021 Alvin Goldman Leaves 1 017 752 St Louis Post Dispatch October 18 1958 Retrieved August 14 2021 About Academy of Science of St Louis Connecting Science and the Community Since 1856 Retrieved 2021 08 15 Corrigan Don Shanks Holly 2017 07 17 Forest Park Arcadia Publishing ISBN 978 1 4396 6346 2 Corporation Bonnier May 1973 Popular Science Bonnier Corporation Corrigan Patricia November 2007 Bringing Science to Life A Guide from the Saint Louis Science Center Reedy Press ISBN 978 1 933370 16 3 Post Dispatch Mary Shapiro Special to the Clayton couple s gift to fund Oak Knoll park improvements STLtoday com Retrieved 2021 08 15 This Missouri related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This garden related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Oak Knoll Park amp oldid 1167308693, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
