Benton Park, St. Louis
Encyclopedia
Benton Park is a neighborhood in eastern St. Louis, Missouri
, just west of the Soulard
neighborhood. The official boundaries of the area are Gravois Avenue on the north, Cherokee Street on the south, I-55
on the east, and Jefferson Avenue
on the west. Not to be confused with Benton Place, the first private street
in America located in Lafayette Square
, home to some of the finest families of St. Louis history.
The area now comprising Benton Park was first used as the City Cemetery. Those buried in the cemetery were relocated in 1865, and the neighborhood was created on June 25, 1866 by city ordinance. The neighborhood was later renamed after Thomas Hart Benton
, the first U.S. Senator representing the people of Missouri. As the neighborhood grew, it attracted several breweries due to its location above a system of caves that were ideal for beer storage, or "lagering" in German, as many of the popular German styles require. The most noteworthy of these was the Lemp Brewery
, which still stands today, although defunct.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, just west of the Soulard
Soulard, St. Louis
Soulard is a historic French neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri. It is named after Antoine Soulard, who first began to develop the land...
neighborhood. The official boundaries of the area are Gravois Avenue on the north, Cherokee Street on the south, I-55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
on the east, and Jefferson Avenue
Jefferson Avenue (St. Louis)
Jefferson Avenue is a major, seven lane wide, north to south thoroughfare in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. For much of its run in south city Jefferson Avenue and Grand Boulevard take a parallel course, separated by about sixteen blocks...
on the west. Not to be confused with Benton Place, the first private street
Private place
A private place is a self-governing enclave whose common areas are owned by the residents, and whose services are provided by the private sector....
in America located in Lafayette Square
Lafayette Square, St. Louis
Lafayette Square is a neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri that is bounded on the north by Chouteau Avenue, on the south by Interstate 44, on the east by Truman Parkway and on the west by South Jefferson Avenue. It surrounds Lafayette Park, which is the city's oldest public park, created by...
, home to some of the finest families of St. Louis history.
The area now comprising Benton Park was first used as the City Cemetery. Those buried in the cemetery were relocated in 1865, and the neighborhood was created on June 25, 1866 by city ordinance. The neighborhood was later renamed after Thomas Hart Benton
Thomas Hart Benton (senator)
Thomas Hart Benton , nicknamed "Old Bullion", was a U.S. Senator from Missouri and a staunch advocate of westward expansion of the United States. He served in the Senate from 1821 to 1851, becoming the first member of that body to serve five terms...
, the first U.S. Senator representing the people of Missouri. As the neighborhood grew, it attracted several breweries due to its location above a system of caves that were ideal for beer storage, or "lagering" in German, as many of the popular German styles require. The most noteworthy of these was the Lemp Brewery
Lemp Brewery
Lemp Brewery was the original name of the brewing company that became the Falstaff Brewing Corporation. The Lemp Brewery Complex refers to the name of the St. Louis, Missouri property consisting of 27 buildings on a pie-shaped site bounded by Cherokee Street on the north, Lemp Avenue on the west,...
, which still stands today, although defunct.