Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park
Encyclopedia
Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park (also called Creve Coeur County Park) is a 2145 acres (8.7 km²) St. Louis County
park
located in Maryland Heights
, Missouri
, United States
. The park is the largest in the St. Louis County Parks system and includes Creve Coeur Lake, an oxbow lake which is the largest natural lake in Missouri. The park has facilities for picnic
king, tennis courts, multi-purpose athletic fields, and an archery course. Creve Coeur Park includes Crystal Springs Quarry Golf Course, an 18-hole course opened in 2001. In December 2003, construction for the Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park Bridge
, which is part of Missouri Route 364, was completed. The concrete bridge connects St. Louis County to St. Charles County and crosses over the southern end of the park. The project also included Creve Coeur Lake being dredge
d and the addition of a siltation lake to prevent the need for later dredging. Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park has an asphalt walking trail around the lake, which was constructed the Missouri Department of Transportation
alongside the bridge project. The trail also connects to a separate lane leading to the Missouri River
to connect to the Katy Trail
. A large portion of the park and surrounding area is also wetlands, and the park has been used for conservation purposes, particularly the study of various waterfowl
.
, Creve Coeur Lake, which is 320 acres (1.3 km²), had hosted many boating events decades before the park officially opened. In June 1882, the Mississippi Valley regatta
was held at the lake. It also hosted the Creve Coeur Regatta and the Annual Races of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen in 1904 (the rowing
competition for the 1904 Summer Olympics
), and it was the site where local sculler Jacob Gaudaur often competed, including his victory over John Teemer in a sculling match in 1884. A smaller, 66 acre (0.26709276 km²) lake, called Mallard Lake, was constructed with the bridge project.
St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
located in Maryland Heights
Maryland Heights, Missouri
Maryland Heights is a second-ring west-central suburb of St. Louis, located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 27,472 at the 2010 census. The city was incorporated in 1985. Edwin L. Dirck was elected the city's first mayor. Mark M. Levin has been City Administrator...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The park is the largest in the St. Louis County Parks system and includes Creve Coeur Lake, an oxbow lake which is the largest natural lake in Missouri. The park has facilities for picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
king, tennis courts, multi-purpose athletic fields, and an archery course. Creve Coeur Park includes Crystal Springs Quarry Golf Course, an 18-hole course opened in 2001. In December 2003, construction for the Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park Bridge
Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park Bridge
The Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park Bridge carries Route 364 across the Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park in Maryland Heights, Missouri....
, which is part of Missouri Route 364, was completed. The concrete bridge connects St. Louis County to St. Charles County and crosses over the southern end of the park. The project also included Creve Coeur Lake being dredge
Dredge
Dredging is an excavation activity or operation usually carried out at least partly underwater, in shallow seas or fresh water areas with the purpose of gathering up bottom sediments and disposing of them at a different location...
d and the addition of a siltation lake to prevent the need for later dredging. Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park has an asphalt walking trail around the lake, which was constructed the Missouri Department of Transportation
Missouri Department of Transportation
The Missouri Department of Transportation is a state government organization in charge of maintaining public roadways of the U.S. state of Missouri.-External links:*...
alongside the bridge project. The trail also connects to a separate lane leading to the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
to connect to the Katy Trail
Katy Trail State Park
The Katy Trail State Park is a recreation rail trail that runs in the right-of-way of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. The nickname "Katy" comes from the phonetic pronunciation of 'KT' in the railroad's abbreviated name, MKT. The trail, widely known as the Katy Trail, is a Missouri...
. A large portion of the park and surrounding area is also wetlands, and the park has been used for conservation purposes, particularly the study of various waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
.
History
The park was the first in the St. Louis County Park system and was dedicated in 1945. Originally a resortResort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
, Creve Coeur Lake, which is 320 acres (1.3 km²), had hosted many boating events decades before the park officially opened. In June 1882, the Mississippi Valley regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
was held at the lake. It also hosted the Creve Coeur Regatta and the Annual Races of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen in 1904 (the rowing
Rowing at the 1904 Summer Olympics
At the 1904 Summer Olympics, five rowing events were contested. The Olympics were held in St. Louis, United States, and all of the rowing competitors, save the Canadian men's eight, were from the United States. All competitions were held on Saturday, July 30, 1904....
competition for the 1904 Summer Olympics
1904 Summer Olympics
The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from 1 July 1904, to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University...
), and it was the site where local sculler Jacob Gaudaur often competed, including his victory over John Teemer in a sculling match in 1884. A smaller, 66 acre (0.26709276 km²) lake, called Mallard Lake, was constructed with the bridge project.