Welcome to Lafayette Park, the oldest developed urban park west of the Mississippi. The Lafayette Park Conservancy (LPC) is dedicated to restoring and preserving its legacy.
Lafayette Park was originally part of the St. Louis Common, a public pasture established in the 1760s. When the Common was divided and sold in 1836, thirty acres were reserved as a public square. The Lafayette Park Conservancy (LPC) was founded in 2001, on the 150th anniversary of the creation of the park. The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and restore the park’s historic legacy, and to raise funds for those purposes.
About Lafayette Park
From its start as public pasture in 1767, Lafayette Park has seen a lot of history. Civil War, band concerts, swan boats, a devastating tornado, a half century of neglect, and rebirth in the 1970's.
Lafayette Park is home to three facilities that can be reserved for weddings or other events: the Park House, Betsy Cook Pavilion and Kern Lakeside Pavilion. Click this tile for more information.
Lafayette Park is in the center of historic Lafayette Square. Easy access from I-64, 44 and 55, with plenty of free shaded parking. Come see us!
The park has featured ornamental gardens since 1869, when the fence was installed to keep livestock from grazing on the flowers. Join us as a volunteer gardener, or simply enjoy this urban oasis.
Concerts, tours and vintage baseball, strolling our gardens, walking the dog, running the paths, birding, fishing, frolicking in the playground - Lafayette Park is the place to be.
365 days a year from 6am to 10pm, Lafayette Park has something to offer for every season. Plan your visit using this website. Click here to plan your visit.
Get in Touch
Upcoming Events
November 2024
Mapping St. Louis, A History of the Gateway City in 40 Rare Maps - Lafayette Park Public Lecture, followed by Annual LPC General Membership Meeting
Mapping St. Louis, A History of the Gateway City in 40 Rare Maps - Lafayette Park Public Lecture, followed by Annual LPC General Membership Meeting
10 Nov
Park News
VERT-de-GRIS
As you might imagine, I was caught completely off-guard when, strolling through the shire one evening, a dashing young prince in the guise of a Blanchard’s cricket frog (Acris blanchardi) bounced out of the shadows and onto the path before me, demanding a kiss.