History reclaimed!

Parts of this story: Introduction | Historical beginnings | The Great Cyclone of 1896 | The age of blight | Lafayette Square today | Tour Lafayette Square

The mansions of Lafayette Square stand in uniform rows, proud and tall, like victorious soldiers back from battle. And well they should. In its 150-year-history, the St. Louis neighborhood has suffered a devastating tornado, withstood the threat of a wrecking ball, and risen above crime, arson, and political and social turmoil.

Now in its third distinct era of rehabilitation, Lafayette Square is a model not only of historic restoration, but of urban living. During a time when many Americans are leaving urban centers for the ever-sprawling suburbs, Lafayette Square has enjoyed a resurgence unparalleled in St. Louis, and perhaps even in the country.

One by one, these historic homes are being restored through sheer determination and lots of elbow grease. The slate mansard roofs have been re-shingled in original designs, while the ornate moldings, brackets and facades have been painted in color schemes of fashion and folly. The slender and elongated windows which characterize this period of architecture gleefully reflect the sun.

The restoration of Lafayette Square is a story nearly as old as the 150-year-old mansions which surround the 30-acre park. A reclaimed urban community and National Historic District, the neighborhood which lies within two miles of St. Louis's Gateway Arch, boasts 375 Victorian homes. Most are of the French Second Empire design; other styles include Romanesque Revival and Federalist.

Central to the latest efforts to restore the homes is the non-profit Lafayette Square Restoration Committee, a group of urban pioneers which organized in 1970 with the ambitious goals of fostering community improvement and civic pride, encouraging restoration and preservation, and re-establishing Lafayette Park as a focal point of the community.

Three decades later, the fruits of their enormous efforts may finally be realized.

Nearly 90% of the homes in Lafayette Square have been restored to their original beauty. Architecture magazine has featured the neighborhood, and Better Homes & Gardens named Lafayette Square "one of the ten most beautiful painted ladies neighborhoods in the nation."

The restoration committee continues its efforts to stabilize the neighborhood, to acquire property to further its goals, and to encourage and support legislation for preservation, restoration, and improvement of the area. A new urban plan is part of the long-range vision of the group.