Historic Buildings
Stupp Center & Memorial Garden
The Stupp Center and Memorial Garden is the newest building addition to Tower Grove Park. Designed to mirror the park’s famous pavilions, the Stupp Center is a popular site for weddings, rehearsal dinners, club and corporate meetings. The Memorial Garden is home to Walter Hauk’s bronze eagle, which takes flight from the red granite pillar in the fountain to the rear of the building.
Piper Palm House & Piper Plant House
The Piper Palm House is the oldest greenhouse west of the Mississippi River. Originally built to overwinter the park’s palms, the Piper Palm House currently hosts weddings, receptions, and many other events. To the north of the Piper Palm House stands a second and virtually identical Plant House built in 1885. Over the park’s history this building has been used as a greenhouse, maintenance building, and is currently the home to our park office.
Old Comfort Station
Tower Grove Park has three comfort stations, all of which have been recently renovated. The most historically significant is the Old Comfort Station located near the intersection of Grand and Magnolia. Erected in 1913 using materials from the demolished East Gate Lodge, the Old Comfort Station has a stone foundation, stucco walls, exposed rafters, and a green-glazed tile roof.
The Stables
The Park Foreman’s Residence is a stone house on the north side of the park. Like many of the stone features in this Park it was built using rough coarse limestone rubble in 1870. Next to the residence is a ten-stall stable, where the park’s Clydesdales and ponies reside.
Tennis Center
Built in honor of the Park’s founder, Henry Shaw, the Tennis Center was constructed in 1931. A 1966 renovation added to the east side of the building, which included space for a pro shop and locker room facilities. The Tennis Center welcomes visitors to nine hard-surface tennis courts, the new addition of eight hard-surface pickleball courts, and three newly refurbished grass courts—the only public grass courts in the nation.