Lafayette Square, St. Louis oldest historic district, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Originally, the Square was part of a 4,000 acre parcel of land called the Commons and was established in 1764 for grazing livestock and collecting firewood. With the exception of thirty acres that was reserved for a public square, the Commons was divided into plots and sold beginning in 1836. That public square, now known as Lafayette Park (located one block west of here), is the oldest developed park west of the Mississippi River. The park is the centerpiece of Lafayette Square, which today consists of 375 Victorian homes of French Second Empire, Romanesque, Italianate, Queen Anne and Federal designs. As John Albury Bryan, noted architect and author wrote: "Lafayette Square is the most significant historical neighborhood in the city of St. Louis. Surrounding Lafayette Park, the city's first park, the neighborhood's development began in earnest in the 1850's. Due to the exuberance and passion of its residents, the neighborhood has remained largely intact, surviving blight, deterioration, and neglect during much of the mid-twentieth century." In 1970, residents channeled their fierce pride in the neighborhood's architecture and formed the Lafayette Square Restoration Committee (LSRC) to safeguard it. The strength of our
neighborhood continues to be our dedicated residents. It is this dedication that makes us proud to share our neighborhood and history with you.
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