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Compton Heights Information
A pleasant enclave occupying a high location on the near south side is
Compton Hill, an area of quiet and tranquillity not far from the geographical
center of St. Louis. As defined here, the area is bounded by Grand Boulevard,
Park Avenue, Jefferson Avenue and Arsenal Street. The topography is inclined in
a westerly direction from Jefferson Avenue reaching a ridge line east of Grand
Boulevard in the vicinity of Compton Hill Reservoir. There is a slight slope to
the south from Russell Boulevard toward Arsenal Street.
Several public schools are located in this area, the earliest being the Hodgen
School at 2748 Henrietta Street which was built in 1884, with additions in 1888
and 1895. Architect for the original building was Otto J. Wilhelmi. The Grant
School at 3009 Pennsylvania Avenue was opened in 1893 and was one of the first
public schools here designed by William B. Ittner. An addition was built in
1902. Ittner was also the architect of the Wyman School built in 1901 at 1547
South Theresa Avenue and the adjacent building for Harris Teachers College at
1517 South Theresa, which was finished in 1905. The teachers college remained
there until 1950 and the building is now used as the Board of Education
Curriculum Service Center.
Another school in this educational complex is the Gallaudet School for the Deaf
at 1616 South Grand Boulevard designed by R.M. Milligan in 1924. The Shenandoah
School at 3412 Shenandoah Avenue, also designed by Milligan, was opened in 1926.
St. Elizabeth's Academy at Arsenal Street and Louisiana Avenue was opened in
1882 by the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood. The buildings had previously
been used as a convent and asylum of the Sisters of St. Mary. The academy
presently consists of several buildings built at various times from 1894 to 1957
with the most recent being the high school and auditorium. The convent was built
in 1914 and a classroom building was opened in 1922.
The Compton Heights subdivision, embracing Hawthorne and Longfellow Boulevards
and adjacent blocks between Grand and Nebraska was laid out in 1888 by Julius
Pitzman to correct errors he made in designing Vandeventer Place. Several unique
features were incorporated into his design. These include gracefully curved
streets to create a pleasant vista and reduce traffic flow. The residential deed
restrictions, the first in Missouri, insure private family use of each residence
and establish a common setback for each home. This zoning principle, which is
now widely accepted, was a new concept at the time and was not upheld by the
Missouri Supreme Court for almost three decades. Although well established by
the turn of the century, the largest flurry of construction in Compton Heights
centered around the St. Louis World's Fair. Many of St. Louis' first families
settled in this area corporate leaders of Anheuser-Busch, Falstaff, Magic Chef,
Monsanto Corporation, and Pet Incorporated were among early founders. A number
of the homes still remain in the families of the original builders some 75-90
years later.
Homes in Reservoir Square, an area near Compton Hill Reservoir which developed
geographic identity with I-44 construction, dates from the 1860's. Although many
structures had become rooming houses, there has been vigorous restoration
efforts recently with the majority of structures now returning to attractive
single family use.
To the south of it is an area of smaller one and two family dwellings, which are
generally owner occupied and well maintained. Large houses may be found on a few
streets running eastward from Grand to the north of Arsenal Street. East of this
district as far as Jefferson Avenue is an area of single family houses with a
scattering of a few flats that were built between 1890 and 1910. There is a low
percentage of owner occupancy in this section as is also the case in the area
north of Lafayette Avenue to Park Avenue, west of Jefferson. In the latter
mentioned area most of the housing was built before 1900, principally two and
four family flats. They are generally of poor quality and maintenance, many
lacking inside plumbing.
The black occupancy in the area increased from one-third in 1960 to two-thirds
in 1970. There are many vacant vandalized buildings here with many demolition's
particularly due to highway 44 construction.
A broad renovation effort in this area has been begun by the redevelopment
project known as Lafayette Towne. Sponsored by the Home Builders Association of
Greater St. Louis, it will ultimately contain a wide variety of new and
rehabilitated residential structures ranging from single family dwellings to
high density apartments in a harmonious style. The project site is bounded
generally by Interstate 44, Compton Avenue, LaSalle Street and Jefferson Avenue,
and will feature cul-de-sac streets and internal commercial areas, parks,
schools and churches.