Blink and you might miss this Soulard gem, and it's not your fault because Aboussie Park is recognized as the smallest of all St. Louis city parks, covering a mere 0.4 acre. While you are probably going to select one of the 115 other parks in St. Louis for your long runs or pickup soccer games, Aboussie Park adds a historic charm to an already quaint neighborhood.
Aboussie Park was established in 1981 and is located near Sidney and 13th Street, and just east of the chain link fence on the I-55 easement. This park is surrounded by well-kept St. Louis brick homes with manicured front lawns and gardens.
What I love about the space is that without the well thought out flow of the park, it would be an overgrown patch of weeds in an otherwise unusable space. The park provides an area to walk our dog, a place to sit/rest and a small set of trees and shrubs to attract birds and other small wildlife. One thing you can't help but notice while walking in the park are the smells of coniferous trees and perennial flowers meshing with the signature Soulard scent of barley from the Anheuser-Busch brewery.
Aboussie Park takes its name from Martie "Murph" Aboussie (1909-1970), a politician in the 9th Ward. There's a sign in the park commemorating his life, but is rather vague on his actual accomplishments, rather characterizing his time as a servant of the common man and a friend to youth.
Just steps away from Ninth Street Deli at Howards, the park provides a wonderful place to munch on your to-go sub. And thanks to St. Louis' open container regulations, you can pack a few drinks to have the perfect picnic. It helps you feel like you're getting out of the city just steps from your home.
There's a cute gazebo as the focal point of the park. Over the summer, it served as a meet-up location of a community created golf cart pride parade through Soulard.
While the park could use a little love, the city does care for the grass and trimming the trees to make sure the walking paths are clear. Clyde and I love strolling through this park every night on his walk. read more