Everyone knows Benton Park, but I feel like very few people in St. Louis knows there is an ACTUAL park in Benton Park. Just off Route 55 on Arsenal, you may think this is a small park that offers residents very little. But you'd be wrong! Running through the park's undulating hills, you will find ample space to host socially distanced picnics or add extra distance to your runs.
A quick history of the park: Benton Park's site was originally set aside for a City cemetery at the time of the sale of land in the old St. Louis Commons in 1836. Benton Park was created by City Ordinance in 1866 after the founding of Bellefontaine and Calvary Cemeteries in North St. Louis made possible this transformation into a well shaded and popular pleasure area. In its early history it was difficult to maintain a supply of water in this lake because of its proximity to "English Cave". The lake was drained and all crevasses which had occasioned leakage were filled with concrete.
Today though the artificial lake is actually a focal point of the park. It is well maintained and is home to many ducks that you often see people feeding. Apparently there are fish in the small man made lake and fishing is permitted. According to the city's site, the lake is restocked with fish every two to four years. Personally, I'm not trying to fish out of a city lake, but I'm sure there are plenty of people looking for that type of recreation.
The park also has other forms of recreation including tennis courts along Jefferson. There is a fairly large playground that appears to be new and well maintained.
I like to do hillwork on my runs in Benton Park. It offers plenty of steep climbs and short downhills.
The park is not typically as crowded as other major parks in our city, so it's actually a great place to sunbathe if you're a tad shy in public like me. Thanks to the lush greenery and picturesque bridge over the water, Benton Park would also be a great place for a photoshoot as you wouldn't be combating people in the background.
Can't wait to take photos of the trees in the fall. The colors reflecting off the water are going to be spectacular. read more