The Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center

#forestparkforever

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 14, 2019

1. The Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center Marker

Inscription.
You're en route to a Forest Park icon — the Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center, operated by Forest Park Forever in partnership with Explore St. Louis.

Originally built in 1892 as the Lindell Pavilion Streetcar shelter, the Visitor Center is now a hub of info and activity for locals and tourists from 150+ countries. We're here to welcome and guide you — now and forever.

Erected by Forest Park Forever.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.

Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 38° 38.626′ N, 90° 16.999′ W. Marker was in St. Louis, Missouri. It was in Forest Park. It was on Grand Drive 0.1 miles west of Cricket Drive, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 5595 Grand Drive, Saint Louis MO 63112, United States of America.

We have been informed that this marker is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.

Regionally, this marker was in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it was in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it found itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: How Do We Divide Our Land? (a few steps from this marker); The Original Lindell Pavilion

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(within shouting distance of this marker); How Should People Gain Access to Their Park? (within shouting distance of this marker); How Will We Open Our City to the World? (within shouting distance of this marker); Are Trees and Lawns Enough? (within shouting distance of this marker); A Fair Legacy: The Zoo (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Should Park Space Serve Other Uses? (about 400 feet away); Can We Control Nature? (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Louis.

Additional commentary.
1. marker missing
When visiting this site on June 13, 2025, this marker was nowhere in sight. The two markers on both sides of it were there. But this marker is different than all the rest in this area, comprised of just a steel post and a sheet metal sign board which may have been blown away by the recent tornado that touched down just west of here and destroyed much of the area in a path towards the northeast, downing more than a dozen huge trees around the Visitor and Education Center.

And to add a bit more about this building,

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 14, 2019

2. The Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center Marker

back in 1902 as the clearing and excavation of Forest Park in preparation for the World's Fair was taking place, this streetcar shelter not only served to comfort the onlookers who came out to watch the work, but also serve as a strategic vantage point in the tower that loomed above nearly all the Fairgrounds. Thousands of photos were taken from the tower tracking the progress of the clearing of the Wilderness, the excavation of the underground channel built to contain River des Peres, and the overwhelming amount of construction of all the palaces and exhibit halls scattered over the 1270 plus acres of Forest Park. Professionals like Emil Boehl, Jessie Tarbox Beals, and others took their big box cameras up there and they continued to do so throughout the Fair to capture parades, dignitaries, and other exclusive events.

— Submitted June 15, 2025, by Garrett Koch of Saint Louis, Missouri.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 418 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.