Greentree Park and Meramec Greenway

Greentree Park and Meramec Greenway. . , A History of Recreation, . In the 1890s, this area was home to the 438-acre Meramec Highlands resort complex with its 125-room inn, cottages, dance hall, mineral spring bath houses, livery, steam yacht, general store, conservatory, hot house, rowboats and other amenities., . The Highlands resort had its own train station, where up to 12 trains stopped each day. , . During the time of the 1904 World's Fair, dancing and 5 cent beer at the Sunset Hill Pagoda dance hall were popular., . As new resorts sprang up along the Meramec, the Highlands' popularity faded and the facilities closed., . After World War I, boating and canoeing on the river became popular., . Fishing was a favorite activity, and people enjoyed night "gigging" trips in johnboats. , . In 1935, the McConnell's Beach House recreational facility opened, with picnic areas, locker rooms, showers, canoe storage, refreshment stands and a pool. , . In 1985, McConnell's Beach House was put on Kirkwood's historic register, but was torn down in 1996., A Natural Habitat, . The small, pigeon-sized duck know as the Green-winged Teal arrives here in September to stay a few days or weeks before flying south for the winter., . White-tailed Deer call the area home. The female "doe" raise their fawn alone throughout the summer, while the male "bucks" live in small groups. In autumn, as breeding season and winter approaches, the deer gather together from dusk until dawn., . The fast-growing Virginia Creeper plant thrives in the forest shade and produces small blue/black berries that forest birds like the Tufted Titmouse love to eat. , . The Great-Spangled Fritillary Butterfly may be seen here spreading its large, brownish-orange wings and eating the flower nectar of butterfly weed, dogbane and verbena., On the Trail Toward the Future, . Greentree Park is an important link in the Meramec Greenway, which stretches 108 miles and connects more than 28,000 acres of public parks and conservation trail. The Meramec Greenway will eventually span 50 miles from the confluence of the Mississippi and Meramec rivers to Pacific, Missouri., . The Meramec Greenway is part of The River Ring, a regional, interconnected system of greenways, parks and trails being developed by GRG-Great Rivers Greenway.