Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

The Taylor Kindle River

Forest Park

Photographed by Jason Voigt, January 3, 2023

1. The Taylor Kindle River Marker

Inscription.

The Taylor Kindle River. Forest Park. , Spanning 2.5 nautical miles from west to east, the Taylor Kindle River is the backbone of Forest Park, the singular feature that stretches across nearly the entire destination. , Water has been a central part of the Forest Park experience since its 1876 founding, and there is still some living history just beneath the surface of today's river system. The River Des Peres, which used to flow through the Park, was buried in giant tunnels in the 1930s. , Before Forest Park's dramatic restoration that began in the 1990s, its water bodies had grown stagnant and unattractive. The 1995 Forest Park Master Plan envisioned a fully connected, recirculating river system and outlined an ambitious plan to reshape the way visitors interact with water in Forest Park and improve the overall Park ecosystem. The first phase of this "River Returns" project was completed in 2004, with the second and final phase beginning in 2020. , Together with the riparian buffer around it, Forest Park's Taylor Kindle River is beloved by millions of annual visitors and serves as an important corridor providing water, shelter and forage for wildlife. The Park's waterway is home to ducks, turtles, mink, egrets, herons and more. , (aside:) , Forest Park's river system is named in honor of the late Jack C. Taylor, founder of Enterprise Rent-a-Car and a transformative and visionary civic leader and benefactor for Forest Park, the St. Louis region and beyond. The Forest Park we love today - a local treasure, a national destination - would not be the gem it is without the extraordinary support of Jack C. Taylor and his family over many decades. , Forest Park - voted the #1 City Park in America in 2016 by readers of USA Today - is St. Louis' big backyard. Home to extraordinary natural areas, restored historic landmarks, world-class cultural institutions, hundreds of species of wildlife and endless opportunities for recreation and relaxation, the 1,300-acre Park attracts more than 13 million visitors each year.

Spanning 2.5 nautical miles from west to east, the Taylor Kindle River is the backbone of Forest Park, the singular feature that stretches across nearly the entire destination.

Water has been a central part of the Forest Park experience since its 1876 founding, and there is still some living history just beneath the surface of today's river system. The River Des Peres, which used to flow through the Park, was buried in giant tunnels in the 1930s.

Before Forest Park's dramatic restoration that began in the 1990s, its water bodies had grown stagnant and unattractive. The 1995 Forest Park Master Plan envisioned a fully connected, recirculating river system and outlined an ambitious plan to reshape the way visitors interact with water in Forest Park and improve the overall Park ecosystem. The first phase of this "River Returns" project was completed in 2004, with the second and final phase beginning in 2020.

Together with the riparian buffer around it, Forest Park's Taylor Kindle River is beloved by millions of annual visitors and serves as an important corridor providing water, shelter and forage for wildlife. The Park's waterway is home to ducks, turtles, mink, egrets, herons and more.

(aside:)
Forest Park's river system is named in honor of the late Jack C. Taylor, founder

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of Enterprise Rent-a-Car and a transformative and visionary civic leader and benefactor for Forest Park, the St. Louis region and beyond. The Forest Park we love today - a local treasure, a national destination - would not be the gem it is without the extraordinary support of Jack C. Taylor and his family over many decades.

Forest Park - voted the #1 City Park in America in 2016 by readers of USA Today - is St. Louis' big backyard. Home to extraordinary natural areas, restored historic landmarks, world-class cultural institutions, hundreds of species of wildlife and endless opportunities for recreation and relaxation, the 1,300-acre Park attracts more than 13 million visitors each year.

Erected by City of St. Louis Parks Recreation and Forestry and Forest Park Forever.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.

Location. 38° 38.609′ N, 90° 17.883′ W. Marker is in St. Louis, Missouri. It is in Forest Park. It is on Lagoon Drive west of Fine Arts Drive, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located at the Cascades in Forest Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6141 Lagoon Dr, Saint Louis MO 63112, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds 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

Photographed by Jason Voigt, January 3, 2023

2. The Taylor Kindle River Marker

Marker is in front of the Cascades at Forest Park.

of this marker: Welcome to Forest Park (approx. ¼ mile away); Apotheosis of St. Louis, 1904-1906 (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Grand Basin (approx. 0.4 miles away); Giant Three-Way Plug, Scale A, 1970-1971 (approx. 0.4 miles away); Saint Louis Art Museum (approx. half a mile away); Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (approx. half a mile away); Parkview (approx. 0.6 miles away); Can the Past Tear Us Apart? (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Louis.

Additional commentary.
1. Containment of River des Peres in St. Louis city
(ref 2nd paragraph) River des Peres flowed through the Park until 1902 when preparations for the 1904 World's Fair were under way. River des Peres was excavated and contained in large, underground wooden channels built from the lumber made from the trees cut down while clearing the Wilderness for the massive Palaces and exhibition buildings. The channels began where the small river entered into The Pike area of the Fair, now a residential section along Lindell Blvd, and ended on the east boundary of the Fairgrounds at its original bed somewhere between today's Boat House and Muni Opera.

It's uncertain how much, if any, of this project was then dug up as part of the Forest Park restoration contract with Chicago House

Photographed by Jason Voigt, January 3, 2023

3. The Taylor Kindle River Marker

Rear shot of the marker, taken along the Cascades pathway

Wrecking Co. From 1924-1931 a huge taxpayer-funded project was completed with an estimate of $10,000,000. This included huge underground concrete tubes which contained River des Peres completely until it reached an open air outlet where it neared Manchester Rd. in the area known as "Dogtown". From there, the WPA built a mammoth stone river bed all the way down to its convergence with the Mississippi River, a length of over 10 miles and larger than 200' wide at the end section.

— Submitted April 21, 2025, by Garrett Koch of Saint Louis, Missouri.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 3, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 1,631 times since then and 120 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 3, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.