Walking Tour of Southwest Garden This Saturday

Landmarks Association Sponsors Tour of Southwest Garden Neighborhood Led by Edna Gravenhorst

When: Saturday, November 8 at 10:30 a.m.

Where: Meet at the Southwest Garden Neighborhood Association Office, 4950 Southwest Avenue

Contact: Landmarks Association, 314-421-6474

FREE

On November 8, Landmarks Association sponsors a free walking tour of the Southwest Garden neighborhood, one of south city's best-kept secrets. Edna Campos Gravenhorst, author of the new pictorial history Southwest Garden, will lead people down charming residential streets, robust commercial districts and the scene of the famous Great St. Louis Bank Robbery.

The tour starts at 10:30 a.m. at the office of the ever-busy Southwest Garden Neighborhood Association (4950 Southwest Avenue), where President Floyd Wright will welcome the crowd and discuss current projects in the neighborhood. Then the tour moves to the Southwest bank where former bank president Ed Berra will provide a tour and tell people about the famous 1953 robbery that was immortalized in the Steve McQueen film The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery. After the bank, Edna will narrate a walk to houses ranging from 20th century Craftsmans to 19th century revival-style beauties. The tour will include Gurney and Heger Courts as well as the storefront commercial architecture of the area. Visitors will see all sides of a beautiful neighborhood near the garden.

Southwest Garden was commissioned by the Southwest Garden Neighborhood Association in celebration of the associationʼs 30th anniversary. The book is divided into four historical walking tours with twenty sites in each tour. The oldest landmarks in the book are the Botanical Garden, Tower Grove Park, the State Hospital, Campbell Plaza and Fire Station 35.