Fairground Park

A Glimpse into History

Before becoming a park, what is now Fairground Park in North St. Louis was home to the St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Fair from 1856 to 1902. The history goes even deeper than that - during the Civil War, the fairgrounds were commandeered as a Union Army encampment called Benton Barracks. Most people walking through today would never guess.

The city purchased this 131.46-acre piece of history in 1908 for $700,000 and transformed it into a public park. While most of the old fairground buildings were taken down, you can still spot the facade of the old bear pits from St. Louis's first zoo standing at the main entrance off Grand Boulevard and Natural Bridge Avenue.

The Pool That Made Waves

In 1912, Fairground Park became home to St. Louis's first municipal swimming pool - reportedly the largest in the entire country at that time. This pool later became the center of significant civil rights history during the Fairground Park Riot of 1949, when desegregation efforts led to tensions and conflict.

Rather than continue operating the pool as an integrated facility in the aftermath of the unrest, city officials chose to close it entirely. The replacement pool that opened in 1958 was funded through a 1955 bond issue - a program that also paid for lighted ball diamonds and hard-surface tennis courts elsewhere in the park.

What You'll Find Today

At the heart of the park sits a peaceful 9-acre lake that's regularly stocked with fish through the St. Louis Urban Fishing Program. If you're into fishing, you're in luck - the Missouri Department of Conservation keeps the lake filled with channel catfish from March through September, plus hybrid sunfish twice a year in May and September. Even if fishing isn't your thing, you might enjoy watching the ducks, geese, and cranes that call this lake home.

For sports enthusiasts, the park offers several options. You'll come across baseball fields, basketball courts, soccer fields, and freshly renovated tennis courts. The newest addition to the recreation lineup? Six dedicated pickleball courts - fantastic for trying your hand at one of America's fastest-growing sports.

Need some exercise? A walking track meanders through the park under the shade of mature trees, offering a peaceful route for your daily steps. As you explore, you'll cross several bridges spanning sections of the lake, each offering its own unique viewpoint of this urban oasis.

Echoes of the Past

Many locals still remember the days when the park featured a harness racing track that drew crowds from all around. The fairgrounds had actually changed hands in 1901, when a group of St. Louis horse racing operators purchased the property - but their venture didn't last long. Horse racing at the site came to a permanent end after Missouri banned gambling on the sport in 1905, following the election of Governor Joseph W. Folk, who signed the so-called Anti-Breeders Act into law. Though the races are now just memories, the track's footprint remains as part of the park's historical landscape.

Family-Friendly Fun

Kids have plenty of space to burn off energy at the playground areas scattered within the park. The open grassy spaces make perfect spots for impromptu family picnics or a casual game of frisbee, with plenty of shade trees offering a cool retreat during those sweltering St. Louis summers.

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More Than a Park

Fairground Park connects several surrounding neighborhoods - Fairground, O'Fallon, Greater Ville, and Vandeventer. For North St. Louis residents, it's an important green space where community connections form.

Year-round, the park hosts various events that bring neighbors together, including the popular Juneteenth celebration. You'll often spot local schools and youth programs making use of the fields for sports practices, especially youth football teams getting their game faces on.