Historic Playgrounds along the Meramec River

Historic Playgrounds on the Meramec River

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Before long more hotels, lodges, and clubs offering games of chance sprang up along the banks of the river where popular beaches attracted numerous visitors wanting to escape the crowds and heat and humidity of St. Louis in the summer. By the 1920's the lower Meramec had become a recreational Mecca to the thousands of St. Louis visitors. Canoes began to appear on the river in droves for fun seekers and anglers alike. Attending the popular Lincoln Beach near the old Highlands and other beaches near Valley Park, Castle Park and Fenton, the tourists also enjoyed dancing upon open-air dance floors and partying at the numerous clubhouses that appeared along the river.

Meramec Canoes on a Sunday Evening,

courtesy Meramec Highlands

On many weekends as many as 10,000 people could be found near Lincoln Beach during its peak of popularity. At about the same time, the Frisco Hotel in Valley Park was turned into a commercial hotel for the many visitors in that area of the river.

During the great depression, the recreation areas along the Meramec became neglected, as abandoned beaches became overgrown, lodges stood empty, and clubhouses fell into disrepair. In 1925, the Frisco station at Meramec Highlands changed its name to Osage Hills and discontinued operations in 1932 soon also falling into bad shape.

After World War II, cars replaced trains and travelers began to seek out more distant areas such as Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and the larger dammed lakes of southern Missouri. Attendance at Lincoln Beach and the remaining Meramec River resorts and clubs waned swiftly.

Over the years, Castlewood became a quiet place, part residential area and part hunting and fishing camp. Some clubhouses were renovated for year round use, while others were demolished or left to decay.

Today, Castlewood is a state park encompassing 1,779 acres along the banks of the Meramec River. Preserving the history of the former resort, the park incorporates much of the old resort area, including the grand staircase that once led tourist up to the large hotels and clubs. Although the hotels and clubs are gone, the staircase and the lure of the region remain.

Valley Park, well established with a glass factory and other industries thrived as a small community outside of St. Louis and the historic Frisco Hotel continues to stands. Today the building, located at 28 Front Street, houses the Whittle Shortline Railroad, a small, family owned manufacturer of American style wooden railroad toys. Since 1999, the business has featured a retail store where numerous handmade trains are sold and railroad fans can watch as they are being built in the toy assembly area.

Kirkwood became a suburb of the greater metropolitan area where the site of the former Meramec Highlands river amusements are now located in today’s Greentree Park. Though swimming is no longer safe or allowed in this section of the river, a boat ramp is still available for anglers and boating enthusiasts. Thirteen of the original cottages continue to stand in the nearby residential area, along with the original general store, which is now also used as a private residence. The remainder of the land is now a new residential development where its centerpiece remains the 1895 historic Frisco Train Station. After sitting abandoned and deteriorating for years, the building, built of solid Missouri limestone, has been restored. At the time of this writing, it stands for sale as a residential home in the new development area.

Frisco Train Station in Kirkwood, Missouri

The historic Frisco Train Station has been restored and

is now for sale as a private residence.

All along the banks where these historic resorts once stood are numerous parks and hiking and biking trails. Local float liveries offer a variety of options to floaters including inner tubes, kayaks, canoes, jonboats, and river rafts. Riverfront campgrounds and lodges offer everything from primitive camping, to horseback trail rides, to luxury cabins.

Adventure on the Meramec River, Missouri

Adventure still abounds on the Meramec River

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