Faust Park - Chesterfield, MO
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Wampa-One
N 38° 39.854 W 090° 32.513
15S E 713869 N 4282384
One of St. Louis County's most unique parks, home to the Butterfly House, the St. Louis Carousel, an outstanding playground, a historical village, and the estate of Missouri's second governor.
Waymark Code: WM5FBB
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 12/31/2008
Views: 11
Faust County Park is home to the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, St. Louis Carousel, a historical village, the Saint Louis Symphony Music School and Thornhill, the estate of Frederick Bates, Missouri's second governor.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Thornhill, the 1819 estate of Missouri's second governor is located in the park. The site includes eight buildings--the house, two barns, a summer kitchen, a smoke house, a distillery, an ice house and a granary. Some of the buildings were built in the early 1800s while others were built in the 1900s. Also on the grounds is the cemetery where the former governor and his family are buried. Tours are 1 1/2 hours in length and are by appointment only.
St. Louis Carousel is housed in its own climate-controlled facility on the grounds of the park. Built around 1920 by the Dentzel Company of Philadelphia, the carousel is composed of more than 60 exquisitely hand-carved horses and deer. The carousel was a fixture at the St. Louis Highlands amusement park on Oakland Avenue where Forest Park Community College now stands. The amusement park burned down in 1963, but the carousel was rescued and later purchased by Howard C. Ohlendorf who donated it to St. Louis County. It was operated in Sylvan Springs County Park until 1979 but after many years of being exposed to the elements it had seen better days. The Faust Cultural Heritage Foundation restored the carousel and raised funds to pay for a building to enclose it at Faust Park. The carousel building includes an exhibition area and is available for rental when not in public use.
Nine 19th century buildings comprise Faust Historical Village. The buildings-all authentic to the area and period-were moved to the park from other locations. They include a carriage house, a typical form of German construction from around 1880, two barns, a blacksmith shop, two smokehouses and a log cabin with two log-box rooms connected by a breezeway.
More than 600 students ranging in age from newborn to over age 80 study at the Symphony Music School in the Faust Mansion. The school took up residence in the renovated building in 1994 after it was formed through a unique alliance between the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and CASA.
The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House is also located in Faust Park. See the Fact Sheet for the Butterfly House for details.
HISTORY:
Thornhill was the home of Missouri's second governor, Frederick Bates. It is the oldest standing governor's resident in Missouri. The estate was later owned by Leicester Busch Faust, the descendant of two prominent St. Louis families, and his wife Mary Plant Faust. The home and outbuildings were designed by Tom P. Barnett, the firm which designed many prominent structures in St. Louis including the new St. Louis Cathedral and One Portland Place. The house is in the unusual Pueblo Revival style. The couple donated 98 acres to the county leading to the creation of Faust Park in 1996. Upon Mrs. Faust's death in 1996 an additional 102 acres was donated to the park. Visitors may stroll the grounds of the estate during park hours.
~ from St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commision website (
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Park Map (
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Park History (
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