- City:
- Clayton, MO
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Tennis Courts, Swimming Pools, Athletic Courts and Fields
- New Deal Agencies:
- Works Progress Administration (WPA), Work Relief Programs
- Started:
- 1935
- Completed:
- 1937
- Quality of Information:
- Very Good
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
Shaw Park was developed by the WPA in 1935-1936 and formally dedicated in 1937. The park is 30 acres total and is on land donated by the Shaw family. The total cost for the project was $280,000 – a $250,000 federal contribution and $30,000 bond from the city of Clayton. The park is just west of the St. Louis County courthouse and is adjacent to the Clayton High School (constructed later). The largest part of the project is the olympic swimming pool that was the only pool in the midwest meeting requirements for Olympic competition. It has since been modified and updated, but the layout and size of the main pool has been maintained. In addition to the pool, there were 11 tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, a football field, volleyball courts, and handball courts.
Source notes
The St. Louis Star and Times (St. Louis, Missouri), Sat. May 22, 1937. Main edition, Page. 3. St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri), Wed. June 10, 1936. Main edition, Page 3.Site originally submitted by Charles Swaney on January 23, 2017.
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