History of Tilles Park
There are two Tilles Parks, one located on Hampton and Fyler Avenues in the City of St. Louis and the other on Litzinger and Lay Roads in St. Louis county.
Why does St. Louis have two Tilles Parks?
The story goes back to the life of Andrew Tilles, who died in 1951 at the age of 87. Andrew Tilles was born in St. Louis in 1865. He moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and acquired the nickname of "Cap", because as a youth he operated a ferry across a stream.
"Cap" Tilles returned to St. Louis in 1886. He went into business with Sam Adler and Charles Cella. The business became known as Adler, Cella and Tilles. At one time these three businessmen owned Churchill Downs and the Fairgrounds Race Track.
In 1926, "Cap" Tilles set up a foundation, a non-sectarian million dollar charitable foundation in memory of his mother, for the education of poor children in St. Louis. In 1955, scholarships were extended to needy university students to attend the three universities - Washington University, St. Louis University, and Missouri University.
In 1932, Tilles donated a 68-acre parcel of land located in St. Louis County at Lay and Litzinger Roads to the City of St. Louis. The park was named in honor of his mother, Rosalie Peck Tilles, who was born in 1837 in Prussia and died in 1872 in Ft. Smith Arkansas.
There is another Tilles Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas, named in honor of his father, Louis Tilles.
The county park was developed in 1937 by the City Of St. Louis and W.P.A. funds and was maintained by the city for 18 years. A study found that more than 80 per cent of the people who used the park lived in the county. Another study showed that the city needed more open park space for its citizens.
In March of 1955, the Mayor and the Comptroller were authorized to sell the Rosalie Tilles Park in the county. The proceeds from the sale of the county park were used to purchase 29 acres for the present Rosalie Tilles Park at Hampton and Fyler.
This Park was extensively developed from the 1955 Bond Issue.
Hampton Gardens apartments, on the park's north side, were built in 1952 on the site of the former cemetery for indigent people.
The area surrounding Tilles Park is part of the Northampton neighborhood, which is divided into two parts...east of Macklind is Kingshighway Hills and west of Macklind is the Tilles Park neighbood.
The park serves as the heart of the neigborhood and the park benefits from the care provided by its residents. The Tilles Park Neighborhood Association plants and maintains the trees and garden in its park and the park committee schedules "work" days at the park. The "Taste of Tilles" raises funds to plant trees, shrubs and flowers in the park.
Features:
Colleen Sondermann
Memorial Playground
Rosalie's Garden
Roller Hockey Rink
3 Soccer Fields
3 Softball Fields
Basketball/Volleyball Court
Baseball Field
2 Lighted Racquetball Courts
Soccer Kick Board
3 Lighted Tennis Courts
Picnic Pavilion
Comfort Station
