Dr. H. Phillip Venable Memorial Park honors a family that faced racism and is a walk to do during Black History Month.
A Short History of the Park
Dr. H. Phillip Venable Memorial Park is Creve Coeur’s first park.
The City of Creve Coeur originally acquired land for the park from Dr. H. Phillip Venable and his wife, Katie W. Venable, by the power of eminent domain in proceedings between 1956 and 1960.
The Venables opposed the city’s use of eminent domain to acquire their land in both state and federal court but were ultimately unsuccessful and sold their land to the City.
Both city and court records showed that the people leading the effort to obtain Dr. Venable’s land were motivated by bigotry and racial animus and sought to prevent the Venables from building their home in the City due to their race.
The history of the park’s origins had been forgotten for many years, but the facts were brought to the Creve Coeur City Council’s attention in 2019 by members of the public. The mayor and city council subsequently held a public discussion on the history of the park.
On December 9, 2019, the Creve Coeur City Council approved Resolution 1467 renaming the park as Dr. H. Phillip Venable Memorial Park, formerly Beirne Park. (Information from Creve Coeur City Website)
The Walk
I did a half-mile walk in the park going up and down a hill and by a clear water creek.
At the front is a wooden sign (blog main photo) that says
Dr. H. Phillip Venable Memorial Park, City of Creve Coeur, with a red heart in the middle.
A paved trail begins to the right of the parking area and you pass by tennis courts and a small playground with slides and a climbing structure than a back area with picnic tables.
Then I came to a side trail that has a wooden bridge that crosses a creek.
The trail then goes along a field with trees on the right then curves around a hill that leads to views of the valley below.
Then I took a paved path that went through the middle of the park passing by another larger playground with tall tube slides coming from a tower on top.
It then led back to the main trail and I went by the tennis courts again.
Final Thoughts
I reflected on what a beautiful piece of property is and how this would have been a great place for the family. It is a nice park, just sad that it came from such a problematic beginning.
DETAILS
Drive: Take Interstate 64 to exit 28 for Spoede Road and go north then make a right on Country View Drive and the park is at the end of the street.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Address: 10630 Country View Dr, Creve Coeur, MO 63141
NEARBY HIKES
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Dad Hikes: Powder Valley Nature Center
Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center has paved trails for families to explore the woods crossing wooden bridges over small rocky brooks and streams. It also has an educational component that helps children learn about the environment with interpretive signs that can be found as you walk in the area.
