Compton Hill Reservoir Park

James P. Kirkwood selected the site of the reservoir, one of the highest elevations within the 1855 city limits.[2] As the reservoir occupied only 18 acres (7.3 ha) of the site, Kirkwood suggested the remaining land be turned into a park.[1] The top of the reservoir structure was at one time covered with elevated tennis courts; presently, two newer tennis courts lie to the east.

The water tower was retired in 1929, after 30 years, when the Howard Bend Plant was put in service: the static head from the Stacy Park Reservoir, in what is now the St. Louis suburb of Olivette, caused an overflow of pure chemically treated water into the sewer system.[3] The reservoir and water tower were renovated, in 1999, at a cost of $19 million.[1]

In 1969, Interstate 44 was constructed through the northern edge of the park, reducing the area of the park to its present size.[1]

Compton Hill Water Tower under scaffolding during construction, 1899.

The Compton Hill Water Tower, built in 1898, is the youngest of three remaining stand pipe-water towers in St. Louis. Whereas, in 1901, more than 423 stand pipe style water towers existed in the United States,[4] as of 2008 only about a dozen remain standing, three of which are in St. Louis (the other two being the Bissell Tower and the Grand Avenue Water Tower).[3] The 179-foot (55 m) tower was built to disguise a 6-foot (1.8 m) diameter, 130-foot (40 m) tall standpipe in its interior.[3] The standpipe helped to control the dangerous surges in the city's pipes caused by the reciprocating pumps and maintain an even water pressure.[3] The water tower was designed by Harvey Ellis who also had a hand in designing the headhouse for St. Louis Union Station.[3] Occasionally, the observation deck at the top of the water tower is opened to the public, allowing visitors to see 360-degree panoramic views of the city.[5] The Compton Hill Water Tower was declared a city landmark in 1966 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[1]

The statue The Naked Truth was presented in honor of the local German American press

The statue The Naked Truth, unveiled in 1914, was a gift to the city of St. Louis by the German-American Alliance in honor of Carl Schurz, Emil Preetorius and Carl Daenzer, editors of the German St. Louis newspaper Westliche Post.[1] Controversy erupted over the statue's nudity before the monument was even built when a jury selected the design of Wilhelm Wandschneider, the only non-local sculptor in the design contest.[6] At the request of Adolphus Busch, who had contributed $20,000 of the $31,000 cost of the monument, the statue was made of bronze instead of white marble to deemphasize the nudity.[1]

The statue was moved to its present location south of the water tower after Interstate 44 was constructed through the northern edge of the park.[6] The statue was designated a city landmark in 1969.[1]

• Chicago Water Tower
• Louisville Water Tower
• Tower Grove East, St. Louis, nearby neighborhood that had a large German American population by the 1850s
• Tower Grove Park, the park located a short distance south on Grand Boulevard

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Compton Hill Reservoir Park.

• Compton Hill Reservoir Park official site
• Facebook page
• Compton Hill Water Tower - Compton Heights neighborhood page about the water tower
• The Water Tower and Park Preservation Society
• Built St. Louis: the Water Towers - Information about the three remaining water towers in St. Louis