The Civil War Muse

Lyon Park and the St. Louis Arsenal

Tour Stop

Directions: Lyon Park is located at the corner of S Broadway and S 2nd Streets in St. Louis, Missouri 63118. The St. Louis Arsenal is located just east of Lyon Park. Note that the St. Louis Arsenal is access restricted because it is an active United States Air Force facility.

• Return to your car and get headed east on Wyoming Street.
• After about 0.2 miles, turn left (north) onto Lemp Avenue.
• Take the first right (east) onto Arsenal Street.
• After about 0.5 miles, turn right (south) onto 2nd Street.
• Find a place to park. Lyon Park is just to the west and the St. Louis Arsenal is just to the east.

Description: You have parked in front of the St. Louis Arsenal whose grounds on on the east side of Second Street. Just to the west is Lyon Park. Lyon Park was established in 1869 by an Act of Congress which granted an eleven acre section of the St. Louis Arsenal grounds to the city of St. Louis on the condition that the city erect a monument to Brigadier-General Nathaniel Lyon. The Lyon Monument [ Waypoint = N38 35.615 W90 12.658 ] was dedicated on September 13, 1874 and consists of a 28 foot tall obelisk of Missouri granite. The monument is located in the center of the trapezoidal shaped park.

Walk up to the northwest corner of the park (near the intersection of Broadway and Arsenal) to see the statue of Nathaniel Lyon on horseback [ Waypoint = N38 35.681 W90 12.636 ] and an interpretive sign [ Waypoint = N38 35.695 W90 12.642 ] describing the role played by the St. Louis Arsenal in 1861. Originally located at the corner of Grand and Pine, this statue was moved to its current location in the 1930s.

Move out from the trees to get a clear look down the hill at the Arsenal complex. Imagine how it was in the morning of May 10th, 1861, when close to 7,000 newly mustered Federal volunteers marched out of the St. Louis Arsenal on their way to Camp Jackson.

Unfortunately, there is no access to the Arsenal grounds for it is being used as an active United State Air Force facility. Some of the original buildings still exist. These are some photographs available at the United States Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog:

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