Brookes Park, Hazelwood

Location: 498 Brookes Dr, Hazelwood, MO 63042

Website: http://www.hazelwoodmo.org/services/parks

Playground Ground Cover: Wood Chips

Amenities include: Accessible comfort station, accessible picnic pavilion, picnic site, accessible playground, historic buildings

I was surprised to find 3 historic buildings on the property here! I love touring old houses and will have to come back when they are open to the public.  The Old Elm Grove School, also known as the Little Red Schoolhouse, was built around 1852 and is said to be the earliest school building in the county. The red brick of the one room school were used in an unusual fashion in that the brick faces are turned toward the inside. The school closed in 1952. Another landmark in Brookes Park is the Stuart-Utz-Teson House. Alexander Stuart, a friend of Lewis and Clark, built the two-story, dog-trot style log home in 1824. The home was purchased by Julius Utz in 1832, a Southern sympathizer during the Civil War, and was owned by the Utz family until 1914. The Stuart-Utz-Teson House has been placed on National Register of Historic Places. The Knobbe House is also in Brookes Park. It originally was located on the site of the Village Square Shopping Center and was moved to Brookes Park in 1995. The oldest part of Knobbe House was built in 1870 by Bernard Henke. It was purchased two years later by Henke's son-in-law, Joseph Steven Knobbe, Sr, whose son, Joseph Knobbe, Jr, went on to be instrumental in the incorporation of Hazelwood in 1949. Hazelwood has restored the home and re-adapted it for public use as office space and public meeting space. Another landmark is the St. Cin House, built in the 1850's by Francis St. Cin whose family were early settlers in Hazelwood. The bricks for this Federal style home were made on St. Charles Rock Road.

The playground itself has one large structure, and 2 baby swings and 2 sling swings. On the structure are slides, monkey bars, a bridge, and poles. It has restrooms but they are seasonal.