The Compton Hill Water Tower doesn't stand alone. She's the centerpiece of a beloved historic park that wraps all the way around her, with a lily pond, a century-old statue, walking paths, and (as of this year) a brand-new dog park.
Compton Hill Reservoir Park was laid out in 1871 on the highest natural point in the city, years before the tower itself went up. The 36-acre park was designed as a pairing of civic utility and green respite — a working reservoir surrounded by the kind of promenade you might find in Central Park.
More than 150 years later, the grounds remain open to the public every day from sunrise to sunset. No fee, no gate, no reservation required. Just show up and wander.
Location: 1700 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63104 · at the corner of S. Grand & Russell Boulevard.
Beyond the obvious 179-foot landmark, the grounds hold some quiet surprises.
An iconic 1914 bronze statue by George Julian Zolnay, honoring three St. Louis German-American newspaper editors. One of the most photographed works of public art in the city.
Read the story →A restored ornamental pond tucked into the east side of the park. Water lilies bloom from late May through early September — a favorite spot for engagement photos.
A network of shaded promenades and a perimeter loop (~0.8 mi). Flat, stroller-friendly, and open year-round — one of the best urban walks in south city.
A fenced, double-gated off-leash park on the south side of the grounds, with separate areas for small and large dogs. It's run by the Water Tower Dog Park, Inc., a neighbor-led Missouri nonprofit — membership is separate from the Preservation Society.
Proof of rabies vaccination required. Owners stay inside the fence with their dogs, and yes — you pick up after them.
Just south of the tower stands a bronze-and-granite memorial that has puzzled first-time visitors for over a century. Unveiled in 1914, The Naked Truth honors three St. Louis newspaper editors — Carl Schurz, Emil Preetorius, and Carl Dänzer — all German-American immigrants who shaped 19th-century American journalism.
The sculptor, Hungarian-born George Julian Zolnay, also designed monuments at the Tennessee State Capitol and Arlington National Cemetery. His choice of an unclothed female figure as the embodiment of "truth" caused a scandal at the time — which is exactly how the statue earned its nickname.
It remains the most photographed work of public art in the park, and one of the most important examples of Beaux-Arts memorial sculpture in the Midwest.
Sunrise to sunset, every day of the year.
Best light: an hour before sunset.
Free street parking on S. Grand & Russell.
Metro bus #70 stops at the park entrance.
Paved paths throughout. Flat terrain at the center; gentle slope along Russell.
"If you haven't walked a lap around the park at golden hour with the tower lighting up and the lilies in bloom — you haven't seen the best of St. Louis."— From a 2024 St. Louis Magazine feature
Our preservation work doesn't stop at the tower, we are fundraising to maintain the grounds long-term. Every gift protects the whole park and its history.
