Clifton Heights Directory 2026

18 2026 | Clifton Heights-Clayton-Tamm Community Directory Turtle Park & the Oakland Avenue Playground Opened in 1996, Turtle Park is a magnet for children of all ages who love climbing on the backs of the giant reptiles. Located on the south side of Interstate 64/US 40 in the Dogtown neighborhood, the playground is part of Forest Park and can be accessed by the Tamm Avenue overpass near the Saint Louis Zoo parking lot. Represented in concrete are a snapping turtle, a soft-shelled turtle, a red- eared slider, a Mississippi map, three box turtles and a stinkpot turtle. In addition to the turtles, there are seven oversized turtle eggs, three of which include hatching baby turtles, and a long sinuous snake that appears to be taking a bite out of the overpass. Created by the late Bob Cassilly, founder of City Museum, the sculptures range from seven to 40 feet in length. Turtle Park was designed by Richard Claybour and funded by Sonya “Sunny” Glassberg as a gift to the children of St. Louis. The turtles are named for her children and grandchildren. In 2021, Forest Park Forever renovated the Oakland Avenue Playground, located just east of Turtle Park and accessed by the same parking lot. The play area for younger children was renovated with support from the PNC Foundation. The play structures include elements that encourage educational play, such as activity panels for counting and vocabulary-building. As a nod to the turtle sculptures nearby, the playground features a unique wooden turtle created with tree stumps that accommodate a dual side-by-side slide. Local sculptor Abraham Mohler sculpted the turtle head and feet. Materials for the turtle and seating were sourced from declining or dead trees removed from Forest Park and other city parks by city of St. Louis Forestry Dept., as well as donated timber from the Missouri Department of Conservation.