St. Louis Hills Directory 2026

30 2026 | St. Louis Hills Community Directory David R. Francis Memorial On Christmas Eve of 1916, a man dressed as Santa Claus delivered a deed for 60 acres of land to the city of St. Louis as a Christmas gift. Those 60 acres were donated by David R. Francis and became the park that bears his name. David R. Francis, mayor of St. Louis, governor of Missouri, and president of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (also known as the 1904 World’s Fair). David R. Francis died in 1927, survived by his six sons. He was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery. Francis Gymnasium and Francis Olympic Field at Washington University are named for him. Twenty sixteen marked the 100th anniversary of his momentous donation. The St. Louis Hills Neighborhood Association and Friends of Francis Park decided a fitting tribute would be to commission a statue of Francis. The sculptor, Harry Weber, is internationally known and recognized. His works include most of the sculptures around Busch Stadium, the Dred Scott sculpture at the Old Courthouse, and the Bull and Bear in front of Stifel Financial at Broadway and Washington Avenue, among others. Thanks to hundreds of donations, the David R. Francis Memorial was installed in the fall of 2018. We were able to install four wooden and wrought iron benches in 2019, and we continue to accept donations and sell bricks as we improve the area around the statue. Friends of Francis Park is a 501(c)(3) charity, organized by St. Louis Hills residents whose purpose is to raise funds for major improvements to our neighborhood park. These funds will be raised through contributions, fundraising events, and grants. Please consider supporting Friends of Francis Park by donating and volunteering. For more information about how to donate or volunteer, visit our website: friendsoffrancispark.org . Donations may be tax-deductible. Saint Louis Hills 2023 HOUSE TOUR DAVID R. FRANCIS MEMORIAL, FRANCIS PARK