Lafayette Square is St. Louis' oldest historic district and was declared a National Historic District in 1979. The neighborhood surrounds a 30-acre Victorian Park which is the oldest park west of the Mississippi River. The park exists as the centerpiece for 375 Victorian homes of French Second Empire, Romanesque, Italianate, Queen Anne and Federal designs. 
These mansions, townhouses, and row houses are the country's finest intact neighborhood collection of the architectural styles which were in vogue from the Civil War until 1900.
Today, 90% of these structures have been restored to their original beauty. In fact, Architecture Magazine and Better Homes & Gardens have named Lafayette Square "One of the ten most beautiful painted ladies neighborhoods in the nation." Wow!
The Lafayette Square Restoration Committee (LSRC) sponosors activities throughout the year including a Spring House & Garden Tour, a Holiday Parlour Tour, A Free Concert Series in Lafayette Park, and a Professional Bicycle Race.