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Jewel Box
DESCRIPTION: The Jewel Box, on a 17-acre site in Forest Park, is an elaborate greenhouse that houses a permanent collection of displays of tropical trees, foliage plants and flowers. In addition, the Jewel Box hosts several special floral shows, including Christmas, early spring, Easter, Mother's Day, summer and chrysanthemum shows. Although its official name is St. Louis Floral Conservatory, the building is affectionately known as the Jewel Box and is a popular site for wedding receptions and special events. The sparkling glass panes of the 50-foot tall building give the structure a distinctive look, much like a crystal jewel box. The conservatory is listed on the National Historic Register. It is operated by the City of St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry.
ADDRESS: Mailing address: The Jewel Box, Forest Park, 5600 Clayton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110. The Jewel Box is located at Wells & McKinley Drives in Forest Park.
LOCATION: Forest Park in West St. Louis.
PHONE NUMBER: 314-531-0080
WEB SITE: www.stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/jewelbox
GETTING THERE: From downtown, take I-64/40 West to Exit 34D (Forest Park/Museums-Zoo). Make a slight right onto Concourse Drive and then turn right on Wells Drive. Enter the roundabout and continue to the corner of Wells and McKinley Drives and the Jewel Box.
HOURS: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday through Friday and from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Saturday. Special holiday hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31; closed on Christmas Day; open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 1.
ADMISSION: $1; admission is free from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday and Tuesday.
HISTORY: An original plan for Forest Park called for a floral conservatory but it was not until 1916 that the Park's head gardener, John Moritz, turned part of the park greenhouses into a display for winter-weary St. Louisans.
Moritz and his staff used the display to teach visitors about the kinds of plants that would grow well in various sections of the city, especially those areas veiled in smoke and gas from nearby factories. The shows gained popularity and in the 1920's, the displays in the greenhouses were changed monthly.
In 1926, the floral display section of the greenhouses became known as the "Jewel Box," after a visitor remarked to Moritz that the flower patterns resembled a jewel box. The sentiment was reported in the press and soon it became a popular way to refer to the unusual section of greenhouses.
Moritz's successor, Henry Ochs, continued the displays, sometimes using them to reproduce famous paintings.
In the 1930's, park usage increased dramatically but resources were limited. In the winter of 1933-34, the greenhouse remained open during the evenings so more people could see the displays. On Easter 1934, some 25,752 people entered the greenhouse between 5 a.m. and 9:20 p.m.
Soon afterwards, Park officials announced plans for a new floral conservatory. With a WPA grant and $75,000 from the city, construction began on the $117,000 Jewel Box. The building opened in November of 1936.
City Engineer William C. E. Becker used several miniature models to come up with the unusual final design which was engineered to admit the greatest amount of light and to reduce damage from hail and maintenance costs. The building's cantilevered walls are glass, but all of the horizontal surfaces are metal. The strength of the design was validated in 1938 when a hail storm broke more than a thousand panes of glass in greenhouses in Forest Park. The Jewel Box came through the storm undamaged.
The Jewel Box was an instant success, attracting more than 400,000 visitors a year in its heyday. The first show featured more than 3,000 chrysanthemums in a formal, Chinese-style design. Within three months, crowds visiting the Jewel Box were so great that electric lighting was added so people could stay until 9 p.m. More than 416,000 people visited the Jewel Box in 1939 compared to 390,000 who visited the Art Museum during the same period.
Funds remained tight and during the period of 1945-1976 only a magna-harp and chimes were added to the Jewel Box, both with private donations. In 1970, an admission fee of 25 cents was added to help maintain the site. Also during that decade, the Jewel Box and surrounding gardens were opened to weddings and parties for a fee.
About 1,000 people were still visiting the Jewel Box each day through the mid-1970s but that was about half of the attendance during the early 1950's.
In the early 1990's, Forest Park Forever underwrote plans to remove asbestos from pipes in the Jewel Box and to add new plant materials and recruit volunteers to keep up the rose garden. A corporate grant paid for rehabilitating the statuary and the Vandeventer Gates on the surrounding ellipse. The Waterlily Society improved the reflecting pools to the entrance to the Jewel Box, and the Parks Department refilled the pond on the grounds and rebuilt the Pan-Asian footbridge.
For several years, the Floral Conservancy of Forest Park has created perennial and annual beds adjacent to the Jewel Box using plants and materials donated by local growers and funds from the St. Louis Parks Department. A fountain on the grounds of the Jewel Box also has been repaired and refurbished with water flowing from in it for the first time in 30 years.
The Jewel Box reopened in December 2002 after undergoing a major restoration.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The Jewel Box retains its art deco look with its cantilevered glass walls which flood the interior with light.
- Outside the Jewel Box, a large reflecting pool is flanked by two smaller pools.
- Well-kept beds of flowers and other plants line the pools and the walkways to the Jewel Box.
- Inside the Jewel Box are permanent displays of perennial plants and seasonal displays of annual plants and flowers.
- Also indoors, a reflecting pool features displays that change with each season.
- The floor of the Jewel Box is a material resembling cut stone adding to the rustic feel of the conservatory.
- Hanging baskets also add to the greenery inside.
- A second story balcony offers a viewing area into the interior of the Jewel Box for an overview of the floral arrangements below.
- A bride's room is available for when the Jewel Box is used as a setting for weddings and receptions.
WHAT'S NEW: The Jewel Box underwent a $3.5 million restoration in 2002. In addition to new mechanical systems, the floral display area was improved and a catering area was added so the building can be rented for wedding receptions, corporate meetings and parties. A bride's room was added to provide a place for brides to prepare for their weddings when the Jewel Box is used for weddings and/or receptions. The glass panes of the building have been repaired and cleaned so the Jewel Box once again sparkles.
ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENTS: Several special shows are held at the Jewel Box each year. Among them are the early spring, Easter, Mother's Day, summer, chrysanthemum and Christmas shows.
HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY: The Jewel Box is handicapped accessible.
WHERE TO GET LUNCH: Meriwether's in the Missouri History Museum, the Painted Giraffe Café in the Living World at the Saint Louis Zoo and the Museum Café at the Saint Louis Art Museum offer dining options in the park. There is also a collection of excellent restaurants in the nearby Central West End.
WHAT'S NEARBY: Also in Forest Park are the Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Science Center and the Missouri History Museum. Also nearby are the Central West End and The Hill Neighborhood.
PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Gail Compton, Communications Manager, 314-552-2900, comptong@stlouiscity.com
Readers should call 1-800-916-0040 to request a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitor Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com
