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Generations of Missourians have passed through Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park’s massive stone gateway. Cookouts and family get-togethers or to spend time with friends are just a few of the reasons. The park’s camping facilities, as well as, Civilian Conservation Corps architecture help visitors find their place to get away. The park is located just minutes from St. Louis. Hiking and bicycling, as well as, equestrian trails are also available.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park, is one of Missouri’s more popular state parks. It is an on-going commemoration of a well-known St. Louis family. In 1934, Jacob and Henry Babler presented the state with 88 acres in loving memory of their brother, Edmund. Edmund Babler was a prominent St. Louis surgeon. An additional 800 acres quickly followed.
Jacob Babler was an early crusader on behalf of a state park system for Missouri. He was determined that the park dedicated to his own brother would grow and attract people for generations.
Jacob Babler commissioned a New York sculptor to create a statue of his brother. Edmund was noted for his service to the less fortunate and needy. The life-size bronze statue, still a focal point of the park, was unveiled during the dedication ceremony in 1938. The ceremony, featuring U. S. Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes as principal speaker, drew more than 3,000 people.
Today, Jacob Babler’s dream has now evolved. It is a state park that provides a valuable green-space oasis amid an exploding suburban St. Louis landscape. Hiking, as well as, nature study and wildlife viewing are popular activities. Hiking and equestrian trails wind their way through the park’s narrow coves, as well as, deep sheltered valleys and towering forests. Numerous picnic sites provide outdoor dining opportunities while enjoying the peace and tranquility of the park.
PARK FACILITIES
The park also offers other types of recreation. A multipurpose court for tennis, as well as, volleyball, basketball and other sports are all available. There are basic and electric campsites, as well as, modern restrooms and showers to make an overnight stay at Babler enjoyable.
The Jacob L. Babler Outdoor Education Center is a barrier-free resident camp for those with special needs. It provides a full-service, outdoor education environment for organized groups whose members may have particular physical, emotional or dietary requirements.
The River Hills Visitor Center features a stone exterior that harmonizes with the historic CCC architecture in the park. The center houses exhibits interpreting the park’s plant and animal life. A walk-through diorama explores the intricate relationships among the flora and fauna that make up the old-growth forest ecosystem. Naturalist staff at the center offer a variety of interpretive programs.
PARK HOURS & FEES
Contact Park
PARK PHONE
Park Office 636-458-3813
Visitor Center 636-458-3813
Outdoor Education Center 636-458-3048
PARK ADDRESS
800 Guy Park Drive
Wildwood, MO 63005-6134
For more information click HERE.
Have you visited this state park? If so, please leave a comment. Thanks.
BREATHE LIFE!
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