Shaw is one of the most intact historic neighbourhoods in St Louis — a square mile of red-brick townhouses and elegant apartment buildings developed between 1880 and 1920 on land donated by Henry Shaw, the founder of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Shaw himself laid out the streets and dictated the lot sizes; the result is a remarkably consistent urban fabric.
The neighbourhood centres on the Botanical Garden and Tower Grove Park, both within easy walking distance from any address. Flora Place — a broad boulevard with a planted median that runs west from the Garden — is one of the most beautiful streets in the city. Sundays in Shaw bring the farmers market in Tower Grove Park, free concerts in summer, and a long brunch culture along South Grand.