Jefferson Barracks Park

PARK AMBASSADORS: Bob Ochs and Eric Feltz

Jefferson Barracks was a U.S. Army post from 1826 to 1946. The museum buildings were part of the ordnance section built in the 1850s.

On October 23, 1826, the war department declared the post to be named Jefferson Barracks in honor of President Thomas Jefferson who died six days prior to the founding of the post. The entire history of Jefferson Barracks is displayed at the Powder Magazine Museum.

The post was deactivated in 1946, and beginning in 1950, the Federal Government conveyed a tract of land to St. Louis County to operate as a historical park. In 1971, Jefferson Barracks County Park, the adjacent active military base, and several other adjoining land parcels were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. All the buildings owned by the County in this district are considered to be historically significant.

We held one kickoff event in 2024 with many more to come. The main focus will be invasive species removal around the Powder Museum and building a small pollinator garden in the Sylvan Springs area of the park.