TOWER GROVE HOUSE

Welcome to the home of Missouri Botanical Garden founder Henry Shaw, Tower Grove House. Built in 1849 by famed St. Louis architect George I. Barnett, this home and its famous tower would become the centerpiece of the Garden. Henry Shaw moved to St. Louis from Sheffield, England, in 1819 and began a business on the riverfront selling hardware to the growing community. After great success serving the Gateway to the West, Shaw was able to retire a wealthy man in 1839. After traveling throughout Europe, Shaw gained the inspiration to build the Garden we enjoy today. Shaw built Tower Grove House in 1849, and opened the Garden to the public 10 years later. Even now, the Garden continues to share the importance of the botanical world and be a world leader in the discovery, research and conservation of plant life.