History of the Park

Richard H. Amberg Park, named for the late publisher of the Globe-Democrat, is located at Keokuk and Gustine Avenues in South City. Amberg Park was established in 1963 and spans 2.76 acres. The park includes a playground, 2 softball fields, a soccer kick board and a comfort station. The park formerly included a spray pool for kids to run around in, in the summertime.

The southern half of the park site was purchased by the city in January of 1962 at a cost of $55,250 from the St. Louis Board of Education, who sold the city the northern half of the contiguous site for $55,250 in August, 1963, following a fire which destroyed the Dunnica School building. In 1937, the Dunnica Avenue School was established in some wooden portable buildings at Dunnica and Gustine Avenues.

These buildings were damaged by fire in 1961, and were razed in the following year. The school site and playground became Richard H. Amberg Park in 1963. Funds for the purchase of the site came from the 1944 and 1955 bond issues.

Amberg Park was designed by Landscape Architect, Robert E. Goetz and Associates in 1966 and construction began during January, 1967.

We had our first Clean-Up Day on Saturday Oct 18, 2008. The Service Action group was responsible for the park clean up (http://www.urbanreviewstl.com/?p=4144) and is focused on new opportunities for cleaning up the neighborhood.

Below are some pics of our efforts taken by a fellow resident, Cherri Wilson.