Sand mountain
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The 80-foot tall white bluffs which give The Palisades their name, and crops out along the Meramec River has been an important natural resource export since before the Civil War. St. Peter Sandstone is a 400-million-year-old beach dune sand which crushes easily. Mining silica sand began almost concurrently with the arrival of regular freight service into St. Louis.
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In 1940, Sand Mountain, the city’s most prominent landmark, became Blackburn Park when Jasper and Margaret Blackburn donated it to the city.
Their donation aimed to showcase Pacific’s importance on the Henry Shaw Gardenway. The hilltop offers a spectacular view of the city and the Meramec Valley beyond.