Built in 1849, the Italianate Tower Grove House was the country home of the Missouri Botanical Garden founder, Henry Shaw. The 9,000 square foot house is located on the grounds of the Missouri Botanical Gardens in the Garden’s Victorian District. It was designated a City Landmark in 1971.
Shaw named the house Tower Grove because of its prominent tower and grove of sassafras trees. The house is made of brick and stone covered by stucco.
Fully restored, the house has original woodwork, a reproduction of a linoleum pattern that Shaw had installed, and wallpaper patterns from the era. Most of the furniture is original, including a piano, artwork, and an inlaid marble table.
The house is open to visitors April - December.