Hi Pointe Neighborhood Overview

Location

Bounded by Clayton and Oakland Avenues on the North, the City Limits on the West, Dale Avenue on the South and Louisville Avenue on the East. It is bordered by the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood and Forest Park on the North, the Clayton-Tamm Neighborhood on the East, the Franz Park Neighborhood on the South, and the City of Richmond Heights (St. Louis County) on the West.

History

Taking its name from being one of the highest elevations in the City, the Hi Pointe neighborhood’s recent past history (within the last 100 years) includes farming, a goat farm, clay mining for fire brick and tile manufacturing, and a small airport landing field. There are people now living in the neighborhood who have witnessed many of these changes. Because of its location on the edge of the City, the neighborhood has not been densely settled for as long as neighborhoods farther east.

The 1904 World’s Fair in the western portion of Forest Park and part of what is now University City did much to promote this area and to help settle it with more inhabitants. It is said that some of the building materials available when the Fair was over have been used in the Hi Pointe area.

This area was once considered part of Cheltenham, which now borders the east side of the Clayton-Tamm neighborhood. Cheltenham built up during the 1800s around two main enterprises: several fire-brick and tile companies along Manchester Avenue, and a tourist hotel and health spa near Sulfur and Manchester Avenues. Many people still refer to this area as a region of Dogtown. Although this name has high recognition among neighboring regions, the name Hi Pointe is preferred by many residents.