Technically there is no such thing as Dogtown. It has no official boundaries and is not recognized as different than any other part of St. Louis. You cannot address a letter to Dogtown, MO, though if you did the St. Louis postman would probably know where you are talking about.
Dogtown in generally considered to be the neighborhood that is bordered on the east by Hampton, the west by McCausland, the south by Manchester, and the north by Forest Park. If you're having a beer at Pat's Bar and Grill, you're in Dogtown. Listening to some live music at Felix's? You're in Dogtown.
Now that everyone know where Dogtown the question still remains as to how it's unusual name was bestowed upon it. The most common theory is that in 1875 there was a group of Irish miners who were living in what is now Forest Park. Whenever the city decided to set aside that land for the wonderful park we have today, the miners moved south and built shacks. To protect their shacks, along with the families in them, the miners often kept dogs as a security measure. Legend also tells the story that during the 1904 World's Fair there was a tribe of Indians from the Philippines who would secretly come to Dogtown to steal the famous citizens for who the area was named. These visitors considered dog to be a delicacy!
Today there are still dogs in Dogtown; mostly treasured family pets instead of security systems or food. Dogtown is also still proudly Irish. The biggest celebration to see the streets of Dogtown every year is the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade held on March 17th. It's a great time to visit this historical St. Louis neighborhood.
Comments
Women you don't know what your talking about. I have a shirt with the history of dogtown. I know how dogtown got its name. You are lame and need to get your facts straight.
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