Pecan Legacy Park in Chesterfield, Missouri preserves a family legacy

The pecan trees protected by the park before construction was completed. The monarch tree is to the left.Photo byGoogle Maps screenshot.

Pecan Legacy Park is located at 18470 Blue Valley Avenue in Chesterfield, Missouri (St. Louis County), a western suburb of St. Louis.

Pecan Legacy Park is a half-acre park near the intersection of Blue Valley Avenue and Outlet Boulevard. This park is open to the public and features a 124-year-old pecan tree. Near the entrance is a bronze sculpture of a Pioneer Farmer created by local sculptor, Julie Sesti, who did a fantastic job on her piece of art. There is also a corten steel-made fence of art 180 feet long.

A plaque near the entrance reads, in part:

This park commemorates the Bayer/Brasher family who, for over five generations, cleared the forest, farmed the land, and continuously resided here for over 160 years.

The area of the park used to be farmland known as the Gumbo Flats. Now the park is surrounded by shopping venues and restaurants. Residents refer to this area as Chesterfield Valley or the Valley.

The monarch tree was planted over a century ago and three younger trees came up from the pecans. When the Great Flood of 1993 occurred, this valley was filled with floodwater destroying businesses and farmland. The pecan grove survived.

During the rebuild, a new levee was constructed and will protect the trees. There's even an ordinance prohibiting commercial development on the land they occupy. According to a developer of the area, after Donald Brasher passed away in 2013, it was his desire to maintain his family's legacy of that piece of land.

It was suggested a park be developed to cradle the family legacy and preserve the pecan trees, so a half-acre park was put in place around the trees and dedicated in 2016. At that time, a fifth tree was planted. Visit here to see more images of the park.

The monarch tree was planted in the 1890s. It has a circumference of 14 feet and it's about 70 feet tall. The park is a positive way to celebrate this once family-owned farmland.

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