This area, bounded generally by Warne Ave., O'Fallon Park, I-70, Grand Boulevard, and W. Florissant Ave., was acquired by the University for garden and recreation purposes in 1836.

Historically the area's commercial center has been concentrated along East Grand around the Old Water Tower with a strip along W. Florissant Avenue.

Although the university constructed a building for such purposes on Washington Avenue by the early 1830s, residential development in and around the area prompted trustees to search for a more suitable location, which would provide ample space for growth.

[2] Prior to its associations with Saint Louis University, for which College Hill was named, a portion of the neighborhood was the Town of Lowell, platted in 1849 by E.C.

[3] In 1876, the City of St. Louis expanded its boundaries, incorporating Lowell, by which time the university farmstead had been subdivided and sold for development.

The larger undivided parcel remained under the ownership of Saint Louis University and supported a single building (likely constructed for the theological school).

Colonel O'Fallon was born in Kentucky in 1791 and came to St. Louis as a young man to work as an Indian agent under his uncle, General William Clark.

He chose the highest point on the property for the location of his mansion which he named "Athlone" after his father's Irish birthplace.

The park's area was reduced by five and a half acres in 1954 when the State Highway Department acquired the right of way for the Mark Twain Expressway.

In that year the state passed an act for the new waterworks, creating a Board of Commissioners to administer it and authorizing insurance of $3,000,000 in bonds for construction.

Upon completion in 1869 the Bissell Point high service pumping station consisted of handsome, one and two story buildings of brick with cut stone trim.

On a pediment above the main entrance were two sculptured figures symbolizing the "Union of the Waters" of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

Designed by George I. Barnett, the first architect to receive training abroad,[7] the tower on East Grand was placed in service in 1871, and was considered to be the largest perfect Corinthian column in existence, reaching a height of 154 feet (47 m).

They were extinguished in World War II as a security precaution and were reactivated in 1949 to guide flyers to Lambert Field.

The 206-foot (63 m) high tower was built in 1887 at a cost of $79,789, and designed by architect William S. Eames, who was then the assistant city water commissioner.

At the top of the square tower, brick is corbelled out to support a round observation deck with a pitched roof.

In September 2001, 1 of the 3 St. Louis Academies opened in College Hill at East Linton Avenue and 21st Street; this was the site of the former Perpetual Help Catholic School.

The Sarah and Vandeventer Lines serve the western part of the City, including access to both St. Louis and Washington Universities.

Once Downtown, passengers can transfer to the St. Louis Metro for access to the Airport, Clayton, and the East Side (Illinois).

Quick and easy access to Interstate 70, College Hill's northern border, is also available at the Adelaide Avenue, West Florissant, Broadway, and East Grand entrances and exits.