[3] In the 19th century, Ladue (then unincorporated and simply known as Township 45) was a primarily agricultural area consisting of farms and modest dwellings.

Wealthy St. Louisans, like Joseph Pulitzer, then built sprawling country estates in Ladue to be near the clubs and to escape the heat and pollution of the city.

[4] Recognizing the growing prominence of the area in the 1920s, Meier and Comfort bought several tracts of land in the district and subdivided them into private place neighborhoods.

Their development plans were unique in that they sought to strike a balance between the urban sense of community, typical of the city's private places, with the aura of landed gentry that was characterizing then-rural Ladue.

Additionally, unlike many other real estate developments of the time, all the houses faced inwards (towards each other) with their backyards bordering the surrounding streets.

At the time, it was considered preferable to have one's address on a major street due to the better accessibility, but Meier and Comfort envisioned a self-contained community that was inclusive of all the residents, but somewhat exclusive of the outside world.

The Seven Gables Building at 26 Meramec Avenue in downtown Clayton was developed by Meier and Comfort and designed by their frequent partner Daniel H. Mullen.