Posted by Andrea Durway
The Irish Roots of St. Louis Neighborhoods
While everyone knows about the St. Patrick’s Day parades, few realize how much Irish immigrants shaped St. Louis’s neighborhoods — quite literally. In the mid-1800s, large numbers of Irish laborers came to St. Louis to escape famine and hardship. Once here, they became the backbone of major construction projects, including railroads, sewers, and the stone foundations of many of the brick homes that still stand today.
Irish workers dug the early sewer lines that helped the city grow beyond the riverfront. They laid much of the groundwork for St. Louis’s first streetcar lines, which made expansion into new neighborhoods possible. Many Irish families settled in what’s now the historic Dogtown area and near the old Kerry Patch neighborhood (north of downtown), where they worked as masons, carpenters, and general laborers building homes, churches, and businesses.
Kerry Patch (Near North Side, now near Columbus Square)
- Kerry Patch was one of the earliest Irish immigrant neighborhoods, settled in the 1840s-1850s.
- Much of the original housing stock is gone due to urban renewal.
- Small brick row houses and simple vernacular homes were typical of what Irish families lived in and helped construct.
- The churches they built, like St. Patrick’s Church (built 1854, now demolished), anchored the community.
Dogtown (Clayton-Tamm neighborhood)
- Dogtown, still known for its Irish heritage, has many brick bungalows, two-family flats, and workers’ cottages from the late 1800s to early 1900s.
- Irish stonemasons and bricklayers contributed to these homes and to landmarks like St. James the Greater Catholic Church. Built in the 1860s, it is a centerpiece of the community.
Soulard and Lafayette Square
- While these areas are often associated with French and German influences, Irish laborers were key to building many of the 19th-century brick townhouses. They laid the iconic cobblestone streets, especially in Soulard.
- Federal and Second Empire-style row houses in these neighborhoods showcase the masonry and stonework Irish laborers were known for. Think of those detailed brick facades, limestone lintels, arched windows, detailed brick corbelling, and stoops.
Benton Park & Old North St. Louis
- In areas like Benton Park, Irish workers were involved in quarrying locally sourced limestone used for foundations and basements in the classic St. Louis brick homes still standing today.
So when you see those beautiful 19th-century brick around St. Louis, there’s a good chance Irish hands helped build them — one stone and brick at a time.
Want to know about the history of the Irish in St. Louis?
- St. Louis on the Air– “How the Irish found their place in St. Louis — and helped shape the city“.
- Our St. Louis History
