St. Louis Walk of Fame inductee, Henry Shaw (1800-1889), came to St. Louis at the age of 18. Being one of the city’s largest landholders by age 40, he was able to retire. This freedom gave him the opportunity to travel and pursue his passion in botany. Working with leading botanists of the time, Shaw planned, funded, and built the Missouri Botanical Garden on the land surrounding his beloved Tower Grove House, which later became his estate. Shaw opened his extensive garden areas to the public in 1859.

Shaw’s philanthropy was widespread throughout Missouri’s northeastern section of the state. Of Shaw’s gifts, the Botanical Garden was said to have “no equal in the United States, and indeed, few anywhere in the world.” The Botanical Garden epitomizes Henry Shaw’s financial savvy, marketing expertise, cultural awareness, and unparalleled generosity. Many who visit the Missouri Botanical Garden still refer to it as “Shaw’s Garden” more than 100 years after his death. Henry Shaw is buried in a tree-surrounded mausoleum on the garden grounds he established.

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