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The Central West End

Maryland Plaza
Left Bank Books
Gilded-Age Architecture
Wash U Med School
World Chess Hall of Fame
Chase Park Plaza
Cortex Innovation Community
Kaldi's Coffee
Lululemon CWE

An Urban Neighborhood of Intellectuals

World Chess Hall of Fame

The history of the Central West End is described on their website: The Central West End (or CWE) is a diverse neighborhood in the heart of the City of St. Louis, within walking distance of Forest Park — a sprawling urban park that remains the city’s crown jewel to this day. Our neighborhood’s development began in the late 1800s as St. Louis prepared for its 1904 World Fair, and many of the city’s wealthier citizens gravitated to the area to build stunning single-family homes. Local business owners arrived soon after. A modern-day visit to the CWE reveals a rare collection of turn-of-the-century architecture that has been upheld by zoning regulations and the independent preservation efforts of many. One can also see the influence of the many famous literary figures — such as Tennessee Williams, Kate Chopin, William S. Burroughs, T.S. Eliot and Sara Teasdale — and notable business leaders — such as Albert Bond Lambert, Joseph Pulitzer, Dwight Davis and the founders of A.G. Edwards and Ralston Purina — who’ve called the neighborhood home. Over the years, the neighborhood has always maintained its elegant origins and eclectic attitude. Thanks in large part to the efforts of the individuals who live and work in the area – and to the visitors who love spending time here – the CWE remains one of the best and busiest neighborhoods in St. Louis.

See https://cwescene.com/ for more information.

Our Location

The Central West End

photo credit: Bridget Hengen McDougall '91

Just down the street from both St. Louis University High School and SLU, Rosati-Kain Academy is located in the eclectic city neighborhood of the Central West End (CWE) in the heart of the city of St. Louis. Our beautiful building sits at the foot of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis and is surrounded by the most iconic institutions in St. Louis. In addition to an innovative and experiential curriculum, the urban neighborhood of the CWE is our classroom. Our students can walk to Washington University’s Medical Campus, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Cortex Innovation Community, Forest Park, the Chase Park Plaza, Left Bank Books, Schlafly Library, the World Chess Hall of Fame, and many shops, galleries, and restaurants. Rosati-Kain Academy mirrors the diversity of our urban location. Our multicultural study body is unparalleled among any of the independent all-girl’s schools in the area. It is common to hear multiple languages spoken at school. While we instill the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the SSND, we welcome and celebrate students of all faiths. Drawing from over 60 zip-codes, we have the most affordable tuition and offer over $1 million in scholarships.