Petticoat Hill - Early Days
Long before Sunset Hills became one of the most sought-after communities in St. Louis… this property was already part of local legend.
Built in 1916, the original home began as a private social tea house — a hidden retreat where wealthy socialites escaped the noise of the city to relax among winding paths, towering trees, and peaceful wooded grounds.
Imagine the scene…
Women in elegant dresses sipping tea on the property… conversations drifting through the trees… guests arriving for an afternoon of nature, privacy, and connection.
This wasn’t just a house.
It was an experience.
And remarkably, part of that original history still lives inside the home today.
The original structure — built on a solid block foundation — remains woven into the property’s character.
Eventually, the property became a horse haven known as “Petticoat Hill”. It was open and engaging in a different way, where nature became a different purpose. It was the purpose.
Portions of the front room, bathroom, and small upstairs bedroom constitute the original 1916 footprint, preserving a rare piece of history that simply cannot be recreated. Yet over the years, additions to that original footprint have yielded an oasis of a different kind - minor inconveniences and amazing facilities
In a world where so many houses feel manufactured and forgettable, this property offers something almost impossible to find:
A story.
A soul.
A connection to a different era.
A destination to call home. A home that is a destination.
You’re not just buying a house. You've becoming part of a legend.
You’re will be the next steward of a property that has been quietly captivating people for over a century.
As the years passed and the property evolved, the home transformed from a simple retreat into a private residence - an oasis - designed for comfort and everyday modern living.
The Homes Evolution: Early Phases
A series of expansions added an entirely new section to the home — built on its own crawl-space foundation — creating what would become one of the most inviting parts of the property.
At the center of this addition was a living room anchored by a fireplace… the kind of room where conversations naturally lasted longer, holidays felt more meaningful, and quiet evenings carried a sense of peace you can’t manufacture in newer homes.
This expanded section thereafter was the flagstone patio that eventually became the bedroom of today's master suite.
And unlike today’s oversized, cookie-cutter designs, this master space was created with intention — featuring an in-room closet and a classic galley-style master bathroom that reflected the craftsmanship and elegance of the era.
What makes this home so special is that it didn’t spring up all at once from a developer’s blueprint.
It evolved.
The First Expansion Continues...
Each addition tells part of the story… each room represents a different chapter in the home’s life… creating layers of character and history that modern construction simply cannot duplicate.
As the home continued to evolve through the decades, each generation of ownership left its own fingerprint on the property while preserving the soul that made it special in the first place.
Around the same time as the earlier living room addition, the concrete floor for what is now the master bedroom was poured and added to the home. Interestingly, for many years, this space wasn’t a bedroom at all…
It served as a family room — a gathering place filled with everyday life, laughter, conversations, and memories made over generations.
Phase 2: The Major Steps
Then came one of the most transformative chapters in the property’s history.
In 1997, the previous owners undertook an ambitious expansion project that nearly doubled the size of the home.
But this wasn’t some quick builder-grade addition slapped onto the back of the property.
It was a vision.
An enormous structural expansion was created with both upper and lower levels — laying the groundwork for what would eventually become today’s office, half bath, kitchen, family room, lower-level gathering area, two additional bedrooms, and full bath.
At the time, however, the project was only partially complete.
The 1997 addition consisted primarily of the structure itself — foundation, raw floors, framed walls, unfinished ceilings, windows, and doors. It was essentially a blank canvas waiting for someone with imagination and commitment to bring it fully to life.
That next chapter began in September of 2013 when the current owners purchased the property with a mission far bigger than simply “updating a house.”
They set out to complete and transform a one-of-a-kind estate. A sanctuary, restoring the notion of Petticoat Hill.
Modern Living
What followed over the next several years was a labor of vision, craftsmanship, and design.
First came the exterior lower-level patio in 2015 and 2016 — complete with a newly added exterior door and properly sized windows as part of the permitted improvements.
Soon after, the outdoor BBQ area was added, extending the home’s entertaining space outdoors and creating the perfect setting for family gatherings, summer evenings, and celebrations.
Then, beginning around 2016 and 2017, the unfinished 1997 addition was finally completed into the finished living space seen today.
During this process, major infrastructure improvements were also completed, including the installation of a new septic tank in the rear of the property and a new drain field system in the front yard with pumping mechanisms designed for long-term functionality.
The Exterior Grounds
But the owners didn’t stop there.
As the home itself came together, the exterior grounds were transformed into something truly special. A park-like environment.
The pool, spa, pond, and cabana were all added during and after completion of the addition — turning the property into what feels less like a typical residence and more like a private retreat hidden inside Sunset Hills.
And once the major expansion was complete, attention turned back to the original heart of the home.
The older sections were reworked to create a master suite while still preserving the smaller upstairs bedroom, the original bathroom, and the classic front living and dining rooms that carry the home’s earliest history and character.
The Garage and 2 Bed 1 Bath in law suite
Finally came the garage complex — completed as an entire coordinated project with extensive concrete work, lighting, sprinkler systems, and carefully planned finishing touches throughout.
Even the garage door openers were intentionally selected as side-wall mounted systems, creating a quieter, cleaner, and more functional space.
The upper level of the garage was then gradually completed cosmetically over several months, adding another layer of versatility to the estate.
And the Final Touch...
The fencing that now surrounds the property — including the front gate — was installed to complete the vision of a private estate retreat tucked away from the outside world.
What makes this property impossible to duplicate is not simply its size, features, or amenities.
It’s the fact that over more than a century, it has been carefully shaped, expanded, restored, and refined by people who genuinely cared about what this property could become.
And today, that legacy is ready to be passed to someone new.
The Infastructure
One of the details that separates truly custom properties from ordinary homes is what you don’t immediately see.
Behind the scenes, this estate was designed with long-term functionality, planning, and infrastructure in mind — the kind of thoughtful work most buyers never realize until they live with it every day.
The routing of the property’s utility systems was intentionally planned to support the home, outdoor amenities, and future usability of the estate as a whole.
Most primary utility lines originate from the front center section of the main house, extending out of the original basement and running discreetly along the side of the property between the lower-level patio and side-yard fencing. These lines include both electric and gas service, carefully routed to support multiple areas of the property.
From there, utilities extend to the pool equipment area as well as the septic system infrastructure, creating an organized backbone for the estate’s major exterior systems.
Additional gas and electrical lines continue from the pond area to the garage complex, allowing the detached spaces to function seamlessly as part of the overall property rather than feeling like an afterthought.
Even the outdoor BBQ area was designed intentionally, with a dedicated gas line run directly from the newer basement area for reliable performance and convenience during entertaining.
The sprinkler system was professionally designed with designated underground zones throughout the property, and a written key identifying each section of the system has been preserved for ease of maintenance and operation.
The exterior landscape lighting was also professionally planned as part of an integrated lighting and irrigation design — helping create the warm evening atmosphere that gives the property so much of its character after sunset.
And because a property of this scale requires thoughtful management, multiple dedicated timer systems were installed throughout the estate to simplify operation and daily use.
Separate timers control:
-The garage and connector areas
-Front driveway lighting
-Rear and side-yard lighting near the pool and large tree areas
-Exterior lighting for the newer addition
-Front entry lamps
-Select upper exterior lighting integrated into the main house
It’s another example of how this property wasn’t simply expanded over time… It was engineered to function as a cohesive estate — balancing beauty, convenience, and long-term livability in ways most homes never achieve.
Petticoat Hill is ready for the next custodian of a long-cherished history, a legacy of style, convenience, and modernity.
Listing Agent - Jim Manning
314.571.9225 (office) 314.283.2988 (cell)
1502 S Big Bend, Richmond Heights MO 63117