In the late 18th century, prior to the founding of St. Louis, present-day Forest Park Southeast was part of a region of communal French farms known as
Prairie des Noyers ("Meadows of the Walnut Trees"). Following the
Louisiana Purchase, the area's complex land titles were gradually assigned to private owners, who then sold to speculators.
Gentrification of Forest Park Southeast began in the 1990s with the arrival of
LGBT-oriented bars and clubs along Manchester Avenue, establishing the neighborhood as a
gay village. The proximity of the neighborhood to the
Washington University Medical Center and
Cortex Innovation Community has accelerated gentrification. The Washington University Medical Center Redevelopment Corporation (WUMCRC) has invested heavily in the neighborhood since the 1990s with the purchase and redevelopment of over 500 vacant or abandoned properties. ==Demographics==