Stairway to the Stars

The first part of a tour of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery for many years, Stairway to the Stars was often listed as a separate attraction in early maps and brochures. The large outdoor escalator transported guests to the observation deck on the roof of the brewery, over a reflecting pool below.




History

In a June 1960 newspaper article, Anheuser-Busch company president August A. Busch Jr. shared details on two new projects at the gardens, including one for $350,000 with an escalator to carry guests to the brewery roof as part of their tour. It was to be named Stairway to the Stars.

The park officially announced the project on October 22, 1960. The project’s centerpiece was Stairway to the Stars, an outdoor escalator billed as the longest in the world at 86 feet, carrying guests up to the 43-foot tall brewery roof. Once atop, guests would enjoy the views from a 1,000-square-foot observation deck before continuing their tour inside the brewery. The project also included a 5,000-square-foot reflecting pool below Stairway to the Stars, complete with fountains, lights, and large plantings.

Concept art from a newspaper article on the project announcement:

The project was designed by Eleanor Le Maire, a New York interior decorator, and St. Petersburg landscape architect Charles R. Wedding, who designed the gardens for its opening, returned to design the landscaping for this project. Otis Elevator Co. built the escalator and said it was the longest continuous motorized stairway in the world at the time.



Also part of the project was a new cantilevered bridge over the entrance to Stairway to the Stars, connecting the exit of the brewery tour to the gardens near the Hospitality House.

Construction was underway when the park announced the project in October 1960, and it was reported it would be completed in January 1961.

In 1974, the pool beneath Stairway to the Stars housed sea lions. At another point, the reflection pool contained penguins.

 




Images

Since the brewery was a common subject in early postcards, Stairway to the Stars was often featured as the main subject or in the background.

 

Additional details on the Anheuser-Busch Brewery may be added in the future.



Sources:

Chicago Tribune | Sep 13 1964 – accessed 11/13/2016
Boca Raton News | Jun 18 1967 – accessed 2/3/2017
Park Map – 1974 (Author’s Collection)
Tampa Tribune | Jun 12 1960 – accessed 2/16/2025
Tampa Tribune | Oct 23 1960 – accessed 2/17/2025

 

Last update: February 17, 2025