The Gateway Arch, which is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, commemorates the achievements of 19th-century westward pioneers and celebrates the city's status as the "Gateway to the West." The city conducted a countrywide competition to design the new monument from 1947 to 1948. The arch was built by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company in St. Louis and was dedicated on April 21, 1965. It is one of the world's largest bronze sculptures and stands 630 feet high.
In addition to its popular landmark status, the arch serves an important educational purpose. It contains four museums that cover topics such as western history, architecture, art and technology. These museums are operated by the federal government but are available to the public free of charge.
The arch also provides visitors with information about the area's settlement history through its "Landmarks of History" tour. The self-guided tour covers approximately three miles along roads that were used during the era of westward expansion. A guidebook is available for purchase at the entrance to the memorial and highlights key events that occurred while touring through downtown St. Louis.
The arch is a favorite subject for photographers who capture its striking appearance against the backdrop of the Missouri River. In fact, it is one of the most photographed monuments in the United States.
Since its completion in 1955, more than 10 million people have visited the arch.
Luther Ely Smith, a civil rights advocate, initially envisioned the Arch in 1933. He selected a design by Edward Durell Stone, who also designed the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.
The Arch was originally intended to be built as a World's Fair monument. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, as it was called, was held in St. Louis from April 15 to October 3, 1904. It was the first world's fair in North America and attracted over 700,000 visitors. An estimated $7 million was spent on the event itself; another $150,000 was spent on exhibits and other attractions that were spread across 80 acres of land near today's Midtown Plaza.
Among the most popular attractions was the Missouri River Railroad Bridge, which crossed the Mississippi River just south of downtown St. Louis. The bridge was an impressive structure when it was completed in 1901. It was at this time that it became known as the "Arch Bridge".
The idea for the memorial came after the fair ended. It was approved by Congress and the Arch was officially opened on July 4, 1964. Luther Ely Smith, who died in 1941, is buried near the base of the Arch.
The Arch, erected as a memorial to the United States' westward expansion and officially dedicated to "the American people," is the centerpiece of Gateway Arch National Park and has become a globally known icon of St. Louis as well as a famous tourist destination. The arch was designed by architect Eero Saarinen (who also designed the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport in New York City) and constructed between 1965 and 1972 at a cost of $14 million (about $110 million in 2007 dollars). It stands 630 feet high and consists of two 40-story concrete cylinders connected by an underground plaza. When illuminated at night, its silhouette is visible for many miles around.
Gateway Arch National Park is one of the smallest national parks in the country with only 386 acres set aside for conservation purposes. But what a park! The arch itself is only part of the attraction: there are also three other national monuments within the park's boundaries. These are Saguaro National Monument, Jefferson Memorial Headlands State Park, and Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. All in all, there are more than 20 sites of interest inside the park's borders!
One must experience the arch to understand its meaning. Designed to reflect America's past, present, and future, it is a monument not just to an individual but to the idea of freedom and democracy.
The Arch, which was created as a tribute to the westward expansion of the United States and was officially dedicated to "the American people," is the centerpiece of Gateway Arch National Park and has become a globally known icon of St. Louis. How to Reestablish Contact with Your Adult Siblings? The construction of the arch began on April 13, 1965, and it was opened to the public on May 30, 1967. Its creators wanted to create a monument that would not only be attractive but also serve a functional purpose for its visitors.
The arch's creator, Richard Barnes Dixon, called it "a piece of sculpture which will light up the night sky" and said it was meant to be an icon for mankind's exploration into space. The idea for the arch came after the success of New York City's World Trade Center, which had been built to represent freedom and democracy.
In addition to being an impressive work of art, the arch serves as a navigation beacon for travelers driving on Interstate 70, the main east-west highway across Missouri. It also acts as a memorial to those workers who died during its construction.
Over the years the arch has become a popular place for photos because of its distinctive design. People from all over the world come to see it, especially since it has been made into a symbol for St. Louis and Missouri.
The Gateway Arch, the nation's highest landmark, has welcomed tourists for fifty years with its distinctive, awe-inspiring form. The Gateway Arch, designed by famous architect Eero Saarinen, celebrates Thomas Jefferson's vision and St. Louis' significance in the United States' westward development. The arch stands as a memorial to the pioneers who helped build Missouri into a state.
The idea for an arch across the Mississippi River from St. Louis was first proposed by John A. Roebling, who would go on to design the Brooklyn Bridge. His son, Washington Roebling, took over management of the project after his father's death in 1869. The arch was completed ten years later, at a cost of $1 million ($20 million in today's dollars).
The original plan called for an arched bridge, but this concept was changed when it was discovered that steel could support such a structure. The new design featured a seventy-foot-high central tower flanked by sixty-four-foot-high arches. The total length of the bridge was one thousand feet, with two lanes of traffic in each direction.
The arch was opened to the public on April 30, 1884. Thousands of people lined up along the banks of the river to see it. This great engineering feat quickly became a popular attraction for visitors to St. Louis.
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