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The Gateway Arch

In 1970 my boss, a colleague and I attended a conference in St. Louis, Missouri. After the sessions had ended, my boss suggested we drive down to the waterfront and see the Gateway Arch. The Arch itself was completed but many of the things that you would find at the site today had not been added. We took a ride in the tube, but it did not go all the way to the top. It was a little freaky with the three of us being cramped into that small space. As I recall, we could not sit up straight in the cage. That has all changed now and is described as quite comfortable. We cavorted around the outside, wondering at the size of it.

I will admit that I have not paid another visit to the Arch since that time so long ago. However, if I did I would find things quite different from that first time. The area, located in the heart of downtown St. Louis on the Mississippi River, is now part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial operated by the National Park Service. It is a memorial to Thomas Jefferson's role in opening the West to pioneers.

The Arch itself was built between February 12, 1963 and October 28, 1965 at a cost of $13 million. The outer width, from north leg to south leg, is 630 feet and has a height of 630 feet making it the tallest national monument in the United States.

The structure is in the shape of an equilateral triangle, measuring 54 feet at the base and 17 feet at the top. The size of the observation room at the top is 7' 2" x 65' x 6' 9" high and the observation platform has a capacity of between 100 and 140 persons. There are 142 stainless steel sections in the Arch and it will sway as much as 18 inches in a 150 mile-per-hour wind.

This well-known landmark is a popular tourist attraction in St. Louis. Approximately a million people visit the Arch each year and ride the trams to the top. There are eight trams, seating five people each, and give narrations on the four minute ride to the top. The trams, located at both the north and south leg of the arch, travel at an average speed of four miles per hour.

There are different informational exhibits in each leg. The entrance to the north leg displays photographs and information about the construction of the Arch. Life along the St. Louis riverfront in the 1800s is featured in the south leg displays.

The Museum of Westward Expansion is one place in the area that visitors do not want to miss. Found there are some of the rarest artifacts from the days of Lewis and Clark. The exhibits show the world of the American Indian and the early pioneers who helped shape the history of the American West.

For history buffs The Old Courthouse at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial should be added to the visit to the Gateway Arch. It was the site of the first two trials of the Dred Scott case in 1847 and 1850. This architectural landmark has remained over the past 150 years as one of the most prominent structures that helped fuel major changes to the American way of life. Visitors can tour the Courthouse and see the restored courtrooms to get a feel for the nineteenth century judicial system.

Each time I cross the Mississippi River when traveling through St. Louis I can't help but look with pride at this memorial monument. While writing this it makes me think the next time we go through we should stop and see all the attractions we missed during our first visit.

Learn more about this author, Annalou Mack.
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