Gateway Arch

https://www.nps.gov/jeff/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_Arch_National_Park Gateway Arch National Park is located in St. Louis, Missouri, near the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The memorial was established to commemorate: the Louisiana Purchase, and the subsequent westward movement of American explorers and pioneers; the first civil government west of the Mississippi River; and the debate over slavery raised by the Dred Scott case. The national park consists of the Gateway Arch, a steel catenary arch that has become the definitive icon of St. Louis; a 91-acre (36.8 ha) park along the Mississippi River on the site of the earliest buildings of the city; the Old Courthouse, a former state and federal courthouse where the Dred Scott case originated; and the 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) museum at the Gateway Arch. Gateway Arch National Park commemorates President Jefferson’s vision of a continental nation, the individuals and cultural groups who helped shape its history, St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, and Dred and Harriet Scott, who sued for their freedom in the Old Courthouse. For directions click on the provided link Gateway Arch Visitor Center The Gateway Arch Visitor Center, located directly under the Gateway Arch, is the central location for the journey to the top, the Arch Museum, the film Monument to the Dream, the Arch Store and the Arch cafe. Enter the Visitor Center from Smith Square to the west of the Arch directly across from the Old Courthouse. The North and South legs of the Gateway Arch are exit only from the visitor center and museum. Gateway Arch National Park is located in the heart of downtown St. Louis on the Mississippi River. Interstate Routes 44, 55, 64 and 70 converge near the park. The Gateway Arch is easily accessible from St. Louis' MetroLink Lightrail. Board at any station and exit at 8th and Pine or Lacledes Landing and follow the signs to the Memorial (a 10 min. walk) Please note: Visitors now enter the Arch through the west entrance, which faces Fourth Street and the Old Courthouse. The Gateway Arch legs are now exit only. Cherry trees in bloom The Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse with a row of pink blooming cherry trees in front The blooming cherry trees in Kiener Plaza provide a wonderful foreground for the Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse in spring. Reaching for the Clouds Arch and clouds Arch reaching toward the clouds. The Gateway Arch reflected The Gateway Arch reflected in the waters of of the north pond A walk around the Gateway Arch grounds provide many chances to view the Arch from many different angles. The Old Courthouse looking across the green lawn in Smith Square to the Old Courthouse The Old Courthouse West Entrance to the Gateway Arch Visitor Center West Entrance to the Gateway Arch Visitor Center Welcome to the Gateway Arch Gateway Arch Gateway Arch Over a million people visit the Gateway Arch each year. Old Courthouse Dred and Harriet Scott statue in front of the columns of the Old Courthouse in the morning light The Old Courthouse Gateway Arch at Sunrise Gateway Arch at Sunrise The sunrise coming up behind the Gateway Arch. Sunrise at the Gateway Arch the sun coming up and illuminated clouds behind the Gateway Arch Sunrise at the Gateway Arch Twlight Just Before the Fireworks People waiting on the Arch grounds waiting for the 4th of July Fireworks show to start. A large crowd waits for the fireworks show to start at the Gateway Arch Virginia Minor and Women's Right to Vote Virginia Minor was an officer in the National Woman Suffrage Association, which during the 1872 presidential election decided to challenge voting restrictions in the United States which excluded women. The nation-wide movement of 1872 originated with Virginia and her husband Francis Minor. Virginia Minor’s attempt to register to vote was refused by the ward registrar in St. Louis, and the Minors sued him in the St. Louis Circuit court. Old Courthouse at Gateway Arch. NPS Photo Connecting with Our Homelands in 2019 Throughout the 2019 academic year, Hopa Mountain, in partnership with the National Park Service, awarded Connecting with our Homelands travel grants to 21 different indigenous organizations, schools, and nonprofits. These are glimpses into some of these trips. Students look at a forested landscape. Preparing an Expedition Lewis had volunteered to lead another expedition that Jefferson had proposed years earlier. When Jefferson was elected President in 1801, he asked the 29-year-old Lewis to serve as his personal secretary (assistant). Some believe that Jefferson was grooming Lewis to lead the new expedition he was proposing. 1954 stamp commemorating the lewis and clark expedition Jefferson National Expansion Memorial The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri commemorates Thomas Jefferson's vision of the continental expansion of the United States, evidenced by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. the st. louis arch nearing completion National Expansion Memorial Cultural Landscape The Gateway Arch and surrounding landscape, located on the bank of the Mississippi River, were designed by architect Eero Saarinen in collaboration with landscape architect Dan Kiley, and the layout and siting of major features were implemented in a way that keeps with their modern design. Landscape features include the Gateway Arch, the overall landform and spatial organization, designed views, the system of walks, the single species allées, the two ponds, and overlooks. A side view of the Gateway Arch appears as a vertical monument, framed by symmetrical rows of trees 2018 Freeman Tilden Award Recipients In 2018, six talented National Park Service employees were awarded the Freeman Tilden Award for their amazing and innovative interpretive programs. Ranger in a canyon with a typewriter on a table US Women's Suffrage Timeline 1648 to 2016 This is an extended timeline of the fight for women's suffrage in the United States. It includes information on failed and successful attempts at changes in law, including at the state and federal levels, how women's suffrage has been interlaced with quests for other civil rights, and some key court cases. It spans the years from 1648 through 2016. National Woman's Party Watchfire Outside the White House. LOC Old Courthouse Cultural Landscape When viewed from the east, the Gateway Arch frames the Old Courthouse, which emphasizes the significance of the Old Courthouse in greater St. Louis history. It is especially notable for its design merit and association with important and historic legal cases. During the 19th century, disenfranchised groups fought for freedom and equality in the courthouse, setting legal precedents in the process. View of the Old Courthouse from the top of the Gateway Arch, framed by the streets of St. Louis. Dred Scott Case Trials For decades the Supreme Court moved carefully around various controversies regarding slavery, but in 1857 it did no such thing. In the Dred Scott decision, it swept away decades of equivocation and ruled that the United States government had no legal right to limit the expansion of slavery into any part of the nation. Abolitionists and free-soilers were stunned. Painting of Dred Scott Walk in the Footsteps of Suffragists American women demanded their right to vote in a Declaration of Sentiments issued at the first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, NY in 1848. By the 1913 inauguration of President-elect Wilson, women were still waiting for that democratic right. Explore the spectacular pre-inauguration parade that filled Pennsylvania Avenue in DC with 5,000 marching women, colorful floats and banners, ladies on horseback, and mayhem delivered by opposing forces. Nurse Contingent in the 1913 Suffrage March LOC National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map Volunteer Story: Marshell Foss Marshell Foss, Army vet and former secondary school educator, has served as a Gateway Arch National Park volunteer for 14 years, working on countless projects and bringing joy and knowledge to its visitors. Portrait of a man from the waist up looking at the camera in a dark room. Top Ten Tips for Visiting Gateway Arch National Park The top ten tips for visiting Gateway Arch National Park looking up the leg of Gateway Arch against a bright blue sky Hoodoo in St. Louis: An African American Religious Tradition Some enslaved African Americans practiced Hoodoo, an ancient religious practice inspired by Central and West African religious practices. While doing archaeological research at Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in the 1990s, several West African artifacts were discovered, suggesting that some or all of the enslaved African Americans living at White Haven before the Civil War may have practiced Hoodoo. Group of African Americans in a room with plaster walls participating in a religious ceremony. St. Louis’ Mid-Century Modern Architecture: The Matter of Materials "We generally use the term mid century to differentiate the buildings of the post World War II years from the output of the pre-War years. Mid century is an interesting term. It links architecture in the US to the growth and change resulting from post-War power and prosperity, even as the geo politics of the Cold War cast a haze of uncertainty over the period. Like everything else at mid century, architecture was shaped by these conditions." - Mary Reid Brunstrom Priory Church with three levels of arches designed by Gyo Obata. Adaptive Reuse of the American Zinc Building and Other Works Gyo Obata speaks about his design of what's called the American Zinc Building. "Ray Wittcoff was the owner of the Fur Exchange Building and he asked me to design a headquarters for American Zinc Company. The site is about 60 foot wide, by 170 foot long. [S]o what I did was to put all of the fixed elements, the stairways, the elevators, on the north side, [to] have a clear span of 50 feet within the site...I think it’s wonderful to preserve a building like this." Exterior photo of the multistory American Zinc Building. Preserving the Gateway Arch: Evaluating Fire Protection and Life Safety Conditions Using a Performance Based Analysis Mills + Schnoering Architects and Hughes Associates, Inc. performed a fire/smoke modeling assessment of the Gateway Arch. This study evaluated fire protection and life safety risks to the public and building occupants in the event of a fire or similar emergency. An additional goal was to preserve historic or culturally significant building features. NPS strives to provide a fire-safe environment for visitors and employees within and atop the Arch. Fire modeling results with a fire at the base of the Arch, extent of smoke spread, and visibility. Find Your Park on Route 66 Route 66 and the National Park Service have always had an important historical connection. Route 66 was known as the great road west and after World War II families on vacation took to the road in great numbers to visit the many National Park Service sites in the Southwest and beyond. That connection remains very alive and present today. Take a trip down Route 66 and Find Your Park today! A paved road with fields in the distance. On the road is a white Oklahoma Route 66 emblem. Materials Matters (Keynote of the Mid-Century Modern Structures Symposium) Materials are really important. As professionals engaged in conservation of our cultural heritage we’re all dealing with the actual physical stuff. The issue of materiality is central to what we do. Whether we are dealing with an individual iconic building, historic landscapes, urban ensembles, fast food restaurants, industrial heritage sites or monumental civil works. We are all charged with preserving and protecting our collective cultural heritage. Prentice Women's Hospital, concrete, three visible cylinders taper inward at the bottom. Emerald Ash Borer at Gateway Arch National Park Learn how a little green bug contributed to the removal of hundreds of trees on the Arch grounds, and how the National Park Service worked to build the landscape back even better than it was. Rows of leafy green trees lining the walkways of the grounds at Gateway Arch National Park New Contexts: Preservation Challenges of Modern Era Design Modern designed resources bring a host of new challenges to historians, architects, landscape architects, engineers, communities, and other preservationists. To document these resources, new contexts must be developed to address mid twentieth century trends and events like urban renewal and suburbanization. A new generation of architects needs to be identified and their works evaluated. The architectural vocabulary and nomenclature must be updated. Round poured concrete stools in a circle with showers and changing stalls, also concrete. Things to Do in Missouri Find things to do, trip ideas, and more in Missouri. Purple flowers bloom on a grass-covered landscape under a partly cloudy sky. Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. The NPS Wellness Challenge at Gateway Arch National Park Welcome to your wellness challenge at Gateway Arch National Park! Personal wellness is well within reach if you get out and explore. Harney Re-Examined Part II: Harney's Treatment of Native Americans In the second part of "Harney Re-Examined" we explore General William Harney's treatment of Native Americans early in his career. Black and white lithograph of mounted horseman attacking native americans in a narrow hollow Harney Re-Examined Part IV: Harney and the Hanging of the San Patricio Brigade This article examines Harney's role in the Mexican-American War and his mass execution of the San Patricio Brigade watercolor painting of 20 men being hanged on a mass scaffold in front of a fortress Harney Re-Examined Part III: Harney and the Pig War This article re-examines William Harney's treatment of Native Americans and involvement in The Pig War Harney Re-Examined: The Early Years of General William Harney This article re-examines the early life and career of General William Harney Series: Harney Re-Examined: A New Look at a Forgotten Figure "This monster, Harney" was how a contemporary newspaper described General William Harney. While in uniform, William Harney massacred Native American civilians, murdered a young enslaved mother, killed multiple dogs, was court martialed four times, and nearly start a war with the UK. Today he is largely forgotten but his name adorns a river, a school, a lake, a county, a park, streets, a hot springs, and many other places. This article series asks, who was Harney? three negative style photographs of a man in a us military uniform with his hand to his chest Trails&Rails 2023 National Conference Current NPS Director Chuck Sams addresses attendees at the 2023 National Trails&Rails Operations Conference. A large group of people sit facing forward at tables arranged in a U shap 50 Nifty Finds #33: "First Lady" of National Parks Although the spouses of directors don't have formal roles in the NPS, they can be crucial to the success of a directorship. This was certainly true of the powerful partnership of Director George B. Hartzog, Jr. and his wife. Throughout his career, Helen C. Hartzog was his cheerleader, confident, and partner in developing a vision for the NPS that has had long-lasting effects. More than anyone, she served as a “first lady” of the NPS. Woman smiling at the camera wearing a fur wrap and corsage. Urban Cultural Landscape Panel Discussion Questions for the Urban Cultural Landscapes Panel at the 2015 Texas Cultural Landscapes Symposium. Anna Mod, MacRostie Historic Advisors Highlights from the 2015 Mid-Century Modern Structures Symposium The symposium was the kick-off event for the National Park Service’s Centennial symposium series. In addition, it marks the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. From Left: Mary Jablonski, Pamela Jerome, Jill Gotthelf, and Laura Matarese. Investigating the Visible Stains on the Stainless Steel Skin of the Gateway Arch WJE and the National Park Service studied the stains on the Gateway Arch’s stainless steel skin from 2005 to 2014. They used rope access, microscopy, video cameras, and cloud-based methods to inspect, evaluate, and suggest treatments for the arch. Three WJE team members will present their findings and recommendations. Bridle System for SPRAT experts (SPRAT: Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians). Gateway Arch Stainless Steel Weld and Surface Discoloration Evaluation When The Arch was constructed, stainless steel had only been available for 50 years. Depending on whether you credit the Brits or the Germans, it was either invented in 1912 or 1913. The structural applications for stainless steel had only been around for about 20 years, with the largest of which had been rebar for the Progreso Pier in Mexico in the 1940s. But otherwise, as a structural material by itself, there had only been fairly small applications and little research. Wide angle shot of the Gateway Arch with the sunrise reflecting on the south leg. Material Change: Attenuation to Significance Paul Rudolph (1918-1997) was a leader American Regional Modernism. This is an analysis of the evolution of his output from finely tuned wood-framed construction implemented to later Florida work engineered in concrete and steel. Paul Rudolph’s first project The Farnsworth House Built by Mies van der Rohe in 1951, the Farnsworth House is unarguably the most iconic building of the mid-century catalog of architecture worldwide. It is revered by all who know it for its elegance, ingenuity and originality. The challenges of the floodplain site are also well known as the building has endured numerous flood events over the past six decades. The rising waters of the Fox River represent a potentially devastating threat to Farnsworth’s future. The Farnsworth House Mid-Century Commercial Modernism: Design and Materials Burlington VT, former Phillips 66 gas station, NPS Preservation Briefs 46: The Preservation and Reuse of Historic Gas Stations Refueling station. Restoration and Replication of Steel Elements at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Frank Lloyd Wright used steel windows and doors in innovative ways for his time. At Fallingwater it was Hope’s steel casement and fixed windows. For the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, he employed Hope’s window-walls on the Thannhauser Pavilion. WASA/Studio A served as preservation architect for both structures. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. No Thermal Break, No Problem: Upgrading Kahn’s Stainless Steel Windows in the Richards Building The Richards Lab, as many of you know, was a notorious building before it was even finished. Vincent Scully at the time, it was being designed by Kahn said it clearly, came right out and said, “This is a landmark working 20th century architecture. This is changing architecture.” The buildup was such that, before the building even opened, it had a solo show at the Museum of Modern Arts, so this is a very, very important building. It’s a building about the integration of struct The Richards Laboratory Building during construction, circa 1961. Low, Light and Livable: From Modern to Ranch in Arkansas, 1945-1970 This multiple property context examines the advent of Mid-century Modernism and how it resulted in the iconic Ranch form in Arkansas during the period from 1945 to 1970. I outline the convergence of Modernism and the popular Ranch form by examining the bureaucratic, social, cultural and economic factors that contributed to significant transformations in domestic architecture. Ranch Type Ramblers from Weyerhaeuser 4-Square Home Building Service. An Engineer’s Approach to Forecast the Long-Term Effects of Environmental Thermal Cycles on the Aluminum Works in the Artillery Sheds at the Chinati Foundation Two single-story concrete and brick buildings constructed at Fort D. A. Russell in Marfa, Texas in 1938 are now known as the Artillery Sheds and house internationally important works of art by the renowned minimalist artist Donald Judd (1928 –1994). Marfa, Texas The Knapp’s Centre: 1930’s Art Moderne Icon Reinvented Built in the 1930’s art moderne style, the redevelopment of an original downtown department store, the Knapp’s Centre renovation included a complete reinvention of the exterior envelope to match the original 1930’s design. Experimental materials and techniques of the art moderne style have caused some buildings to become obsolete or viewed “beyond repair.” This innovative solution saved an historic building. Finished Restoration, circa August 2014. The Space Age in Construction While the influence of the machine age on architecture and design is well known, seen in the streamlining of the Art Deco and Modernist styles, the “space age” is more a cliché as a period than a true architectural influence. Design anomalies like the Sheets-Goldstein House by John Lautner exist, but they were far less ubiquitous than the esthetic of sleekness and speed that permeated many aspects of the early modern age, from railroads and aircraft to skyscrapers. Streamline Moderne Identifying the 1950s Ranch House Interior as a Cultural Resource The Ranch House is among the most prolific residential housing types in the United States; it was the home of the American twentieth century nuclear family. The building boom associated with the post-war World War II period produced a record number of housing starts: over 1.65 million in 1955, and approximately 1.5 million for the remainder of the decade. The Ranch House peaked in popularity in the 1950s, when it accounted for nine out of ten new houses built. 1950s Ranch House. Separating Baby from Bathwater: Conflict Resolution in Modern Materials Systems Religious architecture is a dominant expression of Mid-Century Modernism in St Louis and throughout much of the Heartland. The embrace of modernism allowed for spiritual exploration, a renewed sense of the confluence of building and environment, and nourished experimentation in the interplay of form, materials & systems. In context — following World War II — these structures represent a period of national expansion, space discovery, cheap energy ... Ethical Society Meeting House by Harris Armstrong, 1964. Investigating and Understanding the New York State Pavilion’s Tent of Tomorrow and Observation Towers This presentation gives an overview of the New York State Pavilion’s innovative design and engineering, describes the current condition of the Tent of Tomorrow and Observation Towers, highlights the importance of archival research in revealing construction methods and details, and addresses reuse challenges. The 1964-65 New York World’s Fair Form Concrete, Establishing Common Ground A topic which has frequently stumped contemporary preservation professionals, as we strive to identify and document Mid-Century Modern concrete structures, is how do we classify and describe free form concrete buildings? A hurdle for preservationists and architectural historians alike, as these buildings become part of the historic fabric, is developing a common vocabulary to bridge the gap between engineers who designed these mathematically based structures and preservatio The Abbey of St. Mary and St. Louis, Creve Coeur, MO, by HOK, 1960. Modernism at Risk Despite Modernism’s influential place in our architectural heritage, many significant Modernist and other recent buildings are endangered because of neglect, perceived obsolesces, or inappropriate renovation, and some are even in imminent danger of demolition. In response to these threats in 2006, the World Monuments Fund launched its Modernism at Risk initiative. This presentation will illustrate that modern buildings can remain sustainable structures with vital futures. David Bright of Knoll, Inc. Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic at the Fair The 1964 World’s Fair presented itself as “A Millennium of Progress” and viewed creating a venue for companies to unveil their products of the future, includinig fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP). Mary Jablonski runs one of the country’s best known architectural conservation firms. Material, Building Type Or Beauty – What Makes Preserving Brutalist Architecture in Buffalo So Hard? Why is Brutalism one of the most difficult eras to preserve? Questions of authenticity, the use of materials such as concrete panels and concrete block, the construction of new building types like public housing that do not have inherent supporters, and maintaining some of the most energy inefficient buildings ever built are some of the aspects that impact its preservation. The Buffalo Evening News Building, designed by Edward Durell Stone. 50 Nifty Finds #41: What in the Blazers? The green pants and jacket, gray shirt, badge, and broad-brimmed flat hat are the widely recognized symbols of the National Park Service (NPS) ranger. For a brief period in the 1970s, an attempt was made to supplement—if not supplant—the public’s image of the park ranger. Was the NPS blazer uniform just a fashion fad or something more? Tan and Green jackets dispayed on mannequins Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. 2023 Excellence in Interpretation Awards View the recipients of the 2023 National Park Service Excellence in Interpretation Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to the practice of interpretation and education by NPS employees. 13 people in tribal attire, uniform, or hiking clothes amid mud bricks. YMCA Partnership Over the past 10 years, the National Park Service and the YMCA have partnered to connect more than 100,000 young people from 21 Ys across the nation to 65 national parks and historic sites through summer day camp programs. Two young campers hold their curricula worksheets in front of a body of water Cub Scout Hannah Murray Volunteers at Fort Moultrie National Historical Park Meet Hannah Murray, a Cub Scout from Pack 743! She is also a youth volunteer with the National Park Service (NPS). A young girl in a blue cub scout uniform and an orange hat holds a trash bag, outside Guide to the George B. and Helen C. Hartzog Papers This finding aid describes the George B. and Helen C. Hartzog Papers, part of the NPS History Collection. George and Helen Hartzog dressed for an evening out.

1- o ! • I E° Architect Eero Saarinen and long-time collaborator Dan Kiley, a master of modern landscape architecture, designed the landscape surrounding the Gateway Arch. The tree-lined walks, rolling hills, reflecting ponds, and grand staircase descending to the Mississippi River mirror the shape of the Arch. The riverfront beneath the Gateway Arch often hosts festivals, historical events, and concerts. The soaring Arch is both a memorial to westward expansion and an icon of the city of St. Louis. History, by apprising the people of the past, will enable them to judge of the future; it will avail them of the experience of other times and other nations; it will qualify j them as judges of the actions and designs of men. . . —Thomas Jefferson, 1782 PORTRAIT/WHITE HOUSE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION SIGNATURE/UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA LIBRARY * E Eero Saarinen felt that an architectural idea must be as simple as possible to have meaning and impact. All its elements must contribute to the overall artistic expression. The central idea of the Gateway Arch is a graceful catenary curve, the shape a chain takes when suspended freely between t w o points. Neither an obelisk nor a rectangular box nor a dome seemed right on this site or for this purpose. But here, at the edge of the Mississippi River, q great arch did seem right. —Eero Saarinen, 1959 PORTRAIT/ NPS SIGNATURE/NPS ARCH SILHOUETTE/ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS it Z D GATEWAY TO THE WEST .2 'tZ o E The Gateway Arch is a memorial site where you can contemplate the epic mass-migration and settlement of the American West during the 1800s. Thomas Jefferson estimated that it might take 1,000 generations for Americans to fully extend across the vast continent. Instead, in fewer than 90 years what Americans called the frontier! had ended. c o "3i c re Q. X til "re c o T3 re z C .in 3 *- O From1 the time America was first settled by Europeans, it was seen as a place of inexhaustible land and resources—that just beyond the fringe of "civilization" here was land to create a better life for daring and hardworking peole. Many embraced Manifest Destiny, a phrase coined in 1845 to explain America's thirst for expansion. It was a new term but not a new idea. Since the beginning of the republic, leaders and citizens had aggressively claimed land for the United States. ii I A M E R I C A N IDENTITY! EXPRESSED The Gateway Arch is a world-renowned masterpiece of! modern architecture built on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis, Mo. Rising from a forestejd park, it is a part of the national historic site created ini 1935 to memorialize the role of St. Louis in the westward expansion of the United States. Manifest Destiny crystallized the idea that it was God's will and the right of ATnericans to take over the continent. Then, in 1893, historian Frederick Jackson Turner reported that the Far d he called the "frontier"— where there were few er than two people per square mile—was gone. This concept stunned Americans because Turner also s aid that our unique American character stemmed ffom this frontier experience. The idea of this loss of the frontier still pervades our literature, art, and movies. To create the memorial, 40 blocks of old buildings were] leveled in the core of the downtown area. It was here that the French originally set up a fur trading post in 1764, arid that steamboats jostled for space in one of the nation's j busiest pre-Civil War ports. Jefferson National Expansion Memorial was designated a national historic site in 1935 to honor the type of frontier hero that Tur ler wrote of in 1893. But Turner's view of history was A iglo-centric; it ignored American Indians, African /Americans, and Spanish, French, Russian, Asian, and 01 her explorers and settlers who lived in the West long before the mass migrations. Today the park pays t i b u t e to the multicultural aspect of the peopling of America. Its centerpiece, the Gateway Arch, stands for the many cultures that made the American West what it is today. MAKING OF A In 1947 a competition challenged architects to design a memorial that would symbolize the dramatic story of westward expansion. The judges chose Eero Saarinen's Gateway Arch from among 172 entries. Saarinen's Arch, along with his other works—the TWA terminal at JFK airport in New York City and Dulles airport outside Washington D.C.—used engineering, materials, and technology to create iconic and daring designs. MONlU'MENT The stmcture of the Gateway Arch, built between 1963 aid 1965, is a sandwich made of stainless steel on the outside, carbon steel on the inside, and concrete in the middle. Nothing like this had ever been built or even attempted How could workers be sure the legs would meet at the to p? How could they keep it from tipping over? The plans call sd for exact measurements of the two freestanding legs a: 1 each piece was welded into place. Post-tensioning rod; made of steel placed within the back sid