The Arch was designed by the Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen in 1947, and construction began on February 12, 1963 and was completed on October 28, 1965,[7][8] at an overall cost of $13 million[9] (equivalent to $95.9 million in 2023).[2] The monument opened to the public on June 10, 1967.[10] It is located at the 1764 site of the founding of St. Louis on the west bank of the Mississippi River.[11][12][13]
Around late 1933, civic leader Luther Ely Smith, returning to St. Louis from the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes, Indiana, saw the St. Louis riverfront area and envisioned that building a memorial there would both revive the riverfront and stimulate the economy.[14][15] He communicated his idea to mayor Bernard Dickmann, who on December 15, 1933, raised it in a meeting with city leaders. They sanctioned the proposal, and the nonprofit Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Association (JNEMA—pronounced "Jenny May")[16] was formed. Smith was appointed chairman and Dickmann vice chairman. The association's goal was to create:[14]
A suitable and permanent public memorial to the men who made possible the western territorial expansion of the United States, particularly President Jefferson, his aides Livingston and Monroe, the great explorers, Lewis and Clark, and the hardy hunters, trappers, frontiersmen and pioneers who contributed to the territorial expansion and development of these United States, and thereby to bring before the public of this and future generations the history of our development and induce familiarity with the patriotic accomplishments of these great builders of our country.
Many locals did not approve of depleting public funds for the cause. Smith's daughter SaLees related that when "people would tell him we needed more practical things", he would respond that "spiritual things" were equally important.[16]
The association expected that $30 million would be needed to undertake the construction of such a monument (about $561 million[17] in 2023 dollars). It called upon the federal government to foot three-quarters of the bill ($22.5 million).[16]
The St. Louis riverfront after demolition
The suggestion to renew the riverfront was not original, as previous projects were attempted but lacked popularity. The Jefferson memorial idea emerged amid the economic disarray of the Great Depression and promised new jobs.[14] The project was expected to create 5,000 jobs for three to four years.[18] Committee members began to raise public awareness by organizing fundraisers and writing pamphlets. They also engaged Congress by planning budgets and preparing bills, in addition to researching ownership of the land they had chosen, "approximately one-half mile in length ... from Third Street east to the present elevated railroad." In January 1934, Senator Bennett Champ Clark and Representative John Cochran introduced to Congress an appropriation bill seeking $30 million for the memorial, but the bill failed to garner support due to the large amount of money solicited. In March of the same year, joint resolutions proposed the establishment of a federal commission to develop the memorial. Although the proposal aimed for only authorization, the bill incurred opposition because people suspected that JNEMA would later seek appropriation. On March 28 the Senate bill was reported out, and on April 5 it was turned over to the House Library Committee, which later reported favorably on the bills. On June 8, both the Senate and House bills were passed. On June 15, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill into law, instituting the United States Territorial Expansion Memorial Commission. The commission comprised 15 members, chosen by Roosevelt, the House, the Senate, and JNEMA. It first convened on December 19 in St. Louis, where members examined the project and its planned location.[14]
Meanwhile, in December, the JNEMA discussed organizing an architectural competition to determine the design of the monument. Local architect Louis LaBeaume had drawn up competition guidelines by January 1935.[14] On April 13, 1935, the commission certified JNEMA's project proposals, including memorial perimeters, the "historical significance" of the memorial, the competition, and the $30 million budget.[14] Between February and April, the Missouri State Legislature passed an act allowing the use of bonds to facilitate the project. On April 15, then GovernorGuy B. Park signed it into law. Dickmann and Smith applied for funding from two New Deal agencies—the Public Works Administration (headed by Harold Ickes) and the Works Progress Administration (headed by Harry Hopkins). On August 7, both Ickes and Hopkins assented to the funding requests, each promising $10 million, and said that the National Park Service (NPS) would manage the memorial.[19] A local bond issue election granting $7.5 million (about $140 million[17] in 2023 dollars) for the memorial's development was held on September 10 and passed.[14][18]
On December 21, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 7253[15] to approve the memorial,[20] allocating the 82-acre area as the first National Historic Site.[15][16][19] The order also appropriated $3.3 million through the WPA and $3.45 million through the PWA[21] ($6.75 million in total).[18] The motivation of the project was two-fold—commemorating westward expansion and creating jobs.[14] Some taxpayers began to file suits to block the construction of the monument, which they called a "boondoggle".[16]
Luis IX (25 de abril de 1214 - 25 de agosto de 1270), también conocido como San Luis , fue rey de Francia desde 1226 hasta su muerte en 1270. Es ampliamente reconocido como el más distinguido de los Capetos Directos . Tras la muerte de su padre, Luis VIII , fue coronado en Reims a la edad de 12 años. Su madre, Blanca de Castilla , gobernó efectivamente el reino como regente hasta que alcanzó la mayoría de edad y continuó sirviendo como su consejera de confianza hasta su muerte. Durante sus años de formación, Blanca se enfrentó con éxito a los vasallos rebeldes y defendió la causa de los Capetos en la Cruzada Albigense , que había estado en curso durante las últimas dos décadas.
Luis instigó importantes reformas en el sistema legal francés , creando un mecanismo de justicia real que permitía a los peticionarios apelar las sentencias directamente ante el monarca. Abolió los juicios por ordalía , se esforzó por poner fin a las guerras privadas e incorporó la presunción de inocencia en los procedimientos penales . Para implementar su nuevo marco legal, estableció los cargos de prebostes y alguaciles . El reinado de Luis IX a menudo se marca como un cenit económico y político para la Francia medieval , y gozó de un inmenso respeto en toda la cristiandad . Su reputación de gobernante justo y juicioso llevó a que se le solicitara que mediara en disputas más allá de su propio reino. [ 1 ] [ 2 ]
Los admiradores de Luis a lo largo de los siglos lo han celebrado como el monarca cristiano por excelencia. Su habilidad como caballero y su trato agradable con el público contribuyeron a su popularidad. San Luis era extremadamente piadoso, ganándose el apodo de " rey monje ". [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Luis era un cristiano acérrimo y aplicó rigurosamente la ortodoxia católica . Promulgó duras leyes contra la blasfemia , [ 4 ] y también emprendió acciones contra la población judía de Francia , incluida la orden de usar una insignia amarilla de la vergüenza, así como la notoria quema del Talmud después de la Disputa de París . Luis IX tiene la distinción de ser el único rey canonizado de Francia. [ 5 ]
Gran parte de lo que se conoce de la vida de Luis proviene de la famosa Vida de San Luis de Jean de Joinville . Joinville era un amigo cercano, confidente y consejero del rey. Participó como testigo en la investigación papal sobre la vida de Luis que resultó en su canonización en 1297 por el papa Bonifacio VIII . Otras dos biografías importantes fueron escritas por el confesor del rey, Godofredo de Beaulieu , y su capellán, Guillermo de Chartres . Si bien varias personas escribieron biografías en las décadas posteriores a la muerte del rey, solo Jean de Joinville, Godofredo de Beaulieu y Guillermo de Chartres escribieron a partir del conocimiento personal del rey y de los eventos que describen, y los tres tienen un sesgo favorable al rey. La cuarta fuente importante de información es la biografía del siglo XIX de Guillermo de Saint-Parthus, [ 6 ] que escribió utilizando material de la investigación papal mencionada anteriormente.
Luis nació el 25 de abril de 1214 en Poissy , cerca de París, hijo de Luis el León y Blanca de Castilla , [ 7 ] y fue bautizado allí en la iglesia de La Collégiale Notre-Dame . Su abuelo paterno fue el rey Felipe II de Francia , y su abuelo materno fue el rey Alfonso VIII de Castilla . Los tutores elegidos por Blanca le enseñaron latín , oratoria, escritura, artes militares y gobierno. [ 8 ] Tenía nueve años cuando murió su abuelo Felipe II y su padre se convirtió en el rey Luis VIII. [ 9 ]
The tallest monument in the United States was completed on this date in 1965. The Gateway Arch stands 630 feet tall and is the focal point of the St. Louis skyline. Constructed out of concrete and stainless steel, the arch has a tram system built within it that will take visitors to the very top where they have an amazing view of the city. The arch was built for two main reasons, first was to create jobs, but maybe more importantly to commemorate the Westward Expansion of the United States. According to reports, the cost of the project was estimated to be around $13 million which in today’s money would be around $190 million. The arch has more than 4 million visitors each year and is an important part of the city’s economy.
The last rivet was fitted which completed the installation of the Statue of Liberty on this date in 1886. President Grover Cleveland was on hand to perform the dedication ceremony as well as numerous American and French dignitaries. Lady Liberty was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States to commemorate their friendship during the American Revolution. The 151-foot tall statue was originally built in Paris then disassembled and shipped to the U.S. in an estimated 200 different crates. The steel framework was designed by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, who made a name for himself by designing the Eiffel Tower. But the overall design was done by French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi.
3. 1922: First college football game broadcast nationwide on the radio
It was on this date in 1922 the first college football game was broadcast nationwide on the radio. The Princeton Tigers went up against the Chicago Maroons at Stagg Field in Chicago. The Maroons were heavily favored and were one of the most dominant teams in the Big Ten conference. Unfortunately, the broadcast wasn’t live during the game; that didn’t happen until two years later in 1924. What would normally happen was a reporter would sit in the press box at the stadium and would phone the details of what was happening back to the station. An announcer would be standing by to re-enact the play by play using the help of sound effects and sometimes an in-studio audience. Even though Princeton was the underdog, they managed to pull off a major upset and then went on to finish the season with an undefeated record.
The Gateway Arch, designed by Finnish-born, American-educated architect Eero Saarinen, was erected to commemorate President Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and to celebrate St. Louis’ central role in the rapid westward expansion that followed.
As the market and supply point for fur traders and explorers—including the famous Meriwether Lewis and William Clark—the town of St. Louis grew exponentially after the War of 1812, when great numbers of people began to travel by wagon train to seek their fortunes west of the Mississippi River. In 1947-48, Saarinen won a nationwide competition to design a monument honoring the spirit of the western pioneers. In a sad twist of fate, the architect died of a brain tumor in 1961 and did not live to see the construction of his now-famous arch, which began in February 1963. Completed in October 1965, the Gateway Arch cost less than $15 million to build. With foundations sunk 60 feet into the ground, its frame of stressed stainless steel is built to withstand both earthquakes and high winds. An internal tram system takes visitors to the top, where on a clear day they can see up to 30 miles across the winding Mississippi and to the Great Plains to the west. In addition to the Gateway Arch, the Jefferson Expansion Memorial includes the Museum of Westward Expansion and the Old Courthouse of St. Louis, where two of the famous Dred Scott slavery cases were heard in the 1860s.
The image on this page is an animated image of the construction of the Gateway Arch between February 29, 1964 – October 28, 1965. There are nine images in this animation that show the Arch at different points during its construction.
Today, some 4 million people visit the park each year to wander its nearly 100 acres, soak up some history and take in the breathtaking views from Saarinen’s gleaming arch.
St. Louis, Missouri, a city steeped in history and brimming with modern allure, is home to one of the most iconic landmarks in the United States: the Gateway Arch. As the centerpiece of the Gateway Arch National Park, this architectural marvel stands tall, inviting millions of visitors each year to witness its grandeur and immerse themselves in its rich history. Let's delve into some fascinating facts about the St. Louis Arch, its significance, and the experiences it offers to travelers.
(Photo credit @ChrisHardy/Unsplash)
A Monumental Marvel: Designed by Eero Saarinen
The St. Louis Arch, affectionately known as the Gateway Arch, was designed by the renowned Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen. Rising 630 feet into the sky, its sleek, stainless steel facade gleams in the sunlight, symbolizing the city's spirit of progress and innovation. Saarinen's vision for the Arch was not only to create a striking monument but also to serve as a gateway to the west, commemorating St. Louis's pivotal role in the expansion of the United States.
A Symbol of Expansion and Unity
Construction on the Arch began on February 12, 1963, and was completed on October 28, 1965, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of the United States and the development of the St. Louis Riverfront. As visitors ascend to the observation deck atop the Arch, they are treated to breathtaking panoramic views of the city skyline and the mighty Mississippi River below, offering a unique perspective on St. Louis's rich history and vibrant culture.
Journey to the Top: Visitors' Experience
One of the highlights of any visit to the Gateway Arch is the journey to the top. Visitors embark on a thrilling ride aboard unique tram capsules, which transport them to the observation deck at the Arch's summit. From this vantage point, visitors can marvel at the sprawling cityscape of St. Louis, with its historic landmarks, bustling neighborhoods, and verdant parks stretching out before them. It's an experience that offers a true sense of the city's scale and significance.
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What sets the St. Louis Arch apart is its unique dimensions. Standing at 630 feet tall and 630 feet wide, it is as wide as it is tall, creating a perfect arch that frames the city skyline with precision and grace. This symmetrical design is a testament to the meticulous planning and engineering prowess that went into its construction, ensuring that it stands as a lasting symbol of St. Louis's aspirations and achievements.
Illuminating the Night: A Radiant Glow
In recent years, efforts have been made to enhance the Arch's allure even further. The city of St. Louis approved a bill permitting the illumination of the Arch, allowing it to shine brightly against the night sky and captivating visitors with its radiant glow. This initiative has transformed the Arch into a beacon of light and hope, drawing even more admirers to its towering embrace.
Exploring St. Louis: Beyond the Arch
While the Gateway Arch may be the most recognizable landmark in St. Louis, the city offers a wealth of attractions and experiences for visitors to enjoy. From the historic Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, to the immersive City Museum, there is no shortage of cultural treasures to explore. Visitors can also take a scenic Gateway Boat Cruise along the Mississippi River or visit the world-class St. Louis Art Museum in Forest Park.
Discovering the Gateway City
In conclusion, the St. Louis Arch stands as a symbol of progress, expansion, and unity, inviting visitors to explore its towering majesty and immerse themselves in the rich history of the Gateway City. Whether you're marveling at the Arch's sleek silhouette, ascending to its summit for panoramic views, or exploring the city's vibrant neighborhoods and cultural attractions, St. Louis offers an unforgettable travel experience that will leave you with lasting memories. So why wait? Plan your visit to St. Louis today and discover the magic of the Gateway City for yourself.
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