Gateway Arch National Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gateway Arch National Park |
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The Gateway Arch serves as the attraction's centerpiece.
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| Location | St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Area | 192.83 acres (78.04 ha) |
| Established | February 22, 2018 |
| Visitors | 1,163,016 (in 2024) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
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Gateway Arch National Park
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| Location | Mississippi River between Washington and Poplar Sts., St. Louis, Missouri |
| Area | 192.83 acres (78.04 ha) |
| Built | 1831–34 Old Cathedral 1839–64 Old Courthouse 1962–65 Gateway Arch |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000941 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
Gateway Arch National Park is a unique national park located in St. Louis, Missouri. It sits near the spot where the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition began their journey west. This park helps us remember important moments in American history.
The park was first created in 1935 as a national memorial. It honored the Louisiana Purchase, which opened up the western United States for exploration. It also remembered the first government west of the Mississippi River. Finally, it recognized the important debate about slavery that came from the Dred Scott case.
Today, the national park includes the amazing Gateway Arch. This steel arch is a famous symbol of St. Louis. The park also has a green space along the Mississippi River. You can also visit the Old Courthouse, where the Dred Scott case started. Below the Arch, there is a 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) museum. At just 192.83 acres (78.04 ha), it is the smallest national park in the United States.
The area around the Arch was first called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in 1935. The Gateway Arch itself was finished on October 28, 1965. The National Park Service (NPS) takes care of the park. In 2018, the area became Gateway Arch National Park. This change caused some discussion. National parks usually protect natural landscapes. This site is more about history and architecture. Some people thought the change was to help tourism.
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Exploring Gateway Arch National Park
This park has several key parts that tell different stories about American history. Each part is special in its own way.
The Gateway Arch: A Giant Symbol
The Gateway Arch is often called the "Gateway to the West." It is the tallest structure in Missouri. Two talented people designed it: Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and German-American engineer Hannskarl Bandel. They designed it in 1947. The Arch was built between 1963 and October 1965.
The Arch stands 630 feet (192 m) tall and is 630 feet (192 m) wide at its base. Its legs are 54 feet (16.5 m) wide at the bottom. They get narrower, reaching 17 feet (5.2 m) at the very top. A special tram system takes visitors to an observation room at the top. From there, you can see amazing views of St. Louis and the Mississippi River.
The Historic Old Courthouse
The Old Courthouse stands on land given by St. Louis founder Auguste Chouteau. It is located right where the Arch seems to reach over. Its impressive dome was built during the American Civil War. It looks similar to the dome on the United States Capitol building.
This courthouse was the location of important local trials. These included parts of the famous Dred Scott case. The courthouse is the only part of the memorial west of Interstate 44.
Museum at the Gateway Arch
Below the Arch, there is a visitor center. You enter it from a round doorway facing the Old Courthouse. Inside, you'll find the Museum at the Gateway Arch. This museum was rebuilt and finished in July 2018.
The new museum has many exhibits. They cover topics like the westward expansion of America. They also show how the Arch was built. All these stories are told through the history of St. Louis. There is also the Tucker Theater, which shows a documentary called Monument to the Dream. This film is all about the Arch's construction. The visitor center also has a gift shop and a cafe.
The Park's Journey Through Time
The idea for this memorial started many years ago. It took a lot of effort from many people to create what we see today.
How the Park Began in the 1930s
A St. Louis citizen named Luther Ely Smith was key to starting the memorial. He first suggested the idea in 1933. He led the committee that chose the area for the park. In 1935, he convinced President Franklin Roosevelt to make it a National Park Service site. St. Louis also voted to raise money to start building it. Smith even helped pay for the design contest in 1947 that chose the Arch.
In the early 1930s, the U.S. government wanted a big memorial for Thomas Jefferson. Smith noticed the old, run-down area along the Mississippi River in St. Louis. He thought a memorial to Jefferson should be there. This spot was important because of the Louisiana Purchase. This was one of Jefferson's greatest achievements.
The original St. Louis area was also important for other reasons:
- It was the site of the Battle of St. Louis. This was the only battle west of the Mississippi River during the American Revolutionary War.
- It was the first capital of Upper Louisiana for the United States.
- The "Three Flags Day" ceremony happened here in 1804. Spain gave Louisiana to France, and then France gave it to the United States. This completed the Louisiana Purchase. It also allowed Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to start their famous Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Most of the old buildings from this time were gone. Smith's idea was to clear the area. He wanted to create a park with a central feature. This feature would symbolize American culture and progress.
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The plan to remove 40 blocks of buildings was not easy. Some people, like the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper, strongly opposed it. In 1935, St. Louis voters approved a $7.5 million bond to buy the land. The federal government bought the buildings for $7 million. President Roosevelt visited the area in 1936.
Designing the Monument in the 1940s
The land was cleared by 1942. The design competition for the monument was delayed by World War II. After the war, interest grew. This would be one of the first big monuments built after the war.
The competition cost $225,000. Luther Ely Smith personally gave $40,000. In 1947, a nationwide contest was held to pick a design. Architect Eero Saarinen won with his plan for a 590-foot (180 m) arch. This arch would be placed on the banks of the Mississippi River. Over the next 15 years, the plans changed. The Arch was placed on higher ground and made 40 feet (12 m) taller and wider.
The Old Courthouse is a key part of the design at the base of the Arch. It was once the tallest building in Missouri. Its dome looks like the United States Capitol dome. Both domes were built during the American Civil War.
Saarinen worked with engineer Hannskarl Bandel to create the Arch's shape. It's not a perfect inverted curve. Saarinen wanted it to look a bit taller and thinner at the top. This gives it a subtle soaring look. It also helps the weight go down, not out.
When Saarinen won, the notice went to "E. Saarinen." They thought it was his father, Eliel Saarinen, who also entered. The family celebrated. Two hours later, an official called to say the younger Saarinen had won. His father then opened another bottle of champagne to celebrate his son's success!
Building the Arch in the 1960s
The land for the memorial was officially dedicated on June 10, 1950, by President Harry S. Truman. However, the Korean War started, and the project was put on hold.
Work began in 1959 to cover railroad tracks on the memorial grounds. In 1961, digging started. Sadly, Saarinen died that September. On February 12, 1963, the first stainless steel triangle for the Arch was put in place.
The Arch was completed on October 28, 1965. It cost about $15 million to build. Landscape architect Dan Kiley designed the park around it. The memorial was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall dedicated the Arch on May 25, 1968.
Changes and Renovations in the 2010s
For many years, the Memorial was separated from downtown St. Louis by a sunken highway. In 2014, a "lid" was built over the highway. This created a park connecting downtown to the Arch grounds. In 2015, a connector linking the Old Courthouse to the Arch grounds was finished.
In 2010, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates won a contest to redesign the grounds. The project was finished in 2018. It included:
- Replacing a parking garage with an outdoor amphitheater and a children's garden. This added 7.5 acres of green space.
- A new cobblestone plaza between the Arch and the river.
- Elevated walkways on the Illinois side, winding through a new bird sanctuary.
- An expanded museum below the Gateway Arch with a new entrance closer to downtown.
Many ash trees were removed in 2016 to prevent damage from emerald ash borers. Before the project, there were 1,800 trees. Now, there are 4,200. This $380 million project was paid for by both private donations and public funds.
Becoming a National Park
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| Long title | An Act to redesignate the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in the State of Missouri as the "Gateway Arch National Park". |
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| Enacted by | the 115th United States Congress |
| Effective | February 22, 2018 |
| Citations | |
| Public law | Pub.L. 115-128 |
| Statutes at Large | 132 Stat. 328 |
| Codification | |
| Titles amended | 16 U.S.C.: Conservation |
| U.S.C. sections created | 16 U.S.C. § 450jj-10 |
| Legislative history | |
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On June 26, 2017, Senator Roy Blunt from Missouri suggested changing the name to Gateway Arch National Park. Senator Claire McCaskill also supported this idea.
An official from the National Park Service, Robert Vogel, spoke about the change. He suggested calling it a National Monument instead. He said national parks usually cover thousands of acres. He felt the memorial was too small for a "national park" name.
However, the United States Congress approved the bill in early 2018. President Donald Trump signed it into law on February 22, 2018. This officially renamed the site Gateway Arch National Park. Some people believe the new name was meant to bring more tourists to St. Louis.
Brickline Greenway Project
The Brickline Greenway is a big project. It used to be called the Chouteau Greenway Project. This project aims to connect Forest Park and Washington University in St. Louis to Gateway Arch National Park. Many groups are working together on this, including the Arch to Park Collaborative and the City of St. Louis.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Gateway Arch para niños
