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 | 90.9 acres (36.8 ha) |
| Established | February 22, 2018 |
| Visitors | 2,055,309 (in 2019) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Gateway Arch National Park |
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Gateway Arch National Park
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| Location | Mississippi River between Washington and Poplar Sts., St. Louis, Missouri |
| Area | 90.9 acres (36.8 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 special place in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States. It's a national park that celebrates an important part of American history. The park is near where the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition began their journey west.
This park was created to remember several key events:
- The Louisiana Purchase, which was when the United States bought a huge amount of land from France. This led to many explorers and pioneers moving west.
- The first civil government west of the Mississippi River. This was an important step in setting up laws and order in new territories.
- The discussions about slavery that came from the Dred Scott court case. This case was about whether enslaved people could become free if they lived in free territories.
The park includes the famous Gateway Arch, which is a giant steel arch. It has become a symbol of St. Louis. The park also has 91 acres (about 37 hectares) of land along the Mississippi River. This land is where the city's first buildings once stood. You can also visit the Old Courthouse, where the Dred Scott case started. Below the Arch is a large, 140,000 square foot (about 13,000 square meter) museum.
The area around the Gateway Arch was first named the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in 1935. This was a national memorial. The Gateway Arch itself was finished in 1965. In 2018, the area was renamed "Gateway Arch National Park." The National Park Service (NPS) takes care of the park.
Contents
What's Inside the Park?
The Gateway Arch: Gateway to the West
The Gateway Arch is often called the "Gateway to the West." It is the tallest structure in Missouri. A Finnish-American architect named Eero Saarinen and engineer Hannskarl Bandel designed it in 1947. It was built between 1963 and 1965.
The Arch stands 630 feet (192 meters) tall and is 630 feet (192 meters) wide at its base. The legs of the Arch are 54 feet (16 meters) wide at the bottom. They become narrower, only 17 feet (5 meters) wide, at the top. There's a special tram system inside the Arch that takes visitors to an observation room at the very top. From there, you can see amazing views!
The Historic Old Courthouse
The Old Courthouse stands on land that was first given by Auguste Chouteau, who helped found St. Louis. The Arch reaches over this spot. The courthouse has a large dome that was built during the American Civil War. This dome looks similar to the one on the United States Capitol building, which was also built during the Civil War.
The Old Courthouse was the location of the local trials for the important Dred Scott case. This case was about whether an enslaved man, Dred Scott, could be free. The courthouse is the only part of the park that is west of Interstate 44.
Museum at the Gateway Arch
Underneath the Arch, there is a visitor center. You can enter it from a round doorway that faces the Old Courthouse. A big project to rebuild the Museum at the Gateway Arch was finished in July 2018.
The new museum has many exhibits. These exhibits teach about the westward expansion of the United States and how the Arch was built. They tell these stories from the perspective of St. Louis. There is also the Tucker Theater, which shows a documentary called Monument to the Dream about the Arch's construction. The visitor center also has a gift shop and a cafe.
Park History
How the Park Began (1930s)
The idea for this memorial came mostly from a St. Louis citizen named Luther Ely Smith. He first suggested the idea in 1933. Smith worked hard to choose the park's location. He also convinced President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 to make it a national park site. This happened after St. Louis voters agreed to help pay for it. Smith even helped pay for the design contest in 1947 that chose the Arch.
In the early 1930s, the U.S. government was looking for a good way to honor Thomas Jefferson. Smith noticed that the original area of St. Louis along the Mississippi River was in poor condition. He thought that a memorial to Jefferson should be in this spot. This location was important because it symbolized the Louisiana Purchase, one of Jefferson's biggest achievements.
The original area of St. Louis was also important for other reasons:
- It was the site of the Battle of St. Louis, 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 after the Louisiana Purchase.
- It was where the "Three Flags Day" ceremony happened in 1804. On this day, Spain gave Louisiana to France, and then France quickly 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 legally.
Most of the old historic buildings from this time had been replaced. Smith's idea was to clear these buildings and create a park. This park would have a main feature, like an arch, to symbolize American culture.
The city leaders of St. Louis supported Smith's plan. They estimated it would cost $30 million to buy the land, clear the buildings, and build the park and monument. The federal government promised to help if St. Louis could raise money.
The park area was set between the Eads Bridge on the north and Poplar Street on the south. It stretched from the Mississippi River on the east to Third Street (now Interstate 44) on the west. The Old Courthouse, which is just west of Third Street, was added in 1940.
One building in this area was not included in the plan: the Old Cathedral. This church is on the site of St. Louis's first church.
Some people, like the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper, strongly opposed clearing 40 blocks in the center of St. Louis. However, on September 10, 1935, St. Louis voters approved a $7.5 million bond issue to buy the property. The federal government bought the buildings for $7 million. President Roosevelt visited the memorial area in 1936.
Designing the Arch (1940s)
The land was supposed to be cleared by 1942. However, the architectural competition for the monument was delayed because of World War II. After the war, interest in the monument grew. It was going to be the first big monument built after World War II.
The design competition cost $225,000, and Luther Ely Smith personally gave $40,000. In 1947, a nationwide competition was held to choose a design for the main part of the Memorial.
Architect Eero Saarinen won this competition. His plans were for a 590-foot (180-meter) arch to be built on the banks of the Mississippi River. These plans were changed over the next 15 years. The Arch was placed on higher ground and made 40 feet (12 meters) taller and wider.
The Old Courthouse is a key building at the base of the Arch. It was once the tallest building in Missouri. Its dome looks like the United States Capitol dome.
Saarinen worked with engineer Hannskarl Bandel to create the Arch's shape. It's not a perfect inverted curve. Saarinen wanted a shape that looked a bit taller and thinner at the top. This design makes the Arch look like it's soaring.
When Saarinen won the competition, the official notice was sent to "E. Saarinen." They thought it was his father, Eliel Saarinen, who was also an architect and had entered the contest. The family celebrated with champagne. A few hours later, an official called to say the younger Saarinen had actually won. His father then opened a second bottle of champagne to celebrate his son's success!
Building the Arch (1950s-1960s)
The land for the memorial was officially dedicated on June 10, 1950, by President Harry S. Truman. But the Korean War started, and the project was put on hold.
Work began on June 23, 1959, to cover railroad tracks that ran through the memorial grounds. On February 11, 1961, digging for the Arch's foundation began. Sadly, Saarinen died that September.
On February 12, 1963, the first stainless steel triangle, which was part of the Arch's south leg, was put into place. The Arch was finished on October 28, 1965. It cost about $15 million to build. The park around it was designed by landscape architect Dan Kiley.
The memorial was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall officially dedicated the Arch on May 25, 1968.
Modern Changes (2010s)
For many years, the Memorial was separated from the rest of Downtown St. Louis by a sunken highway. But in 2014, a "lid" was built over the highway. This created a new park that connects downtown with the Memorial grounds. In 2015, a connector linking the Old Courthouse to the Arch grounds was finished.
In 2010, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates won a design contest to improve the visitor experience at the park. The project was planned to finish in 2015 for the Arch's 50th anniversary, but it was completed in 2018. The improvements included:
- Replacing a parking garage with an outdoor theater and a children's garden. This added 7.5 acres (3 hectares) 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.
The entire project was finished in 2018. This included updates to Kiener Plaza, the new museum, and improvements to the Old Courthouse.
In 2016, many ash trees in the park were removed to prevent damage from tiny insects called emerald ash borers. Before this work, there were 1,800 trees. Now, there are 4,200 trees in the park.
The project cost $380 million. It was paid for by both private donations and public money. Public funding, mostly from a local vote called Proposition P, was $159 million. The rest came from fundraising efforts by the Gateway Arch Park Foundation.
The United States Congress approved a law in early 2018 to rename the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial as Gateway Arch National Park. President Donald Trump signed this law on February 22, 2018.
Chouteau Greenway Project
The Chouteau Greenway Project is a partnership between public and private groups. Its goal is to connect Forest Park and the Washington University in St. Louis campus to Gateway Arch National Park. This project aims to create a green pathway for people to enjoy.
Images for kids
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The Missouri state quarter depicting the Gateway Arch and the Lewis and Clark Expedition
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional Gateway Arch para niños
