National parks in the United States are “large areas of iconic lands or waters with a variety of natural, cultural, scientific and historical resources” (Linda Coutant, 2023). Another author puts it this way, “National parks tend to be large swaths of land that protects a variety of resources, including natural and historic features” (U.S. Department of the Interior, 2026). These are large areas that preserves the country’s natural resource, and showcase the beauty of the land. A better way to put this is “national parks are America’s crown jewels, inspiring awe and wonder. When a tourist sees a national park, they should marvel at its beauty and be amazed. The purpose of a national park is to “protect the nation’s special places so current and future generations can experience our natural and cultural treasures for years to come” (U.S. Department of the Interior, 2026). Officially, there are sixty-three designated national parks in the United States. The two ways a site becomes a national park according to Linda Coutant (2023) is “through congressional action and presidential declaration using the Antiquities Act of 1906”.

The Gateway Arch is a national park in St. Louis Missouri. It was formerly known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, intended to revitalize the riverfront and increase tourism in the city. The park extends from the Old Courthouse to the steps overlooking the Mississippi River. The design of the Monument was inspired by the architect Eero Saarinen between 1947 during a public design competition. The goal was to erect a monument to commemorate the western expansion and Thomas Jefferson’s role in sponsoring the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which departed from the St. Louis area in the 1800s. The construction of the Arch began in 1963 and was completed in October 28, 1965 (National Park Foundation). In July 2018, the park was changed from Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to Gateway Arch National Park (https://www.gatewayarch.com/about/arch-history/). The park was redesignated by Congress, making it the 60th and smallest national park at 91 acres.

One of the things that makes the Gateway Arch national park unique is its arch. The Gateway Arch is 630 feet tall, making it the tallest human-made accessible structure in Missouri. It is also the tallest Arch in the entire Western Hemisphere. The Arch’s support goes 60 feet underground, making it able to withstand earthquake and strong winds. Located west of the Arch is the old courthouse, which is the oldest standing building in St. Louis. The first two trials of the Dred Scott case were held in old courthouse in 1847 and 1850. The Gateway Arch also has an underground museum which houses the history of the city.

Though, with the knowledge we have about national parks and the requirement needed to name a site national park, we would see that the Gateway Arch does not fit into that category. The Department of the interior had this to say to congress, “to better align with the standard nomenclature for units of the National Park System, we recommend that Congress redesignate the unit as Gateway Arch National Monument”. This is because national parks are a lot vaster, with a variety of resources and covers large land or water areas to provide enough protection of the resources. Of the 60 national parks, the Gateway Arch is the smallest, with no natural resources, or scientific significance to it. Although, one might argue that it houses the cultural and historical values of the city, like the old courthouse where the first two trials of the Dred Scott case took place. It was also the place where Virginia Minor’s case for a woman’s right to vote came to trial in the 1870s (https://www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/och.htm). There is no substantial article that really states the congress’ reason for the change of the site’s name. But in the Gateway Arch Park Foundation site, we are made to understand part of the reason for the change is to encourage tourist and provide more accurate marketing communication. After the change of name in 2018, there have been a rise in tourist visitation to the area. According to Jeremy Sweat, Superintendent of Gateway Arch National Park, “we are pleased to see such strong visitation in 2023”. This shows that changing the name helped in attracting tourist to the city, which in turn will improve the city’s revenue.

In conclusion, a National Park in the United States is a vast area that encompasses large land or water areas with a variety of natural, cultural, scientific and historical resources. The Gateway Arch National Monument was changed to Gateway Arch National Park in 2018 by congress. Although, it may not fit the criteria of a national park, it houses the cultural and historical values of the land. It is also a tourist site that has attracted more tourist since the name change, which has helped the city’s revenue.

Technology used is Scrolly Storytelling tool: https://preciousolu01.github.io/gateway-arch-project/

References

  1. Gateway Arch National Park Purpose and Significance. https://www.nps.gov/jeff/learn/news/gateway-arch-national-park-purpose-and-significance.htm
  2. Renninger, Von P. 2024. The Curious Case of Gateway Arch – or: National + Park=National Park? https://www.umweltimrecht.blog/gateway-arch/
  3. Kennicott Philip. 2018. “50 years later, St. Louis’s Gateway Arch emerges with a new name and a skeptical view of western expansion”. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/50-years-later-st-louis-gateway-arch-emerges-with-a-new-name-and-a-skeptical-view-of-western-expansion/2018/06/25/7cbee8d6-644d-11e8-99d2-0d678ec08c2f_story.html
  4. U.S. Department of the Interior. “America’s Public Lands Explained. March 2026. https://www.doi.gov/blog/americas-public-lands-explained
  5. Coutant Linda. National Parks Conservation Association. ‘How National Parks and Monuments Are Designated”. July 2023. https://www.npca.org/articles/3359-how-national-parks-and-monuments-are-designated
  6. National Park Foundation. “Gateway Arch National Park”. https://www.nationalparks.org/explore/parks/gateway-arch-national-park
  7. Missouri State Symbol https://www.sos.mo.gov/symbol/monument#:~:text=The%20Gateway%20Arch%20is%20perhaps,Gov.
  8. “Gateway Arch”. https://www.npca.org/parks/gateway-arch-national-park?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=687842311&gbraid=0AAAAAD4GDtnDPkzYImXFY_6_4G02IeCM2&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqPLOBhCiARIsAKRMPZpbgUvYmk-ncoJ4a4hUvz2skyjn3mHEy3qVR227ocFHIPD7GDXhEOUaAmfhEALw_wcB
  9. Explore The Gateway Arch’s History. https://www.gatewayarch.com/about/arch-history/
  10. Old Courthouse. https://www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/och.htm
  11. Gateway Arch National Park sees 2.4 million Visitors in 2023. https://www.nps.gov/jeff/learn/news/gateway-arch-national-park-sees-2-4-million-visitors-in-2023.htm
  12. Gateway Arch National Park Designated New Name for Park. https://www.archpark.org/updates/news/gateway-arch-national-park-designated-new-name-for-park