Intro
Everyday on my way to school I see the same thing over and over again. The Gateway arch. The Gateway arch is the staple of Saint Louis bringing Locals and tourist from all around the world just to see it.
Even though the arch has been there my whole life I never asked the question of what is the meaning of the arch and has the gateway arch changed from its original purpose to its modern role as a tourism symbol?
The problem is that the Arch does not get the recognition that it deserves I believe that Most tourist think of it as the Gateway and don’t give it a second look ( I was the same way). The problem is that there is not enough awareness when it comes to the history of STL and the meaning behind structures of the past. My goal is to dig into the history of the Arch and find the meaning behind it, this is to bring awareness and deem it not just a tourist attraction but a staple in history. For my project I will build a timeline of its creation and the surrounding areas. breaking down the meaning and purpose and what time was like during the creation of the arch, to show that its not just a tourist attraction but a meaningful structure that is a polite nod to history.
Gateway arch history – https://www.gatewayarch.com/about/arch-history/
1933 – Civic leaders in St. Louis propose a memorial to honor westward expansion and Thomas Jefferson.
1935 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt approves the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial through federal legislation.
1947–1948 – A nationwide design competition is held; architect Eero Saarinen’s design for a stainless steel arch is selected as the winner.
1954 – Final design plans are completed after years of development and refinement.
1961 – Construction of the Gateway Arch begins.
1963–1965 – The two legs of the Arch are built upward simultaneously.
October 28, 1965 – The Arch is completed when the final keystone piece is placed at the top.
1967 – The Arch opens to the public, including the tram system to the top.
2018 – The site is renamed Gateway Arch National Park and major renovations are completed.
First point- what was there before the arch, why was it named Thomas Jefferson memorial and why did he choose STL
Then – history of A nationwide competition was held in 1947-48 to determine what could be built on that 40-block footprint to honor Thomas Jefferson, his Louisiana Purchase
1933 – Civic leaders in St. Louis propose a memorial to honor westward expansion and Thomas Jefferson.
1935 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt approves the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial through federal legislation.
Second point construction- what was STL looking like in 1961, what changed
Why did it take 30 years to start construction– https://www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/materials-and-techniques.htm
1961 – Construction of the Gateway Arch begins.
1963–1965 – The two legs of the Arch are built upward simultaneously.
October 28, 1965 – The Arch is completed when the final keystone piece is placed at the top.
Third point – Opening and Tourism– significance of the Arch
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2016/fall/gateway-arch.html
https://www.terragalleria.com/blog/gateway-arch-national-park-thoughts-on-a-name
“the primary reason for the name change was that the memorial is effectively known as “Gateway Arch” to most visitors. The name Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, quite a mouthful, never stuck with the locals, nor did it connect with St Louis. It could be that “Jefferson” became less than important than when the memorial was established, because in 1943, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial was built in the Capitol Mall in Washington, DC. Rather than memorializing Jefferson, the Arch celebrated his main contribution to the westward expansion, the Louisiana Purchase.”
4th point- Timeline showing the overall history and representation of the arch
listed below are templates used for my project – History of the Gate Way arch
5th- Spreading the message and Remembering the purpose of the arch
local radio stations, museum representation, sharing the timeline map to locals and travel agency’s. contacting the city asking for a Thomas Jefferson memorial day bring recognition to the arch
6th Point conclusion – Answer the question has tourism takin over the history of the arch and do people know the history or are they oblivious like i was. How can we make a change and what does the arch signify.