Everyday on my way to school I see the same thing. 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even though the arch has been there my whole life I never stopped and 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?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The problem is that the Arch does not get the recognition that it deserves, many tourist think of it as the Gateway to the west and don’t give it a second look ( I was the same way). 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 explore 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 development of the surrounding areas. I will also examine the meaning and purpose behind the structure 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To understand the creation of the Saint Louis Arch we must go over its past and original purpose. Before the Gateway Arch was built the 1930’s, STL was deemed to be the center of trade and manufacturing, the city was filled with factories warehouses and old brick buildings, it was known as the economic center of the west due to the trade along the Mississippi river and many railroads which are still in use today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Mississippi river played a huge role when it came to expansion in the Untied states, due to it being a crossroad for expansion into the west. In 1803 Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana territory from France which doubled the size of the US and opened up more land into the west, this is known as the Westward expansion. “Jefferson sent\u00a0James Monroe\u00a0to join\u00a0Robert Livingston\u00a0in France to try to purchase New Orleans and West Florida for as much as $10 million” (The Historian).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jeffersons purchase was one of the most important decision in U.S history. This is because the U.S went from a small county with only east coast territory to a large country, this also opened up the Mississippi river which was critical for trade. With these new opportunity’s for farmers and business to ship out goods. Now that the US fully controlled the west and especially the port of new Orleans. it also boosted U.S power because after the purchase France moved out of the United States and could no longer control the land. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
STL was a staple for trade at the time and moving into the 1930’s civic leaders wanted to honor the Westward expansion and the President who initiated it. It was decided by President Franklin D Roosevelt to build a structure as a tribute to the late president, A nationwide competition was held in 1947-48 to determine what could be built on the 40-block footprint to honor Thomas Jefferson, and his Louisiana Purchase. Architects all over the world submitted there designs. The winner was Eero Saarinen, a finish architect. His idea was simple a stainless steel arch, the design ended up winning due to its boldness. In 1961 construction of the arch took place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The history of the arch and its original purpose lost its meaning now in days people see it only as a arch and not an image of the history and sacrifice that the late president made when it came to expanding territory and making the United States and independent country and eventually the backbone of the world. Using a timeline my goal is to bring awareness to the past and showcase the history and creation of the arch to bring attention to the meaning of the structure so tourist don’t see it as just an attraction but a crucial part of history that changed America for the better. I believe that overtime people have forgotten the reason why the arch was built and my goal is to bring awareness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Bellow is the image timeline, it will not let me embed it)<\/p>\n\n\n\n