Ultimately, construction of the arch did not result in the creation of many new jobs, but it did incite other nearby construction efforts, including the Busch Memorial Stadium, and helped to revitalize downtown St. The opening ceremony was rained out, and the monument did not initially receive as much attention as expected. The opening ceremony was delayed multiple times, and the keystone was placed on October 28th, 1965, a couple of weeks after the initially expected data. His assignment for Pictures Magazine was widely praised, and Witman, an advocate for the newly blossoming field of professional photography, became somewhat of a celebrity for his body of work.įortunately, no workers were killed, but numerous setbacks occurred during construction of the arch. He took panoramic photos of the construction and climbed the arch both during construction and afterward to get the aerial component found in many of his photos. Louis Post-Dispatch, was the sole photographer responsible for documenting the Arch’s construction, being given complete access to the construction site. Photographer Art Witman, working for the St. The cars run on tracks, and transport the passengers to the top in approximately four minutes, serving over 10,000 people a day. The tram system today acts like a Ferris Wheel, with passengers taking the trip up in small spherical cars that remail level during the trip. The tram system constituted a large problem during construction, as Saarinen would have to incorporate the transportation system completely internally, keeping the outward appearance of the arch the same. The structure is mostly hollow, allowing for a tram system to be placed inside.Įach tram carries fourty passengers up to an observation deck at the top of the arch, from which visibility is over thirty miles on a clear day. The two arches would have to meet at the top within 1/64 of an inch of each other for construction, and the arch’s stability is a testament to the precision and attention to detail of its builders. Each leg of the arch was built separately and was to be joined at the top by a keystone. This was done by connecting 142 twelve foot long steel sections, each resembling triangles, which were then filled with concrete and crossbars. The design was declared “an abstract form peculiarly happy in its symbolism” (Charles Nagel) Ground was broken on June 23rd, 1959, and construction of the arch itself started on February 12th, 1963. His initial design was chosen unanimously by the judges and would be Eero’s first independent project. The project was awarded to Eero Saarinen, who would later design the Washington Dulles Airport in Washington D.C and TWA Flight Center in New York, and who beat out his father, esteemed architect Eliel Saarinen, for the honor. Furthermore, railroad tracks crossing the intended site would have to be moved, a process requiring a further $5 million.īefore completion of this park, a competition for the design of the central monument, one“transcending in spiritual and aesthetic values”, was announced in 1944. Acquiring this land involved the demolishing of over eighty blocks of slums on the west bank of the Mississippi, an extremely unpopular decision as the displaced communities were not compensated for their losses. It was given to the National Park Service for management, and Roosevelt approved the memorial, allocating 82 acres and $6.75 million to the project. Also, as a part of the nationwide effort to create jobs and alleviate the effects of the Great Depression, the project was expected to create 5000 jobs over the course of 3 to 4 years. Civic leader Luther Ely Smith introduced the idea of a restoration effort of the west bank of the Mississippi, proposing a park be built there to act as a focal point of the community. The process leading to the construction of the Arch began in 1933. The center of the arch is able to sway up to 18 inches in either direction, and the structure is built to withstand winds of 150 miles per hour. This shape allows for forces on the foundation of the arch to pushing directly downwards rather than inwards, leading to increased stability and steeper legs. The arch’s shape is a weighted catenary arch, mimicking the inverted shape of a cable or chain hanging downwards while supported from both ends. Topping out at 630 feet, the arch is the tallest self-supported building in Missouri as well as the tallest monument in the Western Hemisphere. It has been, ever since it’s inception, the most visited place in Missouri, and is a nationally recognizable landmark. The arch attracts around four million visitors annually and has been visited by approximately 135 million people since it’s opening over fifty years. Louis, Missouri, and a uniquely American piece of architecture. While originally a symbol of the westward expansion set forth by Jefferson and Lewis and Clark, the Gateway Arch now acts as both an icon of St.
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