Gateway Arch National Park

Описание: May 2, 2024 -- I really don't understand why the arch is a national park (it was designated on February 22, 2018); however, I thoroughly enjoyed the visit and learned quite a bit about the arch's history. St. Louis lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers, and was a major shipping center, especially after steamboats arrived in 1817 and improved connections with New Orleans and eastern markets. By the 1930s, railroads absorbed a large share of the freight that once was shipped on the rivers, and the riverfront became run down. Civic leaders began pushing for a big national memorial to replace the old riverfront and were eventually backed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The arch was designed by the Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and the German-American structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel in 1947 and built between 1963 and October 1965. It stands 630 feet (192 m) tall and 630 feet (192 m) wide at its base. The legs are 54 feet (16.5 m) wide at the base, narrowing to 17 feet (5.2 m) at the arch. There is a unique tram system to carry passengers to the observation room at the top of the arch. The Gateway Arch, known as the "Gateway to the West," is the tallest structure in Missouri.