Westward Expansion in an Arch

By: Parvati Gopakumar

Westward Expansion built the foundation of the United States. The expansion of the United States territory west was vital for creating the modern United States. Consequently, the push westward has been honored throughout history and one such commemoration was with a massive, stunning steel structure known as the Gateway Arch. Saint Louis’ Gateway Arch, completed in 1965 by Eero Saarinen, was built to celebrate the enlargement of America. The monument utilizes its height and material as well as its propinquity to historically meaningful sites to attract visitors and thus effectively fulfill its purpose of honoring expansion by educating more people about it. Additionally, the monument’s arch shape allows it to represent and commemorate ideals like teamwork and unity, which were key to the enlargement of the country.

The Gateway Arch’s appearance, such as its height and color are effective in drawing tourists and making the monument more appealing. The Arch has many unique physical aspects that make the monument a key destination to visit. The Gateway Arch is a breathtaking monument that is “the nation’s tallest monument, soaring 630 feet above the Mississippi River, 886 tons of stainless steel welded into a seamless curve” (Kaplan). The sheer immensity of the monument itself attracts tourists from around the world. The Arch is also labeled as the tallest monument within the United states, which again catches the attention of people. The height, however, is not the only appealing factor of the Arch. This structure features the “most stainless steel used in any one project in history. The external steel sheets alone weigh nearly 900 tons” (Vehlewald). The steel sheets wrapping around the Arch gives a reflective almost glowing look to the monument. The steel is effective in reflecting the light, thus making the monument stand out. The distinctive properties of the Arch compel people to visit the monument, therefore, popularizing the monument. Appearance is an essential component of appealing tourists and the Gateway Arch proves to possess the ability of captivating people, through its magnificent height and glowing radiance.

Furthermore, the Gateway Arch’s proximity to other historically significant monuments  also contributes to its success among tourists. The Arch’s strategic placement “provides connectivity to the Old Court House which was the location of many historically influential cases such as the Dred Scott case and cases pertaining to women’s right to vote” (Kranzberg). The Old Court House, one of the surrounding buildings to The Gateway Arch, was home to America’s most influential historical cases. The Arch’s proximity to other important monuments incentivizes travelists to visit the Gateway Arch, thus popularizing the monument. The Arch’s ability to intertwine with monuments such as the Old Court House show its representation and connection with other aspects of society such as representing the rights of women and colored people. The Gateway Arch’s location expanded the meaning of the Arch from just westward expansion to also include representation of the fights for justice and freedom. The proximity of all these historically significant buildings displays America’s fundamental ideals that it strives to upkeep, all in one location. The monument’s flawless integration of other historical components and representation furthers its popularity amongst travelers and provides easy accessibility to other sights that visitors are interested in. The Gateway Arch utilizes its surroundings, such as the Old Court House to increase its commerciality, and expand the ideals it represents.

The Gateway Arch encapsulates various dreams and ideals of America, and the shape of the Arch helps commemorate the importance of teamwork and unity, which proved to be essential to the expansion of the country. Previously known as the Jefferson National Expansion memorial, the Gateway Arch was built as a memorial to commemorate Jefferson’s ideals for America. The shape of the monument connects to the intentions behind it, as the “arch is considered to resemble the pioneering spirit, reaching high up into the sky and creating something incredible with your fellow countrymen” (Gateway Arch – When was the St Louis Arch Built?). The high altitude of the structure represents that menacing tasks can be achieved with teamwork. The Arch was a challenging monument to build due to its massivity; however, with the use of designers, builders, and various other people working together, the monument that seemed impossible to create was built. The shape does not just represent the importance of teamwork when creating the monument itself, but also when creating America. Since its early days, America has been built on expansion, and without unity between the founders of the country, expanding west would have only been a dream. The Arch serves to commemorate this ideology and the history behind it as, the Gateway Arch’s main intent was to “commemorate the Louisiana purchase which was famously negotiated by Thomas Jefferson. It also stands as a reminder of the diverse group of people that formed the modern United States after its borders were quite literally doubled following the Louisiana purchase” (Gateway Arch – When was the St Louis Arch Built?). The Arch’s purpose is to not only express the accomplishments of the expansion of America but also keep visitors informed on the history and the United State’s progress. The Gateway Arch not only represents expansion, but also the intentions behind it, such as Jefferson’s ideals of progressing opportunity for all peoples. The Arch’s ability to represent America’s history of expansion and hopes for equality and opportunity educates visitors about the ideals America was built upon. The Gateway Arch’s purpose is to equate the monument to a national treasure in upholding the country’s history of expansion and looking towards the future or equality of oppurtunity. 

The Gateway Arch is an incredible monument, the tallest in America, which represents America’s ideals; through the use of its height, shape, and material, the arch is extremely effective in attracting visitors while also honoring the enlargement of the country. The intricate design details and process make it an interesting and compelling monument which draws in people from around the world. The surroundings and shape contribute to its representation of equality, and expansion. The monument has proved to be effective in its drawing in people as in 2021, the Arch was reported to have had approximately 1.15 million visitors, and this will only continue to grow (Statista Research Department). The Gateway Arch is a memorial to The United States ideals and will always serve to remind people about what the country strives to symbolize: teamwork, unity, and opportunities.

Works Cited

“Gateway Arch National Park Visitors 2021.” Statista, www.statista.com/statistics/254021/number-of-visitors-to-gateway-arch-national-park/.

“Gateway Arch - When Was the St Louis Arch Built?” Learning History, 20 Feb. 2023, learning-history.com/gateway-arch/#:~:text=The%20archive%20is%20 one%20part%20of%20a%20 larger. Accessed 24 Feb. 2023.

Kaplan, Fred. “The Twisted History of the Gateway Arch.” Smithsonian, Smithsonian.com, 22 Sept. 2015, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/story-st-louis-gateway-arch-180956624/.

Kranzberg, Anne. “Commentary: The Gateway Arch National Park Featuring St. Louis’ Universal Icon Deserves a Visit.” STLPR, 2 Nov. 2018, news.stlpublicradio.org/arts/2018-11-01/commentary-the-gateway-arch-national-park-featuring-st-louis-universal-icon-deserves-a-visit. Accessed 2 Mar. 2023.

Vehlewald, Lindsey. “Eero Saarinen’s Gateway Arch, the Design That Sustains St. Louis.” TOKY, 30 Oct. 2014, toky.com/journal/2014/10/30/eero-saarinens-gateway-arch/.