Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Gateway Arch, the best-known symbol for the city of St. Louis.
Indeed, it’s one of the most famous monuments in the world, and although it isn’t on Route 66, it remains a popular destination for tourists who are traveling the Mother Road.
Much of the pomp and celebration Wednesday — including special lighting that made the Arch look gold at night — rightfully focused on about 30 surviving construction workers who helped build the graceful, 630-foot-tall monument.
This fascinating 28-minute film in two parts by Charles Guggenheim — shown at the Arch’s visitor center for many years — remains the best document on how the monument was built. (Warning: If you have a fear of heights, don’t watch it.)
https://youtu.be/aFjGVBQvc-s
https://youtu.be/A25pysArRwk
Gizmodo published this article about the neighborhood that was destroyed to make way for the Arch and its grounds.
The History Channel showed the rejected proposals for the monument.
Time magazine looks at the science that makes the Arch so structurally stable.
Finally, here’s what it looks like in a tram ride to the top of the structure:
(Image of a golden-hued Gateway Arch on Wednesday during its 50th anniversary by Rockin Shutters via Flickr)
Guggenheim’s movie is great! Nice post. By the way, t
he Arch grounds were on Route 66 from 1955 to 1967 when it used the King Bridge to the Third Street Expressway, later the I-70 depressed section and now I-44. (It moved to the Poplar Street Bridge in 1967)
Happy 50th!!! I visited St. Louis the first time I took a Route 66 vacation back in 1997. The elevator was broken so I decided to just hang out on the gateway steps, enjoy the view of the river and take pix. It was hot in the 90’s then. After that I decided to visit Ted Drews custard shoppe. I wasn’t disappointed. Great memories