In 1948, Finnish architect Eero Saarinen won a competition to build a monument to the spirit of westward expansion in St. Louis, Missouri for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Saarinen envisioned a 630 foot stainless steel arch that would stand along the banks of the Mississippi River. 17 years after his initial vision, the Gateway Arch was completed on October 28, 1965 (although Saarinen died four years before its completion). The Arch itself was built to withstand earthquakes and has 60 foot foundations built deep into the ground. Today, the arch is a symbol of westward expansion, and of the city of St. Louis. It is featured on the back of the Missouri state quarter. |
