A Monument for the Ages

“It should be parallel to the river, […] like a triumphal arch” (61).

  

The Book

The Making of an Icon: The Dreamers, the Schemers, and the Hard Hats Who Built the Gateway Arch by Jim Merkel introduces the reader to the stories behind one of America’s most recognizable landmarks.

A reporter first proposed a park commemorating the history of St. Louis and its impact on westward expansion in 1908. It wasn’t until 1947 that a competition was held for the design of that park and monument. Out of 172 entries, Eero Saarinen’s stainless steel arch design was chosen unanimously. “Neither an obelisk nor a rectangular box nor a dome seemed right on this site for this purpose,” Eero Saarinen had said. “But here, at the edge of the Mississippi River, a great arch did seem right” (148). The first piece of the Gateway Arch was finally put in place in February 1963 and the last piece was lowered into place on October 28, 1965. During construction, the Gateway Arch’s foundation consumed 25,980 tons of concrete and the Gateway Arch itself required 5,199 tons of steel and 12,127 tons of concrete.

Merkel provides the reader with firsthand knowledge from the people (or their families) who worked on the project and newspaper accounts. The reader learns how the shape was finally achieved and that the width and height of the Gateway Arch are the same: 630 feet. The chapters are short and by topic, although sometimes randomly placed. There are pictures throughout the book that provide a glimpse of the people and construction process. Overall, The Making of an Icon is easy to read and allows the reader to appreciate the work that went into the Gateway Arch. 

The Place

Officially, the Gateway Arch is a part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial which is operated and maintained by the National Park Service. The Gateway Arch sits on the western banks of the Mississippi River and towers over everything on the ground.

The entrance to the Museum of Westward Expansion and trams is underneath the Gateway Arch. Inside, visitors will find a history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the American Indian, and pioneers. The museum is free, but a ride to the top of the Gateway Arch requires a paid ticket. The price is reasonable and definitely worth it. A replica tram is in the visitor center for visitors who might have difficulty with tight spaces. The ride to the top takes about three minutes and once at the top, you can see for miles to the east and west. The views are incredible, and so is the knowledge that you’re standing in a major engineering and construction achievement.

The Boy and the Fair

“Do you remember the Midway? The Snake-Eater, and the Living Skeleton, the Fat Woman and the Shoot the Chute, the Scenic Railway and the Ferris Wheel?” (50).

The Book

The Lost Boy by Thomas Wolfe is a unique book that is enjoyable to read. Wolfe breaks the book into four parts that are all connected by two things: his older brother Grover and the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Grover died after a trip to the Fair and his death is linked to the family’s memories of the Fair.

Part One is narrated by a third person and introduces the reader to Grover. The focus is less on dialogue and more on describing Grover and his day in the town square. At the end, Grover sees a sign for the Fair. Part Two is a re-telling of the train ride to the Fair by Grover’s mother to Wolfe. The mother relives the excitement of the Fair and her love for Grover. Part Three is a re-telling of trips to the Fair by Grover’s older sister to Wolfe. This part is written like a one-sided conversation and the sister recalls the day Grover became sick. Part Four finds Wolfe returning to the family’s home in St. Louis and re-calling the year of the Fair. Throughout this part, Wolfe is looking for the home and Grover.

The introduction provides background on Wolfe and his family which helps the reader to understand the context. Wolfe writes descriptively and provides the words for the reader to visualize the places and people. The Lost Boy delves into the loss felt by a family after the early death of a child in an interesting way. The family recalls Grover and the impact he is still having on their lives, all while underneath the shadow of memories of the Fair.

The Place

Forest Park was the home of the 1904 World’s Fair (Louisiana Purchase Exposition) and the 1904 Summer Olympics. The Park is a huge plot of land just to the west of downtown St. Louis and there are many attractions. Visitors can visit the Missouri History Museum, St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis Science Center, and St. Louis Zoo. In addition to picnics and walking trails, there are also paddleboats. The Muny is an outdoor theatre that puts on musicals throughout the summer.

There is plenty of parking at Forest Park and majority of the attractions are free. The park provides signs that point out directions for points of interest. When I visited, my friends and I walked through the St. Louis Art Museum. The pieces on display provide a wide variety of art styles; my favorite was the large water lily piece by Monet. We also visited the World’s Fair Pavilion. According to the Forest Park website, this building was “built in 1909 with proceeds from the 1904 World's Fair.” Although it wasn’t standing during the Fair, a walk up to the Pavilion provides a great view of the Park.