Off The Trails: A Hiker's Guide to the Outdoors

St. Louis, Missouri is often referred to as the “Gateway to the West” and easily recognizable because of the St. Louis Arch. It is quite a site coming around I-64/I-55 crossing over the Mississippi River, this daunting structure is light up with bright lights and stands glimmering in the night. If you ever fly into Lambert International Airport, there’s a chance you could fly right over this stunning structure. The St. Louis Arch stands alone, unlike anything else within eyesight.

The St. Louis Arch is a monument to commemorate the role St. Louis played in the westward expansion. St. Louis and the state of Missouri, along with many other states, was acquired by Thomas Jefferson through the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Jefferson was interested in controlling the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico, and this purchase from Napoleon would do exactly that. After the purchase, St. Louis became a transportation hub for the westward expansion.

Construction began on February 12th, 1963 and was completed on October 28th, 1965. While it may look like an easy structure to build, there were plenty of challenges the builders had to overcome. First was the mode of transportation to the top. Since the arch is curved, a standard elevator would not work, and neither would an escalator. Instead the builders designed a unique elevator that relies on gyros to remain level while traveling up the curved structure. The second was getting the arch to withstand all types of weather. Lightening strikes, winds exceeding 150mph and even earthquakes are all things that had to be considered when designing this unique structure.

Standing at 630ft (192M) tall, the St. Louis Arch is as wide as it is tall. The Gateway Arch Museum is located underground, with the entrance in the base of the arch. On a clear day, visitors at the top can see upwards of 30 miles in either direction. The Missouri side of the arch offers the best scenery, with Busch Stadium; home of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team; and all of downtown St. Louis being visible. The entire area surrounding the arch is a park right on the banks of the Mississippi River. Visitors can enjoy an afternoon picnic, enjoy a nice walk along the river or just sit on one of the many benches under the arch and soak in the local sites.

Directly across from the St. Louis Arch is the Old Courthouse. Constructed in 1816, this courthouse and was at the center of some significant cases such as the Dread Scott trials and the Virginia Minor case, where a woman attempted to vote in an 1872 election. This beautiful structure is just a short walk across the park. This building has also been featured throughout pop culture and Hollywood movies.

The rich history of St. Louis is preserved all throughout the city. Prior to being owned by the U.S, the territory was occupied by the French. St. Louis is named after King Louie IX of France, and French influence is prevalent in the surrounding areas. Everything from the architecture, to the layout of the park and churches and courthouse all have the French influence in a modern city.