In his latest travelogue, NH weather reporter Tyler Penland takes us to St. Louis, where he stopped while chasing the solar eclipse in April.
St. Louis has long been known as the “Gateway to the West.” Ever since early settlers used it as a jumping-off point for exploring the Louisiana Purchase, the city has been squarely in the center of “manifest destiny.” It is no surprise that in 1935, part of this city was designated the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.
It would take another 31 years for the plan to come completely into place, but in 1966, the construction of one of the most recognizable architectural sites in the world began. From 1963 to 1965, the Gateway Arch was constructed. Made entirely of stainless steel on the outside, the arch glistens in the sun as a monument to those who braved the journey to expand the country east of the Mississippi.
It was only in 2018 that the Gateway Arch was designated a National Park, making it one of our nation’s newer parks. According to the National Park Service, the Arch was one of 172 designs submitted for the site back in the ’60s. Construction was finished in October of 1965. The arch is 630 feet high and is the same width as its height.
Looking directly up at it, you get a sense of just how narrow it is for its height.
The Arch was designed to sway up to 18 inches and be earthquake and tornado-proof. The National Park Service says it has been documented to sway up to 1.5 inches with a 50 m.p.h. wind.
The Park property runs from the old courthouse a few blocks inland to the Mississippi River. This was my first time ever seeing the Mississippi River from anything but an airplane. The river here is bordered by a brick levee that is fascinating to walk along. The river was quite muddy on my trip, which I’m sure happens frequently. They don’t call it the “muddy Mississip” for no reason.
One of the best ways to see the historic riverfront is by riverboat. If you travel to St. Louis and have time, catch a cruise on the Park’s boat.
The National Park grounds include numerous small parks, including some absolutely beautiful landscaping and a nice pond. I had plenty of time this afternoon to take in the grounds.
Underground beneath the Arch, they have an absolutely phenomenal museum and interpretive area that I highly recommend checking out. Just be advised that you will have to go through a TSA-type check to get underneath.
The Arch also has a pair of elevators that run up the sides. These elevators aren’t traditional straight up and down but rotate on an axis. If you plan ahead, you can ride in one of these and get a view from the top. Unfortunately, I was there with thousands of others visiting the Arch the day before the Total Solar Eclipse, so it was long sold out. I hope to get back one day and take the ride. I had to settle for catching a view of the Arch over the old courthouse from one of the nice parks that cuts into downtown St. Louis.
After spending the majority of the afternoon wandering around the area it was time to meet up with friends and catch the eclipse.
