ST. LOUIS, Oct. 27 (UPI) — The Gateway Arch in St. Louis celebrates its 50th birthday on Wednesday. Created to memorialize the United States’ westward expansion, the monument was completed in October 28, 1965 and soon become a popular ground for rallies, sightseeing and dangerous stunts. Below are a few obscure facts about the stainless steel structure.
1. The Gateway Arch is the largest arch in the world
Standing at 630 feet — or 63 stories — the arch is the tallest monument in the Western Hemisphere and the tallest accessible building in Missouri.
2. It was conceived by Eero Saarinen, who also designed Washington’s Dulles Airport
The winning design for the monument was selected from a national competition in 1947. Among the 171 losing entries figured a building-sized globe of the Earth, a giant statue of Old Man River, and a pyramid.
3. The arch was opened to the public in 1967
The underground visitor center was completed in June of 1967 and the north tram to the top began running in July of that same year. The south tram followed in May 1968. When both trams are running, they depart every 5 minutes and can each carry up to 240 passengers.
4. The contractor who built the arch didn’t visit the top until its 20th anniversary
Conrad Wirth joked that he waited two decades to visit the man-made wonder because “there was no more tax money” for the trip.
5. The arch is designed to sway up to 18 inches
Although the arch doesn’t move under regular weather conditions, it is designed to sway as much as 18 inches, and can withstand an earthquake. The structure is so stable that 50 mph winds barely move the top 1.5 inches from its center.
6. The arch sits on the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in honor of President Thomas Jefferson
The idea of building a memorial to honor President Jeffeson’s championing of the westward expansion was first introduced in the 1930s. The 91-acre monument also includes the Old Courthouse and Luther Ely Smith Square.
7. In 1992 a 25-year-old man successfully parachuted from the arch
In December of 1992 John Vincent pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges and agreed to cooperate in the prosecution of two men who photographed his jump from the monument two months prior. Twelve years before he successfully parachuted from the arch, a 33-year-old man died while attempting to do the same.
8. A project to renovate the arch grounds has been in place since 2013 and will be completed by 2017
The $380 million venture began in 2013 and will include the creation of a new museum and the restoration of the arch’s surroundings.
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