The St.
Louis Gateway Arch represents St Louis being the Gateway to
the West back in the 1800's.
By Jack Corbett
Everything came through this city as a young nation expanded into a great
power that spanned an entire continent. The St Louis Gateway
Arch, begun in 1963 and completed in 1965 was to symbolize the pioneer
spirit that transcended disease, climate, geographical barriers imposed
by harsh mountains rivers and other obstacles, wars with Mexico and
Indians, and lawlessness when the six gun, rifle and shotgun ruled the
frontier. Six hundred and thirty feet high, I watched it go up during
my High School years.
Over thirty years later, twice I came back to set up my
cameras on a little tripod on the East side of the river--the first time
with my old 35 mm Single Lens reflex, the second time with a new digital
camera. I thought about the city's great variety of neighborhoods,
of French, English, and German architectural styles, how old the city was,
and how friendly its people are compared to many other places.
And why not? After all, there had been continued migrations of people
flowing through to settle both here and in other places. St
Louis had never grown stagnate, always looking outward, contrary to what
many others might claim.
Here I was over on the Illinois side. There was
a bit of a chill in the air but I would soon be in a night club with
my laptop on the bar going through the pictures I was taking
while surrounded by pretty women. The arch is a glowing masterpiece
of design embodying the synthesis of the old and the new. It had
to have been exciting living back then. It still is.
