National Expansion Memorial: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Gateway Arch National Park

MWRO Cultural Landscapes Program

Gateway Arch National Park is a 91-acre park surrounding the iconic Gateway Arch, located in St. Louis, Missouri on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The Memorial occupies 40 city blocks between Washington Avenue and Poplar Street and is bound by Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard on the east and Memorial Drive and the depressed Interstate Highway 70 on the west. Also included in the Memorial’s boundary are two blocks to the west of Memorial Drive: Luther Ely Smith Square and the site of the Old Courthouse. The Gateway Arch and surrounding landscape were designed by architect Eero Saarinen in collaboration with landscape architect Dan Kiley. The period of significance for the landscape is 1947-2003. This period includes the original design competition, evolution of the award-winning design development plan, and implementation of the approved development plan. Although modifications were made to the approved Saarinen/Kiley design development plan during its long implementation period, the approved design was essentially executed with few changes. The site design developed by Eero Saarinen and Dan Kiley is evident today.The layout and siting of major structures, walkways, plantings, and other features were implemented in manner that is in keeping with their design. The catenary curve forms reflected in the railroad tunnel entrances, walkways, undulating topography, and overlook walls and stairs were designed by Saarinen, and are primary examples of his design philosophy—keeping within the same “form-world” as the Gateway Arch. Other features, such as the curvilinear pond edges and the grand staircase, were not constructed precisely as designed, but were implemented using forms with the same general character in keeping with Saarinen’s design intent. The planting plan designed by Dan Kiley was intended to define and structure spaces with the use of a consistent palette of plant species. A limited number of tree species, each used in great profusion, were meant to strengthen the site layout, creating a sense of enclosure along the pedestrian walks contrasted with open spaces around the ponds. This “forest and meadow” concept was integral to the landscape architect’s intent; although its implementation deviated from the original design concept, major elements including the allées along the walks and the circles and groves of bald cypress near the ponds are character-defining features in keeping with the design intent. The major character-defining landscape features that contribute to the Memorial’s significance include the Gateway Arch; the overall landform and spatial organization; designed views; the system of walks; the single species allées; the two ponds; the overlooks; the railroad open cuts and tunnels; the grand staircase; the bald cypress circles; the screen plantings and depressed service areas; the entrance ramps into the Gateway Arch; and the concrete benches. In the early years of the CLI methodology the landscape was split into one parent and 2 components. Since that time the landscape has undergone extensive rehabilitation. Therefore, the park is split into two cultural landscapes: National Expansion Memorial and a child landscape for the Old Courthouse. These two landscapes relate to one another through location, but have different periods of significance. This Cultural Landscape Inventory report for the National Expansion Memorial landscape identifies and documents the landscape’s location, size, physical development, condition, landscape characteristics as character-defining features, as well as other valuable information useful to park management.

National Expansion Memorial: Cultural Landscape Inventory, Gateway Arch National Park

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