ST. LOUIS — The Gateway Arch turns 53 years old Sunday.
The final piece of the Arch was put into place on October 28, 1965. It’s been a well-loved, long-standing symbol of St. Louis ever since.
Every year, the workers who helped build the iconic landmark gather to commemorate the accomplishment. The reunion included engineers, tradesmen and support staff. This year, they met at the newly redesigned museum and shared photos, memories and stories about the project.
“I’d only worked as an engineer out of school for one year. So, we were still learning” recalled Mike Schuller. “We didn’t know how special it was, but as time went on we realized it was really a special time.”
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In honor of the Arch’s 53rd birthday, here are five fast facts about the landmark, courtesy of the Gateway Arch National Park website:
- Eero Saarinen’s design was selected after a nation-wide competition
- It’s as wide as it is tall: 630 feet
- Construction took about 2 years and cost less than $15 million
- It’s built to withstand earthquakes and high winds
- The Arch sways up to 1 inch in a 20 mile-per-hour wind, but it’s built to sway up to 18 inches
