EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — The Gateway Geyser, dubbed the tallest water fountain in the nation, is closing down after nearly 30 years in operation, according to a release from the Metro East Park and Recreation District and Gateway Center of Metropolitan St. Louis.
The fountain, located in Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park in East. St. Louis, was created in 1995 by the park's namesake. Martin was a St. Louis native and lawyer who created the park in hopes of connecting the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, now known as Gateway Arch National Park, into Illinois.
"The Gateway Geyser was designed to mirror the height of the Gateway Arch, reaching up to 630 feet in the air, making it the tallest water fountain in the United States and third tallest in the world," the park's website said. "The geyser was flanked by four smaller fountains, representing the confluence of the four major rivers in the St. Louis area: the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, the Illinois River, and the Meramec River."
The fountain's internal infrastructure has deteriorated in its 30 years of running, according to park personnel. All of the parts have reportedly surpassed their lifespan and the financial toll of replacement outweighed the potential to keep it going.
The closure of the fountain is the end of an era, and potentially the beginning of another. Martin's vision of expanding the Arch park to Illinois may now be closer than ever as officials are in discussions with the National Park Service about a potential expansion.
"The National Park Service has always expressed interest in acquiring the park, but had major reservations about the geyser, which is clearly incompatible with the mission and story behind the Gateway Arch being a memorial to the Westward Expansion of the United States," the park said. "The removal of the geyser will not only alleviate that concern for the National Park Service but will allow space for potential future developments and make way for the new Illinois Route 3 which will be directly adjacent to where the geyser once operated."
Top St. Louis headlines
Get the latest news and details throughout the St. Louis area from 5 On Your Side broadcasts here.
