Jefferson National Expansion

Words: 1040
Pages: 5
Open Document
Shant Alexan
Professors: Decker and Chen-Malik
American Studies
11/11/2014
The Gateway to the Frontier The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is a significant object of study for those interested in the phenomenon of western expansion and the frontier by the way of the Gateway Arch in St Louis. In 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt had established it as the first national historic site in the United States. It represented several purposes such as to commemorate Thomas Jefferson and his purchase of the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon, to celebrate westward expansion and its pioneers and to boost property values on the city's historic riverfront. In addition to the 63 foot stainless steel catenary arch designed by Eero Saarinen, the …show more content…
In the decades after world war II, when America was assuming its new role as the center of the known universe, Eero Saarinen was the man who supplied it with an architecture suited to the place where the future happened. The reason the gateway arch is such a perfect monument to symbolize the idea of western expansion is because it is quite literally a gateway to the west, it is a gateway to uncharted territory and vast, new unspoiled, virgin lands. It very location is symbolic, as well, as it was from St. Louis that William Clark and Merryweather Louis launched their expedition to the Pacific Ocean; an expedition which lasted 28 months, and it was to St Louis which they ended their journey which was a success. The arch stands in many way as a symbol of capitalism, American ingenuity and free-market economy as it's construction in 1965 was also intended to bring in tourist revenue and bust housing prices in the surrounding area. The arch is also an architectural masterpiece but whatever one …show more content…
What one notices is that the city of St. Louis in one instance is at the frontier of what is known, the next instant St. Louis is at the frontier of what is known to be unknown; a metaphoric pivot point between what was known and what was waiting to be discovered. St Louis became the new frontier from which Louis and Clark would launch their expedition and to which they would return. This historic narrative is precisely what made the site of the Jefferson national memorial (in honor of Thomas Jefferson who actually made the purchase and who sent Louis and Clark on their expedition) is the correct place to build a national monument who carries with it this nation of the gateway to the
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