St. Louis Symbols – Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse

On the right-hand side of Market Street is a massive domed building, the Old Courthouse, which is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Park. It was built in the mid 1800s and has been the scene of several important trials, including the suit by Dred Scott for freedom from slavery and Suffragist Virginia Louisa Minor for the right to vote. The courthouse now showcases historical exhibits. The Gateway Arch is often referred to as the Gateway to the West and is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and is a prevalant landmark for St. Louis. It spans both 630 feet tall and wide. The Gateway Arch was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen and German-American structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel in 1947. Construction began on February 12, 1963, and was completed on October 28, 1965.

credit: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, NPS