Gateway Arch National Park

Founded by the National Park Service in 1935 to commemorate Thomas Jefferson’s vision of a transcontinental United States, the Gateway Arch National Park (formerly known as the “Jefferson National Expansion Memorial”) stretches from the Old Courthouse to the steps overlooking the Mississippi River. In between, the Gateway Arch rises high, a bold monument to the pioneering spirit.

Today, the Gateway Arch celebrates the diverse people who shaped the region and the country. The dreamer, Thomas Jefferson, negotiated the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, doubling the size of the United States. The explorers, Lewis & Clark and their Shoshone guide Sacagawea, scouted the new territory and mapped a route to the Pacific Ocean. The challengers, Dred and Harriet Scott, filed suit at the Old Courthouse for their freedom from slavery, and St. Louis suffragette Virginia Minor sued for women’s right to vote. The artist, architect Eero Saarinen, designed the monument that honors them all.

The monument we know today began in 1935, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated property along the St. Louis riverfront to be developed as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (now known as Gateway Arch National Park). While the land was cleared for construction, the City of St. Louis deeded the Old Courthouse to the National Park Service to be incorporated into the Memorial. In 1948, a nationwide design competition determined what shape the Memorial would take, and in 1963, construction began on architect Eero Saarinen’s design for a stainless steel arch. Completed in 1965, the Gateway Arch stands as a symbol of national identity and an iconic example of mid-century modern design.

Anchoring the west end of the Park, the Old Courthouse is a prime example of mid-19^th century federal architecture. Built in 1839, the Courthouse served as the site of a number of landmark civil rights cases, including the Dred Scott decision. In the 1830s, the enslaved Scott was taken to free territory in Illinois and Wisconsin before being brought back to Missouri. In 1847 and 1850, under Missouri’s “once free, always free” doctrine, Scott sued for his freedom at the St. Louis Courthouse. In 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court decided against Scott and his wife Harriet, ruling that African-Americans were not citizens and had no right to sue in court. Dissent over the decision helped to speed the start of the U.S. Civil War four years later.

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Power Station

Recently one of our riverfront bridges was closed to automobile traffic allowing pedestrian traffic and spectaular views. Here we a looking north from the MLK Bridge on the St. Louis Riverfront. In the forground is the old Union Electric Power Plant and the Stan Musial Bridge, spanning the Mississippi River.

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Shaking it off

The ducks and geese in Forest Park were vey active recently. Walking by one of the streams I noticed the ducks were busy diving for dinner. I knew that eventually they would want to dry off by flapping their wings so I waited and got this photo of a duck shaking off the water. In photography, knowing your subjects habits helps find the right moment.

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Egrets in Forest Park in St. Louis

Forest Park is a great place to see wild ducks and egrets. They hang out just east of the Grand Basin. See more photos of Forest Park from this visit and and others: Click Here.

Neodymium Reeds

I do not know what Neodymium Reeds are but they make an interesting subject for a Chihuly display. This display was created by Dale Chihuly for the Missouri Botanical Garden. Chihuly says that his art is blown glass, “moving it into the realm of large-scale sculpture.” These displays are spread around the Garden making it interesting to explore the area and find his diplays tucked away in the woods or floating on boat in lakes and reflecting pools.

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Niijima Foats with Float Boat

Chihuly in the Garden is the latest of our Missouri Botanical Garden’s events. I took advantage of an unpublicized “photographer’s night” and was able to wander around the grounds to see the displays both in daylight and after dark. This is one of the displays in the Climatron. I have processed most of my photos and they can be seen here: https://greatrivers.smugmug.com/Galleries/Botanical-Garden

Old and new

North American P-51 Mustang flying with Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. The Mustang was introduced in 1941 and has a top speed of 441 mph. The Raptor was introduced in 2005 and has a top speed of 1,500 mph (well, maybe). The extreme maneuverability of the Raptor is demonstrated here, where it is easily flying in tandem with the much slower Mustang.
This photo was taken at the Scott AFB air show last weekend. This is a great event held from time to time on the base.

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Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor

From time to time nearby Scott Airforce Base hosts a fantastic air show showcasing aircraft from early bi-planes to the latest technology fughters. Here, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather tactical stealth fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force. 

Missouri River

View of the Missouri River from above bluffs. The Missouri River is the longest river in the United States. Rising in the Rocky Mountains of the Eastern Centennial Mountains of Southwestern Montana, the Missouri flows east and south for 2,341 miles before entering the Mississippi River north of St. Louis, Missouri.

Canyons

The Chicago River has endless opportunities for interesting photographs. You can scroll down and see a few taken from a higher level. Walking the streets around the river, I found that the bridges are places for getting a great perspective of the area.
This photo was taken from the Michigan Avenue bridge looking through a canyon of buildings. The sun setting behind Trump International Hotel & Tower while lighting the row of buildings on the left side of the river. The river disappears under a draw bridge but you can see its path by the buildings that line it.
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