Architect John C. Guenther Presents the History of the Gateway Arch

St. Louis County Library Foundation presents architect John C. Guenther, author of “The Gateway Arch: An Illustrated Timeline.”

The event will take place on Wednesday, May 31 at 7:00 p.m. at the Daniel Boone Branch, 300 Clarkson Road, Ellisville, MO 63011.

The program is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase at the event.

An icon of Structural Expressionism, the Gateway Arch expresses both a timeless monumentality and a contemporary dynamism. The story of how this monument came to be is remarkable. John Guenther, architect and historian, seeks to “connect the dots” of history and take readers through the key events which led to the building of the Gateway Arch, assisted by historic images. Enjoy a chronological look at the historic foundations of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, starting from the very beginning: when the Louisiana territory was controlled by France.

St. Louis’s central location has been key to US history, serving as the “Gateway to the West”; it was here that Lewis and Clark began their Corps of Discovery Expedition (1804–1806). Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, St. Louis was a major port in the Golden Age of Steamboating and the origin of the Missouri-Pacific Railroad in 1849 to forge connection between the east and the west coast. Learn how Eero Saarinen’s Gateway Arch is a powerful and symbolic expression of this westward exploration.

“The Gateway Arch: An Illustrated Timeline” explores the planning, growth, and evolution of St. Louis and its riverfront. It reveals the vision, determination, persistence, collaboration, creativity, and innovation on the part of many, as the design and realization of the Gateway Arch continues to evolve over time.

Architect JOHN C. GUENTHER has produced a distinguished body of architecture that contributes significantly to the built environment. Guenther has been a Lecturer in the College of Architecture, Washington University in St. Louis, where he taught Introduction to Design Processes and co-founded and taught Mid-Century Modernism in St. Louis 1930-1970.

Program sites are accessible. With at least two weeks' notice, accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities. Call 314-994-3300 or contact us.