Gateway Arch ‘Meet the Builders’ Event: Monument’s Memorable 49th Birthday
Release Date: September 8, 2014
Contact: Ann Honious, JNEM
Phone: 314-655-1614
Contact(s): Jenna Todoroff, Common Ground PR
Phone: 636-530-1235
Gateway Arch “Meet the Builders” Event: Monument’s Memorable 49th Birthday
Annual celebration invites guests to join in the reunion as builders will be available for photos, autographs and discussion
Commemorate the 49th anniversary of the completion of the Gateway Arch with “Meet the Builders” on Saturday, October 25, 2014. The National Park Service, in association with Jefferson National Parks Association and Bi-State Development Agency, invites the public to meet the builders of the tallest manmade monument in the United States. This event is free and is hosted by Jefferson National Parks Association, the cooperating association of Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The actual anniversary of the Arch’s completion is October 28.
From 10 to 11:30 a.m., the Arch’s original iron workers, electricians, sheet-metal workers, draftsmen, field engineers and X-ray technicians will greet guests and sign autographs in the Gateway Arch Visitor Center. The builders will share personal stories and rarely seen private memorabilia and photographs chronicling their experience in constructing architect Eero Saarinen’s unique vision. Commemorative posters and hard hats will be available for purchase.
“Meet the Builders gives the public a rare opportunity to meet history and discover the stories of the Arch’s construction,” said Ann Honious, Chief, Museum Services and Interpretation, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. “Without these builders, we wouldn’t be celebrating the Arch’s golden anniversary in 2015, or welcoming a new museum and park experience to downtown St. Louis in the coming years.”
Guests are encouraged to make a day of the celebration by taking a Journey to the Top tram ride; enjoying a documentary movie detailing the construction of the Arch; or visiting the Arch Museum Store to pick up exclusive commemorative items.
Reservations for Meet the Builders are not required, but in order to secure their place in line, those interested in attending are encouraged to arrive early. For more information on the Meet the Builders event, please visit www.gatewayarch.com.