Great River Road Trip, Day #5
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Our first stop was at the main entry of Union Station Hotel in St. Louis. This is known as the Whispering Arch within Union Station. Each evening they project an amazing laser light show on the ceiling of this huge room. If you have ever seen the Freemont Street Experience in Las Vegas, this is the same idea but many times better in image quality.
I was able to snap this photo before the very nice security guard said we could not take pictures with a “regular camera” but could take them with a phone camera. That didn’t make too much sense to me so I asked the reason for the policy and was told that people come in with fancy camera setups and do professional photos and videos and then sell them without giving the establishment any proceeds. So, because of that, all “free standing” cameras have been banned. He was very nice about it, he just has to enforce their rules and kind of winked at me that he realized I was not planning to sell our personal images.
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The rest of today was really all about taking in the Gateway Arch National Park. We walked to the park from our hotel in the rain and it looked like our day was going to be a bit of a washout. This is the entry point for the Arch, Museum, Gift Shop, etc… which is built right into the hill below the Arch. As you can see, a cloudy and raining day appeared to be our fate.
[Click on Image for Map]
Same location, just facing back toward the Old Courthouse. This was the site of the famous Dred Scott case (1857), formally known as Dred Scott v. Sandford, and was one of the most infamous and consequential Supreme Court decisions in U.S. history. This Supreme Court decision paved the way toward the Civil War.
[Click on Image for Map]
With it raining significantly outside, we decided to start with the museum. It is a very well done museum about both the St. Louis area and westward expansion of the nation. The Gateway Arch represents the gateway to the west. This model of the old St. Louis riverfront was impressive. The whole museum is fantastic and I could spend an entire day just here; but as Lisa likes to remind me - I can’t stop and read EVERY display!
This display honors the architects and builders of the Arch. At the top they are placing the final section. The next image focuses more on that last piece being inserted at the top. Before we went up in the Arch we watched a 30 minute video on the construction of the Arch. What an incredible feat of engineering. I would suggest the video to anyone with even the slightest interest in engineering - it is really fantastic. Lisa and I couldn’t help but repeatedly mention that despite working that high up in the air, you don’t see a single safety harness. The days before OSHA I guess.
I will attach a link to the YouTube video of the 30 minute documentary. I suggest you watch it with CC engaged so you can read along. The video is 1960’s quality and the audio is at times difficult without the closed captions. But, it is well worth a watch.
[Click on Image to Watch Video]
[Click on Image to Watch Video]
This is the view from the top of the Arch looking East. This is not the impressive side, but it was never meant to be; the Arch is the Gateway to the West!!
The park just to the right of the grain elevator in the center of the image is a viewpoint for the Arch from the east bank of the river. We will plan to stop there on the way back up the other side. I will try to include some photos from that vantage point at well.
The view to the West with the Old Courthouse in the foreground.
People ask about the ride to the top of the Arch. It is an inclined elevator with “cars” which seat five people each. It is a bit small for sure, but there are windows which allow you to view the inner aspect of the arch with the staircase. Some people may be bothered by the tight nature of the “cars” but we didn’t have an issue. The way the elevator moves is unique, it both elevates and “rocks” a bit in order to keep you upright as you travel up and down the curved arch. The ride up they said took about 4 minutes and the ride down was about 3 minutes. It goes by very quickly for sure. Each trip of the elevator takes up to 40 people (8 cars seating 5 each). You ride up and down as a group with all the same people. Each group gets about 10 minutes at the top of the Arch.
This is looking as “straight down” as you can look from the angled viewing windows. The semicircle at the bottom of the image is the entry point you saw as we approached the park. The viewing windows are about 10 inches high and two feet wide - as a rough estimate.
This image shows as far as we could see on the horizon. That was a factor of weather and overcast. On a clear day I am sure you can see much further to the west.
Busch Stadium, the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, on the left.
This sign is located at the very top of the Arch indicating you are 630 feet above the ground. If you watched the video or saw the earlier images of the mural showing the installation of the final piece - this very spot was that final piece to be installed on October 28, 1965.
It is possible to walk right up and touch each of the legs of the Arch.
This image provides an interesting perspective. However, what I liked most about this shot is the weld where the sides come together. From the movie about the construction we know this was one of the first welds of the entire structure and was don in February 1963.
What an interesting perspective this view provided.
Not only is the Arch impressive, but the park surrounding it is incredibly beautiful as well. The walkways are all tree lined like this and are so peaceful to stroll.
The grounds of the park are laid out in such a way as to showcase each of these views and perspectives.
As the day wore on, the skies slowly started to clear and by the end of our day we got some amazing weather as you will see below.
We then took a tour boat ride on the Mississippi to view the monument and city from the river. The bridge in the foreground is the original railroad bridge which is now used for the Metro line. The stone arches are too small to accommodate todays large boxcars, so the freight trains have been moved to another bridge.
A couple of tugs had their barges pushed against the bank in front of the old power plant.
This old power plant was built to provide electricity for the World’s Fair. However, it does not appear to be functional anymore. If it is, it looks like it could stand for a refresh.
This machine was lifting what appeared to maybe be salt out of this barge. It was a very white substance which appeared to have the consistency of salt, but this is just speculation on our part.
The old railroad bridge from another angle with the Arch in the background.
Passing back down river on the boat, I could not pass up this symmetry with the Old Courthouse in the background.
By the time we got off the boat and walked around the park it had become just a beautiful day! The views from the north part of the park are not to be missed!
These next few photos are repeated in color; because even I can admit that some images just HAVE to be seen in color.
In addition to simply being a stunning setting for a photo, this image also showcases the small viewing windows at the top of the Arch. Those are the windows the earlier photos were taken from.
I like the way the dome of the Old Courthouse and other surrounding buildings reflected in the windows of the KPMG building.
View from the steps of the Old Courthouse.
Inside the dome of the Old Courthouse.
The city blocks between Market and Chestnut Streets are all these series of parks and green spaces which provide some nice views of downtown. This city is very nicely laid out.
Just one block from Market Street is this giant rendition of the Commissioner’s Trophy. This trophy (a more reasonably sized one) is awarded to the winner of the World Series each year. This should Make Hans Sviggum happy.
Walking back to our hotel we came across this Soldiers Memorial Museum. We stopped in to see what it was all about. It is a museum showcasing those from the St. Louis area who have served in each of the wars and military conflicts dating back to the Revolution. Once again, I could spend an entire day here! This is a real gem of a find. I am not much of a military or war buff, but the stories told and the artifacts presented in this small museum are fantastically interesting and are attainable to those of us without a military or combat background.
[Click on Image for Map]
This is the old Union Station train depot, which is now a hotel. This is where the first image from today was taking of the grand room and arched ceiling where they show the laser light display. The 10 mm lens give a bit of a fisheye aspect to this photo but it gets the point across and is actually a kind of neat effect.
