St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 12, 2012…As plans to connect, invigorate and expand the Gateway Arch grounds and museum begin to take shape, the National Park Service, Jefferson National Parks Association, Core of Discovery and Metro will give the public a rare opportunity to meet the individuals responsible for building the Arch. On Oct. 27, the men who worked on the Arch construction project will gather in the Visitor Center beneath the Arch from 9 – 11:30 a.m. to share personal stories and rarely seen private memorabilia and photographs chronicling their journey to construct a structure unlike anything that had ever been built before. The family-friendly event is FREE and open to the public.
Members of the construction team who will be on-hand at the event will include iron workers, electricians, sheet-metal workers, draftsmen, field engineers, x-ray technicians and a photographer who was present during construction.
In addition to meeting the builders of the Arch, event attendees can examine artifacts dating back to the Arch’s construction and take a shot at assembling an Arch using interactive building blocks. Author Amanda Doyle will also be on hand from 10 a.m. to noon signing copies of her new children’s book To The Top: A Gateway Arch Story, and will do a reading from the book. Reservations for the Meet the Builders event are not required, but those interested in attending are encouraged to arrive early, in order to secure their place in line.
“The men who built the Arch have incredible stories to tell, and we’re excited to bring so many of them back together, so they can share their amazing tales with the public,” said Liz Forrestal, Vice President of Programs and Partnerships for Jefferson National Parks Association, sponsor of the event. “With plans underway for the first major changes to the landmark Arch grounds since the Arch itself was completed almost 50 years ago, this event is the perfect way to celebrate construction of the iconic structure. We hope area residents will take advantage of this family-friendly opportunity to learn more about the Arch and explore all that it has to offer.”
Those attending the event are encouraged to visit the Arch Museum Store to pick up exclusive commemorative items, take a tram ride to the top of the Arch and view a documentary about the construction of the magnificent structure.
The Gateway Arch is located on the riverfront in downtown St. Louis. It is one of the many attractions in the Core of Discovery – downtown St. Louis’ attractions district. For more information on the Meet the Builders event, visit http://www.jnpa.com/194/Gateway-Arch-Anniversary-Jefferson-National-Parks.htm or call 314-678-1500. The Core of Discovery was created by the partners at the Gateway Arch, which include the National Park Service; its cooperating association, Jefferson National Parks Association; and its park partner, Metro. The Core of Discovery also represents a commitment by the National Park Service, Jefferson National Parks Association and Metro to work in partnership with their downtown neighbors to make the visitor experience even better.
For more information, contact:
Julie Hauser, The Hauser Group (314) 436-9090