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All the United States Illinois East St. Louis Gateway Geyser

Gateway Geyser

Man-made geyser that rises to the exact height of the Gateway Arch.

East St. Louis, Illinois

Added By
Jason Schwartzman
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The geyser was added in place of Eero Saarinen’s original plan for a twin arch on the east side of the river   Paul Sableman on Flickr
Malcolm W. Martin Park is across the Mississippi from the famous Arch (that’s Martin himself, in bronze)   Jason Schwartzman
The geyser in repose   Jason Schwartzman
The geyser at full blast   Paul Sableman on Flickr
With no wind, it can reach the height of the Gateway Arch, well over 600 feet   Robert Srenco Srenco Photography in WikiCommons
The St Louis Gateway Arch, as seen from Malcolm Martin Memorial Park   Dave Herholz on Flickr
  jlcronin / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Reinhardt / Atlas Obscura User
To the left of the fountain, you can see the Arch-Vonda Todd   Britt Todd / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Nearly obscured by a grain elevator and the flashy facade of a casino hotel is the second-tallest fountain in the world. The Gateway Geyser sits directly across the Mississippi River from the St. Louis Gateway Arch, capable of blasting up to 7,500 gallons of water a minute into the sky.

Eero Saarinen, the architect who designed the Arch in 1947, envisioned twin memorials, one on each side of the river. While the famous Arch’s original Illinois counterpart was scrapped due to lack of funding, this super-fountain arrived in 1995. On a windless day its water jets up to 630 feet, the exact height of the Arch.

The fountain is part of Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park, one of the best places from which to see the Arch. The park’s vantage point of the River is often empty except for a single occupant, Malcolm W. Martin himself, cast in bronze and forever admiring the view. Martin has every right to such a permanent place of honor, being the local businessman, veteran, and civil rights activist who originally raised the funds to pay for the park and its watery homage to the Gateway Arch.

The green, trimmed grass and the whimsy of the fountain itself are jarring contrasts to the struggling development along the city's waterfront, but they provide a small refuge for East St. Louis—fighting hard to come back and reclaim its title as The City of Champions.

Related Tags

Fountains Memorials Parks

Know Before You Go

From Illinois I-55/I-70/I-64: Exit 2A (for 3rd St) off I-55/I-70/I-64. Turn right at W Broadway/Riverpark Drive, then left at S Front Street, and left onto W. Trendley Avenue. Parking lot is on the left

Community Contributors

Added By

jason schwartzman

Edited By

hrnick, Wonderer, Britt Todd, Michael Reinhardt...

  • hrnick
  • Wonderer
  • Britt Todd
  • Michael Reinhardt
  • jlcronin

Published

February 23, 2016

Updated

April 3, 2022

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  • http://www.meprd.org/mmmp.html
  • http://www.meprd.org/gatewaygeyser.html
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_Geyser
  • https://www.theparkwithaview.com/gatewaygeyser
Gateway Geyser
Malcolm Martin Memorial Park
185 W Trendley Avene
East St. Louis, Illinois, 62201
United States
38.622874, -90.170609
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Nearby Places

Laclede's Landing Wax Museum

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Old St. Louis County Courthouse

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miles away

Burial Place of Chief Pontiac

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of East St. Louis

East St. Louis

Illinois

Places 2

Nearby Places

Laclede's Landing Wax Museum

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Old St. Louis County Courthouse

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Burial Place of Chief Pontiac

St. Louis, Missouri

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of East St. Louis

East St. Louis

Illinois

Places 2

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