Anyone who calls the Midwest home—as well as those who have visited—is likely to be familiar with two of the region’s greatest feats of engineering and architecture: Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial, also known as the National World War I Memorial, and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Both of these impressive structures represent not only well-known landmarks, but are also rich sites of engineering history that demonstrate the awe-inspiring potential of community-oriented creation.
The Liberty Memorial, which was completed in November of 1926, is a World War I memorial dedicated to the military personnel who served in this international conflict. The memorial is comprised of a granite foundation, walls of Bedford stone, and a limestone exterior that mirrors the Egyptian Revival architectural style. It is also 265 feet tall, and at nighttime produces a “flame”—an effect created by a combination of steam and fiery lighting—that is visible across the city.
The structure was designed by New York-based architect Harold Van Buren Magonigle, and was constructed by the American Bridge Company, a firm that specializes in building and renovating bridges and other large civil engineering projects. The Liberty Memorial is one of The American Bridge Company’s many famous engineering accomplishments, which also include the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Willis Tower.
The famous Gateway Arch, also known as the St. Louis Arch, is now one of the most well-known engineering achievements in the United States. The structure, which was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, is an impressive 630 feet tall, making it the highest arch in the world, as well as the tallest manmade monument in the entire Western Hemisphere. It is constructed of stainless steel that forms the shape of an inverted catenary arch, and was completed over a period of two and a half years, between 1963 and 1965. The Gateway Arch is a major St. Louis tourist attraction, and is located in the beautiful Jefferson National Expansion Memorial park.
A monumental feat of structural engineering, the Gateway Arch was created by the multinational structural engineering firm Severud Associates, which has an impressive track record of over 12,000 projects across the globe. Severud was founded in 1928 by Norwegian-American structural engineer Fred Severud, who was a member of the National Academy of Engineering. In addition to the Gateway Arch, Severud has participated in the construction of a number of other highly notable structures, including Place Ville Marie, Arecibo Observatory, and Madison Square Garden.
Given that the region houses these two remarkable feats of engineering, it is perhaps no surprise that Kansas City is home also to some of the top engineering firms in the United States. And when the best of these firms expand their roster of talent—in preparation for their next big engineering feat—they turn to a respected Kansas City engineering recruiting company to help them identify the most inspired visionaries out there.
Austin Nichols Technical Search is a direct hire and contract recruiting firm specializing in engineering, manufacturing, and technical positions. An experienced, professional Kansas City recruiting company that has been in business since 1988, we can help you make your mark by acquiring top industry talent.
