Luther Ely Smith, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Luther Ely Smith

American lawyer

Date of Birth: 11-Jun-1873

Place of Birth: Downers Grove, Illinois, United States

Date of Death: 02-Apr-1951

Profession: lawyer, jurist

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Luther Ely Smith (June 11, 1873 – April 2, 1951) was a St.
Louis, Missouri lawyer and civic booster.
He has been described by the National Park Service as the "father of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial," which was renamed as the Gateway Arch National Park in 2018.
In the 1930s, he conceived of the idea of a memorial to President Thomas Jefferson in Saint Louis, the starting point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and opening of the West through the city.
He chaired the Association to develop the memorial for nearly 15 years, every year but one from 1934 through 1949, after the design competition had been completed and the winner Eero Saarinen selected for his "Gateway Arch".
Construction of the Gateway Arch started in 1963, after Smith's death; it fulfilled his vision of a symbol of the city to represent its role with the American West.