In The Shadow of the Magnet

When I was in high school in suburban St. Louis, I remember reviewing submissions for the school literary journal. One was a poem that mocked the Gateway Arch as "a giant paperclip stuck in the ground." The poem was accepted to the journal. When it was published, the page included a note from the poet's mother claiming that the opinions in no way reflected her feelings or the feelings of her family. Previously, such disclaimers had only accompanied work including obscene language. But to defame The Arch -- well, that was a whole new type of obscenity.

Our relationship with the "Gateway to the West" may be complicated, but whether we like it or not, it's the symbol that is associated with us, and it's one thing we all have in common.  This site tells the stories of the people who live in its shadow.