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Luther Ely Smith Legacy Society

Your Legacy- Make a Lasting Impact with a Future Gift

Help ensure Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s mission endures for generations to come by including the Foundation in your estate plan. Our ability to advance our mission to ensure Gateway Arch National Park and its surrounding spaces are vital, welcoming, and well-supported resources is made possible through the generous support we receive from our donors, including legacy gifts. Planning for the future and creating the legacy you wish to leave is one of the most effective ways to ensure a lasting impact. Some of the most impactful gifts you can make are deferred gifts that will be fulfilled at a later date, often through a will, trust or beneficiary designation. Each person’s philanthropic goal can be realized through careful planning and personalized strategy. If you want to explore how you can make a planned gift, contact legacy@archpark.org.

Your Enduring Commitment: Luther Ely Smith Legacy Society

The Luther Ely Smith Legacy Society honors donors who have made a meaningful commitment to Gateway Arch Park Foundation for today that will sustain our mission for generations to come.

All planned giving donors are eligible to become members of Gateway Arch Park Foundation’s Luther Ely Smith (LES) Legacy Society. Members of the Luther Ely Smith Legacy Society give in ways that go beyond annual support with planned philanthropy through a will, trust or beneficiary designation . LES Society donors are a committed group of individuals who share in the vision to support our mission to care for Gateway Arch National Park and ensure the Arch and its surrounding spaces serve as a powerful force for St. Louis and the nation.

Benefits

Accessibility – Anyone can make a gift that qualifies for membership in the Luther Ely Smith Legacy Society. Through the Luther Ely Smith Legacy Society, donors who have included Gateway Arch Park Foundation in their estate plans will be recognized for their generosity and desire to leave a legacy.

Ownership – Your gift can be structured in a variety of ways, and you can update it at any time.

Bespoke – Our dedicated team will work with you to ensure the gift you make has the impact you envision.

Community – Joining the Luther Ely Smith Society offers access to exclusive events hosted by Gateway Arch Park Foundation and a network of like-minded civically engaged individuals.

A Prominent St. Louis Civic Leader, Luther Ely Smith

Born in 1873, Smith was originally from Illinois and graduated from Washington University School of Law. Described by the National Park Service as the “father of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial” which we know today as Gateway Arch National Park, he first proposed a riverfront memorial for President Thomas Jefferson. A civic booster and lawyer, Smith led the committee that planned and executed the vision of building a monument on the St. Louis Riverfront. Smith was part of the team that chose Eero Saarinen’s iconic Gateway Arch design. Recognized for being a visionary thinker who strategically steered major civic projects to completion, Luther Ely Smith left a lasting impact on St. Louis.

“It was your design, your marvelous conception, your brilliant forecast into the future, that has made the realization of the dream possible – a dream that you and the wonderful genius at your command and the able assistance of your associates are going to achieve far beyond the remotest possibility that we had dared visualize in the beginning.”
- Luther Ely Smith (written to Eero Saarinen, designer of the Arch)

Disclaimer: This site is informational and educational in nature. Gateway Arch Park Foundation does not provide legal, accounting or tax advice. You should consult with your attorney or tax advisor to determine the benefits and risks of any planned gift. The information on this website about gifts to Gateway Arch Park Foundation is not intended to be used to avoid tax liability.