Within every nation there is a specific history and culture that makes it unique. These aspects are seen through a country’s food, people, religion, and especially architecture. The architecture within a country or city is typically the first thing a person notices about that place. It successfully reflects the culture of the country or city through its structure and its own history. In Britt Carter’s photo essay entitled “The Architecture that Makes America,” she brings attention to the miraculous pieces of architecture that are often times overlooked. She chose six particular structures that although may be easily recognized, are often times over-looked or underappreciated. Britt Carter brings special attention to these pieces of architecture by emphasizing their unique structure, history, and modern events.

The first photo in the essay is a picture of the Ravenel Bridge from Charleston, South Carolina. The bridge is relatively new as it was introduced in 2005 after the previous bridges were declared unsafe for travelers due to their old age. There are several aspects of this bridge that make it unique. It stretches over the Cooper River with eight lanes for traffic as well as bicycle and pedestrian lanes (sciway.net). This two-and-a-half-mile long bridge is held together by cables that are connected to two large diamond-shaped towers as seen in the photo. The following photo is of the 9-11 monument in New York City. This piece of architecture is especially unique because it is a fountain that forms at the bases of the previous World Trade Towers. When viewing the photo, one can also see that the edges of the monument have the names of all the victims of 9-11 engraved in them. The next photo is of the more well-known building from New York, the Empire State Building. The height of this building distinguishes it from all other buildings in New York. Standing near the top of this incredible tower allows one to overlook all of New York City as well as parts of other neighboring states. Another extremely tall piece of architecture would be the Gateway Arch from St. Louis, Missouri. Since Missouri is not a popular tourist destination, it is easy to understand how the arch is not as well-known as other popular monuments. It is about 630 feet tall, making it the world’s tallest arch and the tallest monument in the western hemisphere (gatewayarch.com). Going up into the arch allows visitors to have a unique view of St. Louis. The Seattle Space Needle also provides visitors with a grand look over the city. It is 600 feet tall and is called the “needle” because its thin structure takes the appearance of a large needle (spaceneedle.com). The final image is of the Biltmore Estate. This vintage estate is found in Asheville, North Carolina and has numerous unique traits. Aside from its enormous size, this home has various gardens and extreme details in its design. For example, the original family of the home had the designer put their family initials in many places on the outside of the house. 

While these pieces of architecture are unique in their structure, they each also have their own interesting history. Although the Ravenel Bridge is only eleven years old, its home town is extremely historic. Charleston is one of America’s oldest towns, making it easy for visitors to find and learn about its history. The Ravenel Bridge is one of various bridges to have straddled the Cooper River and is now a part of Charleston’s famous history. The 9-11 monument is also relatively modern. Since it was created in honor of the tragic event that happened only fifteen years ago, many visitors are able to have a more personable experience since many of them actually remember the horrific events of that day. The Empire State Building is much older. It was opened in 1931 and required nearly forty-one million dollars, seven million man hours, and about 57,000 tons of steel to create (reference.com).  The Gateway Arch was finished in 1965 and was designed by Eero Saarinen. There was an architectural competition held in 1947 that would determine who would design the memorial and Saarinen won (wizzley.com). The design for the Seattle Space Needle was first drawn on a napkin in a coffee house in 1962 by Edward Carlson. Carlson then managed to get a team together to bring this napkin picture to life. Perhaps the most historic of these pieces of architecture is the Biltmore Estate. This estate was originally desired by a wealthy young man named George W. Vanderbuilt. He hired Fredrick Law Olmsted to make his dream home a reality. The home was officially opened in 1895, making it over 100 years old today. 

Along with a distinguishing structure and history, each of these pieces of architecture still maintains its popularity by hosting events. For example, every year the Ravenel Bridge hosts the Cooper River Bridge Run. This run is a total of six miles long. This even attracts people of all ages from all over the world. Each year in the spring, the bridge is closed off to automobiles so that it can fit the thousands of runners that attend. People will even attend dressed up in ridiculous costumes and sing while they run. The 9-11 monument continually provides visitors with a reminder of the lives lost on that tragic day. The Empire State Building also daily provides visitors with a unique experience. Just like the Ravenel Bridge, the Empire State Building hosts an annual run that attracts thousands of people. This run is known as the “Empire State Building Run Up” which has racers ascend stairs all the way up to the 86th floor. The Gateway Arch is recognized for hosting several formal dinners while the Seattle Space Needle hosts several conferences. The Biltmore Estate provides daily tours of the home which provides visitors with an exclusive way to learn more about the history of the town. This enormous and vintage home also hosts many parties as well as concerts which always brings a large attendance. 

Each one of these pieces of architecture has something that makes them unique, yet are often times over-looked or underappreciated. America is home to many great things, it is important to recognize its great architecture, whether it be a tall building, bridge, or monument. The United States is such a large country that provides visitors as well as locals with several ways to appreciate its beauty and history. The Ravenel Bridge, 9-11 monument, Empire State Building, Gateway Arch, Seattle Space Needle, and the Biltmore Estate are each distinctive pieces of architecture that help make America the great nation that it is. 