Have you seen this giant arch off a Miami highway? Take a look at the quirky landmark

Miami Herald Archives
·1 min read
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St. Louis is known for its arch. But South Florida?

Yes, we have our own version. And it even went up before the famous gateway Arch in the Midwest.

The arch at the entrance to a Miami Gardens industrial park is a landmark for travelers on the Palmetto Expressway and Northwest 167th Street.

It’s not exactly a tourist hot spot. There are no elevators to take you to the top. No souvenir shop at the foot. Guidebooks don’t include it as a must-see.

But it is a Miami-area landmark that can make you turn your head for a second look.

MORE: What are the strangest Miami landmarks? Take a look at these during your travels

So, what’s the story behind the arch?

Let’s take a look at the Sunshine State Arch through the years, including its construction in the 1960s, from the Miami Herald archives:

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ARCH

▪ The Sunshine State Arch at Northwest 167th Street and 13th Avenue at the entrance to the Sunshine State Industrial Park in Miami Gardens.

▪ In 2011, the Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Board designated it as a Local Historic

▪ The 110-foot arch was designed in 1963 and 1964 in response to the St. Louis Gateway Arch, and rises above the south side of the Palmetto Expressway, just west of the Golden Glades Interchange.

▪ Miami Gardens included the arch on its city seal when it incorporated in 2003/

EARLY DAYS OF SUNSHINE STATE ARCH

Here is how the arch was assembled:

One leg of the giant Arch of Industry at Sunshine State Industrial Park off the Palmetto Expressway towers in the sky after being hoisted by five cranes. The other 100-ton leg followed. Spanning the entrance to the industrial park, the arch was covered with marble chips and gold aluminum flecking to give the appearance of gold.
One leg of the giant Arch of Industry at Sunshine State Industrial Park off the Palmetto Expressway towers in the sky after being hoisted by five cranes. The other 100-ton leg followed. Spanning the entrance to the industrial park, the arch was covered with marble chips and gold aluminum flecking to give the appearance of gold.
Crews work among steel cranes to anchor the “Arch of Industry” at the Sunshine State Industrial Park. The worker is guiding a steel beam to connect the two 100-ton legs of the arch.
Crews work among steel cranes to anchor the “Arch of Industry” at the Sunshine State Industrial Park. The worker is guiding a steel beam to connect the two 100-ton legs of the arch.
In October 1963, the looming bulk of a 100-foot precast concrete support waits for a twin, to be joined with it forming the towering arch, gateway to the Sunshine State Industrial Park.
In October 1963, the looming bulk of a 100-foot precast concrete support waits for a twin, to be joined with it forming the towering arch, gateway to the Sunshine State Industrial Park.
In 1965, some people decided the best way to watch the dedication of the new arch at Sunshine State Industrial Park was overhead in helicopters.
In 1965, some people decided the best way to watch the dedication of the new arch at Sunshine State Industrial Park was overhead in helicopters.
An illustration of the Arch Of Industry off the Palmetto Expressway. The 120-foot arch was constructed by Gemcote International Inc. of Fort Lauderdale and is made of reinforced concrete. A plastic material with marble chips was sprayed on the surface to give it a golden, glittering surface. The spray process was developed by Richard A. Weir and Scott Campbell of Fort Lauderdale.

VIEWS OF THE ARCH THROUGH THE YEARS

Various perspectives of the arch in Miami Gardens:

Aerial view of the Sunshine State Arch on May 11, 2023, in Miami Gardens.
Aerial view of the Sunshine State Arch on May 11, 2023, in Miami Gardens.
Another aerial view of the arch in 2023.
Another aerial view of the arch in 2023.
The Sunshine State Arch in 2012.
The Sunshine State Arch in 2012.
Al view from above of of the Sunshine State Arch in 2023.
Al view from above of of the Sunshine State Arch in 2023.
A view of the Sunshine State Arch from the expressway in Miami Gardens in 2020.
A view of the Sunshine State Arch from the expressway in Miami Gardens in 2020.
A sunny view of the Sunshine State Arch in 2020.
A sunny view of the Sunshine State Arch in 2020.
Cars travel under the arch in 2012.
Cars travel under the arch in 2012.