Pat McGonigle

KSDK

ST LOUIS- People have spent time in federal prison and paid with their lives attempting stunts on the Gateway Arch.

To be clear: it is a crime to climb on or jump off the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.

In 1992, thrill seeker and base jumper John Vincent climbed up the arch using suction cups and successfully jumped to the bottom with a chute.

Vincent spent three months in federal prison for his adrenaline rush.

You can read more about Vincent's stunt by clicking here.

In 1980, another daredevil named Kenneth Swyers attempted to jump out of a plane, land on the arch and then jump again using a secondary chute. Tragically, Swyers attempted his stunt on a windy day and his second chute never opened. Swyers slid all 630 feet down the north leg to his death.

Photos: Really cool shots of the arch

Viewer Photos:50 years of the Gateway Arch

Photos: Arch ground demolition and pre-Arch Stl

Photos: Rejected riverfront designs bested by the Arch