Suspension Bridges Completed 1860-1869

This is a list of all 63 bridges from the suspension bridge inventory completed in the decade 1860-1869. Wherever you see a Bridgemeister ID number click it to isolate the bridge on its own page.

Related Lists:

1860: Allegheny River

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA - Allegheny River
Bridgemeister ID:59 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1860
Name:Allegheny River
Also Known As:Sixth Street, St. Clair
Location:Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Allegheny River
Principals:John A. Roebling
References:BOB, BOP, BPL, HBE, PBR, PTS2, SJR
Use:Vehicular, with walkway
Status:Replaced, 1892
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:4
Main Spans:2 x 104.9 meters (344 feet)
Side Spans:2 x 52.1 meters (171 feet)
Deck width:40 feet

Notes:

  • BPL cites this bridge as the first suspension bridge with metal towers. However, at least two earlier suspension bridges (1857 Watertown, New York and 1856 Bidwell Bar, California) are known to have metal towers and even Roebling's 1846 Smithfield Street Bridge in Pittsburgh had cast iron towers.
  • Next to 1884 North Side (Seventh Street) - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

External Links:

Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg

1860: Auburn-Coloma

Auburn and Coloma, California, USA - North Fork American River
Bridgemeister ID:274 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1860
Name:Auburn-Coloma
Location:Auburn and Coloma, California, USA
Crossing:North Fork American River
Principals:John Mollett
References:PTS2
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

Postcard, courtesy of Kevin Walsh

1860: Grand Falls

Grand Falls, New Brunswick, Canada - St. John River
Bridgemeister ID:60 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1860
Name:Grand Falls
Location:Grand Falls, New Brunswick, Canada
Crossing:St. John River
Principals:James Tomlinson
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular (two-lane)
Status:Replaced, 1915
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 63.9 meters (209.75 feet)
Deck width:16 feet

Notes:

  • Out of use, 1912.
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1860: Lascellas

Lascellas, Huesca, Spain - Rio Alcanadre
Bridgemeister ID:4718 (added 2020-06-26)
Year Completed:1860
Name:Lascellas
Location:Lascellas, Huesca, Spain
Crossing:Rio Alcanadre
Coordinates:42.096776 N 0.107794 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Deck wrecked circa 1939. Bridge appears to have been replaced soon after.

External Links:


1860: Ponte delle Catene

Fornoli, Bagni di Lucca and Chifenti, Italy - Lima River
Bridgemeister ID:411 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1860
Name:Ponte delle Catene
Also Known As:Catena, Bridge of Chains
Location:Fornoli, Bagni di Lucca and Chifenti, Italy
Crossing:Lima River
Coordinates:44.006048 N 10.562356 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Lorenzo Nottolini, Bettino Ricasoli
References:BC2, BC3
Use:Vehicular
Status:Restricted to foot traffic (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Damaged during WWII, rebuilt 1953.

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1860: Port Gibson

Grindstone Ford, Port Gibson vicinity, Mississippi, USA - Bayou Pierre
Bridgemeister ID:1659 (added 2005-03-19)
Year Completed:1860
Name:Port Gibson
Location:Grindstone Ford, Port Gibson vicinity, Mississippi, USA
Crossing:Bayou Pierre
References:PTS2
Status:Removed, circa 1920's

Notes:

  • Partially burned by retreating Confederate troops May 2nd, 1863 during the Vicksburg Campaign of the Civil War. Union troops extinquished the fire and quickly repaired the bridge.
  • Demolished, circa 1920's. Descriptions for the Vicksburg Campaign imply there may have been another suspension bridge in the Port Gibson area.

1861: Connellsville

Connellsville and New Haven, Pennsylvania, USA - Youghiogheny River
Bridgemeister ID:278 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1861
Name:Connellsville
Location:Connellsville and New Haven, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Youghiogheny River
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Postcard, collection of David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1861: Gauley River

Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, USA - Gauley River
Bridgemeister ID:2123 (added 2006-09-17)
Year Completed:1861
Name:Gauley River
Location:Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, USA
Crossing:Gauley River
Principals:John W. Murphy
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1862
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

  • Don Sayenga writes:
    "It was built in great haste out of military necessity utilizing abutments and piers of an earlier wooden bridge that had been burnt by a unit of the Confederate Army commanded by Gen. John B. Floyd. This occurred just after the fight known as the Battle of Carnifex Ferry on September 10, 1861. Later the Confederate Army recaptured the bridge location and burnt the new one also. The designer/builder was John W. Murphy (1828-1874) who was working as an engineer in Alabama when the war began in 1861. He held a Civil Engineer degree from Rensselaer. Murphy's concept involved multiple factory-made wire ropes as main cables combined with wooden bracing. The exact location of the bridge seems to have been called the New River Cliffs but I haven't found this on a map. Photos of the bridge came into the possession of Prof. George Plympton, an associate of Murphy's in the latter part of his career. Plympton presented a paper about bridges in 1894 reported by The Railroad Gazette August 24. The photos were given to the Gazette - one of their artists converted the photos to pen-and-ink drawings for publication in the issue of November 9, 1894, p. 773."
    Don transcribed the following:

    The Railroad Gazette, August 24, 1894, Page 579.
    "Prof. Plympton then related two reminiscences of bridge building between 1852 and 1861...The other instance was the building of a military suspension bridge over the Gauley River in 1861. The government called for a bridge of sufficient strength to permit the passage of General Rosecrans corps, allowing twenty-four days' time. The abutments and piers of the former bridge remained in good condition. Murphy submitted an original plan, which was accepted. The plans were drawn up by Mr. Murphy on the cars, while he was traveling to Washington to submit his ideas to the United States army en gineers. The plans were accepted and Murphy at once went to work. Four one-inch wire ropes, laid side by side, formed his cables. A pyramidal tower was constructed of heavy timbers, and in place of suspending rods a loosely-formed truss was hung upon the cable without fastening. This truss, connected with the floor of the bridge, was finished on the 22nd day after receiving the order to build."
    Proceedings of the Franklin Institute, October 21, 1874, Page 306.
    "It was a suspension bridge 520 feet in length, 10 feet roadway, consisting of three spans, supported by eight cables. There was some doubt in the mind of the commanding officer that it would answer the purpose...To test it ...he asked that a battalion be ordered to make a charge over it, which was done, to the satisfaction of the General in command...it afterwards passed and repassed the whole command as long as they occupied that portion of the country. A change of base put it into the possession of the Confederates who burnt it down."
  • An article in the July 15, 1951 edition of The Charleston Daily Mail describes the bridge and its demise:
    "After the Confederate forces had retreated and burned the old covered bridge, the Federal engineers constructed a make-shift bridge across the Gauley. There are pictures in existence showing this light, cable bridge erected on the old piers of the original bridge. This structure was cut down Sept. 11, 1862, when the Federals retreated from an attack by Confederate Gen. W. W. Loring, who routed the Unionists from the valley for a brief time."
  • Jakkula has an 1862 entry for "Gauley River Bridge" with little information, citing the American Railroad Journal, Vol. 37, No. 1472, July 2, 1864, p.651: "A suspension bridge built over the Gauley River, Virginia, by the Government in 1862." It is unclear if this reference is for the same bridge.

1861: Gray

Gray, Haute-Saône, France - Saône River
Bridgemeister ID:1127 (added 2004-01-14)
Year Completed:1861
Name:Gray
Location:Gray, Haute-Saône, France
Crossing:Saône River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Postcard, collection of David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1861: Portsmouth

Portsmouth, Ohio, USA - Scioto River
Bridgemeister ID:61 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1861
Name:Portsmouth
Location:Portsmouth, Ohio, USA
Crossing:Scioto River
Principals:Max J. Becker
References:EOV
Status:Removed

Notes:


1861: Weitchpec

Weitchpec, California, USA - Klamath River
Bridgemeister ID:1090 (added 2004-01-01)
Year Completed:1861
Name:Weitchpec
Location:Weitchpec, California, USA
Crossing:Klamath River
Principals:Andrew S. Hallidie
References:DSL200106
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:


1862: (footbridge)

Greystead, England, United Kingdom - River North Tyne
Bridgemeister ID:1252 (added 2004-02-21)
Year Completed:1862
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Greystead, England, United Kingdom
Crossing:River North Tyne
Coordinates:55.169017 N 2.353408 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:Extant (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Chain
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

  • Bridges on the Tyne. "Built to connect with Thorneyburn station on the Border Counties Railway."

1862: (suspension bridge)

California, USA - Trinity River
Bridgemeister ID:1093 (added 2004-01-01)
Year Completed:1862
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:California, USA
Crossing:Trinity River
Principals:Andrew S. Hallidie
References:DSL200106
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

1862: (suspension bridge)

California, USA - Stanislaus River
Bridgemeister ID:1094 (added 2004-01-01)
Year Completed:1862
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:California, USA
Crossing:Stanislaus River
Principals:Andrew S. Hallidie
References:DSL200106
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

1862: (suspension bridge)

California, USA - Tuolumne River
Bridgemeister ID:1095 (added 2004-01-01)
Year Completed:1862
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:California, USA
Crossing:Tuolumne River
Principals:Andrew S. Hallidie
References:DSL200106
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire

1862: (suspension bridge)

McCourtney's Crossing, California, USA - Bear River
Bridgemeister ID:1092 (added 2004-01-01)
Year Completed:1862
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:McCourtney's Crossing, California, USA
Crossing:Bear River
Principals:Andrew S. Hallidie
References:DSL200106
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

1862: Bessan

Bessan, Hérault, France - Hérault River
Bridgemeister ID:1938 (added 2005-10-29)
Year Completed:1862
Name:Bessan
Location:Bessan, Hérault, France
Crossing:Hérault River
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1862: Chatham

Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA - Rappahannock River
Bridgemeister ID:271 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1862
Name:Chatham
Location:Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA
Crossing:Rappahannock River
Coordinates:38.304981 N 77.456280 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Washington A. Roebling
References:GB
Status:Destroyed
Main Cables:Wire

Notes:

  • After several attempts by the Union Army to restore Rappahannock River bridges near Fredericksburg with pontoon bridges during the Civil War, Washington Roebling built a temporary wire suspension bridge on the piers of the former Chatham Bridge. The suspension bridge may have had twelve or more suspended spans (the former Chatham Bridge supposedly had 13 piers). Started July 1 and completed July 18, it survived less than two months, destroyed on September 1, 1862 by an evacuating Union Army.

External Links:


1862: Gloucester Street

Christchurch, New Zealand - Avon River
Bridgemeister ID:655 (added 2003-03-08)
Year Completed:1862
Name:Gloucester Street
Location:Christchurch, New Zealand
Crossing:Avon River
References:GAP

1862: Lambeth

London, England, United Kingdom - River Thames
Bridgemeister ID:829 (added 2003-05-31)
Year Completed:1862
Name:Lambeth
Location:London, England, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Thames
Principals:P. W. Barlow
References:BRB, HBE, ONF, PTS2
Use:Vehicular, with walkway
Status:Replaced, 1932
Suspended Spans:3
Main Spans:3 x 81.7 meters (268 feet)

External Links:

Stereograph card, collection of David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1862: Pine Street

Nevada City, California, USA - Deer Creek
Bridgemeister ID:62 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1862
Name:Pine Street
Location:Nevada City, California, USA
Crossing:Deer Creek
Principals:Andrew S. Hallidie
References:DSL200106
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Photo courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

1862: Rattlesnake Bar

Folsom vicinity, California, USA - American River
Bridgemeister ID:1091 (added 2004-01-01)
Year Completed:1862
Name:Rattlesnake Bar
Location:Folsom vicinity, California, USA
Crossing:American River
At or Near Feature:Rattlesnake Bar
Coordinates:38.814397 N 121.091726 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Andrew S. Hallidie
References:DSL200106
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Collapsed, December 21, 1954
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • The location of Rattlesnake Bar is closer to present-day Auburn than Folsom, near the location of Goose Flat marked on modern topographical maps of the region. The area was inundated during the creation of Folsom Lake, but the piers and abutments of the Rattlesnake Bar bridge are visible when the water level is low.
  • Rodi Lee writes: "[The bridge] collapsed in 1954 when an overweight truck filled with manure crossed it. The driver was unhurt. There are newspaper articles about the incident (Auburn Journal, Auburn). There are some photos in the article as well. The bridge abutments show when the the lake water is low. The bridge was upstream of Wild Goose Flats."
  • See 1855 Whiskey Bar (Pioneer, Whisky) - El Dorado County, California, USA. The cables of the Rattlesnake Bar bridge were reportedly reused from the damaged Whiskey Bar bridge.

External Links:

Photo courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Photo by Jerry Van Lengen Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1863: Alexandra

Spuzzum, British Columbia, Canada - Fraser River
Bridgemeister ID:63 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1863
Name:Alexandra
Also Known As:Trutch's
Location:Spuzzum, British Columbia, Canada
Crossing:Fraser River
Principals:Andrew S. Hallidie, Joseph W. Trutch
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed, 1912
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Main Span:1 x 82 meters (269 feet)

Notes:

Sketch by Franklin Leonard Pope, courtesy of Kathy Latini

1863: Confolent

Confolent, Beauzac vicinity and Saint-Marice-de-Lignon, Haute-Loire, France - Loire River
Bridgemeister ID:412 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1863
Name:Confolent
Also Known As:Lignon
Location:Confolent, Beauzac vicinity and Saint-Marice-de-Lignon, Haute-Loire, France
Crossing:Loire River
Coordinates:45.258031 N 4.144228 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Adolphe Boulland
References:BPF
Use:Vehicular (one-lane), with walkway
Status:In use (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Cables damaged 1913, 1921. Refurbished 1922.

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1863: Lamb's

Latrobe vicinity and Plymouth vicinity, California, USA - Cosumnes River
Bridgemeister ID:2117 (added 2006-09-10)
Year Completed:1863
Name:Lamb's
Location:Latrobe vicinity and Plymouth vicinity, California, USA
Crossing:Cosumnes River
Coordinates:38.52222 N 120.95587 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Derelict (last checked: 2020)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • The location coordinates provided here are the approximate location of this bridge, crossing the Cosumnes between present day El Dorado and Amador counties at Michigan Bar (as named on USGS topographical maps) on current Latrobe Road where Clark Creek meets the Cosumnes River. Note that USGS topographical maps show another, more prominently marked, "Michigan Bar" a few miles west in Sacramento County.
  • A California Highways and Public Works article (unsure of exact citation but it may be the article on the history of California bridges that appeared in the 1941 June issue and was reprinted in the 1950 September/October issue) says "there were four [suspension bridges] on the Cosumnes River, one of which (Lamb's Bridge on the Latrobe-Plymouth Road) killed one man and seven horses when it fell in 1869."
  • The October 14, 1976 edition of The Mountain Democrat Times (Placerville, California) has an article about the nearby Huse Bridge (from the Heritage Association of El Dorado) which mentions Lamb's Bridge: "...Lamb's Bridge, several miles downriver, was reconstructed in 1872 and was also a wire bridge of the same type [as Huse's]."
  • The Statutes of California passed at the Fourteenth Session of the Legislature, 1863 records: "Chapter XLI. An Act to grant to Larkin Lamb and his Associates the right to construct and maintain a Toll Bridge across the Cosumnes River, in the Counties of Amador and El Dorado. Approved March 6, 1863. The People of the State of California, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: Section 1. Larkin Lamb, and those he may associate with him, their heirs and assigns, shall have full power to build, erect, construct, and maintain a public toll bridge across the Cosumnes River, at a point about eighty (80) rods below Dutch Hill;..."
  • A November 12, 2017 article in Ledger Dispatch (of Amador and Calaveras counties) titled "Vestiges of Amador-Communities Along the Cosumnes, Part VI: The Lower Reaches - Michigan Bar to Wisconsin Bar" by Deborah Coleen Cook gives a more complete history of Lamb's bridge citing the enactment (February 9, 1863) of the bill to permit construction, construction completing six months later, failure of one of the cables in 1869 under the weight of a large freight wagon, and another cable/anchorage failure in 1872 while the bridge was undergoing major repairs.
  • See 1852 Huse - Yeomet, California, USA.
  • See 1852 Wilson's - Cosumne, California, USA.
Photo by Stephen Porten Photo by Sheila Elworthy

1863: Ponsonnas

Ponsonnas, Isère, France - Drac River
Bridgemeister ID:1079 (added 2003-12-29)
Year Completed:1863
Name:Ponsonnas
Location:Ponsonnas, Isère, France
Crossing:Drac River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced, 1941
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 123 meters (403.5 feet)

Notes:

  • Replaced by a 1941 arch bridge that is popular with bungee jumpers.

External Links:

Postcard, collection of David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1863: Rousset

Rousset, Curbans vicinity, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes, France - Durance River
Bridgemeister ID:2063 (added 2006-06-06)
Year Completed:1863
Name:Rousset
Location:Rousset, Curbans vicinity, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes, France
Crossing:Durance River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1864: (suspension bridge)

Porta Westfalica, Germany - Weser River
Bridgemeister ID:637 (added 2003-02-13)
Year Completed:1864
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:Porta Westfalica, Germany
Crossing:Weser River
References:BRU, PTS2
Use:Rail and Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, April 3, 1945
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • At the time of completion, the bridge connected the villages of Barkhausen and Hausberge, later merged into Porta Westfalica.
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1864: Archidiacre

Venterol, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Valserres, Hautes-Alpes, France - Durance River
Bridgemeister ID:4690 (added 2020-06-20)
Year Completed:1864
Name:Archidiacre
Also Known As:Venterol
Location:Venterol, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Valserres, Hautes-Alpes, France
Crossing:Durance River
Coordinates:44.475805 N 6.111924 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Demolished, 2010
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1864: Aspern

Vienna, Austria
Bridgemeister ID:3076 (added 2019-10-26)
Year Completed:1864
Name:Aspern
Location:Vienna, Austria
Coordinates:48.211858 N 16.383001 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Friedrich Schnirch
References:AAJ, PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Demolished, 1913
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1864: Clifton

Bristol, England, United Kingdom - River Avon
Bridgemeister ID:413 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1864
Name:Clifton
Location:Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Avon
Coordinates:51.45496 N 2.62781 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Isambard K. Brunel, P.W. Barlow, Hawkshaw
References:AOB, BBR, BC3, BEM, BMA, BOU, BRB, CTW, HBE, NTB, ONF, PTS2
Use:Vehicular, with walkway
Status:In use (last checked: 2021)
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 214 meters (702 feet)

Notes:

External Links:

Photo by David Denenberg Photo by Bill Campbell Photo by Cath Brown Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1864: Franklin

Franklin, Pennsylvania, USA - Allegheny River
Bridgemeister ID:3186 (added 2019-11-09)
Year Completed:1864
Name:Franklin
Location:Franklin, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Allegheny River
Principals:John Murphy
References:AAJ
Status:Destroyed, 1870

Notes:

  • 1870: Cable ends caught fire precipitating collapse, killing two.

1864: Taieri River

Outram, New Zealand - Taieri River
Bridgemeister ID:656 (added 2003-03-08)
Year Completed:1864
Name:Taieri River
Also Known As:West Taieri
Location:Outram, New Zealand
Crossing:Taieri River
Principals:John Turnbull Thomson
References:GAP
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced, 1966
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:4
Main Spans:2
Side Spans:2

External Links:


1865: Market Street

Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA - Susquehanna River
Bridgemeister ID:64 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1865
Name:Market Street
Location:Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Susquehanna River
Principals:Alfred P. Boller
References:AAJ, JFI186604
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, June 1, 1889
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:5
Main Spans:5 x 61 meters (200 feet)

Notes:

Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg

1865: Moulin

Vernosc-lès-Annonay, Ardèche, France - Cance River
Bridgemeister ID:4553 (added 2020-05-31)
Year Completed:1865
Name:Moulin
Location:Vernosc-lès-Annonay, Ardèche, France
Crossing:Cance River
Coordinates:45.210908 N 4.703327 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Structurae equates this bridge (which was replaced in 2012-2013) to the famous Seguin Brothers test structure at Annonay. Other sources suggest the derelict bridge replaced in 2012-2013 only dated to the 1860s. The detailed description and depiction of the Seguin's Annonay bridge in Tom F. Peters book on early 19th-century suspension bridges definitely does not resemble the 19th-century Moulin bridge. Peters describes the 1822-1823 Seguin bridge as a very narrow, very light, catwalk-style bridge. Peters additionally describes the main cables: "It had a single continuous parallel wire cable made of eight 1.23mm (no. 8 gauge) wires."
  • Replaced by 2013 Moulin - Vernosc-lès-Annonay, Ardèche, France.
  • See 1822 (footbridge) - Annonay, Ardèche, France.

External Links:


1866: (suspension bridge)

Nashville and Edgefield, Tennessee, USA - Cumberland River
Bridgemeister ID:1965 (added 2005-11-20)
Year Completed:1866
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:Nashville and Edgefield, Tennessee, USA
Crossing:Cumberland River
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed, 1884
Main Cables:Wire

Notes:


1866: Cessenon-sur-Orb

Cessenon-sur-Orb, Hérault, France - Orb River
Bridgemeister ID:7460 (added 2022-12-24)
Year Completed:1866
Name:Cessenon-sur-Orb
Location:Cessenon-sur-Orb, Hérault, France
Crossing:Orb River
Coordinates:43.451360 N 3.046595 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Replaced
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1867: (suspension bridge)

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA - Rio Grande
Bridgemeister ID:5559 (added 2020-12-18)
Year Completed:1867
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Crossing:Rio Grande
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire

Notes:

  • Likely completed 1867.

External Links:


1867: (suspension bridge)

Mataura, New Zealand
Bridgemeister ID:657 (added 2003-03-08)
Year Completed:1867
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:Mataura, New Zealand
Principals:John Turnbull Thomson
References:GAP

1867: Corrieshalloch

Braemore, Scotland, United Kingdom - Corrieshalloch Gorge
Bridgemeister ID:1308 (added 2004-04-10)
Year Completed:1867
Name:Corrieshalloch
Location:Braemore, Scotland, United Kingdom
Crossing:Corrieshalloch Gorge
At or Near Feature:Falls of Measach
Coordinates:57.755753 N 5.021048 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:John Fowler
References:AAJ, HBR
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2022)
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 25.1 meters (82.5 feet)

Notes:

  • 2022, May: Closed again for maintenance and inspection, reopened by month's end.
  • AAJ lists the bridge at "Corry Halloch" bridge completed in 1875. Other sources mention 1867, and 1874.
  • 1977: Anchorages replaced (HBR).
  • 2021: Closed September 10 due to safety concerns. Repaired and re-opened in October.
Photo by Andrew Holbrook Photo by David Denenberg

1867: Doldowlod

Doldowlod, Llandrindod Wells, Wales, United Kingdom - River Wye
Bridgemeister ID:5085 (added 2020-09-04)
Year Completed:1867
Name:Doldowlod
Also Known As:Llanwrthyl, Ystrad
Location:Doldowlod, Llandrindod Wells, Wales, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Wye
Coordinates:52.244210 N 3.462324 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:William Dredge
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2018)
Main Cables:Rod (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Dredge patent bridge, possibly completed by his son William Dredge.

External Links:


1867: John A. Roebling

Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky, USA - Ohio River
Bridgemeister ID:65 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1867
Name:John A. Roebling
Also Known As:Cincinnati, Cincinnati and Covington
Location:Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky, USA
Crossing:Ohio River
Coordinates:39.09167 N 84.50833 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:John A. Roebling
References:BAAW, BC3, BOB, BPL, COB, EOV, HBE, LAB, LACE, ONF, PTS2, SJR, TOB
Use:Vehicular (two-lane), with walkway
Status:Closed, February, 2021 (last checked: 2021)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1 x 322.2 meters (1,057 feet)
Side Spans:2

Notes:

External Links:

Photo by David Denenberg Photo by Wayne Grodkiewicz Photo by Patrick S. O'Donnell Photo by David Denenberg Photo by David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1867: Mosquito Road

Placerville, California, USA - South Fork American River
Bridgemeister ID:2323 (added 2007-05-06)
Year Completed:1867
Name:Mosquito Road
Location:Placerville, California, USA
Crossing:South Fork American River
Coordinates:38.775791 N 120.748441 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced
Main Cables:Wire

Notes:

  • The February 23, 1995 edition of the Mountain Democrat (Placerville, California) has an article about the Mosquito crossing that mentions: "According to the El Dorado County History of 1883 by Paolo Sioli, 'Mosquito is connected to Placerville by a good wagon-road and a suspension bridge across the South Fork of the American River, a trail is running in the direction of Kelsey, the township center... The original bridge was constructed in 1867, and according to Orval Beckett, as quoted in the booklet, Mosquito Memories, 'This original bridge had no banisters on the sides. It was a suspension cable with No. 9 telephone wires strung between the supports. When you drove onto the bridge, it would 'swing and sway' much like we have seen in the movies. When one end went down the other went up, etc. Imagine the thrill!'"
  • Replaced by 1939 Mosquito Road - Placerville, California, USA.

1867: Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

Paris, France
Bridgemeister ID:516 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1867
Name:Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Location:Paris, France
At or Near Feature:Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Coordinates:48.880933 N 2.381533 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:AAJ
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2021)
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 61 meters (200 feet)

External Links:

Postcard, collection of David Denenberg Photo by David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1867: Public Garden

Boston, Massachusetts, USA - Public Garden lagoon
Bridgemeister ID:245 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1867
Name:Public Garden
Location:Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Crossing:Public Garden lagoon
Coordinates:42.354119 N 71.069920 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:William Gibbons Preston, Clemens Herschel
References:HBE
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1
Side Spans:2

External Links:

Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg Photo by Wayne Grodkiewicz Photo by David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1868: (suspension bridge)

Afton, New York, USA - Susquehanna River
Bridgemeister ID:66 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1868
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:Afton, New York, USA
Crossing:Susquehanna River
Principals:G. W. & J. V. V. Fishler, James Crowell
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 110.3 meters (362 feet)
Deck width:16 feet

Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1868: Blue Lick Springs

Kentucky, USA - Licking River
Bridgemeister ID:2659 (added 2019-03-09)
Year Completed:1868
Name:Blue Lick Springs
Location:Kentucky, USA
Crossing:Licking River
Coordinates:38.422314 N 83.999076 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • 1897: Replaced by two-span truss bridge that is still (as of 2019) at the same location. The truss bridge was built between the main suspension bridge cables and, apparently, the suspension bridge remained standing for several years.

1868: Calloway's Ford

Elizabethtown vicinity, Hamilton County, Ohio, USA - Whitewater River
Bridgemeister ID:68 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1868
Name:Calloway's Ford
Also Known As:Whitewater, Harrison's
Location:Elizabethtown vicinity, Hamilton County, Ohio, USA
Crossing:Whitewater River
Coordinates:39.183116 N 84.792638 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:John Gray, Morse, Young
References:EOV
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed, 1920
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Main Span:1 x 144.8 meters (475 feet)
Deck width:22 feet

Notes:

  • This bridge was located where present-day Suspension Bridge Road crosses the Whitewater River next to I-275 and north of US50. According to information provided by Sharon Lutz from Marjorie Byrnside Burress, this bridge was renamed "Harrison's Suspension Bridge" in 1891. This should not be confused with the nearby suspension bridge at Harrison.
  • According to the information provided by Sharon Lutz from Marjorie Byrnside Burress, "Crossing this bridge was the main thoroughfare from Indiana into Ohio for many years (US 50 was not completed by then). [In 1920] it was decided that the Suspension Bridge had become obsolete and could no longer safely withstand the weight of vehicles. [On May 19, 1920] the cables were severed by means of an oxygen flame, the weight of the cables pulled down some towers. Other towers were weakened by dynamite at their bases and later they were pulled down by the weight of the cables severed at one end with an oxygen flame."
  • See 1873 Harrison - Harrison, Ohio and Dearborn County, Indiana, USA.
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1868: Carpenter's Point

Port Jervis, New Jersey, USA - Neversink River
Bridgemeister ID:2251 (added 2007-03-31)
Year Completed:1868
Name:Carpenter's Point
Location:Port Jervis, New Jersey, USA
Crossing:Neversink River
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Replaced, 1929
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Was at location of current Tri-States Bridge.

1868: Eiserner Steg

Frankfurt, Germany - Main River
Bridgemeister ID:6429 (added 2021-08-11)
Year Completed:1868
Name:Eiserner Steg
Also Known As:Eiserne Steg
Location:Frankfurt, Germany
Crossing:Main River
Coordinates:50.108108 N 8.682128 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Peter Schmick
References:AAJ, PTS2
Use:Footbridge
Status:Replaced, 1912
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1
Side Spans:2

Notes:

  • A "stiffened" braced chain suspension bridge. Like several other similar eastern European bridges constructed in the late 1800s and early 1900s it is somewhat questionable whether this bridge should be included in a list of suspension bridges. It was replaced in 1912 by a cantilever bridge that resembles the shape and lines of the former suspension bridge.

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1868: High Street

Hamilton, Ohio, USA - Great Miami River
Bridgemeister ID:67 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1868
Name:High Street
Also Known As:Hamilton
Location:Hamilton, Ohio, USA
Crossing:Great Miami River
Principals:John Gray
References:EOV
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:


1868: Skippers Canyon

Maori Point vicinity, New Zealand - Shotover River
Bridgemeister ID:658 (added 2003-03-08)
Year Completed:1868
Name:Skippers Canyon
Location:Maori Point vicinity, New Zealand
Crossing:Shotover River
At or Near Feature:Skippers Canyon
Principals:John Turnbull Thomson
References:GAP
Use:Footbridge
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire

Notes:


1868: Wire

New Portland, Maine, USA - Carrabasset River
Bridgemeister ID:69 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1868
Name:Wire
Location:New Portland, Maine, USA
Crossing:Carrabasset River
Coordinates:44.890783 N 70.0925 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:BC3, BPL, GBD, LAB, RDH
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:In use (last checked: 2023)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 60.5 meters (198.4 feet)

Notes:

  • BPL says c. 1866. Historic landmark plaque at bridge also says 1866.
  • Extensive repairs, 1960.

External Links:

Photo by David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1869: (footbridge)

Salado, Texas, USA - Salado Creek
Bridgemeister ID:920 (added 2003-10-18)
Year Completed:1869
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Salado, Texas, USA
Crossing:Salado Creek
At or Near Feature:Salado College
Use:Footbridge
Status:Destroyed, 1913
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

  • Destroyed by flood, 1913.

1869: Chavanay

Chavanay, Loire and Isère, France - Rhône River
Bridgemeister ID:1702 (added 2005-03-29)
Year Completed:1869
Name:Chavanay
Location:Chavanay, Loire and Isère, France
Crossing:Rhône River
Coordinates:45.417327 N 4.740458 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Only towers remain (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • In 2019, one pair of pylons were still standing on the west bank of the Rhône.
Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1869: Clifton

Niagara Falls, New York, USA and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada - Niagara River
Bridgemeister ID:70 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1869
Name:Clifton
Also Known As:Niagara-Clifton, Falls View, First Falls View
Location:Niagara Falls, New York, USA and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Crossing:Niagara River
Principals:Samuel Keefer
References:AAJ, BPL, HBE, PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced, 1889
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Main Span:1 x 386.6 meters (1,268.3 feet)
Deck width:10 feet

Notes:

External Links:

Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg

1869: Drahtsteg

Passau, Bavaria, Germany - Danube River
Bridgemeister ID:5560 (added 2020-12-19)
Year Completed:1869
Name:Drahtsteg
Location:Passau, Bavaria, Germany
Crossing:Danube River
Coordinates:48.575501 N 13.472755 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:PTS2
Use:Footbridge
Status:Only towers remain, since 1910 (last checked: 2020)
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1869: Lordville

Lordville, New York and Equinunk, Pennsylvania, USA - Delaware River
Bridgemeister ID:71 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1869
Name:Lordville
Location:Lordville, New York and Equinunk, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Delaware River
Coordinates:41.867938 N 75.213785 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:E.F. Farrington
References:BDR, BOL, PTS2
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Destroyed, 1903
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1869: Rudolfova Lávka

Prague, Czechia - Vltava River
Bridgemeister ID:5939 (added 2021-06-29)
Year Completed:1869
Name:Rudolfova Lávka
Also Known As:Rudolfsteg, Kettensteg, Železna Lávka
Location:Prague, Czechia
Crossing:Vltava River
Coordinates:50.090185 N 14.412677 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Karel Veselý, František Schön, Ruston and Co.
References:AAJ, PTS2
Use:Footbridge
Status:Removed, c. 1914
Main Cables:Chain (iron)

Notes:

  • Removed at some point after the adjacent Mánes bridge was opened in 1914.

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1869: San Francisco

Bilbao, Spain
Bridgemeister ID:3645 (added 2020-01-25)
Year Completed:1869
Name:San Francisco
Also Known As:Fueros
Location:Bilbao, Spain
Principals:Sabino Goicoechea
Status:Destroyed, 1874
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Destroyed during the siege of Bilbao by Carlist forces in 1874.

1869: Stadspark

Antwerp, Belgium
Bridgemeister ID:2078 (added 2006-06-10)
Year Completed:1869
Name:Stadspark
Also Known As:City Park
Location:Antwerp, Belgium
Coordinates:51.211054 N 4.414975 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Cail et Halot
References:ISFF
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Main Span:1 x 27.5 meters (90.2 feet)
Deck width:3.5

Notes:

  • Cables and deck replaced, 1976.

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1869: Swinging

Warren and Glade, Pennsylvania, USA - Conewango Creek
Bridgemeister ID:1623 (added 2005-02-27)
Year Completed:1869
Name:Swinging
Location:Warren and Glade, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Conewango Creek
Coordinates:41.847389 N 79.141000 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Footbridge
Status:Replaced, 1904
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

  • Coordinates indicate approximate original location of the bridge.
  • Destroyed by storm soon after completion and rebuilt.
  • Images of America: Warren by Jodi L. Brandon shows an image of this bridge with a caption stating the bridge was moved to Kelletville (in Forest County, Pennsylvania) in 1906.
Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1869: Waco

Waco, Texas, USA - Brazos River
Bridgemeister ID:72 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1869
Name:Waco
Location:Waco, Texas, USA
Crossing:Brazos River
Coordinates:31.561314 N 97.127063 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Thomas M. Griffith
References:AAJ, BC3, BPL, BRAZ, GBD, HAERTX98, HBE, PTS2, WSB
Use:Vehicular, with walkway
Status:Restricted to foot traffic (last checked: 2023)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 144.8 meters (475 feet)
Deck width:18 feet

Notes:

  • 1915: Rebuilt.
  • 2020, October: Closed for restoration project expecting to last 18-24 months.
  • 2021, March: Major restoration project underway, led by Sparks Engineering, Inc.
  • 2023, April: The restored bridge is rededicated on April 22. Patrick Sparks of Sparks Engineering reports: . The rededication was held April 22, 2023. "The project involved full rehabilitation including: replacement of the suspension system and anchor rods, strengthening of the anchorages, replacement of the saddle bearings, retrofit strengthening of the east tower, and deck replacement (concrete on the main deck, tropical hardwood on the side walks)."

External Links:

Photo by Carla Pendergraft Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle Photo courtesy of Sparks Engineering, Inc.


Do you have any information or photos for these bridges that you would like to share? Please email david.denenberg@bridgemeister.com.


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