1813: The Opening of the Colossus – a Record-Setting Wooden Bridge – in Philadelphia

January 7, 1813

A little over eight months after construction on it had begun, a wooden bridge crossing the Schuylkill River in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Fairmount was officially opened. This bridge was built by Lewis Wernwag (1769-1843).

This structure had a clear span of 340 feet and three inches (103.7 meters) and it became best known as the Colossus, a reference to the Colossus of Rhodes statue that was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Colossus was also called both the Fairmount Bridge and – since there had been ferry services in operation in the vicinity as far back as 1693—the Upper Ferry Bridge.

At the time of its debut, the Colossus was the longest single-span wooden bridge in the United States. This structure also became the first long-span bridge to be outfitted with iron rods. The attached engraving of the bridge was created early in its existence by Jacob J. Plocher (?-1820); he based this image on a painting by Thomas Birch (1779-1851).  

The Colossus was a link in the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike, which is widely considered to be the first long-distance paved road in the United States. This bridge remained in service until September 1, 1838, when it was destroyed by fire.

Image Credit: Public Domain

For more information on the Colossus, please check out https://www.structuremag.org/article/the-colossus-of-the-schuylkill-river/