Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
September 10, 1932 In northwestern Massachusetts, a newly built bridge crossing the Connecticut River was opened. The French King Bridge serves as a link between the towns of Erving and Gill. This bridge was named after French King Rock, a nearby geographical feature. Approximately 15,000 people showed up on that Saturday for the inaugural festivities... Continue Reading →
September 9, 1963 More than a century after it had first gone into service, Linley Hall station on the Severn Valley Railway line in England’s West Midlands region was permanently closed. This railway station was opened on February 1, 1862. It had been built at the behest of Thomas C. Whitmore (1807-1865), a prominent local... Continue Reading →
August 29, 1998 A dedication ceremony was held for the Chief Standing Bear Memorial Bridge, which spans the Missouri River at the boundary between Nebraska and South Dakota. Approximately 3,000 people turned out for those Saturday afternoon festivities. The ceremony took place on the South Dakota side of that bridge and involved public officials from both... Continue Reading →
August 12, 2004 In Greece, a bridge crossing the Gulf of Corinth (an inlet of the Ionian Sea) was opened to the public. This bridge serves as a link between the towns of Rio (also known as Rion) on the Pelponnese peninsula and Antirrio on the country’s western mainland. The Rio-Antirrio Bridge carries the Greek... Continue Reading →
July 30, 1977 A girder bridge in the city of Taranto in southern Italy’s Apulia region was formally opened to traffic. This 6,263-foot (1,909-meter)-long vehicular bridge crosses the Gulf of Taranto and serves as a link between the city’s areas of Punta Penna and Punta Pizzone. The bridge was built to accommodate the increasingly heavy... Continue Reading →
July 26, 1820 A dedication ceremony was held for the Union Chain Bridge spanning the River Tweed and serving as a link between the village of Horncliffe in England and the parish of Fishwick in Scotland. At the time of its opening, this structure – with a length of 449 feet (137 meters) – was... Continue Reading →
April 29, 2021 A pedestrian suspension bridge in the vicinity of northern Portugal’s municipality of Arouca was first opened. With a length of 1,693 feet (516 meters), this structure is one of the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridges. This bridge was named “Arouca 516” in reference to both its measurement in meters and the municipality... Continue Reading →
April 18, 1889 The original version of Read Bridge in Singapore first went into service. Construction on this bridge began in 1881 and it was built across the part of the Singapore River that is within the area known as Clarke Quay. At the time of Read Bridge’s debut, Singapore was one of the British... Continue Reading →
February 12, 2010 Wilford Suspension Bridge, located in the city and unitary authority area of Nottingham in England’s region of East Midlands, was formally reopened at 12:30 p.m. to the public after an extensive restoration. This structure crosses the River Trent and actually serves as a combined suspension bridge and aqueduct. Wilford Suspension Bridge connects... Continue Reading →
January 22, 1960 A steel girder bridge in Pennsylvania’s capital city of Harrisburg was officially opened. The multi-lane John Harris Bridge carries Interstate 83 and that region’s Capital Beltway across the Susquehanna River. This bridge was specifically named after John Harris Sr. (1673-1748), a prominent trader and ferry operator in that area. Harrisburg was likewise... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 