Bridges of the American West

Western Bridges

The rugged terrain of the American West threatened to leave this vast region isolated from the rest of the nation. Difficulties in traversing the high mountains and deep gorges posed seemingly insurmountable obstacles to economic development.

The region westward from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains is characterized by towering mountains, deep gorges, rolling rivers, wide waterways, abrupt crevices. These posed barriers that prevented the shipment of goods and vital connections between communities that were in close proximity to each other yet separated by many miles. Deep and vast canyons isolated towns from each other that were only a "stone's throw" from their neighbors. The difficult undertaking of building bridges provided the key to connecting these communities.

Bridges cropped up all over the West to facilitate connections and economic development. Reasons for building them ranged from closing chasms between neighbors to providing outlandish tourist attractions. In at least one case, a famous bridge was dismantled, moved across an ocean, through the Panama Canal and over the desert only to be reassembled as a razzle-dazzle entrance to a real estate development on the west coast of Arizona.

Here are a few examples of the many bridges one might discover in the American West. Enjoy this brief tour and check out the Resources page for more information.

Arch Bridges	Beam Bridges	Suspension Bridges

Bixby Bridge Spans Bixby Canyon on California's Big Sur coastal highway. London Bridge Moved from London to Arizona as a real estate gimmick. Navajo Bridge Spans Marble Canyon at the eastern end of the Grand Canyon.	Fishing Bridge Located where the Yellowstone River emerges from Yellowstone Lake. Camas Prairie Railroad Trestle Highway 95 in northern Idaho runs under this high timber trestle. Hood Canal Floating Bridge Connects the Olympic Peninsula with the Kitsap Peninsula.	Golden Gate Bridge Without the bridge allowed for San Francisco's growth to the north. Royal Gorge Bridge Enhance the appeal of Colorado's Royal Gorge as a tourist attraction. Tacoma Narrows Bridge Original bridge collapsed, which led to the name "Gallopin' Gertie."