Suspension Bridges 1850-1883 (1-100 of 258)


This is a list of bridges 1 through 100 (of 258 total) in the suspension bridge inventory completed from 1850 through 1883, the year the Brooklyn Bridge was completed. Wherever you see a Bridgemeister ID number click it to isolate the bridge on its own page.

Related Lists:

1850: (footbridge)

Brahesborg Estate, Assens, Denmark
Bridgemeister ID:1487 (added 2004-09-11)
Year Completed:1850
Name:(footbridge)
Location:Brahesborg Estate, Assens, Denmark
Coordinates:55.279684 N 9.950276 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:BC3
Use:Footbridge
Status:Extant (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

1850: (suspension bridge)

Nashville and Edgefield, Tennessee, USA - Cumberland River
Bridgemeister ID:33 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1850
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:Nashville and Edgefield, Tennessee, USA
Crossing:Cumberland River
Principals:Adolphus Heiman, Mathew Dickinson Field
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1862
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Main Span:1 x 164 meters (538 feet)

Notes:

External Links:

Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg

1850: Basteyroux

Argentat, Corrèze, France - Maronne River
Bridgemeister ID:1985 (added 2005-12-02)
Year Completed:1850
Name:Basteyroux
Location:Argentat, Corrèze, France
Crossing:Maronne River
Coordinates:45.082660 N 1.947985 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Restricted to foot traffic (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:2
Main Spans:2

External Links:

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

1850: Brivezac

Brivezac, Corrèze, France - Dordogne River
Bridgemeister ID:1974 (added 2005-11-27)
Year Completed:1850
Name:Brivezac
Location:Brivezac, Corrèze, France
Crossing:Dordogne River
Status:Removed
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1850: Chain

Aarau, Switzerland - Aare River
Bridgemeister ID:4761 (added 2020-06-28)
Year Completed:1850
Name:Chain
Also Known As:Aarau Kettenbrücke
Location:Aarau, Switzerland
Crossing:Aare River
Coordinates:47.395431 N 8.042028 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Jean Gaspard Dollfuss
References:AAJ, PTS2
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Replaced, 1949
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1850: Chambon

Saint-Merd-de-Lapleau, Auriac vicinity, Corrèze, France - Dordogne River
Bridgemeister ID:7029 (added 2022-05-21)
Year Completed:1850
Name:Chambon
Location:Saint-Merd-de-Lapleau, Auriac vicinity, Corrèze, France
Crossing:Dordogne River
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Main Span:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1850: Fleury-d'Aude

Fleury-d'Aude and Salles-d'Aude, Aude, France - Aude River
Bridgemeister ID:1976 (added 2005-11-27)
Year Completed:1850
Name:Fleury-d'Aude
Also Known As:Salles-d'Aude
Location:Fleury-d'Aude and Salles-d'Aude, Aude, France
Crossing:Aude River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1850: Greffier

Le Mans, Sarthe, France - Sarthe River
Bridgemeister ID:4916 (added 2020-07-19)
Year Completed:1850
Name:Greffier
Also Known As:Clerk's, Wire
Location:Le Mans, Sarthe, France
Crossing:Sarthe River
Coordinates:48.001128 N 0.189991 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

  • Destroyed, 1871, to slow the advancing Prussian army.

External Links:


1850: Lamagistère

Lamagistère, Tarn-et-Garonne, France - Garonne River
Bridgemeister ID:7174 (added 2022-07-01)
Year Completed:1850
Name:Lamagistère
Location:Lamagistère, Tarn-et-Garonne, France
Crossing:Garonne River
Coordinates:44.123345 N 0.819394 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1875
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:2
Main Spans:2

Notes:

External Links:


1850: Le Boulou

Le Boulou, Pyrénées-Orientales, France - Tech River
Bridgemeister ID:1704 (added 2005-03-29)
Year Completed:1850
Name:Le Boulou
Location:Le Boulou, Pyrénées-Orientales, France
Crossing:Tech River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Demolished, 1962
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 120 meters (393.7 feet)
Deck width:5.74 meters

External Links:

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

1850: Retournac

Retournac, Haute-Loire, France - Loire River
Bridgemeister ID:4066 (added 2020-03-31)
Year Completed:1850
Name:Retournac
Location:Retournac, Haute-Loire, France
Crossing:Loire River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1866

Notes:


1851: Chadrac

Chadrac, Haute-Loire, France - Loire River
Bridgemeister ID:7864 (added 2023-09-15)
Year Completed:1851
Name:Chadrac
Location:Chadrac, Haute-Loire, France
Crossing:Loire River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1851: High Falls Aqueduct

High Falls, New York, USA - Rondout Creek
Bridgemeister ID:34 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1851
Name:High Falls Aqueduct
Location:High Falls, New York, USA
Crossing:Rondout Creek
Principals:John A. Roebling
References:AAJ, BOB, BPL, RDH, SJR
Use:Aqueduct
Status:Removed, August, 1921
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 44.2 meters (145 feet)

Notes:

External Links:


1851: Lewiston-Queenston

Lewiston, New York, USA and Queenston, Ontario, Canada - Niagara River
Bridgemeister ID:35 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1851
Name:Lewiston-Queenston
Location:Lewiston, New York, USA and Queenston, Ontario, Canada
Crossing:Niagara River
Principals:Edward Serrell
References:AAJ, BOB, BPL, HBE, PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Wrecked, 1864
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 258.8 meters (849 feet)
Deck width:21 feet (AAJ: 19.5 feet)

Notes:

  • Wrecked by wind February 1, 1864. Stay cables beneath the bridge had been disconnected to avoid damage from rising ice. Portions of the cables and deck remained, in a derelict state, as late as 1895. Replacement was not started until the late 1890's.
  • The February 3, 1864 edition of Niagara Falls Gazette describes the wind event: "Partial Destruction Of The Lewiston Suspension Bridge -- A portion of the flooring and other wood-work of the Lewiston Suspension Bridge was blown down during the gale Monday forenoon. It seems that the long guys had been cut during the late ice jam to prevent injury to the structure and thus its strength to withstand a gale was much weakened. The wind swept through the gorge on Monday with terrific force and swayed the bridge so that some of the cross timbers, near the centre were loosened from their fastenings, and fell, of course carrying the floor with them. A large portion at each end, remains without material injury. The extent of the damage -- financially -- we have not yet learned, but we judge from what we hear that it may be about $10,000. The bridge was built in 1852 and cost not far from $40,000. It will doubtless soon be repaired and in use."
  • Later at same location 1899 Lewiston-Queenston - Lewiston, New York, USA and Queenston, Ontario, Canada.
  • See 1849 Wheeling (Wheeling and Belmont) - Wheeling, West Virginia, USA. The 1851 Lewiston-Queenston bridge is sometimes claimed to have become the longest in the world with a main span surpassing the length of the Wheeling suspension bridge. However, Don Sayenga notes the length of the suspended span of the Lewiston-Queenston bridge was only 849 feet, not the 1,043 feet sometimes cited. Don writes: "[1,043 feet] was the distance between the towers built high up on the cliffs above the crossing - because there was no space for them below. The roadway suspended from the towers was only 849 feet span over the water from abutment to abutment." Thus, Roebling's Cincinnati bridge should be considered the first to eclipse Wheeling's record main span.

External Links:

Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg

1851: Neversink Aqueduct

Cuddebackville, New York, USA - Neversink River
Bridgemeister ID:36 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1851
Name:Neversink Aqueduct
Location:Cuddebackville, New York, USA
Crossing:Neversink River
Principals:John A. Roebling
References:AAJ, BOB, RDH, SJR
Use:Aqueduct
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 51.8 meters (170 feet)

Notes:

External Links:


1851: Saint-Just-sur-Loire

Saint-Just-sur-Loire and Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert, Loire, France - Loire River
Bridgemeister ID:2052 (added 2006-06-02)
Year Completed:1851
Name:Saint-Just-sur-Loire
Location:Saint-Just-sur-Loire and Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert, Loire, France
Crossing:Loire River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed, c. 1931
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

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

1851: Sérignan

Sérignan, Béziers vicinity, Hérault, France - Orb River
Bridgemeister ID:2076 (added 2006-06-10)
Year Completed:1851
Name:Sérignan
Location:Sérignan, Béziers vicinity, Hérault, France
Crossing:Orb River
Coordinates:43.285011 N 3.281313 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced, c. 1909
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1851: South Portland

Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom - River Clyde
Bridgemeister ID:404 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1851
Name:South Portland
Also Known As:Carlton
Location:Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Clyde
Coordinates:55.85433 N 4.25618 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Alexander Kirkland, George Martin
References:BEM, NTB
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • 1853 sometimes cited as the year it opened.

External Links:

Photo by Dave Cooper Photo by David Denenberg

1851: Trévoux

Trévoux, Ain and Quincieux, Métropole de Lyon, France - Saône River
Bridgemeister ID:1625 (added 2005-02-27)
Year Completed:1851
Name:Trévoux
Location:Trévoux, Ain and Quincieux, Métropole de Lyon, France
Crossing:Saône River
Coordinates:45.93945 N 4.772417 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Restricted to foot traffic (last checked: 2020)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:2
Main Spans:2

Notes:

  • Partially dismantled, 1982. Restored as a footbridge, 1985.

External Links:

Photo by David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1851: Řetězový

Ostrava, Czechia - Ostravice River
Bridgemeister ID:8428 (added 2024-03-08)
Year Completed:1851
Name:Řetězový
Also Known As:Kettenbrücke
Location:Ostrava, Czechia
Crossing:Ostravice River
Principals:Josef Seifert
References:PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Collapsed, 1886
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Main Span:1

External Links:


1852: (suspension bridge)

Frankfort, Kentucky, USA - Kentucky River
Bridgemeister ID:1714 (added 2005-04-03)
Year Completed:1852
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
Crossing:Kentucky River
Coordinates:38.201998 N 84.881934 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Mathew Dickinson Field
References:AAJ, ENG18570605, HBE, HOF
Use:Rail
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:2
Main Spans:1 x 61 meters (200 feet) estimated,
1 x 91.4 meters (300 feet) estimated

Notes:

  • An early attempt at a railroad suspension bridge, it was significantly reconstructed (because of excessive vibrations and increasing loads) by Julius W. Adams in 1857 to have three spans of 120, 163, and 163 feet. It is unclear whether the new structure was also a suspension bridge.
  • HOF describes the location as "between the foot of Broadway and the neck of land near the mouth of Benson Creek." The coordinates provided here are for the later rail crossing at that general location, likely at or very close to the site of the suspension bridge.

1852: Aamodt

Åmot, Modum, Viken, Norway - Drammenselva
Bridgemeister ID:969 (added 2003-11-01)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Aamodt
Also Known As:Åmot, Aamot
Location:Åmot, Modum, Viken, Norway
Crossing:Drammenselva
Coordinates:59.895203 N 9.913852 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, kart.1881.no, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Dismantled (last checked: 2018)
Main Cables:Eyebar
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 53 meters (173.9 feet)

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1852: Charleston

Charleston, West Virginia, USA - Elk River
Bridgemeister ID:38 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Charleston
Also Known As:Lovell Street
Location:Charleston, West Virginia, USA
Crossing:Elk River
Principals:W. O. Buchanan, William Kuhn, Abraham Wright
References:AAJ, EOV, HBE, PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Collapsed, December 15, 1904
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 145.7 meters (478 feet)
Deck width:17 feet

Notes:

  • Was still part of Virginia at time of completion.
  • Damaged during Civil War. An article in the August 2, 1861 issue of the New York Times mentions: "A junction of our forces having now been effected, the army at once moved on to Elk River, which debouches into the Kanawha at Charleston, where the army encamped for the night. We would have crossed the stream at once, and marched through the town the same evening, but for the fact that the rebels had partially destroyed the beautiful suspension bridge which spans Elk River at this spot, rendering it unsafe for passage. Not content with burning a portion of the flooring, they nearly severed the strands which support the structure, and aid their work, too, in the most bungling manner. A more shameless piece of vandalism I never witnessed. While the army slept, a company of sappers and miners repaired the damage, and yesterday the army, nearly five thousand strong, marched through the streets of Charleston."
  • Near 1884 (suspension bridge) - Charleston, West Virginia, USA.
Print, collection of David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1852: Colgante de Manila

Manila, Philippines - Pasig River
Bridgemeister ID:2112 (added 2006-09-03)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Colgante de Manila
Also Known As:Claveria
Location:Manila, Philippines
Crossing:Pasig River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced, 1940
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 110 meters (360.9 feet)
Deck width:7 meters

Notes:

  • Rene Sumodobila writes: "It had a single lane in each travel way to allow passage of horse-drawn carriages and a pedestrian island in the middle. The Puente Colgante is said to be first suspension bridge in the Far East. The bridge materials were imported from England by Matia Menchacatorre y Cia, a Spanish company, in joint venture with Ayala y Cia, a local company. The contruction was supervised by M. Gabaud, a French engineer. Inaugurated in January 4, 1852, it went into service until 1940 in order to give way to the modern-day Quezon Bridge"

External Links:

Photo courtesy Rene Sumodobila Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1852: Fairmont and Palatine

Fairmont, West Virginia, USA - Monongahela River
Bridgemeister ID:39 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Fairmont and Palatine
Location:Fairmont, West Virginia, USA
Crossing:Monongahela River
Principals:James L. Randolph
References:EOV, PTS2
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

  • Was still part of Virginia at time of completion.
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1852: Gaillac

Gaillac, Tarn, France - Tarn River
Bridgemeister ID:1646 (added 2005-03-18)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Gaillac
Location:Gaillac, Tarn, France
Crossing:Tarn River
At or Near Feature:Abbaye Saint-Michel
Coordinates:43.897361 N 1.894751 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

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

1852: Huse

Yeomet, California, USA - Cosumnes River
Bridgemeister ID:1088 (added 2004-01-01)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Huse
Location:Yeomet, California, USA
Crossing:Cosumnes River
Coordinates:38.55323 N 120.84755 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:E.P. Bowman
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

  • Yeomet was located near the present day California Route 49 crossing of the Cosumnes River by the confluence of the North Fork and Middle Fork of the Cosumnes River. Yeomet was once known as "Forks of the Cosumnes." The location coordinates provided here are only to show the approximate location of the confluence and should not be considered the exact location of the bridge. This inventory entry represents the suspension bridge for which a photograph exists in the Lawrence & Houseworth collection titled "Suspension Bridge over the Cosumnes River, At Yeomet, El Dorado County". This image exists in several online archives.
  • Barry Parr, consulting Erwin Gudde's California Gold Camps (University of California Press), writes that Gudde notes the bridge is located "at Yeomet and says it was marked on the County Map in 1866, and was owned by S.E. Huse for a decade. Of Yeomet, Gudde writes: 'Amador County. At the junction of the forks of Cosumnes River, formerly in El Dorado County'. Gudde says the camp developed in 1849 or 1850 and prospered for a number of years, but says nothing further about the bridge." Barry also notes that some sources cite Yeomet as located in Calaveras County, but this is because Amador County was created in 1854 from Calaveras County. Barry continues: "The California Division of Mines Bulletin 141, Geological Guidebook along Highway 49, mentions the Highway 49 bridge across the Cosumnes as also known as the Huse Bridge."
  • The October 14, 1976 edition of The Mountain Democrat Times (Placerville, California) has an article about the Huse Bridge (from the Heritage Association of El Dorado) describing Huse's Bridge:
    "E.P. Bowman, an early motel keeper in Yeomet had a ferry across the Cosumnes and by 1852 had built a bridge there (J.M. Watrous had a ferry there also). Traffic was heavy and... [the tolls were] as much a 'gold mine' as most of the nearby river claims which ran for miles above and below the town. (Yeomet falls was below the bridge). The famous Mother Lode crossed the river in the vicinity of the town. Samuel Huse bought the bridge at Yeomet in about 1862 and owned it until his death. His widow Laura sold the wire suspension bridge and the exclusive right to collect tolls to John Ballard and W.H. Martin in 1883. William Miller purchased the property in 1887."
    It is unclear if the 1852 E.P. Bowman bridge was the same structure as the suspension bridge purchased by Huse ten years later, but it has been assumed here pending additional details.
  • An obituary for in the August 28, 1949 edition of the Oakland Tribune for Lilian Williams presents a stronger tie between E.P. Bowman and S.E. Huse: "With her foster parents, the E. P. Bowmans, Mrs. Williams spent her childhood in Oakland, San Francisco and Yeomet, between Plymouth and Placerville. Bowman and her foster uncle, S.E. Huse, owned a hotel at Yeomet. They also built and operated a toll bridge there on the Cosumnes River, over which most of the heavy machinery and mining equipment was transported to the old Mother Lode mines."
  • See 1852 Wilson's - Cosumne, California, USA.
  • See 1863 Lamb's - Latrobe vicinity and Plymouth vicinity, California, USA.

External Links:


1852: Mazères-sur-Salat

Mazères-sur-Salat, Haute-Garonne, France - Salat River
Bridgemeister ID:7201 (added 2022-07-04)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Mazères-sur-Salat
Location:Mazères-sur-Salat, Haute-Garonne, France
Crossing:Salat River
Coordinates:43.132556 N 0.975981 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1852: Merle

Merle, Corrèze, France - Maronne River
Bridgemeister ID:3030 (added 2019-10-13)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Merle
Location:Merle, Corrèze, France
Crossing:Maronne River
Coordinates:45.061779 N 2.080386 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Replaced, 1999
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • As of 2019, piers still present beyond the ends of its replacement bridge.
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1852: Pey

Blantyre, Scotland, United Kingdom - River Clyde
Bridgemeister ID:2633 (added 2019-02-24)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Pey
Also Known As:Mill, Toll, Swing
Location:Blantyre, Scotland, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Clyde
Coordinates:55.801972 N 4.081433 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Henry Monteith & Co
Use:Footbridge
Status:Removed (last checked: 1949)
Main Cables:Rod (iron)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1
Side Spans:2

Notes:

  • Dredge patent bridge.
Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1852: Queens Park

Chester and Handbridge, England, United Kingdom - River Dee
Bridgemeister ID:405 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Queens Park
Location:Chester and Handbridge, England, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Dee
Principals:Enoch Gerrard
References:BRB, NTB
Use:Footbridge
Status:Replaced
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1
Side Spans:2

Notes:

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

1852: Saint-Pierre

Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France - Garonne River
Bridgemeister ID:1169 (added 2004-01-23)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Saint-Pierre
Location:Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France
Crossing:Garonne River
Coordinates:43.602179 N 1.434706 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Demolished, 1927
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:4
Main Spans:2
Side Spans:2

Notes:

External Links:

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

1852: St. John

St. John, New Brunswick, Canada - St. John River
Bridgemeister ID:37 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1852
Name:St. John
Location:St. John, New Brunswick, Canada
Crossing:St. John River
Principals:Edward Serrell
References:AAJ, BPL, HBE, PTS2
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Removed, 1915
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 195.1 meters (640 feet)

Notes:

  • Rebuilt 1857.

External Links:

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

1852: Vennes

Liège, Belgium - Meuse Dérivation
Bridgemeister ID:2319 (added 2007-05-05)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Vennes
Also Known As:Boverie, Englebert
Location:Liège, Belgium
Crossing:Meuse Dérivation
Coordinates:50.62959 N 5.57801 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:IBB
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed, 1905 or 1906
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Adjacent replacement completed in 1903. The suspension bridge was still standing at the time of the world's fair (Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Liège) held in Liège in 1905.
  • IBB: Precise construction date unknown, but was in time frame 1852-1864. Other sources cite 1852.
  • Coordinates refer to the current Vennes Bridge. This is the approximate location of the removed suspension bridge.

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1852: Veurey

Veurey-Voroize, Isère, France - Isère River
Bridgemeister ID:4880 (added 2020-07-18)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Veurey
Location:Veurey-Voroize, Isère, France
Crossing:Isère River
Coordinates:45.271117 N 5.621434 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1928
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1852: Wilson's

Cosumne, California, USA - Cosumnes River
Bridgemeister ID:2116 (added 2006-09-10)
Year Completed:1852
Name:Wilson's
Location:Cosumne, California, USA
Crossing:Cosumnes River
Coordinates:38.49229 N 121.17183 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:W. D. Wilson
References:DSL200106
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Main Span:1 x 45.7 meters (150 feet)
Deck width:12 feet

Notes:

  • The location of this bridge was near the present day location of Cosumne in Sacramento County, just east of Sloughhouse. The location coordinates provided here are only to show the approximate location of present-day Cosumne and should not be considered the exact location of the bridge. Don Sayenga writes: "The exact location was at the intersection of [present-day] Dillard Road and State Route 16 a very short distance east of Sloughhouse, Sacramento County, California... The whole area at that time was known as Daylor's Ranch."
  • Don Sayenga notes an F.W. Panhorst (of the California Highway Department) citation:
    "Alta California July 27, 1852 reprinting an article from Sacramento Union mentions a wire suspension bridge built in Sacramento County across the Cosumnes. The span is described as 150 feet with a roadway width of 12 feet. One W.D. Wilson is mentioned as owner and designer. This structure, according to our best information, was the first suspension bridge in California."
  • A January 14, 1862 Sacramento Bee article notes:
    "The quartz mill and house of the brothers Wiley, just beyond Butte City, were carried away by the torrent. At Ione City, William's brick stable had fallen, and several other houses had met with a like fate. On Sutter creek, the loss and damage had been terrific - bridges and houses being carried off like chaff. Mr. Haywood, proprietor of a quartz mill on Sutter creek, had been a loser to the amount of at least $75,000. We have it from good authority that in the counties of Calaveras and Amador not a bridge is left standing. Below Ione City, it is thought that there has been loss of life."

    "Last Saturday night, the reports of minute guns were heard, as if signals of distress, coming from the direction of a house where lived Mr. Martin and his family. The whole of Ione Valley was many feet under water. No boats were to be had, so that assistance might be rendered those in danger and distress. In a short time a heavy crash was heard, the signals of distress ceased, and our informant tells us that when he left the general impression was that Martin and his family had lost their lives. The wire suspension bridge over the Cosumnes river had disappeared - the house known as Wilson’s Exchange has also been washed away, and Daylor’s adobe house is flat with the ground. These facts go to show that throughout the mountain districts, as well as in the valleys, the destruction of property and loss of human life exceed the worst that was anticipated, and we shall hear repetitions of such tales of distress as the avenues for communication are gradually opened to us."
    which seems to imply a relationship between the Ione Valley, the Cosumnes River, and the bridge at Wilson's Exchange, but this may have just been coincidental that both "Ione Valley" and Wilson's Exchange were mentioned in the same paragraph; they are nearby. Present-day Ione is in Amador County a few miles east of Sacramento County. The Cosumnes River forms the northern border of Amador County several miles to the north of present-day Ione. Barry Parr notes that the Cosumnes River does not flow through the "Ione Valley," but Barry writes: "Recalling Daylor’s name in Historic Spots of California: 'Daylor established himself as a trader and hotel-keeper on the Cosumnes River about a mile east of Slough House. This place, which was at first known as Daylor’s Ranch, later became the Cosumnes post office.' (p. 290) The site of Cosumnes post office is about five miles downstream from Bridge House, and both are on the Sacramento-Ione Road.
  • See 1852 Huse - Yeomet, California, USA.
  • See 1863 Lamb's - Latrobe vicinity and Plymouth vicinity, California, USA.

External Links:

  • Oliver Plummer. Transcription by Debbie Walke Gramlick of passage from An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. (by Hon. Win. J. Davis, Lewis Publishing Company, 1890, Pages 435-436) which sheds more light on W.D. Wilson.
    "Mr. Wilson and part of the company concluded to seek the land of gold, while others kept to the original design of going to Oregon. On his arrival Mr. Wilson mined for a short time on Mormon Island and then moved to Hangtown, now Placerville, where in the winter of 1848-49 he built the first house erected in that place. The family then comprised six children; five more were born in California; nine grew to maturity and seven are living in 1889. In the spring of 1850 he moved down on the Cosumnes and purchased 6,000 acres of the Hartnell Grant, and built a tavern, long known as Wilson’s Exchange, across the river from what is now the Cosumnes post office. He was postmaster from the establishment of that office until 1868. He was by trade a millwright and built the first suspension bridge on the Cosumnes."

1853: (suspension bridge)

Delaware, Ohio, USA - Olentangy River
Bridgemeister ID:774 (added 2003-03-14)
Year Completed:1853
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:Delaware, Ohio, USA
Crossing:Olentangy River
At or Near Feature:Winter Street
Principals:John Gray
References:SME20030311
Use:Footbridge
Status:Destroyed, February 1883
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Main Span:1 x 61 meters (200 feet) estimated

Notes:

  • SME20030311: Intended only for foot traffic, destroyed by ice jam February 1883.

1853: (suspension bridge)

Falmouth, Kentucky, USA - Licking River
Bridgemeister ID:42 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1853
Name:(suspension bridge)
Location:Falmouth, Kentucky, USA
Crossing:Licking River
Principals:D. Griffith Smith
References:AAJ, EOV
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Main Span:1 x 98.5 meters (323 feet)

1853: Chain

Ostrov, Pskov Oblast, Russia - Velikaya River
Bridgemeister ID:4644 (added 2020-06-16)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Chain
Also Known As:Tsepnyye, Цепные
Location:Ostrov, Pskov Oblast, Russia
Crossing:Velikaya River
Coordinates:57.340559 N 28.352457 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Restricted to foot traffic (last checked: 2016)
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1853: Chain

Ostrov, Pskov Oblast, Russia - Velikaya River
Bridgemeister ID:4645 (added 2020-06-16)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Chain
Also Known As:Tsepnyye, Цепные
Location:Ostrov, Pskov Oblast, Russia
Crossing:Velikaya River
Coordinates:57.338893 N 28.351235 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Restricted to foot traffic (last checked: 2016)
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1853: Dresden

Dresden, Ohio, USA - Muskingum River
Bridgemeister ID:43 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Dresden
Location:Dresden, Ohio, USA
Crossing:Muskingum River
Principals:George Copland
References:EOV, GBD, OCEN198202
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1913
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1853: Fort Hunter

Tribes Hill and Fort Hunter, New York, USA - Mohawk River
Bridgemeister ID:44 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Fort Hunter
Also Known As:Fonda
Location:Tribes Hill and Fort Hunter, New York, USA
Crossing:Mohawk River
Principals:John W. Murphy, Thomas R. Hulett
References:ONC, PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Dismantled, 1935
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 169.5 meters (556 feet)

Notes:

  • According to ONC: Designed by John W. Murphy (who designed several suspension bridges in the 1850s and 1860s in New York and Pennsylvania). Fort Hunter Suspension Bridge Company incorporated in 1852, but cables were not installed until 1853.
  • 1935: Bridge is dismantled (ONC).
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1853: General's Well

Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom - River Ness
Bridgemeister ID:406 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1853
Name:General's Well
Location:Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Ness
At or Near Feature:Ness Islands
Coordinates:57.460944 N 4.237166 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:James Dredge
References:HBR
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2014)
Main Cables:Rod (iron)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1
Side Spans:2

Notes:

External Links:

Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg Photo by Dave Cooper Photo by David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1853: Island Bank Road

Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom - River Ness
Bridgemeister ID:904 (added 2003-10-11)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Island Bank Road
Location:Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Ness
At or Near Feature:Ness Islands
Principals:James Dredge
References:HBR
Use:Footbridge
Status:Removed

Notes:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1853: Mill Pond

Kingfield, Maine, USA - Carrabasset River
Bridgemeister ID:45 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Mill Pond
Location:Kingfield, Maine, USA
Crossing:Carrabasset River
Principals:Daniel Beedy
References:AAJ, BPL
Use:Vehicular (one-lane), with walkway
Status:Replaced, 1916
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Main Span:1 x 57.9 meters (190 feet)
Deck width:15 feet

Notes:

Photograph, collection of David Denenberg Photograph, collection of David Denenberg

1853: O'Byrne's

Copperopolis vicinity, California, USA - Stanislaus River
Bridgemeister ID:2324 (added 2007-05-06)
Year Completed:1853
Name:O'Byrne's
Location:Copperopolis vicinity, California, USA
Crossing:Stanislaus River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1862

Notes:

  • Different accounts describe this as a chain and wire suspension bridge. Collapsed November, 1853 under weight of oxen team. Rebuilt, but destroyed by flood, 1862. Replaced by a multi-span covered bridge.
  • Name "O'Byrne's" appears to have originated with a "Patrick O. Byrne" who operated a ferry at this location prior to construction of the suspension bridge. After time, it became known as O'Byrne's Ferry.

1853: Parcey

Parcey, Jura, France - Loue River
Bridgemeister ID:2073 (added 2006-06-09)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Parcey
Location:Parcey, Jura, France
Crossing:Loue River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1853: Peney

Peney, Satigny vicinity, Geneva, Switzerland - Rhône River
Bridgemeister ID:1827 (added 2005-05-30)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Peney
Location:Peney, Satigny vicinity, Geneva, Switzerland
Crossing:Rhône River
Principals:Hug
References:AAJ, GHD
Use:Vehicular
Status:Collapsed, May 24, 1853
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 100 meters (328.1 feet)

Notes:

  • GHD describes how Dufour designed the bridge but was replaced (for political reasons) by a novice engineer, Mr. Hug who produced his own design. The bridge collapsed under test loading.
Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1853: Rotto

Rome, Italy - Tiber River
Bridgemeister ID:6833 (added 2021-12-31)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Rotto
Location:Rome, Italy
Crossing:Tiber River
Coordinates:41.889321 N 12.479023 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Pietro Lanciani
Status:Removed, 1887
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • This was a somewhat temporary suspension bridge built on the piers of the ancient Ponte Rotto (Broken Bridge). It appears to have had a braced chain suspension cable design.
Photograph, collection of David Denenberg

1853: Saint-Florent-le-Vieil

Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Maine-et-Loire and Varades, Loire-Atlantique, France - Loire River
Bridgemeister ID:1596 (added 2005-02-06)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Location:Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Maine-et-Loire and Varades, Loire-Atlantique, France
Crossing:Loire River
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire

Notes:

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

1853: Saint-Georges

Lyon, Métropole de Lyon, France - Saône River
Bridgemeister ID:552 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Saint-Georges
Also Known As:Sala
Location:Lyon, Métropole de Lyon, France
Crossing:Saône River
Coordinates:45.757117 N 4.82615 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:AAJ, BPF, PQL
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2022)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 75 meters (246.1 feet)

Notes:

  • Destroyed 1944, rebuilt same year. Reconstructed 1999.

External Links:

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

1853: Saint-Quentin-sur-Isère

Saint-Quentin-sur-Isère, Isère, France - Isère River
Bridgemeister ID:2131 (added 2006-10-22)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Saint-Quentin-sur-Isère
Location:Saint-Quentin-sur-Isère, Isère, France
Crossing:Isère River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

External Links:

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

1853: San Ferdinando

Florence, Italy - Arno River
Bridgemeister ID:7935 (added 2023-10-28)
Year Completed:1853
Name:San Ferdinando
Location:Florence, Italy
Crossing:Arno River
Coordinates:43.764617 N 11.270966 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced, 1890
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1853: Tiffin

Tiffin, Ohio, USA - Sandusky River
Bridgemeister ID:46 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Tiffin
Location:Tiffin, Ohio, USA
Crossing:Sandusky River
Principals:John Gray
References:EOV
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

1853: Tsar Nicholas I

Kiev, Ukraine - Dnieper River
Bridgemeister ID:409 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Tsar Nicholas I
Location:Kiev, Ukraine
Crossing:Dnieper River
Principals:Charles Blacker Vignoles
References:AAJ, HBE, IEA, PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, c. 1920
Main Cables:Chain (iron, flat link)
Suspended Spans:6
Main Spans:4 x 134.1 meters (440 feet)
Side Spans:2 x 68.6 meters (225 feet)

External Links:

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

1853: Varades

Varades, Loire-Atlantique and Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Maine-et-Loire, France - Loire River
Bridgemeister ID:1962 (added 2005-11-06)
Year Completed:1853
Name:Varades
Location:Varades, Loire-Atlantique and Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Maine-et-Loire, France
Crossing:Loire River
References:AAJ
Status:Removed

Notes:


1854: Brion

Roissard and Lavars, Isère, France - Ebron River
Bridgemeister ID:6998 (added 2022-04-24)
Year Completed:1854
Name:Brion
Location:Roissard and Lavars, Isère, France
Crossing:Ebron River
Coordinates:44.868078 N 5.671040 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced, 1951
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1854: Caerhowel

Caerhowel, Wales, United Kingdom - River Severn
Bridgemeister ID:407 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1854
Name:Caerhowel
Location:Caerhowel, Wales, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Severn
Status:Collapsed, 1858

Notes:

  • Based on Dredge's patent.

1854: Elk River

Sutton, West Virginia, USA - Elk River
Bridgemeister ID:554 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1854
Name:Elk River
Location:Sutton, West Virginia, USA
Crossing:Elk River
Principals:Ira Hart
References:EOV
Use:Vehicular, with walkway
Status:Removed, 1930
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Main Span:1 x 140.2 meters (460 feet)

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1854: Licking River I

Covington and Newport, Kentucky, USA - Licking River
Bridgemeister ID:47 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1854
Name:Licking River I
Location:Covington and Newport, Kentucky, USA
Crossing:Licking River
Principals:John Gray, George C. Tarvin
References:BOB, BPL, EOV
Status:Collapsed, 1854

Notes:

  • BPL: Collapsed under weight of cattle 1853. BOB: Indicates year of completion and collapse as 1854. EOV: Appears more authoritative on the matter, "Although the bridge was not quite finished, Tarvin and the mayor of Covington rode the first vehicle across it on December 28, 1853. Less than two weeks later... the bridge collapsed."
  • The January 18, 1854 edition of The New York Times has a small article with a January 16, 1854 byline reporting the collapse of the bridge: "The... bridge... gave way this evening, while two men and eighteen cattle were crossing it... The keys which held the wire cable to the anchors gave way."
  • Replaced by 1854 Licking River II - Covington and Newport, Kentucky, USA.

1854: Licking River II

Covington and Newport, Kentucky, USA - Licking River
Bridgemeister ID:48 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1854
Name:Licking River II
Location:Covington and Newport, Kentucky, USA
Crossing:Licking River
Principals:John Gray
References:EOV
Status:Removed

Notes:


1854: Morgantown

Morgantown, West Virginia, USA - Monongahela River
Bridgemeister ID:49 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1854
Name:Morgantown
Location:Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
Crossing:Monongahela River
References:AAJ, EN19070918, EOV, HBE, PTS2
Use:Vehicular, with walkway
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 185.3 meters (608 feet)
Deck width:20 feet

Notes:

  • Was still part of Virginia at time of completion.
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1854: Oich

Invergarry vicinity, Scotland, United Kingdom - River Oich
Bridgemeister ID:403 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1854
Name:Oich
Also Known As:Aberchalder
Location:Invergarry vicinity, Scotland, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Oich
Coordinates:57.093377 N 4.745271 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:James Dredge
References:BC3, HBR
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Restricted to foot traffic (last checked: 2014)
Main Cables:Rod (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Restored and re-opened, late 1990's.

External Links:

Photo by David Denenberg Photo by Dave Cooper Photo by Alistair McIlwraith Photo by David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1854: Saint Andrew's

Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom - River Clyde
Bridgemeister ID:408 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1854
Name:Saint Andrew's
Location:Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Clyde
Coordinates:55.84883 N 4.23835 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Neil Robson
References:NTB
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Eyebar
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 67.1 meters (220 feet)
Deck width:13 feet

Notes:

  • Also sometimes attributed to Neil "Robinson" and completed 1853. May have originally been a narrow vehicular bridge.

External Links:

Photo by Dave Cooper Photo by David Denenberg

1854: Sarp

Sarpsborg, Viken, Norway - Glomma
Bridgemeister ID:4502 (added 2020-05-02)
Year Completed:1854
Name:Sarp
Also Known As:Sarpsbro, Sarpsbrua
Location:Sarpsborg, Viken, Norway
Crossing:Glomma
At or Near Feature:Sarpefossen
Coordinates:59.276684 N 11.132073 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, kart.1881.no, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1 x 47 meters (154.2 feet)
Side Spans:1 x 23 meters (75.5 feet),
1 x 15 meters (49.2 feet)

Notes:

  • Originally constructed as a typical eyebar suspension bridge. Reconstructed in 1879 to support a three-span lenticular rail bridge on top of the suspension bridge towers, creating an upper deck for rail traffic. The original deck was suspended from the lower chord of the lenticular trusses.
  • See Tamaris-les-Forges - Alès vicinity, Gard, France. Another interesting hybrid rail and suspension bridge.

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1855: Bessières

Bessières, Haute-Garonne, France - Tarn River
Bridgemeister ID:7157 (added 2022-06-25)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Bessières
Location:Bessières, Haute-Garonne, France
Crossing:Tarn River
Coordinates:43.802017 N 1.609680 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1855: Coudes

Coudes, Montpeyroux vicinity and Parent, Puy-de-Dôme, France - Allier River
Bridgemeister ID:1942 (added 2005-10-29)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Coudes
Location:Coudes, Montpeyroux vicinity and Parent, Puy-de-Dôme, France
Crossing:Allier River
Coordinates:45.615255 N 3.211817 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

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

1855: Ferro

Pomarance vicinity, Italy - Cecina River
Bridgemeister ID:7602 (added 2023-05-16)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Ferro
Also Known As:Iron
Location:Pomarance vicinity, Italy
Crossing:Cecina River
Status:Demolished, 1922

Notes:

External Links:


1855: Kaiserin-Elisabeth

Děčín (Tetschen), Czechia - Elbe River
Bridgemeister ID:5940 (added 2021-06-29)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Kaiserin-Elisabeth
Also Known As:Empress Elisabeth, Kettenbrücke
Location:Děčín (Tetschen), Czechia
Crossing:Elbe River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed, c. 1930s
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1
Side Spans:2

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1855: Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA - Mississippi River
Bridgemeister ID:50 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Minneapolis
Also Known As:St. Anthony's Falls
Location:Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Crossing:Mississippi River
At or Near Feature:Nicollet Island
Principals:Thomas M. Griffith
References:AAJ, BPL, HBE, PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Demolished, 1876
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 189 meters (620 feet)
Deck width:17 feet

Notes:

External Links:

Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg

1855: Mirepoix-sur-Tarn

Mirepoix-sur-Tarn, Haute-Garonne, France - Tarn River
Bridgemeister ID:7843 (added 2023-09-04)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Mirepoix-sur-Tarn
Location:Mirepoix-sur-Tarn, Haute-Garonne, France
Crossing:Tarn River
Coordinates:43.811766 N 1.571793 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1930
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1855: Ness

Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom - River Ness
Bridgemeister ID:526 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Ness
Location:Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Ness
Use:Vehicular
Status:Demolished, 1961
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

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

1855: Niagara Suspension

Niagara Falls, New York, USA and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada - Niagara River
Bridgemeister ID:51 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Niagara Suspension
Location:Niagara Falls, New York, USA and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Crossing:Niagara River
Principals:John A. Roebling
References:AAJ, BAAW, BBR, BFL, BMA, BOB, BPL, HBE, LIR, NSB, ONF, PTS2, SA18810716, SJR
Use:Rail (heavy rail) and Vehicular (double-deck), with walkway
Status:Replaced, 1897
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 250.3 meters (821.3 feet)

Notes:

External Links:

Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg

1855: Saint-Cyr

Tours and Saint-Cyr, Indre-et-Loire, France - Loire River
Bridgemeister ID:1645 (added 2005-03-18)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Saint-Cyr
Also Known As:Napoleon, Bonaparte
Location:Tours and Saint-Cyr, Indre-et-Loire, France
Crossing:Loire River
Principals:Escarraguel Brothers
Use:Vehicular
Status:Demolished, 1943
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

External Links:

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

1855: Shohola

Barryville, New York and Shohola, Pennsylvania, USA - Delaware River
Bridgemeister ID:41 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Shohola
Also Known As:Barryville-Shohola, Shohola-Barryville
Location:Barryville, New York and Shohola, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Delaware River
Principals:Chauncy Thomas, John A. Roebling
References:BDR, SHO
Use:Vehicular
Status:Dismantled, 1941
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • BDR: Built 1856, severely damaged 1859, rebuilt, collapsed Jan. 1st 1865, rebuilt 1866. Dale writes: "A respected historian, John Willard Johnston, who knew Chauncey Thomas personally and visited the area during his ownership of the toll bridge, insisted that Thomas, as the builder, was grossly incompetent."
  • Originally constructed with one main span, the center pier was added during the 1866 reconstruction.
  • Don Sayenga's research leads him to conclude the bridge was completed in the fall of 1855. He notes an article from the Pike County Democrat (June 21, 1872) stating the bridge was completed in 1855. The article also notes the 1859 collapse occurred on July 2, 1859. Don's interest in this bridge is piqued by the connection to John Roebling, "...this bridge seems to be the only John Roebling bridge that failed in service..." Roebling prepared plans, for the original bridge, for Chauncy Thomas (who, by Dale's account was inexperienced).
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1855: Whiskey Bar

El Dorado County, California, USA - American River
Bridgemeister ID:3357 (added 2019-12-15)
Year Completed:1855
Name:Whiskey Bar
Also Known As:Pioneer, Whisky
Location:El Dorado County, California, USA
Crossing:American River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Destroyed, 1862
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:


1856: Bidwell Bar

Oroville, California, USA - Feather River
Bridgemeister ID:52 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Bidwell Bar
Location:Oroville, California, USA
Crossing:Feather River
Coordinates:39.537483 N 121.45415 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Bidwell Bridge Co.
References:BPL, DSL200106, LACE
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Restricted to foot traffic (last checked: 2020)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 67.1 meters (220 feet) estimated

Notes:

  • Dismantled before completion of Oroville Dam and replaced by the 1965 high-level Bidwell Bar suspension bridge. The 1856 structure was later reassembled about 1.5 miles south of the new Bidwell Bar bridge. Coordinates provided here are for the current location of the bridge at Kelly Ridge.
  • Replaced by 1965 Bidwell Bar - Oroville, California, USA.

External Links:

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

1856: Boutiron

Creuzier-les-Vieux, Allier, France - Allier River
Bridgemeister ID:6951 (added 2022-02-06)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Boutiron
Location:Creuzier-les-Vieux, Allier, France
Crossing:Allier River
Coordinates:46.153816 N 3.410014 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced, 1911
Main Cables:Wire
Main Spans:3

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1856: Bridge of Sighs

Carthage and Rochester, New York, USA - Genesee River
Bridgemeister ID:54 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Bridge of Sighs
Location:Carthage and Rochester, New York, USA
Crossing:Genesee River
Principals:Josiah Bissell, Jr.
Use:Vehicular
Status:Collapsed, 1857
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

  • From May 2, 1857 edition of Scientific American: "Fall of a Suspension Bridge. The iron suspension bridge which spans the Genesee River at Rochester, fell on the 21st ult. from the weight of snow on it. The bridge was only finished last summer, and cost over $28,000. It was constructed between iron towers standing on the banks. They were built of cast iron cylinders, bolted together, and standing on high banks, 235 feet above the water. The road-way was 200 feet above the water, and proceeded in almost a straight line from the top of the high bank on one side, to the other. The cables were 780 feet long, and the entire length of the bridge was over 700 feet. It was calculated to sustain a weight of 2.000 tuns. It spanned the Genesee river below the Falls. The metal, it is stated, appears to be defective. The load that was on it when it fell did not amount to 100 tuns."

1856: Briord

Briord, Ain and Isère, France - Rhône River
Bridgemeister ID:6997 (added 2022-04-24)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Briord
Location:Briord, Ain and Isère, France
Crossing:Rhône River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1856: Carbonne

Carbonne, Haute-Garonne, France - Garonne River
Bridgemeister ID:1157 (added 2004-01-18)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Carbonne
Location:Carbonne, Haute-Garonne, France
Crossing:Garonne River
Coordinates:43.294537 N 1.228567 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Status:Replaced, 1975
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

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

1856: Guyandotte

Guyandotte and Huntington, West Virginia, USA - Guyandotte River
Bridgemeister ID:40 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Guyandotte
Location:Guyandotte and Huntington, West Virginia, USA
Crossing:Guyandotte River
Coordinates:38.430083 N 82.391694 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:George Wilson Mason
References:AAJ, EOV, PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed, 1907
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 137.2 meters (450 feet)

Notes:

  • EOV cites a source claiming the bridge was begun in 1853, but not completed until 1858. AAJ says completed in 1848. Other sources claim it was completed in 1852 and 1856.
  • Was still part of Virginia at time of completion.
Postcard, collection of David Denenberg

1856: Les Mées

Les Mées, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France - Durance River
Bridgemeister ID:1522 (added 2004-10-10)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Les Mées
Location:Les Mées, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France
Crossing:Durance River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:2
Main Spans:2

Notes:

External Links:

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

1856: Ollières

Les Ollières-sur-Eyrieux, Ardèche, France - Eyrieux River
Bridgemeister ID:4882 (added 2020-07-18)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Ollières
Location:Les Ollières-sur-Eyrieux, Ardèche, France
Crossing:Eyrieux River
Coordinates:44.804655 N 4.614687 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed

Notes:

  • AAJ assumes completion in 1856 based on an 18-month contract let in August 1854. Appears to have been a quite dramatic bridge, with very large castellated towers, on an alignment adjacent to the current twin-arch bridge.

1856: Strong

Strong, Maine, USA - Sandy River
Bridgemeister ID:53 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Strong
Location:Strong, Maine, USA
Crossing:Sandy River
Principals:Daniel Beedy
References:BPL
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Replaced (last checked: 1922)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 77.4 meters (254 feet)
Deck width:13 feet

Notes:

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

1856: Westmoreland's

Lancha Plana, California, USA - Mokelumne River
Bridgemeister ID:1089 (added 2004-01-01)
Year Completed:1856
Name:Westmoreland's
Location:Lancha Plana, California, USA
Crossing:Mokelumne River
References:DSL200106
Status:Inundated
Main Cables:Wire (iron)

Notes:

  • Towers and cables were still standing in the 1940s. The location, including the entire former settlement of Lancha Plana, was inundated by the creation of the Camanche Reservoir in 1963. Unclear if remnants are still present (as is the case for some other inundated 19th-century California suspension bridges).

1857: Altenbergsteg

Berne, Switzerland - Aare River
Bridgemeister ID:1475 (added 2004-09-02)
Year Completed:1857
Name:Altenbergsteg
Location:Berne, Switzerland
Crossing:Aare River
Coordinates:46.9503 N 7.4489 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:PTS2
Use:Footbridge
Status:In use (last checked: 2019)
Main Cables:Eyebar
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 57 meters (187 feet)

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1857: Black River

Watertown, New York, USA - Black River
Bridgemeister ID:55 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1857
Name:Black River
Also Known As:Bradford, Mill Street
Location:Watertown, New York, USA
Crossing:Black River
Principals:Gilbert Bradford
References:AAJ, HBE, ONC
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed, 1890's
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 53 meters (173.9 feet)
Deck width:18 feet

Notes:

  • Replaced in 1890's (ONC).
Stereoview, collection of David Denenberg

1857: Change

Glendon, Pennsylvania, USA - Lehigh River
Bridgemeister ID:56 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1857
Name:Change
Also Known As:Chain, Lehigh Canal Swinging, Wire Towing Path at Pool No. 8
Location:Glendon, Pennsylvania, USA
Crossing:Lehigh River
Coordinates:40.65382 N 75.24774 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co., E.A. Douglas
References:HAERPA461, HBP
Use:Footbridge and Change
Status:Derelict (last checked: 2007)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:2
Main Spans:2

Notes:

  • Often mistakenly called a "chain" bridge, this is a "change" bridge.

External Links:

  • Aldrich Change Bridge. Dale Oswald explains (in the context of the Aldrich Change Bridge, a non-suspension bridge in Palmyra, New York): "A change bridge is one with low railings and an underpass that allowed draft teams to move from one side of the canal to the other without unhitching, cloverleaf-style."
Photo by David Denenberg

1857: Izeron

Izeron and Saint-Sauveur, Isère, France - Isère River
Bridgemeister ID:7159 (added 2022-06-25)
Year Completed:1857
Name:Izeron
Location:Izeron and Saint-Sauveur, Isère, France
Crossing:Isère River
Coordinates:45.154651 N 5.363855 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1857: Longues

Longues, Vic-le-Comte and Les Martres-de-Veyre, Puy-de-Dôme, France - Allier River
Bridgemeister ID:7589 (added 2023-05-06)
Year Completed:1857
Name:Longues
Location:Longues, Vic-le-Comte and Les Martres-de-Veyre, Puy-de-Dôme, France
Crossing:Allier River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced
Main Cables:Chain (iron)
Main Span:1

Notes:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1857: Saint James's Park

London, England, United Kingdom
Bridgemeister ID:6831 (added 2021-12-31)
Year Completed:1857
Name:Saint James's Park
Location:London, England, United Kingdom
At or Near Feature:Saint James's Park
References:AAJ
Use:Footbridge
Status:Replaced, 1957
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • Reviews of this bridge were not favorable. Jakkula (AAJ) sites several contemporary sources (1857) objecting to the bridge obstructing the view of the scenery. One citation is summarized: "Regards the bridge as a hideous structure".

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1857: Saint-Lattier

Saint-Lattier, Isère and Eymeux, Drôme, France - Isère River
Bridgemeister ID:7385 (added 2022-11-24)
Year Completed:1857
Name:Saint-Lattier
Location:Saint-Lattier, Isère and Eymeux, Drôme, France
Crossing:Isère River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1858: Chaumont-sur-Loire

Chaumont-sur-Loire and Onzain, Loir-et-Cher, France - Loire River
Bridgemeister ID:1703 (added 2005-03-29)
Year Completed:1858
Name:Chaumont-sur-Loire
Location:Chaumont-sur-Loire and Onzain, Loir-et-Cher, France
Crossing:Loire River
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Main Spans:6

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1858: Chelsea

London, England, United Kingdom - River Thames
Bridgemeister ID:410 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1858
Name:Chelsea
Also Known As:Victoria
Location:London, England, United Kingdom
Crossing:River Thames
At or Near Feature:Battersea Park
Coordinates:51.485061 N 0.149897 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:Thomas Page
References:BTH, HBE, PTS2
Use:Vehicular
Status:Replaced
Main Cables:Eyebar (iron)
Suspended Spans:3
Main Span:1 x 106.1 meters (348 feet)
Side Spans:1 x 116.7 meters (383 feet),
1 x 55.8 meters (183 feet)

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1858: Portsmouth

Portsmouth, Ohio, USA - Scioto River
Bridgemeister ID:57 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1858
Name:Portsmouth
Location:Portsmouth, Ohio, USA
Crossing:Scioto River
Principals:E.B. Gray
References:EOV
Status:Collapsed, 1859

Notes:


1858: Thoirette

Thoirette, Jura and Ain, France - Ain River
Bridgemeister ID:1990 (added 2005-12-02)
Year Completed:1858
Name:Thoirette
Location:Thoirette, Jura and Ain, France
Crossing:Ain River
Coordinates:46.268464 N 5.536318 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:AGP
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Replaced, 1922
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

  • One end of this bridge appears to have led directly into a building aptly named Hôtel Du Pont with the roadway possibly passing through the building. Remnants of the bridge are still present (as of 2022) on both sides of the river.
  • Replaced 1829 Thoirette - Thoirette, Jura and Ain, France.

External Links:

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

1858: Trofa

Trofa and Ribeirão, Portugal - Ave River
Bridgemeister ID:5665 (added 2021-01-03)
Year Completed:1858
Name:Trofa
Also Known As:Barca
Location:Trofa and Ribeirão, Portugal
Crossing:Ave River
Coordinates:41.345251 N 8.556376 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed, 1935
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 82 meters (269 feet)

Notes:

  • Coordinates are for the current Ave River crossing at Trofa. The Ponte Pênsil da Trofa may have been located here or slightly west of here.

External Links:


1859: Doux

St Jean de Muzols and Tournon-sur-Rhône, Ardèche, France - Doux River
Bridgemeister ID:5661 (added 2021-01-01)
Year Completed:1859
Name:Doux
Location:St Jean de Muzols and Tournon-sur-Rhône, Ardèche, France
Crossing:Doux River
Coordinates:45.074919 N 4.816389 E
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
References:AAJ
Use:Vehicular
Status:Removed
Main Cables:Wire
Suspended Spans:1

Notes:

External Links:

Postcard, collection of Jochem Hollestelle

1859: General Dean

Carlyle, Illinois, USA - Kaskaskia River
Bridgemeister ID:58 (added before 2003)
Year Completed:1859
Name:General Dean
Also Known As:Carlyle
Location:Carlyle, Illinois, USA
Crossing:Kaskaskia River
Coordinates:38.611125 N 89.357476 W
Maps:Acme, GeoHack, Google, OpenStreetMap
Principals:D. Griffith Smith
References:BPL, GBD
Use:Vehicular (one-lane)
Status:Restricted to foot traffic (last checked: 2021)
Main Cables:Wire (iron)
Suspended Spans:1
Main Span:1 x 80.5 meters (264 feet)

Notes:

  • Rebuilt 1920s, 1970s. Restored, 1950's, for use as a footbridge.
  • Bypassed, 1924.

External Links:

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


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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