Monroe Street Bridge
Encyclopedia
Monroe Street Bridge is a deck arch bridge that spans the Spokane River
in Spokane, Washington
. It was built in 1911 by the city of Spokane and was designed by John Chester Ralston and Kirtland Kelsey Cutter. At the time of completion it was the largest concrete-arch bridge in the United States and the third longest in the world.
The current bridge is actually the third bridge in this location. The first bridge, a rather rickety wooden structure, was built in 1889. The bridge was first closed due to arguments in the city over rites of passage and ownership. It then burned down in 1890 and then replaced with a steel bridge. The second bridge vibrated badly and had a noticeable dip in the center. A consultant from the Good Roads Movement
considered the bridge unsafe in 1905. The design of the third bridge was largely copied from the Rocky River Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio
, but was built one foot longer to make it the largest concrete arch in the United States
at the time. The bridge was designed with ornamental features such as bison skulls, covered pavilions, and a chain-link railing motif. The bison skull was an inspiration of Patrick C. Shine who found it in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada, in the early 1900s.
The bridge underwent changes in 1925 and in 1934, and submitted to the modernization of Spokane. The pavilion lamps were changed to electric lighting in ’25 and the electric car railways were removed from the bridge in ‘34. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1975. By the 1990s, the current bridge had deteriorated to the point where rebuilding it was necessary. In January 2003, the bridge was closed for restoration, dismantled down to the central arch, and rebuilt faithfully to the original appearance. The bridge was reopened in 2005 and continues to provide excellent views of Spokane Falls
.
Spokane River
The Spokane River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and eastern Washington in the United States. It drains a low mountainous area east of the Columbia, passing through the city of Spokane, Washington.-Description:...
in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. It was built in 1911 by the city of Spokane and was designed by John Chester Ralston and Kirtland Kelsey Cutter. At the time of completion it was the largest concrete-arch bridge in the United States and the third longest in the world.
The current bridge is actually the third bridge in this location. The first bridge, a rather rickety wooden structure, was built in 1889. The bridge was first closed due to arguments in the city over rites of passage and ownership. It then burned down in 1890 and then replaced with a steel bridge. The second bridge vibrated badly and had a noticeable dip in the center. A consultant from the Good Roads Movement
Good Roads Movement
The Good Roads Movement occurred in the United States between the late 1870s and the 1920s. Advocates for improved roads led by bicyclists turned local agitation into a national political movement....
considered the bridge unsafe in 1905. The design of the third bridge was largely copied from the Rocky River Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, but was built one foot longer to make it the largest concrete arch in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the time. The bridge was designed with ornamental features such as bison skulls, covered pavilions, and a chain-link railing motif. The bison skull was an inspiration of Patrick C. Shine who found it in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada, in the early 1900s.
The bridge underwent changes in 1925 and in 1934, and submitted to the modernization of Spokane. The pavilion lamps were changed to electric lighting in ’25 and the electric car railways were removed from the bridge in ‘34. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975. By the 1990s, the current bridge had deteriorated to the point where rebuilding it was necessary. In January 2003, the bridge was closed for restoration, dismantled down to the central arch, and rebuilt faithfully to the original appearance. The bridge was reopened in 2005 and continues to provide excellent views of Spokane Falls
Spokane Falls
Spokane Falls is the name of the series of waterfalls and dams on the Spokane River in downtown Spokane, Washington.The Indian name for the Spokane Falls was "Stluputqu", meaning "swift water". The falls was once the site of a large Spokane people village....
.