St Louis MO Eads Bridge Bridge Mississippi River Architectural Construction Art
by Reid Callaway
Title
St Louis MO Eads Bridge Bridge Mississippi River Architectural Construction Art
Artist
Reid Callaway
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
St Louis MO Eads Bridge....by Reid Callaway
Mississippi River Architectural Construction Art
The Eads Bridge is a steel combined road and railway bridge over the Mississippi River connecting the cities of St. Louis, Missouri and East St. Louis, Illinois. Envisioned and financed by a young Andrew Carnegie. Opened in 1874, it was one of the earliest long bridges built across the Mississippi, the world's first all steel construction, and built high enough so steamboats could travel underneath. As such, the St. Louis Landmark is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark. As of April 2014, it carries about 8,100 vehicles daily, down 3,000 since the new Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge opened in February 2014.
The bridge is named for its designer and builder, James B. Eads. When completed in 1874, the Eads Bridge was the longest arch bridge in the world, with an overall length of 6,442 feet (1,964 m). The ribbed steel arch spans were considered daring, as was the use of steel as a primary structural material. This was the first such use of true steel in a major bridge. The cost of building the bridge was nearly $10 million ($210 million with inflation).
The Eads Bridge was also the first bridge to be built using cantilever support methods exclusively, and one of the first to make use of pneumatic caissons. The Eads Bridge caissons, still among the deepest ever sunk, were responsible for one of the first major outbreaks of "caisson disease" (also known as "the bends" or decompression sickness). Fifteen workers died, two other workers were permanently disabled, and 77 were severely afflicted.
On June 14, 1874, John Robinson led a "test elephant" on a stroll across the new Eads Bridge to prove that it was safe. A big crowd cheered as the elephant from a traveling circus lumbered towards Illinois. It was believed that elephants had instincts that would keep them from setting foot on unsafe structures. Two weeks later, Eads sent 14 locomotives back and forth across the bridge at one time. The opening day celebration on July 4, 1874, featured a parade that stretched for 15 miles (24 km) through the streets of St. Louis.
The Eads Bridge, which became an iconic image of the city of St. Louis, from the time of its erection until 1965 when the Gateway Arch was constructed, is still in use. The bridge crosses the St. Louis riverfront between Laclede's Landing, to the north, and the grounds of the Gateway Arch, to the south. Today the road deck has been restored, allowing vehicular and pedestrian traffic to cross the river. The St. Louis MetroLink light rail system has used the rail deck since 1993.
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Comments, Likes and Favorites are appreciated... ☺
Uploaded
November 7th, 2017
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Comments (15)
Reid Callaway
Thank you Jan Mulherin for featuring my artwork in our group....”Art Forever with You”! 5/4/2021
Reid Callaway
Thank you Jan Mulherin for admiring my artwork and for making this image one of your personal Favorites! 5/4/2021
Jan Mulherin
Congratulations!! This stunning image has been selected to be featured for the week in the “Art Forever with You – Creative and Unique Outdoor Images” Group Home Page. You are welcome to add a preview of this featured image to the group’s discussion post titled “2021 May: Stunning Group Featured Images and Thank-you’s” for a permanent display within the group, to share this achievement with others. Also feel free to post your feature on our group Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/296998814248643/ Thank you for your participation in the group! ~Jan (May 4, 2021)
Reid Callaway
Thank you Lyric Lucas for featuring my artwork in our group... Out Of The Ordinary! 12/14/2020
Lyric Lucas
Congratulations, your creative and unique art work is Featured on the homepage of the "Out Of The Ordinary 1 A Day" group! 12/12/20 l/f
Reid Callaway
Thank you Frozen in Time for featuring my artwork in our group..... Your Very Best Photograph! 12/2/2020
Reid Callaway
Thank you to the buyer from Boise, ID for the purchase of my image "Eads Bridge" printed on a Spiral Notebook! May my image be a Blessing to you for years to come! 11/29/2020
Reid Callaway
Thank you to the buyer from Ladue, MO for the purchase of my image "Eads Bridge" as a 10" x 6.5" Wood Print! May my image of this iconic turn of the century bridge be a Blessing to you for years to come! 3/29/2020
Reid Callaway
Thank you Romuald Henry Wasielewski for featuring my artwork in our group... Arts Fantastic World! 1/16/2019
Reid Callaway
Thank you Joseph C Hinson Photography for featuring my artwork in our group... North American Trains and Rails and Stations! 2/13/2018