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President Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated the original
bridge on September 4, 1936 with more than 75,000 people in attedance.
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Missouri U.S. Senator and future president, Harry S. Truman
was among the dignitaries present.
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This bridge was designed solely for the use of automobiles.
Previously, trains, automobiles, horse-drawn vehicles, and pedestrians used
the Wabash Train Bridge located to the north.
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A toll was charged for the first four years the bridge was
in service to cover the construction costs of the project.
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The bridge spanned 2,636 feet across the Mississippi river.
It contained 5.3 million pounds of fabricated structural steel and 645,000
pounds of reinforcing steel.
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A recurring summer problem was the swarming of mayflies
attracted to the bridge lights. At times, the pavement was covered 2
inches thick by the insects, causing it become extremely slick. Snow
plows were necessary for their removal.
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The bridge was closed during the flood of 1993 from July to
September. Water covered the approach on the Illinois side.
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The bridge closed to traffic on Saturday, September 16, 2000
following the dedication and opening of the new Mark Twain Memorial Bridge.
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Demolition of the bridge began on January 8, 2001 with the
blasting of the first span. Seven months were required to remove the
old bridge.