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London
Bridge,
Lake Havasu City, Arizona |
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Photos
in the visitors' center illustrate the reconstruction
of the bridge |
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LAKE
HAVASU CITY, ARIZONA—
In
1962, London Bridge was falling down. Built in 1831,
the bridge couldn't handle the ever-increasing flow
of traffic across the Thames River. The British government
decided to put the bridge up for sale, and Robert McCulloch,
Founder of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and Chairman of
McCulloch Oil Corporation, submitted the winning bid
of $2,460,000.
The
bridge was dismantled, and each stone was numbered.
Everything was shipped 10,000 miles to Long Beach, California,
and then trucked to Lake Havasu City. Reconstruction
began on September 23, 1968, with a ceremony including
the Lord Mayor of London, who laid the cornerstone.
On October 10, 1971, the bridge was dedicated.
London
Bridge crosses a narrow boating channel that connects
with Thompson Bay on the Arizona side of Lake Havasu.
Prior to the arrival of London Bridge, the land upon
which the bridge was placed was a peninsula. A large
dredge was used to carve a one-mile channel, removing
over two million cubic yards of rock and earth in the
construction phase. Water was then diverted from the
lake, under the bridge and then back into the lake through
Thompson Bay. On the Google
Map aerial view, the pushpin marked "A"
is the London Bridge Resort, and just to the left is
McCulloch Boulevard and the location of London Bridge.
To reach the bridge from I-40 we recommend
going south on Arizona Highway 95, then turn left (east)
on Mesquite Avenue. Turn right (south) on Lake Havasu
Avenue N. and then right again on McCulloch Boulevard
N. to drive over the bridge.
Best place to park to take photos:
Just after turning onto McCulloch Boulevard N., you'll
cross over Arizona Highway 95. Before you reach the
actual London Bridge, turn left into the small parking
lot near the London Bridge Resort. It's an easy walk
along the lower edge of the bridge to the promenade
for photos.
Once you walk west under the bridge, you'll
see a concrete walkway ramp which leads up to the London
Bridge visitors' center where there are some historical
photos and other information about the bridge and other
attractions and points of interest within about a 100-mile
radius of Lake Havasu City.
Lake Havasu City, which got its start as
an Army Air Corps rest camp during World War II, now
has over 1,000 businesses, two newspapers and a college.
Remember that the next time a man comes up to you and
offers to sell you a used bridge!
Megan
Edwards
2/25/07
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