In 1962, London Bridge was falling down. Built in 1831, the bridge couldn't handle the ever-increasing flow of traffic across the Thames. 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 carefully marked. 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.
 
"Hundreds of thousands of people come here every year to see the bridge," said Sue Barone of the Lake Havasu Chamber of Commerce. "I've lived here 18 years, and I've watched the whole thing develop. When I first got here, there wasn't much more than the bridge and a shop or two. Now, just look."
 
Lake Havasu City, which got its start as an Army Air Corps rest camp during World War II, now has over 1000 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 2/97
RoadTrip America

 

Old Bridges Never Die:
They Retire to
Lake Havasu City