Bidwell Bar Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bidwell Bar Bridge |
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The new Bidwell Bar Bridge
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| Coordinates | 39°32′15″N 121°27′15″W / 39.53750°N 121.45417°W (original) 39°33′00″N 121°25′50″W / 39.55000°N 121.43056°W (current) |
| Carries | Pedestrian traffic (original span); two lanes of  SR 162 (current span) |
| Crosses | Lake Oroville |
| Locale | Oroville, California |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | 2 suspension bridges |
| Total length | 240 feet (73 m) (original span); 1,108 feet (338 m) (current span) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1855 (original span); 1965 (current span) |
| Reference #: | 314 |
The Bidwell Bar Bridge in Oroville, California, is actually the name for two different suspension bridges. Both bridges cross parts of Lake Oroville. One is an old, historic bridge, and the other is a newer, much larger one.
Contents
The Bidwell Bar Bridges
The Original Bidwell Bar Bridge
The first Bidwell Bar Bridge was very special. It was the first steel suspension bridge ever built in California. It cost $35,000 to build. This bridge was about 240 feet (73 m) long. It was finished in December 1855. All the materials for the bridge came from Troy, New York. They were shipped a very long way around Cape Horn!
Most of the money for the bridge came from Judge Joseph Lewis. He was a man from Virginia who moved to Bidwell's Bar in 1849. The bridge first crossed the Middle Fork Feather River. It was one of several suspension bridges built in the area in the 1850s. This one is the only one that still stands today. Cars could drive on it until 1954.
Moving the Old Bridge
Later, the Oroville Dam was built. This dam created Lake Oroville. The lake flooded the canyon where the Feather River used to flow. It also covered the old town of Bidwell's Bar.
People wanted to save the historic bridge. So, in 1966, they moved it to a new spot. It was placed on the south side of the new lake. Today, you can still walk across this old bridge. Its original location is now under the lake's water.
The New Bidwell Bar Bridge
A new bridge was built in 1965 to replace the old one. This newer bridge is much longer, about 1,108 feet (338 m) in length. It was built about a mile and a half upstream from where the original bridge stood.
When it was first built, the new Bidwell Bar Bridge was one of the highest suspension bridges in the world. It stood 627 feet (191 m) above the old riverbed. Now that the lake is full, the bridge sits just above the water. This bridge is part of State Route 162.
Historical Importance
The original Bidwell Bar Bridge is very important to California's history. It is listed as a California Historical Landmark. It was also named a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. This means it's recognized as a major achievement in engineering.
Near the historical marker for the bridge, you can find the Mother Orange Tree. This was the first orange tree planted in Northern California. Judge Lewis, who helped fund the bridge, bought this tree.
Learn More
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. CA-34, "Bidwell Bar Suspension Bridge & Stone Toll House", 13 photos, 1 color transparency, 2 data pages, 2 photo caption pages
- Bidwell Bar Suspension Bridge in the Structurae database (original span)
- Bidwell Bar Bridge in the Structurae database (current span)
